Archaeological Survey of the Proposed Johnston Trails Project in the Downstream Corridor, Saylorville Lake, Polk County, Iowa. Phase 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-01-01

located in the region. The Des Moines River and its immediate tributaries deeply incise the till plain, expos- ing the underlying bedrock in many...and Leah D. Rogers 1985 Interlertive Overview of Cultura Resouwves in Say/orvil/e Lake, Iowa, VoL I. Project CAR-627, Cen- ter for Archaeological

Teton Dam flood of June 1976, Firth quadrangle, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hubbard, Larry L.; Bartells, John H.

1976-01-01

The failure of the Teton Dam caused extreme flooding along the Teton River, Henrys Fork, and Snake River in southeastern Idaho on June 5-8, 1976. No flooding occurred downstream from American Falls Reservoir. The inundated areas and maximum water-surface elevations are shown in a series of 17 hydrologic atlases. The area covered by the atlases extends from Teton Dam downstream to American Falls Reservoir, a distance of 100 miles. The extent of flooding shown on the maps was obtained by field inspections and aerial photographs made during and immediately after the flood. There may be small isolated areas within the boundaries shown that were not flooded, but the identification of these sites was beyond the scope of the study. The elevation data shown are mean-sea-level elevations of high-water marks identified in the field. This particular map (in the 17-map series) shows conditions in the Firth quadrangle. (Woodard-USGS)

Teton Dam flood of June 1976, Rose quadrangle, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bartells, John H.; Hubbard, Larry L.

1976-01-01

The failure of the Teton Dam caused extreme flooding along the Teton River, Henrys Fork, and Snake River in southeastern Idaho on June 5-8, 1976. No flooding occurred downstream from American Falls Reservoir. The inundated areas and maximum water-surface elevations are shown in a series of 17 hydrologic atlases. The area covered by the atlases extends from Teton Dam downstream to American Falls Reservoir, a distance of 100 miles. The extent of flooding shown on the maps was obtained by field inspections and aerial photographs made during and immediately after the flood. There may be small isolated areas within the boundaries shown that were not flooded, but the identification of these sites was beyond the scope of the study. The elevation data shown are mean-sea-level elevations of high-water marks identified in the field. This particular map (in the 17-map series) shows conditions in the Rose quadrangle. (Woodard-USGS)

Teton Dam flood of June 1976, Rexburg quadrangle, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harenberg, W.A.; Bigelow, B.B.

1976-01-01

The failure of the Teton Dam caused extreme flooding along the Teton River, Henrys Fork, and Snake River in southeastern Idaho on June 5-8, 1976. No flooding occurred downstream from American Falls Reservoir. The inundated areas and maximum water-surface elevations are shown in a series of 17 hydrologic atlases. The area covered by the atlases extends from Teton Dam downstream to American Falls Reservoir, a distance of 100 miles. The extent of flooding shown on the maps was obtained by field inspections and aerial photographs made during and immediately after the flood. There may be small isolated areas within the boundaries shown that were not flooded, but the identification on these sites was beyond the scope of the study. The elevation data shown are mean-sea-level elevations of high-water marks identified in the field. This particular map (in the 17-map series) shows conditions in the Rexburg quadrangle. (Woodard-USGS)

Teton Dam flood of June 1976, Deer Parks quadrangle, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ray, Herman A.; Bennett, C. Michael; Records, Andrew W.

1976-01-01

The failure of the Teton Dam caused extreme flooding along the Teton River, Henrys Fork, and Snake River in southeastern Idaho on June 5-8, 1976. No flooding occurred downstream from American Falls Reservoir. The inundated areas and maximum water-surface elevations are shown in a series of 17 hydrologic atlases. The area covered by the atlases extends from Teton Dam downstream to American Falls Reservoir, a distance of 100 miles. The extent of flooding shown on the maps was obtained by field inspections and aerial photographs made during and immediately after the flood. There may be small isolated areas within the boundaries shown that were not flooded, but the identification of these sites was beyond the scope of the study. The elevation data shown are mean-sea-level elevations of high-water marks identified in the field. This particular map (in the 17-map series) shows conditions in the Deer Parks quadrangle. (Woodard-USGS)

Teton Dam flood of June 1976, Parker quadrangle, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thomas, Cecil Albert; Ray, Herman A.

1976-01-01

The failure of Teton Dam caused extreme flooding along the Teton River, Henrys Fork, and Snake River in southeastern Idaho on June 5-8, 1976. No flooding occurred downstream from American Falls, Reservoir. The inundated areas and maximum water-surface elevations are shown in a series of 17 hydrologic atlases. The area covered by the atlases extends from Teton Dam downstream to American Falls Reservoir, a distance of 100 miles. The extent of flooding shown on the maps was obtained by field inspections and aerial photographs made during and immediately after the flood. There may be small isolated areas within the boundaries shown that were not flooded, but the identification of these sites was beyond the scope of the study. The elevation data shown are mean-sea-level elevations of high-water marks identified in the field. This particular map (in the 17-map series) shows conditions in the Parker quadrangle. (Woodard-USGS)

Teton Dam flood of June 1976, St. Anthony quadrangle, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thomas, Cecil A.; Ray, Herman A.; Matthai, Howard F.

1976-01-01

The failure of the Teton Dam caused extreme flooding along the Teton River, Henrys Fork, and Snake River in southeastern Idaho on June 5-8, 1976. No flooding occurred downstream from American Falls Reservoir. The inundated areas and maximum water-surface elevations are shown in a series of 17 hydrologic atlases. The area covered by the atlases extends from Teton Dam downstream to American Falls Reservoir, a distance of 100 miles. The extent of flooding shown on the maps was obtained by field inspections and aerial photographs made during and immediately after the flood. There may be small isolated areas within the boundaries shown that were not flooded, but the identification of these sites was beyond the scope of the study. The elevation data shown are mean-sea-level elevations of high-water marks identified in the field. This particular map (in the 17-map series) shows conditions in the St. Anthony quadrangle. (Woodard-USGS)

Teton Dam flood of June 1976, Woodville quadrangle, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Matthai, Howard F.; Ray, Herman A.

1976-01-01

The failure of the Teton Dam caused extreme flooding along the Teton River, Henrys Fork, and Snake River in southeastern Idaho on June 5-8, 1976. No flooding occurred downstream from American Falls Reservoir. The inundated areas and maximum water-surface elevations are shown in a series of 17 hydrologic atlases. The area covered by the atlases extends from Teton Dam downstream to American Falls Reservoir, a distance of 100 miles. The extent of flooding shown on the maps was obtained by field inspections and aerial photographs made during and immediately after the flood. There may be small isolated areas within the boundaries shown that were not flooded, but the identification of these sites was beyond the scope of the study. The elevation data shown are mean-sea-level elevations of high-water marks identified in the field. This particular map (in the 17-map series) shows conditions in the Woodville quadrangle. (Woodard-USGS)

Teton Dam flood of June 1976, Menan Buttes quadrangle, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thomas, Cecil A.; Ray, Herman A.; Harenberg, William A.

1976-01-01

The failure of the Teton Dam caused extreme flooding along the Teton River, Henrys Fork, and Snake River in southeastern Idaho on June 5-8, 1976. No flooding occurred downstream from American Falls Reservoir. The inundated areas and maximum water-surface elevations are shown in a series of 17 hydrologic atlases. The area covered by the atlases extends from Teton Dam downstream to American Falls Reservoir, a distance of 100 miles. The extent of flooding shown on the maps was obtained by field inspections and aerial photographs made during and immediately after the flood. There may be small isolated areas within the boundaries shown that were not flooded, but the identification of these sites was beyond the scope of the study. The elevation data shown are mean-sea-level elevations of high-water marks identified in the field. This particular map (in the 17-map series) shows conditions in the Menan Buttes quadrangle. (Woodard-USGS)

Teton Dam flood of June 1976, Idaho Falls South quadrangle, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ray, Herman A.; Matthai, Howard F.

1976-01-01

The failure of the Teton Dam caused extreme flooding along the Teton River, Henrys Fork, and Snake River in southeastern Idaho on June 5-8, 1976. No flooding occurred downstream from American Falls Reservoir. The inundated areas and maximum water-surface elevations are shown in a series of 17 hydrologic atlases. The area covered by the atlases extends from Teton Dam downstream to American Falls Reservoir, a distance of 100 miles. The extent of flooding shown on the maps was obtained by field inspections and aerial photographs made during and immediately after the flood. There may be small isolated areas within the boundaries shown that were not flooded, but the identification of these sites was beyond the scope of the study. The elevation data shown are mean-sea-level elevations of high-water marks identified in the field. This particular map (in the 17-map series) shows conditions in the Idaho Falls South quadrangle. (Woodard-USGS)

Teton Dam flood of June 1976, Lewisville quadrangle, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ray, Herman A.; Bigelow, Bruce B.

1976-01-01

The failure of the Teton Dam caused extreme flooding along the Teton River, Henrys Fork, and Snake River in southeastern Idaho on June 5-8, 1976. No flooding occurred downstream from American Falls Reservoir. The inundated areas and maximum water-surface elevations are shown in a series of 17 hydrologic atlases. The area covered by the atlases extends from Teton Dam downstream to American Falls Reservoir, a distance of 100 miles. The extent of flooding shown on the maps was obtained by field inspections and aerial photographs made during and immediately after the flood. There may be small isolated areas within the boundaries shown that were not flooded, but the identification of these sites was beyond the scope of the study. The elevation data shown are mean-sea-level elevations of high-water marks identified in the field. This particular map (in the 17-map series) shows conditions in the Lewisville quadrangle. (Woodard-USGS)

Teton Dam flood of June 1976, Idaho Falls North quadrangle, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ray, Herman A.; Matthai, Howard F.

1976-01-01

The failure of the Teton Dam caused extreme flooding along the Teton River, Henrys Fork, and Snake River in southeastern Idaho on June 5-8, 1976. No flooding occurred downstream from American Falls Reservoir. The inundated areas and maximum water-surface elevations are shown in a series of 17 hydrologic atlases. The area covered by the atlases extends from Teton Dam downstream to American Falls Reservoir, a distance of 100 miles. The extent of flooding shown on the maps was obtained by field inspections and aerial photographs made during and immediately after the flood. There may be small isolated areas within the boundaries shown that were not flooded, but the identification of these sites was beyond the scope of the study. The elevation data shown are mean-sea-level elevations of high-water marks identified in the field. This particular map (in the 17-map series) shows conditions in the Idaho Falls North quadrangle. (Woodard-USGS)

Teton Dam flood of June 1976, Pingree quadrangle, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hubbard, Larry L.; Bartells, John H.

1976-01-01

The failure of the Teton Dam caused extreme flooding along the Teton River, Henrys Fork, and Snake River in southeastern Idaho on June 5-8, 1976. No flooding occurred downstream from American Falls Reservoir. The inundated areas and maximum water-surface elevations are shown in a series of 17 hydrologic atlases. The area covered by the atlases extends from Teton Dam downstream to American Falls Reservoir, a distance of 100 miles. The extent of flooding shown on the maps was obtained by field inspections and aerial photographs made during and immediately after the flood. There may be small isolated areas within the boundaries shown that were not flooded, but the identification of these sites was beyond the scope of the study. The elevation data shown are mean-sea-level elevations of high-water marks identified in the field. This particular map (in the 17-map series) shows conditions in the Pingree quadrangle. (Woodard-USGS)

Teton Dam flood of June 1976, Blackfoot quadrangle, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bartells, J.H.; Hubbard, Larry L.

1976-01-01

The failure of the Teton Dam caused extreme flooding along the Teton River, Henrys Fork, and Snake River in southeastern Idaho on June 5-8, 1976. No flooding occurred downstream from American Falls Reservoir. The inundated areas and maximum water-surface elevations are shown in a series of 17 hydrologic atlases. The area covered by the atlases extends from Teton Dam downstream to American Falls Reservoir, a distance of 100 miles. The extent of flooding shown on the maps was obtained by field inspections and aerial photographs made during and immediately after the flood. There may be small isolated areas within the boundaries shown that were not flooded, but the identification of these sites was beyond the scope of the study. The elevation data shown are mean-sea-level elevations of high-water marks identified in the field. This particular map (in the 17-map series) shows conditions in the Blackfoot quadrangle. (Woodard-USGS)

Teton Dam flood of June 1976, Moreland quadrangle, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hubbard, Larry L.; Bartells, John H.

1976-01-01

The failure of the Teton Dam caused extreme flooding along the Teton River, Henrys Fork, and Snake River in southeastern Idaho on June 5-8, 1976. No flooding occurred downstream from American Falls Reservoir. The inundated areas and maximum water-surface elevations are shown in a series of 17 hydrologic atlases. The aea covered by the atlases extends from Teton Dam downstream to American Falls Reservoir, a distance of 100 miles. The extent of flooding shown on the maps was obtained by field inspections and aerial photographs made during and immediately after the flood. There may be small isolated areas within the boundaries shown that were not flooded, but the identification of these sites was beyond the scope of the study. The elevation data shown are mean-sea-level elevations of high-water marks identified in the field. This particular map (in the 17-map series) shows conditions in the Moreland quadrangle. (Woodard-USGS)

Teton Dam flood of June 1976, Rigby quadrangle, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ray, Herman A.; Bigelow, Bruce B.

1976-01-01

The failure of the Teton Dam caused extreme flooding along the Teton River, Henrys Fork, and Snake River in southeastern Idaho on June 5-8, 1976. No flooding occurred downstream from American Falls Reservoir. The inundated areas and maximum water-surface elevations are shown in a series of 17 hydrologic atlases. The area covered by the atlases extends from Teton Dam downstream to American Falls Reservoir, a distance of 100 miles. The extent of flooding shown on the maps was obtained by field inspections and aerial photographs made during and immediately after the flood. There may be small isolated areas within the boundaries shown that were not flooded, but the identification of these sites was beyond the scope of the study. The elevation data shown are mean-sea-level elevations of high-water marks identified in the field. This particular map (in the 17-map series) shows conditions in the Rigby quadrangle. (Woodard-USGS)

Teton Dam flood of June 1976, Newdale quadrangle, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ray, Herman A.; Matthai, Howard F.; Thomas, Cecil A.

1976-01-01

The failure of the Teton Dam caused extreme flooding along the Teton River, Henrys Fork, and Snake River in southeastern Idaho on June 5-8, 1976. No flooding occurred downstream from American Falls Reservoir. The inundated areas and maximum water-surface elevations are shown in a series of 17 hydrologic atlases. The area covered by the atlases extends from Teton Dam downstream to American Falls Reservoir, a distance of 100 miles. The extent of flooding shown on the maps was obtained by field inspections and aerial photographs made during and immediately after the flood. There may be small isolated areas within the boundaries shown that were not flooded, but the identification of these sites was beyond the scope of the study. The elevation data shown are mean-sea-level elevations of high-water marks identified in the field. This particular map (in the 17-map series) shows conditions in the Newdale quadrangle. (Woodard-USGS)

Teton Dam flood of June 1976, Moody quadrangle, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harenberg, William A.; Bigelow, Bruce B.

1976-01-01

The failure of the Teton Dam caused extreme flooding along the Teton River, Henrys Fork, and Snake River in southeastern Idaho on June 5-8, 1976. No flooding occurred downstream from American Falls Reservoir. The inundated areas and maximum water-surface elevations are shown in a series of 17 hydrologic atlases. The area covered by the atlases extends from Teton Dam downstream to American Falls Reservoir, a distance of 100 miles. The extent of flooding shown on the maps was obtained by field inspections and aerial photographs made during and immediately after the flood. There may be small isolated areas within the boundaries shown that were not flooded, but the identification of these sites was beyond the scope of the study. The elevation data shown are mean-sea-level elevations of high-water marks identified in the field. This particular map (in the 17-map series) shows conditions in the Moody quadrangle. (Woodard-USGS)

Assessing the potential for change in the middle Yangtze River channel following impoundment of the Three Gorges Dam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Wenhao; Yin, Daowei; Finlayson, Brian; Chen, Zhongyuan

2012-04-01

The geomorphic impacts of dams on downstream river channels are complex, not readily predictable for specific cases, but widely reported in the literature. For the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze (Changjiang) River in China, no studies of the impact of the changed flow and sediment conditions below the dam on the behaviour of the channel were included in the pre-dam feasibility report. We have assembled a database of flow and sediment data for the middle Yangtze River from Yichang to Hankou and used this to analyse changes following the closure of the dam. While total flow is little affected, the operating strategy for the dam that provides for storage of part of the summer high flows to maintain hydroelectric power generation in winter (the low flow season) is reflected in changes to the seasonal distribution of flow below the dam. We calculated potential sediment carrying capacity and compared it with measured sediment concentrations for both pre- and post-dam conditions. While channel sedimentation is indicated along the middle Yangtze for pre-dam conditions, scour is indicated for post-dam conditions, highest at Yichang immediately below the dam and decreasing downstream.

Factors influencing poststocking dispersal of razorback sucker

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mueller, G.A.; Marsh, P.C.; Foster, D.; Ulibarri, M.; Burke, T.

2003-01-01

Efforts to reintroduce razorback suckers Xyrauchen texanus to specific river reaches have been plagued by downstream drift and poor survival, which have been attributed to stress, disorientation, predation, and poor conditioning. Poststocking dispersal of eight test groups (15 fish each) of razorback suckers was examined for 28 d with telemetry equipment. Fish were released in three different locations in the Colorado River basin of Utah, Arizona, and Nevada: (1) a 65,000-ha reservoir, (2) a small (<1-ha) backwater, and (3) a large (30-ha) backwater on the mainstem river. At each location, subgroups were released immediately (reference) or held to acclimate them to the site (3–7 d) before release. Two of four subgroups for the large-backwater test were preconditioned to flow. Dispersal from the stocking sites was rapid and declined with time for all tests, as fish appeared to seek and find cover. Downstream drift was most pronounced (x = 69.5 km) from the small backwater and significantly (Kruskal–Wallis test, P < 0.01) greater than either the reservoir (x = 3.7 km) or large-backwater sites (x = 7.7 km). Site-acclimation tests were inconclusive, but downstream movement was significantly (Wilcoxon two-sample test, Z = −2.298, P < 0.01) less for fish preconditioned to flow (x = 1.9 km) compared with pond-reared fish (x = 7.7 km). We concluded that poststocking dispersal may decrease if razorback suckers are preconditioned to flow.

Influence of Flow Regulation on Summer Water Temperature: Sauce Grande River, Argentina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casado, A.; Hannah, D. M.; Peiry, J.; Campo, A. M.

2012-12-01

This study quantifies the effects of the Paso de las Piedras Dam on the thermal behaviour of the Sauce Grande River, Argentina, during a summer season. A 30-day data set of continuous hourly data was assembled for eight stream temperature gauging sites deployed above and below the impoundment. Time series span the hottest period recorded during summer 2009 to evaluate variations in river water temperature under strong meteorological influence. The methods include: (i) analysis of the time series by inspecting the absolute differences in daily data (magnitude, timing, frequency, duration and rate of change), (ii) classification of diurnal regimes by using a novel regime 'shape' and 'magnitude' classifying method (RSMC), and (ii) quantification of the sensitivity of water temperature regimes to air temperature by computation of a novel sensitivity index (SI). Results showed that fluctuations in daily water temperatures were linked to meteorological drivers; however, spatial variability in the shape and the magnitude of the thermographs revealed the effects of the impoundment in regulating the thermal behaviour of the river downstream. An immediate cooling effect below the dam was evident. Mean daily temperatures were reduced in up to 4 °C, and described a warming trend in the downstream direction over a distance of at least 15 km (up to +2.3 °C). Diurnal cycles were reduced in amplitude and delayed in timing, and revealed a dominance of regime magnitude stability and regime shape climatic insensitivity over a distance of 8 km downstream. These findings provide new information about the water quality of the Sauce Grande River and inform management of flows to maintain the ecological integrity of the river system. Also, they motivate further analysis of potential correlates under varying hydrological and meteorological conditions. The methods presented herein have wider applicability for quantifying river thermal regimes and their sensitivity to climate and other drivers of change over a range of temporal and spatial scales.

A Survey of the Invasive Aquatic and Riparian Plants of the Lower Rio Grande

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-04-01

monocultures in many areas. In 2001 and 2003, surveys were conducted starting below Amistad Reservoir to immediately below Falcon Reservoir to assess...management programs to inhibit further new infestations locally and downstream. In 2001, 20 sites on the Rio Grande River were surveyed from Amistad Reservoir...the 2001 survey, hydrilla was found in Amistad Reservoir and below Falcon Reservoir. In August 2002, hydrilla fragments were observed in plant

Simulations of a hypothetical temperature control structure at Detroit Dam on the North Santiam River, northwestern Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Buccola, Norman L.; Stonewall, Adam J.; Rounds, Stewart A.

2015-01-01

Estimated egg-emergence days for endangered Upper Willamette River Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and Upper Willamette River winter steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were assessed for all scenarios. Estimated spring Chinook fry emergence under SlidingWeir scenarios was 9 days later immediately downstream of Big Cliff Dam, and 4 days later at Greens Bridge compared with existing structural scenarios at Detroit Dam. Despite the inclusion of a hypothetical sliding weir at Detroit Dam, temperatures exceeded without-dams temperatures during November and December. These late-autumn exceedances likely represent the residual thermal effect of Detroit Lake operated to meet minimum dry-season release rates (supporting instream habitat and irrigation requirements) and lake levels specified by the current (2014) operating rules (supporting recreation and flood mitigation).

Formation and maintenance of a forced pool-riffle couplet following loading of large wood

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, D. M.; Fixler, S. A.

2017-11-01

Pool-riffle maintenance has been documented in numerous studies, but it has been almost impossible to characterize detailed natural pool-riffle formation mechanisms because of the lack of baseline data prior to pool establishment. In 2013, a study was conducted on the Blackledge River in Connecticut to document the formation of a new pool-riffle couplet on a section of river that had previously been studied from 1999 to 2001. In 2001, the study reach contained a scour hole with a residual depth of 0.08 ± 0.09 m downstream of a 1930s paired deflector with no identifiable riffle immediately downstream. At this time, a large, severely undercut, hemlock tree was noted along the left bank. Sometime between fall 2001 and 2004, the tree fell perpendicular to flow across the channel and formed a large wood (LW) jam and new pool-riffle couplet several meters downstream of the old scour hole. Pool spacing along the reach decreased from 4.47 bankfull widths (BFW) in 1999 to 3.83 BFW after the new pool-riffle couplet formed. The new pool has a residual depth, the water depth of the streambed depression below the elevation of the immediate downstream hydraulic control, of 1.36 ± 0.075 to 1.59 ± 0.075 m, which resulted from a combination of 1.32 ± 0.09 m or less of incision below the old scour hole (95.6% or less of the depth increase) and up to 0.18 ± 0.09 m of downstream deposition and associated backwater formation (13.2% or less of the depth increase). To assess dynamic stability of the pool-riffle couplet over several flood cycles, surficial fine-sediment and organic material along the reach were quantified. The 23-m-long pool stores 25.7% of the surficial fine grained sediments and 15.4% of organic material along a 214-m-long reach that includes one additional artificially created pool. An adjacent 50-m-long secondary channel impacted by the LW jam stores 65.3% of the surficial fine-grained sediments and 54.8% of organic material along the full reach.

Modification of suburban carbon and nitrogen fluxes by a coupled channel/floodplain system assessed using in situ sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wollheim, W. M.; Pellerin, B. A.; Saraceno, J.; Hopkinson, C.; Hope, A.; Morse, N.

2010-12-01

Biogeochemical fluxes in human dominated streams and rivers are highly impacted, but effects can be attenuated downstream through natural ecosystem processes. We deployed in situ nitrate, fdom, and chlorophyll sensors to characterize biogeochemical fluxes draining a suburban catchment, and modifications by a channel-floodplain system located immediately downstream. The upstream site reflects the suburban signal; the downstream site reflects the influence of the channel/floodplain on the suburban signal. FDOM showed a diurnal signal at both sites, but was stronger downstream, likely indicating new DOC production within the channel-floodplain system, which contained a small pond. In situ chlorophyll concentrations were also highly correlated with FDOM. FDOM showed a stronger storm response upstream than downstream, indicating terrestrial sources are mobilized by storms and subsequent dampening of the pulse by the floodplain. Nitrate concentrations consistently dropped from 0.6 to 0.7 mg/l upstream to less than 0.4 mg/l downstream, indicating likely nitrogen retention or removal over a relatively short distance (~500m). Use of in situ sensors is likely to greatly advance our understanding of biogeochemical processes in aquatic systems.

Immediate changes in stream channel geomorphology, aquatic habitat, and fish assemblages following dam removal in a small upland catchment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Magilligan, F. J.; Nislow, K. H.; Kynard, B. E.; Hackman, A. M.

2016-01-01

Dam removal is becoming an increasingly important component of river restoration, with > 1100 dams having been removed nationwide over the past three decades. Despite this recent progression of removals, the lack of pre- to post-removal monitoring and assessment limits our understanding of the magnitude, rate, and sequence of geomorphic and/or ecological recovery to dam removal. Taking advantage of the November 2012 removal of an old ( 190 year-old) 6-m high, run-of-river industrial dam on Amethyst Brook (26 km2) in central Massachusetts, we identify the immediate eco-geomorphic responses to removal. To capture the geomorphic responses to dam removal, we collected baseline data at multiple scales, both upstream ( 300 m) and downstream (> 750 m) of the dam, including monumented cross sections, detailed channel-bed longitudinal profiles, embeddedness surveys, and channel-bed grain size measurements, which were repeated during the summer of 2013. These geomorphic assessments were combined with detailed quantitative electrofishing surveys of stream fish richness and abundance above and below the dam site and throughout the watershed and visual surveys of native anadromous sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) nest sites. Post-removal assessments were complicated by two events: (1) upstream knickpoint migration exhumed an older (ca. late eighteenth century) intact wooden crib dam 120 m upstream of the former stone dam, and (2) the occurrence of a 10-20 year RI flood 6 months after removal that caused further upstream incision and downstream aggradation. Now that the downstream reach has been reconnected to upstream sediment supply, the predominant geomorphic response was bed aggradation and associated fining (30-60% reduction). At dam proximal locations, aggradation ranged from 0.3 to > 1 m where a large woody debris jam enhanced aggradation. Although less pronounced, distal locations still showed aggradation with a mean depth of deposition of 0.20 m over the 750-m downstream reach. Post-removal, but pre-flood, bed surveys indicate 2 m of incision had migrated 25 m upstream of the former reservoir before encountering the exhumed dam, which now acts as the new grade control, limiting progressive headcutting. Approximately 1000 m3 of sediment was evacuated in the first year, with 67% of the volume occurring by pre-flood, process-driven (e.g., changes in base level) controls. The combination of changes in channel-bed sedimentology, the occurrence of a large magnitude flood, and the emergence of the new crib dam that is a likely barrier to fish movement was associated with major reductions in abundance and richness in sites downstream and immediately upstream adjacent to the former dam in post-removal sampling. At the same time, we documented the presence of four species of fish, including sea lamprey, which were not present above the dam prior to removal, indicating that upstream passage has been achieved; and we also documented lamprey spawning activity at sites immediately below the dam, which had previously been unsuitable owing to an excessively coarse and armored riverbed. Our results point to the importance of interactions between dam removal and flood disturbance effects, with important implications for short- and long-term monitoring and assessment of dam impacts to river systems.

Modeling migratory energetics of Connecticut River American shad (Alosa sapidissima): implications for the conservation of an iteroparous anadromous fish

USGS Publications Warehouse

Castro-Santos, Theodore; Letcher, Benjamin H.

2010-01-01

We present a simulation model in which individual adult migrant American shad (Alosa sapidissima) ascend the Connecticut River and spawn, and survivors return to the marine environment. Our approach synthesizes bioenergetics, reproductive biology, and behavior to estimate the effects of migratory distance and delays incurred at dams on spawning success and survival. We quantified both the magnitude of effects and the consequences of uncertainty in the estimates of input variables. Behavior, physiology, and energetics strongly affected both the distribution of spawning effort and survival to the marine environment. Delays to both upstream and downstream movements had dramatic effects on spawning success, determining total fecundity and spatial extent of spawning. Delays, combined with cues for migratory reversal, also determined the likelihood of survival. Spawning was concentrated in the immediate vicinity of dams and increased with greater migratory distance and delays to downstream migration. More research is needed on reproductive biology, behavior, energetics, and barrier effects to adequately understand the interplay of the various components of this model; it does provide a framework, however, that suggests that provision of upstream passage at dams in the absence of expeditious downstream passage may increase spawning success — but at the expense of reduced iteroparity. 

DNA barcoding and evaluation of genetic diversity in Cyprinidae fish in the midstream of the Yangtze River.

PubMed

Shen, Yanjun; Guan, Lihong; Wang, Dengqiang; Gan, Xiaoni

2016-05-01

The Yangtze River is the longest river in China and is divided into upstream and mid-downstream regions by the Three Gorges (the natural barriers of the Yangtze River), resulting in a complex distribution of fish. Dramatic changes to habitat environments may ultimately threaten fish survival; thus, it is necessary to evaluate the genetic diversity and propose protective measures. Species identification is the most significant task in many fields of biological research and in conservation efforts. DNA barcoding, which constitutes the analysis of a short fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequence, has been widely used for species identification. In this study, we collected 561 COI barcode sequences from 35 fish from the midstream of the Yangtze River. The intraspecific distances of all species were below 2% (with the exception of Acheilognathus macropterus and Hemibarbus maculatus). Nevertheless, all species could be unambiguously identified from the trees, barcoding gaps and taxonomic resolution ratio values. Furthermore, the COI barcode diversity was found to be low (≤0.5%), with the exception of H. maculatus (0.87%), A. macropterus (2.02%) and Saurogobio dabryi (0.82%). No or few shared haplotypes were detected between the upstream and downstream populations for ten species with overall nucleotide diversities greater than 0.00%, which indicated the likelihood of significant population genetic structuring. Our analyses indicated that DNA barcoding is an effective tool for the identification of cyprinidae fish in the midstream of the Yangtze River. It is vital that some protective measures be taken immediately because of the low COI barcode diversity.

Downstream change of velocity in rivers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leopold, Luna Bergere

1953-01-01

Because river slope generally decreases in a downstream direction, it is generally supposed that velocity of flow also decreases downstream. Analysis of some of the large number of velocity measurements made at stream-gaging stations demonstrates that mean velocity generally tends to increase downstream. Although there are many reaches in nearly all rivers where mean velocity decreases downstream, the general tendency for conservation or for downstream increase was found in all data studied.Computations of bed velocity indicate that this parameter also tends to increase downstream.Near the streambed, shear in the vertical profile of velocity (rate of decrease of velocity with depth) tends to decrease downstream. This down-valley decrease of shear implies decreasing competence downstream.

Air-water CO2 and CH4 fluxes along a river-reservoir continuum: Case study in the Pengxi River, a tributary of the Yangtze River in the Three Gorges Reservoir, China.

PubMed

Huang, Yang; Yasarer, Lindsey M W; Li, Zhe; Sturm, Belinda S M; Zhang, Zengyu; Guo, Jinsong; Shen, Yu

2017-05-01

Water surface greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in freshwater reservoirs are closely related to limnological processes in the water column. Affected by both reservoir operation and seasonal changes, variations in the hydro-morphological conditions in the river-reservoir continuum will create distinctive patterns in water surface GHG emissions. A one-year field survey was carried out in the Pengxi River-reservoir continuum, a part of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) immediately after the TGR reached its maximum water level. The annual average water surface CO 2 and CH 4 emissions at the riverine background sampling sites were 6.23 ± 0.93 and 0.025 ± 0.006 mmol h -1  m -2 , respectively. The CO 2 emissions were higher than those in the downstream reservoirs. The development of phytoplankton controlled the downstream decrease in water surface CO 2 emissions. The presence of thermal stratification in the permanent backwater area supported extensive phytoplankton blooms, resulting in a carbon sink during several months of the year. The CH 4 emissions were mainly impacted by water temperature and dissolved organic carbon. The greatest water surface CH 4 emission was detected in the fluctuating backwater area, likely due to a shallower water column and abundant organic matter. The Pengxi River backwater area did not show significant increase in water surface GHG emissions reported in tropical reservoirs. In evaluating the net GHG emissions by the impoundment of TGR, the net change in the carbon budget and the contribution of nitrogen and phosphorus should be taken into consideration in this eutrophic river-reservoir continuum.

Authigenic vivianite in Potomac River sediments: control by ferric oxy-hydroxides.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hearn, P.P.; Parkhurst, D.L.; Callender, E.

1983-01-01

Sand-size aggregates of vivianite crystals occur in the uppermost sediments of the Potomac River estuary immediately downstream from the outfall of a sewage treatment plant at the southernmost boundary of the District of Columbia, USA. They are most abundant in a small area of coarse sand (dredge spoil) which contrasts with the adjacent, much finer sediments. The sewage outfall supplies both reducing conditions and abundant phosphate. Analyses and calculations indicate that the pore waters in all the adjacent sediments are supersaturated with respect to vivianite. Its concentration in the coarse sand is attributed to the absence there of amorphous ferric oxyhydroxides, which are present in the finer sediments and preferentially absorb the phosphate ion. -H.R.B.

Effects of barge traffic on distribution and survival of ichthyoplankton and small fishes in the upper Mississippi River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Holland, L.E.

1986-01-01

Short-term impacts of commercial barge traffic on fish eggs, larvae, young-of-the-year (age-0) fishes, and small adults in the main channel of the upper Mississippi River were examined. Barge passages caused significant changes in the distribution of eggs and larvae in the study area. The mean catch of ichthyoplankton was reduced in both surface and bottom waters for 90 min after passage of vessels downstream. The effects of upstream traffic on catch ranged from nil in surface or bottom samples to short-term increases in surface samples immediately after passage. No consistent effect on the catch of age-0 or small adult fishes in surface or bottom trawls was evident.

Analysis of water use strategies of the desert riparian forest plant community in inland rivers of two arid regions in northwestern China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Y. N.; Li, W. H.; Zhou, H. H.; Chen, Y. P.; Hao, X. M.; Fu, A. H.; Ma, J. X.

2014-10-01

Studies of the water use of the desert riparian forest plant community in arid regions and analyses of the response and adaptive strategies of plants to environmental stress are of great significance to the formulation of effective ecological conservation and restoration strategies. Taking two inland rivers in the arid regions of northwestern China, downstream of the Tarim River and Heihe River Basin as the research target regions, this paper explored the stem water potential, sap flow, root hydraulic lift, and characteristics of plant water sources of the major constructive species in the desert riparian forest, Populus euphratica and Tamarix ramosissima. Specifically, this was accomplished by combining the monitoring of field physiological and ecological indicators, and the analysis of laboratory tests. Then, the water use differences of species in different ecological environments and their ecological significance were analyzed. This study indicated that: (1) in terms of water sources, Populus euphratica and Tamarix ramosissima mainly used deep subsoil water and underground water, but the plant root system in the downstream of the Tarim River was more diversified than that in the downstream of the Heihe River in water absorption, (2) in terms of water distribution, Populus euphratica root possessed hydraulic lift capacity, but Populus euphratica root in the downstream of the Tarim River presented stronger hydraulic lift capacity and more significant ecological effect of water redistribution, (3) in terms of water transport, the plants in the downstream of the Heihe River can adapt to the environment through the current limiting of branch xylem, while plants in the downstream of the Tarim River substantially increased the survival probability of the whole plant by sacrificing weak branches and improving the water acquisition capacity of dominant branches; and (4) in terms of water dissipation, the water use and consumption of Populus euphratica at night exhibited no significant difference, but the water use and consumption of Populus euphratica in the downstream of the Tarim River in the day was significantly higher than that in the downstream of the Heihe River, and the essential reason for this is the groundwater depth. The ecology in the downstream of the Heihe River has been in balance in the maintenance and development stage, while desert riparian forest plants in the downstream of the Tarim River are still in severe arid stress.

Supply-Limited Bedforms in a Gravel-Sand Transition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venditti, J. G.; Nittrouer, J. A.; Humphries, R. P.; Allison, M. A.

2009-12-01

Rivers often exhibit an abrupt transition from gravel to sand-bedded conditions as river channel slopes decrease. A distinct suite of bedforms has been observed through these reaches where sand supply to the bed is limited. The suite of bedforms includes a sequence of sand ribbons, barchans, and channel spanning dunes as sediment supply increases in the downstream direction. While these bedforms have been extensively documented in laboratory channels, there are relatively few observations of this sequence of supply-limited bedforms from large natural channels. Here we examine the sequence through the gravel-sand transition of the Fraser River in Southwestern British Columbia. We mapped the bed using multi-beam swath-bathymetry (Reson 8101 Seabat) at high flow (~9,000 m3s-1) immediately following a high peak flow of 11,800 m3s-1 in June 2007 The bed material grades from >70% gravel to entirely sand through the reach. The bedforms follow the expected sequence where sand ribbons and barchanoid forms cover the bed where it is primarily gravel. Channel spanning dunes form as the sand bed coverage increases. Bedform dimensions (height and length) increase moving downstream as the sand moving on the bed increases. Supply-unlimited bedforms typically scale with the flow depth where the height is 1/5 the flow depth. The bedforms developed over the gravel are undersized by this criterion. Downstream, where the bed is dominantly sand, bedforms do scale with flow depth. These data highlight the dominant role sediment supply can play in bedform morphology and scaling, confirming patterns observed in laboratory data.

1. VIEW OF DOWNSTREAM SIDE OF DIVERSION DAM ON THE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

1. VIEW OF DOWNSTREAM SIDE OF DIVERSION DAM ON THE SNAKE RIVER, LOOKING NORTHEAST. NOTE HEADGATE STRUCTURE ON NORTH BANK, SPILLWAY ON LEFT SIDE OF DAM, AND SPLASH LOGS ON DOWNSTREAM SIDE OF DAM. - Snake River Ditch, Headgate on north bank of Snake River, Dillon, Summit County, CO

Identifying fluorescent pulp mill effluent in the Gulf of Maine and its watershed

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cawley, Kaelin M.; Butler, Kenna D.; Aiken, George R.; Larsen, Laurel G.; Huntington, Thomas G.; McKnight, Diane M.

2012-01-01

Using fluorescence spectroscopy and parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) we characterized and modeled the fluorescence properties of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in samples from the Penobscot River, Androscoggin River, Penobscot Bay, and the Gulf of Maine (GoM). We analyzed excitation-emission matrices (EEMs) using an existing PARAFAC model (Cory and McKnight, 2005) and created a system-specific model with seven components (GoM PARAFAC). The GoM PARAFAC model contained six components similar to those in other PARAFAC models and one unique component with a spectrum similar to a residual found using the Cory and McKnight (2005) model. The unique component was abundant in samples from the Androscoggin River immediately downstream of a pulp mill effluent release site. The detection of a PARAFAC component associated with an anthropogenic source of DOM, such as pulp mill effluent, demonstrates the importance for rigorously analyzing PARAFAC residuals and developing system-specific models.

Habitat quality and recruitment success of cui-ui in the Truckee River downstream of Marble Bluff Dam, Pyramid Lake, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Scoppettone, G. Gary; Rissler, Peter H.; Salgado, J. Antonio; Harry, Beverly

2013-01-01

We compared cui-ui (Chasmistes cujus) recruitment from two reaches of the Truckee River with histories of severe erosional downcutting caused by a decline in Pyramid Lake surface elevation. In 1975, Marble Bluff Dam (MBD) was constructed 5 kilometers upstream of the extant mouth of the Truckee River to stabilize the upstream reach of the river; the downstream reach of the river remained unstable and consequently unsuitable for cui-ui recruitment. By the early 2000s, there was a decrease in the Truckee River’s slope from MBD to Pyramid Lake after a series of wet years in the 1990s. This was followed by changes in river morphology and erosion abatement. These changes led to the question as to cui-ui recruitment potential in the Truckee River downstream of MBD. In 2012, more than 7,000 cui-ui spawners were passed upstream of MBD, although an indeterminate number of cui-ui spawned downstream of MBD. In this study, we compared cui-ui recruitment upstream and downstream of MBD during a Truckee River low-flow year (2012). Cui-ui larvae emigration to Pyramid Lake began earlier and ended later downstream of MBD. A greater number of cui-ui larvae was produced downstream of MBD than upstream. This also was true for native Tahoe sucker (Catostomus tahoensis) and Lahontan redside (Richardsonius egregius). The improved Truckee River stability downstream of MBD and concomitant cui-ui recruitment success is attributed to a rise in Pyramid Lake's surface elevation. A decline in lake elevation may lead to a shift in stream morphology and substrate composition to the detriment of cui-ui reproductive success as well as the reproductive success of other native fishes.

Paleogeomorphology of the early Colorado River inferred from relationships in Mohave and Cottonwood Valleys, Arizona, California and Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pearthree, Philip; House, P. Kyle

2014-01-01

Geologic investigations of late Miocene–early Pliocene deposits in Mohave and Cottonwood valleys provide important insights into the early evolution of the lower Colorado River system. In the latest Miocene these valleys were separate depocenters; the floor of Cottonwood Valley was ∼200 m higher than the floor of Mohave Valley. When Colorado River water arrived from the north after 5.6 Ma, a shallow lake in Cottonwood Valley spilled into Mohave Valley, and the river then filled both valleys to ∼560 m above sea level (asl) and overtopped the bedrock divide at the southern end of Mohave Valley. Sediment-starved water spilling to the south gradually eroded the outlet as siliciclastic Bouse deposits filled the lake upstream. When sediment accumulation reached the elevation of the lowering outlet, continued erosion of the outlet resulted in recycling of stored lacustrine sediment into downstream basins; depth of erosion of the outlet and upstream basins was limited by the water levels in downstream basins. The water level in the southern Bouse basin was ∼300 m asl (modern elevation) at 4.8 Ma. It must have drained and been eroded to a level <150 m asl soon after that to allow for deep erosion of bedrock divides and basins upstream, leading to removal of large volumes of Bouse sediment prior to massive early Pliocene Colorado River aggradation. Abrupt lowering of regional base level due to spilling of a southern Bouse lake to the Gulf of California could have driven observed upstream river incision without uplift. Rapid uplift of the entire region immediately after 4.8 Ma would have been required to drive upstream incision if the southern Bouse was an estuary.

76 FR 63952 - Notice of Filing of Plats of Survey; Montana

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-14

... Bighorn River, downstream, through section 18, the limits of erosion, the medial lines of two relicted... subdivisional lines, the adjusted original meanders of the former left bank of the Bighorn River, downstream, through section 18, a portion of the meanders of the present right bank of the Bighorn River, downstream...

Heavy metal distribution in sediment profiles of Tuul River, Mongolia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soyol-Erdene, T. O.; Lin, S.; Tuuguu, E.; Daichaa, D.; Ulziibat, B.; Enkh-Amgalan, T.; Hsieh, I. C.

2016-12-01

The distribution, enrichment, and accumulation of heavy metals in the sediments of Tuul River, Mongolia were investigated. Sediment core samples with depths of 4.0-49 cm from thirteen locations along the Tuul River were collected in the period from Sept. 2013 to Aug. 2014 and characterized for metal contents (e.g., Al, Fe, Cu, Zn, Pb, Ni, Cd, Hg and Cr), water content, and grain size. Results showed that metal average concentrations in the sample cores varied from 0.02 mg kg-1 for Hg (0.01 - 0.03 mg kg-1) to 481 mg kg-1 for Mn (277 - 623 mg kg-1). Metal concentrations at the downstream of the capital city were higher than those at other locations. All heavy metals studied, had average enrichment factors less than 3.0, but some sites had relatively higher values of enrichment factors up to 18 for Cu, 4.1 for Hg, 5.9 for Zn, and 25 for Cr, especially at middle depth ( 8-12 cm) of the cores. Importantly, severe pollution of mercury (Hg) was found at the downstream of the capital city which requires immediate remediation before this metal propagates into the food chain. Metal concentrations correlated to the physical-chemical properties of the sediments, which suggested the influence of industrial and municipal wastewaters discharged from the nearby cities. Results of this work would help to develop strategy to remediate of Tuul river sediment and to reduce the exposure of inhabitants to toxic substances.

Bioaccumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in bivalves from Sugarland Run and the Potomac River

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

Barber, T.R.; Lauren, D.J.; Dimitry, J.A.

1995-12-31

A bioaccumulation study was conducted following a release of Fuel Oil {number_sign}2 into Sugarland Run, a small northern Virginia stream. Caged clams (Corbicula sp.) were placed in 3 downstream locations and 2 upstream reference areas for an exposure period of approximately 28 days. In addition, resident clams from the Potomac River were sampled at the start of the study and at 4 and 8 weeks. Chemical fingerprinting techniques were employed to identify spill-related polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and to differentiate these compounds from background sources of contamination. The greatest concentration of spill-related PAHs (2 and 3-ring compounds) were measured inmore » clams placed immediately downstream of the spill site, and tissue concentrations systematically decreased with distance from the spill site. PAHs that were not related to Fuel Oil {number_sign}2 were found in all clams and accounted for up to 90% of the total body burden at downstream locations. Furthermore, the highest concentrations of 4-, 5-, and 6-ring PAH were found at the upstream reference location, and indicated an important source of PAHs into the environment. Body burdens measured in this study were compared to ambient concentrations reported for bivalves from a variety of environments. Tissue concentrations were also compared to concentrations that have been reported to cause adverse biological effects.« less

Effects of an oil spill on leafpack-inhabiting macroinvertebrates in the Chariton river, Missouri

USGS Publications Warehouse

Poulton, B.C.; Callahan, E.V.; Hurtubise, R.D.; Mueller, B.G.

1998-01-01

Artificial leaf packs were used to determine the effects of an oil spill on stream macroinvertebrate communities in the Chariton River, Missouri. Plastic mesh leaf retainers with approximately 10 g of leaves from five tree species were deployed at five sites (two upstream of the spill and three downstream) immediately after the spill and one year later. Four macroinvertebrate species dominating the community at upstream sites were virtually eliminated below the spill, including the stonefly Isoperla bilineata, the caddisfly Potamyia flava, the midge Thienemanniella xena, and blackfly larvae (Simulium sp.). Density of collector and shredder functional groups, and number of shredder taxa differed between upstream sites and the two furthest downstream sites during the 1990 sample period (Kruskal-Wallis w/Bonferroni paired comparisons, experiment wise error rate = 0.05). With one exception, no differences between sites were detected in the 1991-1992 sample period, indicating that the benthic community had at least partially recovered from the oil spill after one year. The odds of obtaining a sample with a small abundance of shredders (abundance < median) in 1990 was significantly greater downstream of the spill than upstream, and the odds of obtaining a sample with a small abundance of shredders at downstream sites was greater in 1990 than in 1991-1992. A similar pattern was observed in abundance and taxa richness of the collector functional group. No significant differences between the two sampling periods were detected at upstream sites. Observed effects appeared to be associated with oil sorption and substrate coating, creating conditions unsuitable for successful colonization.

76 FR 63951 - Notice of Filing of Plats of Survey; Montana

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-14

... meanders of the former left bank of the Tongue River, downstream, through sections 27, 28, and 29, and the adjusted original meanders of the former right bank of the Tongue River, downstream, through sections 21... Tongue River, downstream, through sections 27 and 28, and a portion of section 29, the meanders of the...

Potential water-quality effects of coal-bed methane production water discharged along the upper Tongue River, Wyoming and Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kinsey, Stacy M.; Nimick, David A.

2011-01-01

Water quality in the upper Tongue River from Monarch, Wyoming, downstream to just upstream from the Tongue River Reservoir in Montana potentially could be affected by discharge of coal-bed methane (CBM) production water (hereinafter referred to as CBM discharge). CBM discharge typically contains high concentrations of sodium and other ions that could increase dissolved-solids (salt) concentrations, specific conductance (SC), and sodium-adsorption ratio (SAR) in the river. Increased inputs of sodium and other ions have the potential to alter the river's suitability for agricultural irrigation and aquatic ecosystems. Data from two large tributaries, Goose Creek and Prairie Dog Creek, indicate that these tributaries were large contributors to the increase in SC and SAR in the Tongue River. However, water-quality data were not available for most of the smaller inflows, such as small tributaries, irrigation-return flows, and CBM discharges. Thus, effects of these inflows on the water quality of the Tongue River were not well documented. Effects of these small inflows might be subtle and difficult to determine without more extensive data collection to describe spatial patterns. Therefore, synoptic water-quality sampling trips were conducted in September 2005 and April 2006 to provide a spatially detailed profile of the downstream changes in water quality in this reach of the Tongue River. The purpose of this report is to describe these downstream changes in water quality and to estimate the potential water-quality effects of CBM discharge in the upper Tongue River. Specific conductance of the Tongue River through the study reach increased from 420 to 625 microsiemens per centimeter (.μS/cm; or 49 percent) in the downstream direction in September 2005 and from 373 to 543 .μS/cm (46 percent) in April 2006. Large increases (12 to 24 percent) were measured immediately downstream from Goose Creek and Prairie Dog Creek during both sampling trips. Increases attributed to direct CBM discharges were smaller. In September 2005, the SC of 12 measured CBM discharges ranged from 1,750 to 2,440 .μS/cm, and the combined discharges increased SC in the river by an estimated 4.5 percent. In April 2006, the SC of eight measured CBM discharges ranged from 1,720 to 2,070 μS/cm; the largest of these discharges likely increased SC in the river by 5.8 percent. Estimates of potential effects of the CBM discharges on the SC of the Tongue River near the Tongue River Reservoir were calculated using a two-step process involving linear regression and mass-balance calculations for a range of streamflow and CBM-discharge conditions. Potential effects from CBM discharges are larger increases of SC and SAR at lower flows than at higher flows and relative increases that are substantially smaller for SC than for SAR. For example, if the streamflow was 100 cubic feet per second (ft3/s) in the Tongue River near the Tongue River Reservoir and CBM discharge ranged from 1,250 to 5,000 gallons per minute, the projected increases would range from 4.4 to 16 percent for SC and from 39 to 151 percent for SAR. In comparison, if the streamflow was 600 ft3/s, the projected increases would range from 2.2 to 8.4 percent for SC and from 21 to 79 percent for SAR. This analysis of potential water-quality effects on the SC and SAR of the Tongue River in the study area assumes that the quantity and quality of water flowing into the study reach at the time of this study was the same as during the period before CBM development (data from water years 1985-99).

Unit 6, downstream from Ferndale Bridge Johnstown Local Flood ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Unit 6, downstream from Ferndale Bridge - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

Unit 2, downstream from Coppersdale Bridge Johnstown Local Flood ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Unit 2, downstream from Coppersdale Bridge - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

Unit 3, downstream from Point Park Johnstown Local Flood ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Unit 3, downstream from Point Park - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

Unit 1, downstream from Laurel Run Johnstown Local Flood ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Unit 1, downstream from Laurel Run - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

Ichthyoplankton entrainment study at the SRS Savannah River water intakes for Westinghouse Savannah River Company

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

Paller, M.

1992-03-26

Cooling water for L and K Reactors and makeup water for Par Pond is pumped from the Savannah River at the 1G, 3G, and 5G pump houses. Ichthyoplankton (drifting fish larvae and eggs) from the river are entrained into the reactor cooling systems with the river water and passed through the reactor's heat exchangers where temperatures may reach 70[degrees]C during full power operation. Ichthyoplankton mortality under such conditions is assumed to be 100 percent. The number of ichthyoplankton entrained into the cooling system depends on a variety of variables, including time of year, density and distribution of ichthyoplankton in themore » river, discharge levels in the river, and the volume of water withdrawn by the pumps. Entrainment at the 1 G pump house, which is immediately downstream from the confluence of Upper Three Runs Creek and the Savannah River, is also influenced by discharge rates and ichthyoplankton densities in Upper Three Runs Creek. Because of the anticipated restart of several SRS reactors and the growing concern surrounding striped bass and American shad stocks in the Savannah River, the Department of Energy requested that the Environmental Sciences Section (ESS) of the Savannah River Laboratory sample ichthyoplankton at the SRS Savannah River intakes. Dams Moore, Inc., under a contract with Westinghouse Savannah River Company performed the sampling and data analysis for the ESS.« less

Hydrologic alteration affects aquatic plant assemblages in an arid-land river

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vinson, Mark; Hestmark, Bennett; Barkworth, Mary E.

2014-01-01

We evaluated the effects of long-term flow alteration on primary-producer assemblages. In 1962, Flaming Gorge Dam was constructed on the Green River. The Yampa River has remained an unregulated hydrologically variable river that joins the Green River 100 km downstream from Flaming Gorge Dam. In the 1960s before dam construction only sparse occurrences of two macroalgae, Cladophora and Chara, and no submerged vascular plants were recorded in the Green and Yampa rivers. In 2009–2010, aquatic plants were abundant and widespread in the Green River from the dam downstream to the confluence with the Yampa River. The assemblage consisted of six vascular species, Elodea canadensis, Myriophyllum sibiricum, Nasturtium officinale,Potamogeton crispus, Potamogeton pectinatus, and Ranunculus aquatilis, the macroalgae Chara and Cladophora, and the bryophyte, Amblystegium riparium. In the Green River downstream from the Yampa River, and in the Yampa River, only sparse patches of Chara and Cladophora growing in the splash zone on boulders were collected. We attribute the observed changes in the Green River to an increase in water transparency and a reduction in suspended and bed-load sediment and high flow disturbances. The lack of hydrophyte colonization downstream from the confluence with the Yampa River has implications for understanding tributary amelioration of dam effects and for designing more natural flow-regime schedules downstream from large dams.

Base flow (1966-2009) and streamflow gain and loss (2010) of the Brazos River from the New Mexico-Texas State line to Waco, Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baldys, Stanley; Schalla, Frank E.

2012-01-01

Streamflow was measured at 66 sites from June 6–9, 2010, and at 68 sites from October 16–19, 2010, to identify reaches in the upper Brazos River Basin that were gaining or losing streamflow. Gaining reaches were identified in each of the five subbasins. The gaining reach in the Salt Fork Brazos River Basin began at USGS streamflow-gaging station 08080940 Salt Fork Brazos River at State Highway 208 near Clairemont, Tex. (site SF–6), upstream from where Duck Creek flows into the Salt Fork Brazos River and continued downstream past USGS streamflow-gaging station 08082000 Salt Fork Brazos River near Aspermont, Tex. (site SF–9), to the outlet of the basin. In the Double Mountain Fork Brazos River Basin, a gaining reach from near Post, Tex., downstream to the outlet of the basin was identified. Two gaining reaches were identified in the Clear Fork Brazos River Basin—one from near Roby, Tex., downstream to near Noodle, Tex., and second from Hawley, Tex., downstream to Nugent, Tex. Most of the North Bosque River was characterized as gaining streamflow. Streamflow gains were identified in the main stem of the Brazos River from where the Brazos River main stem forms at the confluence of the Salt Fork Brazos River and Double Mountain Fork Brazos River near Knox City, Tex., downstream to near Seymour, Tex.

Distribution and abundance of stream fishes in relation to barriers: implications for monitoring stream recovery after barrier removal

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zydlewski, Joseph D.; Coghlan, Stephen M.; Gardner, C.; Saunders, R.

2011-01-01

Dams are ubiquitous in coastal regions and have altered stream habitats and the distribution and abundance of stream fishes in those habitats by disrupting hydrology, temperature regime and habitat connectivity. Dam removal is a common restoration tool, but often the response of the fish assemblage is not monitored rigorously. Sedgeunkedunk Stream, a small tributary to the Penobscot River (Maine, USA), has been the focus of a restoration effort that includes the removal of two low-head dams. In this study, we quantified fish assemblage metrics along a longitudinal gradient in Sedgeunkedunk Stream and also in a nearby reference stream. By establishing pre-removal baseline conditions and associated variability and the conditions and variability immediately following removal, we can characterize future changes in the system associated with dam removal. Over 2 years prior to dam removal, species richness and abundance in Sedgeunkedunk Stream were highest downstream of the lowest dam, lowest immediately upstream of that dam and intermediate farther upstream; patterns were similar in the reference stream. Although seasonal and annual variation in metrics within each site was substantial, the overall upstream-to-downstream pattern along the stream gradient was remarkably consistent prior to dam removal. Immediately after dam removal, we saw significant decreases in richness and abundance downstream of the former dam site and a corresponding increase in fish abundance upstream of the former dam site. No such changes occurred in reference sites. Our results show that by quantifying baseline conditions in a small stream before restoration, the effects of stream restoration efforts on fish assemblages can be monitored successfully. These data set the stage for the long-term assessment of Sedgeunkedunk Stream and provide a simple methodology for assessment in other restoration projects.

Unit 5, downstream from Hickory Street Bridge Johnstown Local ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Unit 5, downstream from Hickory Street Bridge - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

Unit 6, downstream from Horner Street Bridge Johnstown Local ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Unit 6, downstream from Horner Street Bridge - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

Unit 3, downstream from Fourth Avenue Bridge Johnstown Local ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Unit 3, downstream from Fourth Avenue Bridge - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

Unit 5, downstream from Haynes Street Bridge Johnstown Local ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Unit 5, downstream from Haynes Street Bridge - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

Unit 4, downstream from Johns Street Bridge Johnstown Local ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Unit 4, downstream from Johns Street Bridge - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

Unit 4, downstream from First Street Bridge Johnstown Local ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Unit 4, downstream from First Street Bridge - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

Movement of reservoir-stocked riverine fish between tailwaters and rivers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Spoelstra, J.A.; Stein, R.A.; Royle, J. Andrew; Marschall, E.A.

2008-01-01

The movement of fish from onstream impoundments into connected streams and rivers has traditionally been overlooked in fish stocking decisions but is critical to the ultimate impact of stocking riverine species into reservoirs. Hybrid saugeyes (female walleye Sander vitreus x male sauger S. canadensis) stocked into Deer Creek Reservoir, Ohio, readily move from the reservoir to the tailwater below. Downstream movement of these saugeyes from the tailwater may have consequences for native prey species and parental stocks downstream. We used fixed-station radiotelemetry to quantify the temporal movement patterns of 203 reservoir-stocked saugeyes from the tailwater of the reservoir, the stream flowing from the tailwater, and the river into which the stream flowed. From October 1998 through July 2000, most (75%) saugeyes never left the tailwater, and those that left returned 75% of the time. Overall, saugeyes spent 90% of their time in the tailwater, 7-8% of their time downstream in small streams, and 2-3% of their time farther downstream in the Scioto River (45 km downstream). No radio-tagged saugeyes moved to the Ohio River (155 km downstream). The probability of downstream movement generally increased with increasing flow and when dissolved oxygen dropped to lethal levels in summer. The probability of movement was highest in winter and spring, when it was probably related to spawning, and low in summer (except when dissolved oxygen was low) and fall. The patterns of movement seemed to reflect the relative suitability of tailwater over stream habitat. The predominant use of and return to tailwater habitat after downstream movement limited overall stream and river residence time. Although the daily movement probability for an individual was low, when we apply these rates to all of the stocked saugeyes in the Ohio River drainage, we cannot safely conclude that only small numbers move from reservoir tailwaters to downstream river systems. We recommend that managers refrain from stocking systems for which there are concerns about native species in connected drainages.

Water quality and the composition of fish and macroinvertebrate communities in the Devils and Pecos Rivers within and upstream from the Amistad National Recreation Area, Texas, 2005-7

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moring, J. Bruce

2012-01-01

The total number of fish species collected was the same in the Devils River and Pecos River, but the species found in the two rivers varied slightly. The number of fish species generally increased from the site farthest upstream to the site farthest downstream in the Devils River, and decreased between the site farthest upstream and site farthest downstream in the Pecos River. The redbreast sunfish was the most abundant species collected in the Devils River, and the blacktail shiner was the most abundant species collected in the Pecos River. Comparing the species from each river, the percentage of omnivorous fish species was larger at the more downstream sites closer to Amistad Reservoir, and the percentage of species tolerant of environmental stressors was larger in the Pecos River. The fish community, assessed on the basis of the number of shared species among the sites sampled, was more similar to the fish community at the other sites on the same river than it was to the fish community from any other site in the other river. More macroinvertebrate taxa were collected in the Devils River than in the Pecos River. The largest number of macroinvertebrate taxa were from the site second farthest downstream on the Devils River, and the smallest numbers of macroinvertebrate taxa were from the farthest downstream site on the Pecos River. Mayflies were more common in the Devils River, and caddisflies were less common than mayflies at most sites. Net-spinning caddisflies were more common at the Devils River sites. The combined percent of mayfly, caddisfly, and stonefly taxa was generally larger at the Pecos River sites. Riffle beetles were the most commonly collected beetle taxon among all sites, and water-penny beetles were only collected at the Pecos River sites. A greater number of true midge taxa were collected more than any other taxa at the genus and species taxonomic level. Non-insect macroinvertebrate taxa were more common at the Devils River sites. Corbicula sp. (presumably the introduced Asian clam) was found at sites in both rivers, and amphipods were more abundant in the Devils River. The Margalef species richness index, based on aquatic insect taxa only, was larger at the Devils River sites than at the Pecos River sites. The Hilsenhoff's biotic index was largest at the site farthest downstream in the Devils River and smallest at the site second farthest downstream in the Pecos River. Overall similarity among sites based on the number of shared macroinvertebrate taxa indicated that each site is more similar to other sites on the same river than to sites on the other river.

LOOKING EASTSOUTHEAST. Showing downstream side of completed bridge, from confluence ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

LOOKING EAST-SOUTHEAST. Showing downstream side of completed bridge, from confluence of Trinity and South Fork Trinity Rivers - South Fork Trinity River Bridge, State Highway 299 spanning South Fork Trinity River, Salyer, Trinity County, CA

Mississippi River channel response to the Bonnet Carré Spillway opening in the 2011 flood and its implications for the design and operation of river diversions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allison, Mead A.; Vosburg, Brian M.; Ramirez, Michael T.; Meselhe, Ehab A.

2013-01-01

SummaryThe large Mississippi River flood in 2011 was notable in the lowermost Louisiana, USA reach for requiring operation of several flood control structures to reduce stress on artificial levees: the largest diversion went through the gated Bonnet Carré Spillway, which was opened for 42 days in May and June. The removal of approximately 20% of the total flood discharge from the river provided an opportunity to examine the impact of large water diversion on the sediment transport capacity of large rivers. Boat-based, acoustic and water and bed sampling surveys were conducted in the Mississippi River channel adjacent to the Spillway immediately prior to the opening of the structure, at full capacity, and immediately following (June 2011) and 1 year after (June 2012) closure. The surveys were designed to examine (1) elevation change of the channel bed due to scour or aggradation of sediment, and (2) suspended and bedload transport variability upriver and downriver of the Spillway. The results indicate that approximately 9.1 million tons of sand were deposited on the channel bed immediately downriver of the water exit pathway and extending at least 13 km downriver at a rapidly and progressively reducing magnitude per river kilometer. The surficial deposit was of finer grain size than the lateral sand bars in the channel upriver of the structure. We argue the deposit was largely delivered from suspension derived from the observed deflation of lateral bars upstream of the diversion point, rather than from sand arriving from the drainage basin. Approximately 69% of the 2011 flood deposit was removed from the 13 km downstream reach between June 2011 and June 2012. We conclude that the source of the channel deposit was the reduction in stream power, and, thus, in the sediment transport capacity of the Mississippi, associated with the water withdrawal. The re-entrainment of this material in the following flood year indicates the system rapidly re-establishes an equilibrium to pre-opening conditions. Future diversions in the river for coastal restoration will have to address this issue to maintain a deep draft navigation channel in the Mississippi River.

The river as a chemostat: fresh perspectives on dissolved organic matter flowing down the river continuum

USGS Publications Warehouse

Creed, Irena F.; McKnight, Diane M.; Pellerin, Brian; Green, Mark B.; Bergamaschi, Brian; Aiken, George R.; Burns, Douglas A.; Findlay, Stuart E G; Shanley, James B.; Striegl, Robert G.; Aulenbach, Brent T.; Clow, David W.; Laudon, Hjalmar; McGlynn, Brian L.; McGuire, Kevin J.; Smith, Richard A.; Stackpoole, Sarah M.

2015-01-01

A better understanding is needed of how hydrological and biogeochemical processes control dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations and dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition from headwaters downstream to large rivers. We examined a large DOM dataset from the National Water Information System of the US Geological Survey, which represents approximately 100 000 measurements of DOC concentration and DOM composition at many sites along rivers across the United States. Application of quantile regression revealed a tendency towards downstream spatial and temporal homogenization of DOC concentrations and a shift from dominance of aromatic DOM in headwaters to more aliphatic DOM downstream. The DOC concentration–discharge (C-Q) relationships at each site revealed a downstream tendency towards a slope of zero. We propose that despite complexities in river networks that have driven many revisions to the River Continuum Concept, rivers show a tendency towards chemostasis (C-Q slope of zero) because of a downstream shift from a dominance of hydrologic drivers that connect terrestrial DOM sources to streams in the headwaters towards a dominance of instream and near-stream biogeochemical processes that result in preferential losses of aromatic DOM and preferential gains of aliphatic DOM.

The influence of Dworshak Dam on epilithic community metabolism in the Clearwater River, U.S.A.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Munn, M.D.; Brusven, M.A.

2004-01-01

Epilithic community metabolism was determined on a seasonal basis over two years in nonregulated and regulated reaches of the Clearwater River in northern Idaho, U.S.A. Metabolism was estimated using three, 12-liter recirculating chambers and the dissolved oxygen method, with parameters expressed as g O2 m−2 d−1. In the nonregulated reach above the reservoir, gross community productivity (GCP) ranged from 0.8 to 3.2, community respiration (CR24) from 0.3 to 1.2, and production/respiration (P/R) ratios from 1.2 to 3.3. Epilithic metabolism in the regulated reach immediately below the dam increased sharply; GCP ranged from 4.2 to 25.5, CR24 from 1.9 to 9.7, and P/R ratios from 1.4 to 5.7. Increased primary production and respiration in the regulated reach was a result of extensive growth of an aquatic moss (Fontanalis neo-mexicanus). The influence of the dam on epilithic community metabolism was mitigated 2.5 km downstream of the dam due to the regulated North Fork of the Clearwater River (NFCR) merging with the larger, nonregulated Clearwater River. While the regulated Clearwater River below the confluence was somewhat affected by the regulated NFCR flows upstream, metabolism was similar to that found above the reservoir (GCP = 1.2 – 2.6, CR24 = 0.6 – 1.3, and P/R = 1.4 – 2.2). This study demonstrates that while Dworshak Dam has altered both primary production and respiration directly below the dam, the placement of the dam only 2.5 km upstream from a nonregulated reach greatly mitigates its effects on stream metabolism downstream.

Research on the coordination framework for water resources utilization on the interests of mutual compensation in Lancang-Mekong River

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Y.; Fang, D., VI; Xu, J.; Dong, Q.

2017-12-01

The Lancang-Mekong River is an important international river, cascaded hydropower stations development in which attracts the attention of downstream countries. In this paper, we proposed a coordination framework for water resources utilization on the interests of mutual compensation to relieve the conflict of upstream and downstream countries. Firstly, analyze the benefits and risks caused by the cascaded hydropower stations development and the evolution process of water resources use conflict between upstream and downstream countries. Secondly, evaluate the benefits and risks of flood control, water supply, navigation and power generation based on the energy theory of cascaded hydropower stations development in Lancang-Mekong River. Thirdly, multi-agent cooperation motivation and cooperation conditions between upstream and downstream countries in Lancang-Mekong River is given. Finally, the coordination framework for water resources utilization on the interests of mutual compensation in Lancang-Mekong River is presented. This coordination framework for water resources utilization can increase comprehensive benefits in Lancang-Mekong River.

The "WFD-effect" on upstream-downstream relations in international river basins - insights from the Rhine and the Elbe basins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moellenkamp, S.

2007-06-01

The upstream-downstream relationship in international river basins is a traditional challenge in water management. Water use in upstream countries often has a negative impact on water use in downstream countries. This is most evident in the classical example of industrial pollution in upstream countries hindering drinking water production downstream. The European Water Framework Directive (WFD) gives new impetus to the river basin approach and to international co-operation in European catchments. It aims at transforming a mainly water quality oriented management into a more integrated approach of ecosystem management. After discussing the traditional upstream-downstream relationship, this article shows that the WFD has a balancing effect on upstream-downstream problems and that it enhances river basin solidarity in international basins. While it lifts the downstream countries to the same level as the upstream countries, it also leads to new duties for the downstream states. Following the ecosystem approach, measures taken by downstream countries become increasingly more important. For example, downstream countries need to take measures to allow for migrating fish species to reach upstream stretches of river systems. With the WFD, fish populations receive increased attention, as they are an important indicator for the ecological status. The European Commission acquires a new role of inspection and control in river basin management, which finally also leads to enhanced cooperation and solidarity among the states in a basin. In order to achieve better water quality and to mitigate upstream-downstream problems, also economic instruments can be applied and the WFD does not exclude the possibility of making use of financial compensations, if at the same time the polluter pays principle is taken into account. The results presented in this article originate from a broader study on integrated water resources management conducted at Bonn University and refer to the Rhine and Elbe basins (Moellenkamp, 2006).

Stream-sediment geochemistry in mining-impacted streams : sediment mobilized by floods in the Coeur d'Alene-Spokane River system, Idaho and Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Box, Stephen E.; Bookstrom, Arthur A.; Ikramuddin, Mohammed

2005-01-01

Environmental problems associated with the dispersion of metal-enriched sediment into the Coeur d'Alene-Spokane River system downstream from the Coeur d'Alene Mining District in northern Idaho have been a cause of litigation since 1903, 18 years after the initiation of mining for lead, zinc, and silver. Although direct dumping of waste materials into the river by active mining operations stopped in 1968, metal-enriched sediment continues to be mobilized during times of high runoff and deposited on valley flood plains and in Coeur d'Alene Lake (Horowitz and others, 1993). To gauge the geographic and temporal variations in the metal contents of flood sediment and to provide constraints on the sources and processes responsible for those variations, we collected samples of suspended sediment and overbank deposits during and after four high-flow events in 1995, 1996, and 1997 in the Coeur d'Alene-Spokane River system with estimated recurrence intervals ranging from 2 to 100 years. Suspended sediment enriched in lead, zinc, silver, antimony, arsenic, cadmium, and copper was detected over a distance of more than 130 mi (the downstream extent of sampling) downstream of the mining district. Strong correlations of all these elements in suspended sediment with each other and with iron and manganese are apparent when samples are grouped by reach (tributaries to the South Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River, the South Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River, the main stem of the Coeur d'Alene River, and the Spokane River). Elemental correlations with iron and manganese, along with observations by scanning electron microscopy, indicate that most of the trace metals are associated with Fe and Mn oxyhydroxide compounds. Changes in elemental correlations by reach suggest that the sources of metal-enriched sediment change along the length of the drainage. Metal contents of suspended sediment generally increase through the mining district along the South Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River, decrease below the confluence of the North and South Forks, and then increase again downstream of the gradient flattening below Cataldo. Metal contents of suspended sediment in the Spokane River below Coeur d'Alene Lake were comparable to those of suspended sediment in the main stem of the Coeur d'Alene River above the lake during the 1997 spring runoff, but with somewhat higher Zn contents. Daily suspended-sediment loads were about 100 times larger in the 1996 flood (50-100-year recurrence interval) than in the smaller 1997 floods (2-5-year recurrence intervals). Significant differences in metal ratios and contents are also apparent between the two flood types. The predominant source of suspended sediment in the larger 1996 flood was previously deposited, metal-enriched flood-plain sediment, identified by its Zn/Pb ratio less than 1. Suspended sediment in the smaller 1997 floods had metal ratios distinct from those of the flood-plain deposits and was primarily derived from metal-enriched sediment stored within the stream channel, identified by a Zn/Pb ratio greater than 1. Sediment deposited during overbank flooding on the immediate streambank or natural levee of the river typically consists of sandy material with metal ratios and contents similar to those of the sandy streambed sediment in the adjacent river reach. Samples of overbank deposits in backlevee marshes collected after the 1996 flood have metal ratios similar to those of peak-flow suspended sediment in the same river reach, but generally lower metal contents.

Hydrology of the cavernous limestones of the Mammoth Cave area, Kentucky

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brown, Richmond F.

1966-01-01

The Mammoth Cave National Park in central Kentucky offers a unique opportunity to study the occurrence of ground water in limestone under natural conditions. Ground water occurs as perched and semiperched bodies in alternate sandstone, shale, and limestone formations and under water-table conditions at the approximate level of the Green River in thick soluble limestone. Three continuous recorders that operated for 5 years indicate that precipitation on the Mammoth Cave plateau recharges the underlying sandstone rapidly. Ground water from the sandstone discharges horizontally to the edges of the plateau and vertically to underlying formations. Some of the precipitation recharges underlying formations almost immediately through overland flow to sinkholes and free fall through open shafts to pools at the water table. Much of the precipitation on the Pennyroyal plain flows overland into sinkholes and then through solution openings to the Green River. Water from the Green River flows into limestone solution channels under Mammoth Cave plateau at some stages, and this water discharges again to the Green River downstream. The presence of salt water, high in chloride in the Green River, makes it possible to trace the movement of the river water through the underground streams. Graphs show relationships of chloride concentration, stage of the Green River, time, precipitation, ground-water levels, and stratigraphy.

Hydraulic survey and scour assessment of Bridge 524, Tanana River at Big Delta, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Heinrichs, Thomas A.; Langley, Dustin E.; Burrows, Robert L.; Conaway, Jeffrey S.

2007-01-01

Bathymetric and hydraulic data were collected August 26–28, 1996, on the Tanana River at Big Delta, Alaska, at the Richardson Highway bridge and Trans-Alaska Pipeline crossing. Erosion along the right (north) bank of the river between the bridge and the pipeline crossing prompted the data collection. A water-surface profile hydraulic model for the 100- and 500-year recurrence-interval floods was developed using surveyed information. The Delta River enters the Tanana immediately downstream of the highway bridge, causing backwater that extends upstream of the bridge. Four scenarios were considered to simulate the influence of the backwater on flow through the bridge. Contraction and pier scour were computed from model results. Computed values of pier scour were large, but the scour during a flood may actually be less because of mitigating factors. No bank erosion was observed at the time of the survey, a low-flow period. Erosion is likely to occur during intermediate or high flows, but the actual erosion processes are unknown at this time.

COMPLETED STRUCTURE. View is eastsoutheast of downstream side of bridge, ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

COMPLETED STRUCTURE. View is east-southeast of downstream side of bridge, from beyond confluence of Trinity and South Fork Trinity Rivers - South Fork Trinity River Bridge, State Highway 299 spanning South Fork Trinity River, Salyer, Trinity County, CA

7. View to southeast. View of downstream side of bridge ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

7. View to southeast. View of downstream side of bridge from confluence of Trinity and South Fork Trinity Rivers. (90mm Lens) - South Fork Trinity River Bridge, State Highway 299 spanning South Fork Trinity River, Salyer, Trinity County, CA

History of Snake River Canyon Indicated by Revised Stratigraphy of Snake River Group Near Hagerman and King Hill, Idaho: With a Section on Paleomagnetism

USGS Publications Warehouse

Malde, Harold E.; Cox, Allan

1971-01-01

A discovery that debris left by the Bonneville Flood (Melon Gravel) overlies McKinney Basalt about 200 feet above the Snake River near King Hill requires that the stratigraphy of the Snake River Group be revised. In former usage, the McKinney Basalt and its immediately older companion, the Wendell Grade Basalt, were considered on the basis of equivocal field relations to be younger than the Melon Gravel and were assigned to the Recent. These lava flows are here reclassified as Pleistocene. The Bancroft Springs Basalt, which consists of both subaerial lava and pillow lava in a former Snake River canyon, was previously separated from the McKinney but is now combined with the McKinney. Accordingly, the name Bancroft Springs Basalt is here abandoned. This revised stratigraphy is first described from geomorphic relations of the McKinney Basalt near King Hill and is then discussed in the light of drainage changes caused by local lava flows during entrenchment of the Snake River. Near King Hill, a former Snake River canyon was completely filled by McKinney Basalt at the place called Bancroft Springs, hut the depth of this lava in the next several miles of the canyon downstream (along a route that approximately coincides with the present canyon) steadily decreased. This ancestral geomorphology is inferred from the former canyon route and, also, from the continuity in gradient of the McKinney lava surface downstream from Bancroft Springs. The drainage history recorded by various lava flows and river deposits of the Snake River Group indicates that the McKinney and Wendell Grade Basalts erupted after the Snake River canyon had reached its present depth of about 500 feet. The Snake River of that time, as far downstream as Bliss, flowed approximately along its present route. The Wood River of that time, however, skirted the north flank of Gooding Butte and joined the ancestral Snake at a junction, now concealed by lava, north of the present canyon about 3 miles west of Bliss. From that place the former Snake River canyon, also now concealed by lava, continued west to Bancroft Springs and thence along a route close to the present canyon to King Hill. To become entrenched in a canyon 500 feet deep, the Snake River downstream from Hagerman became progressively more incised while its upstream route was pushed south in several earlier canyons by intermittent lava flows. Distinctive gravel deposits help to establish the episodes of progressive canyon cutting and to determine the routes of ancestral drainage, including the former position of the Wood River. As canyon cutting continued, springs began to emerge where lavas had filled the earlier canyons. When the Snake River canyon eventually attained its approximate present depth, the Wendell Grade Basalt erupted near Shoshone and, as several tongues, spread west to the canyon rim opposite Hagerman. One tongue crossed the future route of the Wood River, and another covered an upland area of Sand Springs Basalt that had previously reached the canyon floor at Hagerman. The McKinney Basalt then erupted from McKinney Butte northeast of Bliss and spread southward as a subaerial flow, covering part of the Wendell Grade Basalt. It filled the ancestral Wood River canyon and the Snake River canyon of that time west of Bliss as far downstream as King Hill. The resulting dam of lava impounded a deep lake, which extended upstream in the canyon beyond Hagerman. Copious amounts of the McKinney spilled into this temporary lake and produced pillow lava. About 2 miles west of Bliss, pillow lava 500 feet thick completely fills the former canyon and is protected by rimrock of the subaerial McKinney Basalt. From Bliss, the pillow facies extends upstream as far as the McKinney rimrock - about 5 miles. Eruption of the McKinney Basalt diverted the Wood River to a course along the southeast edge of this lava flow. The temporary lake that was dammed by McKinney Basalt west of Bliss spilled along the sou

A reconnaissance of the effects of a forest fire on water quality in Kings Canyon National Park, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hoffman, Ray J.; Ferreira, Rodger F.

1976-01-01

Following two forest fires in the Roaring River drainage basin, Kings Canyon National Park, Calif., water samples were collected from May to July 1974 to determine water-quality changes resulting from the fires. Field measurements included alkalinity , pH, specific conductance, temperature, and discharge. Samples were analyzed in the laboratory for major dissolved chemical constituents, selected plant nutrients, trace metals, suspended sediment, total organic carbon, and seston. Periphytic algae and benthic invertebrate samples were collected. A noticeable increase in the concentration of nitrogen was found in Roaring River immediately downstream from the Moraine Creek fire. The increase in the concentration of inorganic nitrogen compounds, however, was not great enough to pose a serious threat to the aquatic ecosystem. High total organic nitrogen concentrations may have been due, in part, to factors other than the effect of fire. The results of other water-quality measurements were typical of dilute Sierra Nevada streams and indicate that Roaring River was not adversely affected by the fires. (Woodard-USGS)

Large thermo-erosional tunnel for a river in northeast Greenland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Docherty, Catherine L.; Hannah, David M.; Riis, Tenna; Rosenhøj Leth, Simon; Milner, Alexander M.

2017-12-01

Thermo-erosional river bank undercutting is caused by the combined action of thermal and mechanical erosion of the permafrost by Arctic rivers whilst the overlying sediment withstands collapse temporarily. Here, we report the discovery of a large thermo-erosional tunnel that formed in the banks of a meltwater-fed stream in northeast Greenland in summer 2015. The tunnel was observed over eight days (14-22 July), during which period the tunnel remained open but bank-side slumping increased. Stream solute load increased immediately downstream and remained high 800 m from the tunnel. Whilst this field observation was opportunistic and information somewhat limited, our study provides a rare insight into an extreme event impacting permafrost, local geomorphology and stream habitat. With accelerated climate change in Arctic regions, increased permafrost degradation and warmer stream water temperature are predicted thereby enhancing potential for thermo-erosional niche development and associated stream bank slumping. This change could have significant implications for stream physicochemical habitat and, in turn, stream benthic communities, through changes in aquatic habitat conditions.

Fate and transport of cyanobacteria and associated toxins and taste-and-odor compounds from upstream reservoir releases in the Kansas River, Kansas, September and October 2011

USGS Publications Warehouse

Graham, Jennifer L.; Ziegler, Andrew C.; Loving, Brian L.; Loftin, Keith A.

2012-01-01

Cyanobacteria cause a multitude of water-quality concerns, including the potential to produce toxins and taste-and-odor compounds. Toxins and taste-and-odor compounds may cause substantial economic and public health concerns and are of particular interest in lakes, reservoirs, and rivers that are used for drinking-water supply, recreation, or aquaculture. The Kansas River is a primary source of drinking water for about 800,000 people in northeastern Kansas. Water released from Milford Lake to the Kansas River during a toxic cyanobacterial bloom in late August 2011 prompted concerns about cyanobacteria and associated toxins and taste-and-odor compounds in downstream drinking-water supplies. During September and October 2011 water-quality samples were collected to characterize the transport of cyanobacteria and associated compounds from upstream reservoirs to the Kansas River. This study is one of the first to quantitatively document the transport of cyanobacteria and associated compounds during reservoir releases and improves understanding of the fate and transport of cyanotoxins and taste-and-odor compounds downstream from reservoirs. Milford Lake was the only reservoir in the study area with an ongoing cyanobacterial bloom during reservoir releases. Concentrations of cyanobacteria and associated toxins and taste-and-odor compounds in Milford Lake (upstream from the dam) were not necessarily indicative of outflow conditions (below the dam). Total microcystin concentrations, one of the most commonly occurring cyanobacterial toxins, in Milford Lake were 650 to 7,500 times higher than the Kansas Department of Health and Environment guidance level for a public health warning (20 micrograms per liter) for most of September 2011. By comparison, total microcystin concentrations in the Milford Lake outflow generally were less than 10 percent of the concentrations in surface accumulations, and never exceeded 20 micrograms per liter. The Republican River, downstream from Milford Lake, was the only Kansas River tributary with detectable microcystin concentrations throughout the study period, and concentrations exceeded 1 microgram per liter for most of September 2011. Microcystin was detected periodically in other tributaries, but concentrations were low (less than 0.3 micrograms per liter). In contrast, the taste-and-odor compounds geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol (MIB) were detected in all tributaries located immediately downstream from reservoirs and total concentrations generally exceeded the human detection threshold (5 to 10 nanograms per liter) from September through mid-October. Microcystin, geosmin, and MIB were not detected in the Smoky Hill River upstream from the confluence with the Republican River that forms the Kansas River. Within a week after initial reservoir releases, microcystin, geosmin, and MIB were detected throughout a 173-mile reach of the Kansas River; these compounds remained detectable throughout the reach until mid-October. Losses to groundwater when streamflows in the Kansas River were increasing indicate the potential for reservoir releases to affect groundwater quality as well as surface-water quality. Total microcystin concentrations in the Kansas River generally were highest within about 24 miles of the confluence of the Smoky Hill and Republican Rivers, and decreased downstream; concentrations exceeded 1 microgram per liter in the Kansas River upstream from Topeka during the first 2 weeks of September. Patterns in microcystin occurrence and concentration at Kansas River tributary and main-stem sites indicate that Milford Lake was the source of microcystin in the Kansas River; however, the source of taste-and-odor compounds was not as evident, possibly because multiple tributaries contributed taste-and-odor compounds to the Kansas River. Microcystin and taste-and-odor compounds co-occurred in 56 percent of samples collected, indicating co-occurrence was common. Despite frequent co-occurrence, the spatial and temporal patterns in microcystin, geosmin, and MIB were unique and did not necessarily match patterns in cyanobacterial abundance. Use of a single compound or cyanobacterial abundance alone cannot necessarily be used as an indicator of the presence or concentration of these compounds. Measured concentrations of cyanobacteria and associated compounds were substantially higher than expected concentrations based on simple dilution models at some sites and substantially lower at others, though spatial and temporal patterns were unique for individual compounds. Data were not collected in such a way to determine whether differences between measured and expected concentrations were statistically significant. Results, however, indicate that simple dilution models were not sufficient to describe the downstream transport of cyanobacteria and associated compounds in the Kansas River.

Ichthyoplankton entrainment study at the SRS Savannah River water intakes for Westinghouse Savannah River Company. Final report

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

Paller, M.

1992-03-26

Cooling water for L and K Reactors and makeup water for Par Pond is pumped from the Savannah River at the 1G, 3G, and 5G pump houses. Ichthyoplankton (drifting fish larvae and eggs) from the river are entrained into the reactor cooling systems with the river water and passed through the reactor`s heat exchangers where temperatures may reach 70{degrees}C during full power operation. Ichthyoplankton mortality under such conditions is assumed to be 100 percent. The number of ichthyoplankton entrained into the cooling system depends on a variety of variables, including time of year, density and distribution of ichthyoplankton in themore » river, discharge levels in the river, and the volume of water withdrawn by the pumps. Entrainment at the 1 G pump house, which is immediately downstream from the confluence of Upper Three Runs Creek and the Savannah River, is also influenced by discharge rates and ichthyoplankton densities in Upper Three Runs Creek. Because of the anticipated restart of several SRS reactors and the growing concern surrounding striped bass and American shad stocks in the Savannah River, the Department of Energy requested that the Environmental Sciences Section (ESS) of the Savannah River Laboratory sample ichthyoplankton at the SRS Savannah River intakes. Dams & Moore, Inc., under a contract with Westinghouse Savannah River Company performed the sampling and data analysis for the ESS.« less

STEEL ERECTION. View of downstream of bridge, looking southeast from ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

STEEL ERECTION. View of downstream of bridge, looking southeast from confluence of Trinity and South Fork Trinity rivers. The old suspension bridge is in background - South Fork Trinity River Bridge, State Highway 299 spanning South Fork Trinity River, Salyer, Trinity County, CA

Carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus accumulation in floodplains of Atlantic Coastal Plain rivers, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Noe, G.B.; Hupp, C.R.

2005-01-01

Net nutrient accumulation rates were measured in riverine floodplains of the Atlantic Coastal Plain in Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware, USA. The floodplains were located in watersheds with different land use and included two sites on the Chickahominy River (urban), one site on the Mattaponi River (forested), and five sites on the Pocomoke River (agricultural). The Pocomoke River floodplains lie along reaches with natural hydrogeomorphology and on reaches with restricted flooding due to channelization and levees. A network of feldspar clay marker horizons was placed on the sediment surface of each floodplain site 3-6 years prior to sampling. Sediment cores were collected from the material deposited over the feldspar clay pads. This overlying sediment was separated from the clay layer and then dried, weighed, and analyzed for its total carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) content. Mean C accumulation rates ranged from 61 to 212 g??m-2??yr-1, N accumulation rates ranged from 3.5 to 13.4 g??m -2??yr-1, and P accumulation rates ranged from 0.2 to 4.1 g??m-2??yr-1 among the eight floodplains. Patterns of intersite variation in mineral sediment and P accumulation rates were similar to each other, as was variation in organic sediment and C and N accumulation rates. The greatest sediment and C, N, and P accumulation rates were observed on Chickahominy River floodplains downstream from the growing metropolitan area of Richmond, Virginia. Nutrient accumulation rates were lowest on Pocomoke River floodplains that have been hydraulically disconnected from the main channel by channelization and levees. Sediment P concentrations and P accumulation rates were much greater on the hydraulically connected floodplain immediately downstream of the limit of channelization and dense chicken agriculture of the upper Pocomoke River watershed. These findings indicate that (1) watershed land use has a large effect on sediment and nutrient retention in floodplains, and (2) limiting the hydraulic connectivity between river channels and floodplains minimizes material retention by floodplains in fluvial hydroscapes. ?? 2005 by the Ecological Society of America.

Occurrence and degree of intersex (testis-ova) in darters (Etheostoma SPP.) across an urban gradient in the Grand River, Ontario, Canada.

PubMed

Tanna, Rajiv N; Tetreault, Gerald R; Bennett, Charles J; Smith, Brendan M; Bragg, Leslie M; Oakes, Ken D; McMaster, Mark E; Servos, Mark R

2013-09-01

The variability and extent of the intersex condition (oocytes in testes, or testis-ova) was documented in fish along an urban gradient in the Grand River, Ontario, Canada, that included major wastewater treatment plant outfalls. A method for rapid enumeration of testis-ova was developed and applied that increased the capacity to quantify intersex prevalence and severity. Male rainbow darters (Etheostoma caeruleum) sampled downstream of the first major wastewater outfall (Waterloo) had a significant increase, relative to 4 upstream reference sites, in the mean proportion of fish with at least 1 testis-oocyte per lobe of testes (9-20% proportion with ≤ 1 testis-oocyte/lobe vs 32-53% and >1.4 testis-oocyte/lobe). A much higher mean incidence of intersex proportion and degree was observed immediately downstream of the second wastewater outfall (Kitchener; 73-100% and 8-70 testis-oocyte/lobe); but only 6.3 km downstream of the Kitchener outfall, the occurrence of intersex dropped to those of the reference sites. In contrast, downstream of a tertiary treated wastewater outfall on a small tributary, intersex was similar to reference sites. Estrogenicity, measured using a yeast estrogen screen, followed a similar pattern, increasing from 0.81 ± 0.02 ng/L 17b-estradiol equivalents (EEq) (Guelph), to 4.32 ± 0.07 ng/L (Waterloo), and 16.99 ± 0.40 ng/L (Kitchener). Female rainbow darter downstream of the Kitchener outfall showed significant decreases in gonadosomatic index and liver somatic index, and increases in condition factor (k) relative to corresponding reference sites. The prevalence of intersex and alterations in somatic indices suggest that exposure to municipal wastewater effluent discharges can impact endocrine function, energy use, and energy storage in wild fish. Copyright © 2013 SETAC.

75 FR 75949 - Proposed Flood Elevation Determinations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-07

... Black Lake Entire shoreline within None +616 Township of Waverly. community. Black River Approximately 2.69 None +612 Township of Aloha. miles downstream of North Black River Road. Approximately 1.13 None +613 miles downstream of North Black River Road. Lake Huron Entire shoreline within None +583 Township...

76 FR 27661 - Notice of Filing of Plats of Survey; Montana

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-12

... sections 7 and 8, the adjusted original meanders of the former left bank of the Missouri River, downstream, through section 18, the meanders of the 2002-2005 left bank of the Missouri River, downstream, through section 18, the limits of erosion, downstream, through section 18, and a certain division of accretion...

75 FR 53334 - Notice of Filing of Plats of Survey; Montana

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-31

... River, downstream, through sections 7 and 18, a portion of the subdivision of sections 7 and 18, a... present left bank of the Missouri River and informative traverse, downstream, through sections 7 and 18, the limits of erosion and informative traverse, downstream through sections 7 and 18 and certain...

Effects of river-floodplain exchange on water quality and nutrient export in the dam-impacted Kafue River (Zambia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zurbrugg, R.; Wamulume, J.; Blank, N.; Nyambe, I.; Wehrli, B.; Senn, D. B.

2010-12-01

Biogeochemical processes in river-floodplain ecosystems are strongly influenced by hydrology and, in particular, river-floodplain exchange. In tropical systems, where the hydrology is dominated by distinct dry and rainy seasons, annual flood waters trigger organic matter mineralization within and nutrient export from the dried and rewetted floodplain, and the magnitude of hydrological exchange between a river and its floodplain has the potential to substantially influence nutrient and carbon exports and water quality in the river. In this study we examined the extent and the effects of hydrological river-floodplain exchange in the Kafue River and its floodplain, the Kafue Flats, in Zambia. The Kafue Flats is a 7000 km2 seasonal wetland whose hydrological regime has been impacted by upstream and downstream large dams constructed in the 1970s, leading to changes in the flooding pattern in this high-biodiversity ecosystem. Field campaigns, carried out during flood recession (May 2008, 2009, 2010) and covering a ~400 km river stretch, revealed a steep decline in dissolved oxygen from 6 mg/L to 1 mg/L over a ~20 km stretch of river beginning approximately 200 km downstream from the first dam, with low oxygen persisting for an additional 150 km downstream. To further explore this phenomenon discharge measurements (ADCP) were conducted in May 2009 and May 2010. River discharge decreased from ~600 m3/s at the upstream dam to 100 m3/s midway through the Kafue Flats, and increased to >800 m3/s towards the end of the floodplain (400 km downstream). River cross section data indicate that the dramatic decrease in discharge occured primarily because of variations in channel area and channel carrying capacity, with channel constrictions forcing ~85% of the discharge out of the river channel and into the floodplain. Using specific conductivity and δ18O-H2O as tracers for floodplain water, we estimate that the downstream increases in flow occur through lateral inflows of receding floodplain waters, induced by an expansion of the river channel, and that 80% of the downstream flow came from the floodplain. Model calculations indicate that intense exchange between river and floodplain and the introduction of low-oxygen floodplain water into the river was the primary cause of the low dissolved oxygen levels observed in the river during flood recession in May 2008-2010. This exchange also appears to play an important role in nutrient and carbon export, with the floodplain acting as a net source of phosphate (220 tons/yr), total nitrogen (1300 tons/yr, of which ~90% was organic nitrogen) and total organic carbon (50,000 tons/yr) to downstream systems.

Bed Degradation and Sediment Export from the Missouri River after Dam Construction and River Training: Significance to Lower Mississippi River Sediment Loads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blum, M. D.; Viparelli, E.; Sulaiman, Z. A.; Pettit, B. S.

2016-12-01

More than 40,000 dams have been constructed in the Mississippi River drainage basin, which has had a dramatic impact on suspended sediment load for the Mississippi delta. The most significant dams were constructed in the 1950s on the Missouri River in South Dakota, after which total suspended loads for the lower Mississippi River, some 2500 km downstream, were cut in half: gauging station data from the Missouri-Mississippi system show significant load reductions immediately after dam closure, followed by a continued downward trend since that time. The delta region is experiencing tremendous land loss in response to acceleration of global sea-level rise, and load reductions of this magnitude may place severe limits on mitigation efforts. Here we examine sediment export from the Missouri system due to bed scour. The US Army Corps of Engineers has compiled changes in river stage at constant discharge for 8 stations between the lowermost dam at Yankton, South Dakota and the Missouri-Mississippi confluence at St. Louis (a distance of 1250 river km), for the period 1930-2010, which we have updated to 2015. These data show two general reaches of significant bed degradation. The first extends from the last major dam at Yankton, South Dakota downstream 300 km to Omaha, Nebraska, where degradation in response to the dam exceeds 3 m. The second reach, with >2.5 m of degradation, occurs in and around Kansas City, Missouri, and has been attributed to river training activities. The reach between Omaha and Kansas City, as well as the lower Missouri below Kansas City, show <1 m of net bed elevation change over the entire 75-year period of record. Integrating bed elevation changes over the period of record, we estimate a total of 1.1-1.2 billion tons of sediment have been exported from the Missouri River due to bed scour following dam construction and river training. This number equates to 20-25 million tons per year, which is sufficient to account for 30% of the total Missouri River load, and 15% of the total post-dam annual sediment load for the lower Mississippi River. For perspective, the quantity of sediment exported from the Missouri River due to bed scour is greater than the total load for all rivers in the US lower 48 states, except the Mississippi and Colorado Rivers, and would rank in the top 50 of all rivers in the modern world.

Streamflow losses along the Balcones Fault Zone, Nueces River basin, Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Land, L.F.; Boning, C.W.; Harmsen, Lynn; Reeves, R.D.

1983-01-01

Statistical evaluations of historical daily flow records for the streams that have gaging stations upstream and downstream from the recharge zone provided mathematical relationships that expressed downstream flow in terms of other significant parameters. For each stream, flow entering the recharge zone is most significant in defining downstream flow; for some streams, antecedent flows at the upstream site and ground-water levels are also significantly related to downstream flow. The analyses also determined the discharges required upstream from the recharge zone to sustain flow downstream from that zone. These discharges ranged from 355 cubic feet per second for the combined Frio and Dry Frio Rivers to 33 cubic feet per second for the Nueces River. The entire flows of lesser magnitude are generally lost to recharge to the aquifer.

Ecological effects on streams from forest fertilization; literature review and conceptual framework for future study in the western Cascades

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anderson, Chauncey W.

2002-03-19

Studies of the responses of stream biota to fertilization have been rare and have targeted either immediate, toxicity-based responses or used methods insensitive to ongoing ecological processes. This report reviews water-quality studies following forest fertilizations, emphasizing Cascade streams in the Pacific Northwest and documented biological responses in those streams. A conceptual model predicting potential ecological response to fertilization, which includes effects on algal growth and primary production, is presented. In this model, applied fertilizer nitrogen reaching streams is mostly exported during winter. However, some nitrogen retained in soils or stream and riparian areas may become available to aquatic biota during spring and summer. Biological responses may be minimal in small streams nearest to application because of light limitation, but may be elevated downstream where light is sufficient to allow algal growth. Ultimately, algal response could be greatest in downstream reaches, although ambient nutrient concentrations remain low due to uptake and benthic nutrient recycling. Ground-water flow paths and hyporheic processing could be critical in determining the fate of applied nitrogen. A framework is provided for testing this response in the Little River watershed, a tributary to the North Umpqua River, Oregon, at basic and intensive levels of investigation.

Balancing hydropower production and river bed incision in operating a run-of-river hydropower scheme along the River Po

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Denaro, Simona; Dinh, Quang; Bizzi, Simone; Bernardi, Dario; Pavan, Sara; Castelletti, Andrea; Schippa, Leonardo; Soncini-Sessa, Rodolfo

2013-04-01

Water management through dams and reservoirs is worldwide necessary to support key human-related activities ranging from hydropower production to water allocation, and flood risk mitigation. Reservoir operations are commonly planned in order to maximize these objectives. However reservoirs strongly influence river geomorphic processes causing sediment deficit downstream, altering the flow regime, leading, often, to process of river bed incision: for instance the variations of river cross sections over few years can notably affect hydropower production, flood mitigation, water supply strategies and eco-hydrological processes of the freshwater ecosystem. The river Po (a major Italian river) has experienced severe bed incision in the last decades. For this reason infrastructure stability has been negatively affected, and capacity to derive water decreased, navigation, fishing and tourism are suffering economic damages, not to mention the impact on the environment. Our case study analyzes the management of Isola Serafini hydropower plant located on the main Po river course. The plant has a major impact to the geomorphic river processes downstream, affecting sediment supply, connectivity (stopping sediment upstream the dam) and transport capacity (altering the flow regime). Current operation policy aims at maximizing hydropower production neglecting the effects in term of geomorphic processes. A new improved policy should also consider controlling downstream river bed incision. The aim of this research is to find suitable modeling framework to identify an operating policy for Isola Serafini reservoir able to provide an optimal trade-off between these two conflicting objectives: hydropower production and river bed incision downstream. A multi-objective simulation-based optimization framework is adopted. The operating policy is parameterized as a piecewise linear function and the parameters optimized using an interactive response surface approach. Global and local response surface are comparatively assessed. Preliminary results show that a range of potentially interesting trade-off policies exist able to better control river bed incision downstream without significantly decreasing hydropower production.

Preliminary assessment of the effects of selenium in agricultural drainage on fish in the San Joaquin Valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

Saiki, M.K.; Jennings, M.R.; Hamilton, S.J.; Dinar, A.; Zilberman, D.

1991-01-01

Concentrations of total selenium were measured in whole-body samples of seven fishes from the Sacramento and San Joaquin River systems and the San Francisco Bay complex. Concentrations of selenium (up to 11 µg/g dry weight in whole-body composite samples) were highest in fish from canals and sloughs in the Grassland Water District (Grasslands) that received large inflows of subsurface agricultural drainage water. Slightly lower selenium concentrations occurred in fish from the San Joaquin River immediately downstream from tributaries draining the Grasslands. Although circumstantial evidence suggests that selenium-sensitive species such as bluegills and largemouth bass are being excluded from the Grasslands, conclusive evidence of selenium toxicity is still lacking. In response to earlier reports of high concentrations of selenium in several species collected from the Grasslands, the California Department of Health Services has urged people to limit consumption of fish from this region.

Investigation of Hyporheic Thermal Flux and Downstream Attenuation Driven by Hydropeaking in the Colorado River, Austin, Texas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watson, J. A.; Cardenas, M. B.; Neilson, B. T.; Bennett, P. C.

2015-12-01

Thermal flux related to regulated river hydropeaking has been extensively researched at the single-study site scale, but little work has been done quantifying the downstream attenuation of a single regulated flood pulse at multiple sites. In order to better understand this flood pulse attenuation we instrumented four sites with temperature probes along a 91 km stretch of the Colorado River downstream of longhorn dam, Austin, TX. Piezometer transects perpendicular to the river at each site were instrumented with HOBO thermistors over a 1.4m screened interval within the saturated zone at 20cm spacing. As flood pulses are attenuated downstream, temperature gradients and distance of lateral temperature pulse penetration into the bank are hypothesized to decrease. The data collected in this investigation will test this hypothesis by providing 2D temperature cross-sections along an attenuating flood pulse, providing detailed spatial data on temperature gradients adjacent to the river.

Sediment-phosphorus dynamics can shift aquatic ecology and cause downstream legacy effects after wildfire in large river systems.

PubMed

Emelko, Monica B; Stone, Micheal; Silins, Uldis; Allin, Don; Collins, Adrian L; Williams, Chris H S; Martens, Amanda M; Bladon, Kevin D

2016-03-01

Global increases in the occurrence of large, severe wildfires in forested watersheds threaten drinking water supplies and aquatic ecology. Wildfire effects on water quality, particularly nutrient levels and forms, can be significant. The longevity and downstream propagation of these effects as well as the geochemical mechanisms regulating them remain largely undocumented at larger river basin scales. Here, phosphorus (P) speciation and sorption behavior of suspended sediment were examined in two river basins impacted by a severe wildfire in southern Alberta, Canada. Fine-grained suspended sediments (<125 μm) were sampled continuously during ice-free conditions over a two-year period (2009-2010), 6 and 7 years after the wildfire. Suspended sediment samples were collected from upstream reference (unburned) river reaches, multiple tributaries within the burned areas, and from reaches downstream of the burned areas, in the Crowsnest and Castle River basins. Total particulate phosphorus (TPP) and particulate phosphorus forms (nonapatite inorganic P, apatite P, organic P), and the equilibrium phosphorus concentration (EPC0 ) of suspended sediment were assessed. Concentrations of TPP and the EPC0 were significantly higher downstream of wildfire-impacted areas compared to reference (unburned) upstream river reaches. Sediments from the burned tributary inputs contained higher levels of bioavailable particulate P (NAIP) - these effects were also observed downstream at larger river basin scales. The release of bioavailable P from postfire, P-enriched fine sediment is a key mechanism causing these effects in gravel-bed rivers at larger basin scales. Wildfire-associated increases in NAIP and the EPC0 persisted 6 and 7 years after wildfire. Accordingly, this work demonstrated that fine sediment in gravel-bed rivers is a significant, long-term source of in-stream bioavailable P that contributes to a legacy of wildfire impacts on downstream water quality, aquatic ecology, and drinking water treatability. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

5. View from the east of the bridge's southeast (downstream) ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

5. View from the east of the bridge's southeast (downstream) elevation - Big Cottonwood River Bridge No. 246, Spanning Big Cottonwood River at Cottonwood Street (City Road No. 165), New Ulm, Brown County, MN

Concentration of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners in the muscle of Clarias gariepinus and sediment from inland rivers of southwestern Nigeria and estimated potential human health consequences.

PubMed

Adeogun, Aina O; Chukwuka, Azubuike V; Okoli, Chukwunonso P; Arukwe, Augustine

2016-01-01

The distributions of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners were determined in sediment and muscle of the African sharptooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus) from the Ogun and Ona rivers, southwest Nigeria. In addition, the effect of PCB congeners on condition factor (CF) and associated human health risk was assessed using muscle levels for a noncarcinogenic hazard quotient (HQ) calculation. Elevated concentrations of high-molecular-weight (HMW) PCB congeners were detected in sediment and fish downstream of discharge points of both rivers. A significant reduction in fish body weight and CF was observed to correlate with high PCB congener concentrations in the Ona River. A principal component (PC) biplot revealed significant site-related PCB congener distribution patterns for HMW PCB in samples from the Ogun River (71.3%), while the Ona River (42.6%) showed significant PCB congener patterns for low-molecular-weight (LMW) congeners. Biota-sediment accumulation factor (BSAF) was higher downstream for both rivers, presenting PCB congener-specific accumulation patterns in the Ona River. Significant decreases in fish body weight, length and CF were observed downstream compared to upstream in the Ona River. The non-carcinogenic HQ of dioxin-like congener 189 downstream in both rivers exceeded the HQ = 1 threshold for children and adults for both the Ogun and Ona rivers. Overall, our results suggest that industrial discharges contribute significantly to PCB inputs into these rivers, with potential for significant health implications for neighboring communities that utilize these rivers for fishing and other domestic purposes.

Geologic map of the Masters 7.5' quadrangle, Weld and Morgan Counties, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Berry, Margaret E.; Slate, Janet L.; Paces, James B.; Hanson, Paul R.; Brandt, Theodore R.

2015-09-28

The Masters 7.5' quadrangle is located along the South Platte River corridor on the semiarid plains of eastern Colorado and contains surficial deposits that record alluvial, eolian, and hillslope processes that have operated in concert with environmental changes from Pleistocene to present time. The South Platte River, originating high in the Colorado Front Range, has played a major role in shaping the surficial geology of the quadrangle, which is situated downstream of where the last of the major headwater tributaries (St. Vrain, Big Thompson, and Cache la Poudre) join the river. Recurrent glaciation (and deglaciation) of basin headwaters affected river discharge and sediment supply far downstream, influencing deposition of alluvium and terrace formation in the Masters quadrangle. Kiowa and Bijou Creeks, unglaciated tributaries originating in the Colorado Piedmont east of the Front Range and joining the South Platte River just downstream of the Masters quadrangle, also have played a major role by periodically delivering large volumes of sediment to the river during flood events, which may have temporarily dammed the river. Eolian sand deposits of the Greeley (north of river) and Fort Morgan (south of river) dune fields cover much of the quadrangle and record past episodes of sand mobilization during times of prolonged drought. With the onset of irrigation and damming during historical times, the South Platte River has changed from a broad, shallow sandy braided river with highly seasonal discharge to a much narrower, deeper river with braided-meandering transition morphology and more uniform discharge. Along the reach of river in the Masters quadrangle, the river has incised into Upper Cretaceous Pierre Shale, which, although buried by alluvial deposits here, is locally exposed downstream along the South Platte River bluff near the Bijou Creek confluence, in some of the larger draws, and along Wildcat Creek.

[Downstream migration, behavior, and distribution of fish fry in the lower reaches of the Ozernaya River (southwestern Kamchatka)].

PubMed

Pavlov, D S; Kirillova, E A; Kirillov, P I; Nezdoliĭ, V K

2015-01-01

Fry of five species of salmonids are found in the lower reaches of the Ozernaya River. The most abundant are chum salmon and pink salmon which compose the bulk of fry which migrate downstream from the river to the sea. The dates and duration of migration of particular species differed according to the specific traits of their biology. Pink salmon is characterized by a simple migration strategy: it migrated downstream in a short time after emergence from theground. Chum salmon has two strategies of downstream migration: some fry start migration soon after emergence, and others remained in the river for several weeks. Downstream migration of pink salmon occurred mainly at night in contrast to that of chum salmon, over 24 h, the part of daytime increased with growth, of the fish. Migration of pink salmon was passive. Passive migration of chum salmon changed into active-passive with growth of the fish. The ratio of fish in the inshore zone and in the current was different in the course of 24 h. The number of fish in the inshore zone decreased in the period of intensive downstream migration.

3. View to southwest. Oblique view of downstream side of ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

3. View to southwest. Oblique view of downstream side of bridge and west pier. (135mm lens) - South Fork Trinity River Bridge, State Highway 299 spanning South Fork Trinity River, Salyer, Trinity County, CA

2. View to east. Oblique view of downstream side of ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

2. View to east. Oblique view of downstream side of bridge and east pier. (135mm lens) - South Fork Trinity River Bridge, State Highway 299 spanning South Fork Trinity River, Salyer, Trinity County, CA

4. DETAIL VIEW OF CCCBUILT RIVERCOBBLE WING WALL ON DOWNSTREAM ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

4. DETAIL VIEW OF CCC-BUILT RIVER-COBBLE WING WALL ON DOWNSTREAM SIDE OF OUTLET WORKS AT DAM 87, LOOKING WEST - Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge, Dam 87, Souris River Basin, Foxholm, Surrey (England), ND

7. Contextual view to eastnortheast showing downstream (west) side of ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

7. Contextual view to east-northeast showing downstream (west) side of bridge in setting, depicting dense riparian nature of area. - Stanislaus River Bridge, Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway at Stanislaus River, Riverbank, Stanislaus County, CA

Use of multispectral satellite remote sensing to assess mixing of suspended sediment downstream of large river confluences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Umar, M.; Rhoads, Bruce L.; Greenberg, Jonathan A.

2018-01-01

Although past work has noted that contrasts in turbidity often are detectable on remotely sensed images of rivers downstream from confluences, no systematic methodology has been developed for assessing mixing over distance of confluent flows with differing surficial suspended sediment concentrations (SSSC). In contrast to field measurements of mixing below confluences, satellite remote-sensing can provide detailed information on spatial distributions of SSSC over long distances. This paper presents a methodology that uses remote-sensing data to estimate spatial patterns of SSSC downstream of confluences along large rivers and to determine changes in the amount of mixing over distance from confluences. The method develops a calibrated Random Forest (RF) model by relating training SSSC data from river gaging stations to derived spectral indices for the pixels corresponding to gaging-station locations. The calibrated model is then used to predict SSSC values for every river pixel in a remotely sensed image, which provides the basis for mapping of spatial variability in SSSCs along the river. The pixel data are used to estimate average surficial values of SSSC at cross sections spaced uniformly along the river. Based on the cross-section data, a mixing metric is computed for each cross section. The spatial pattern of change in this metric over distance can be used to define rates and length scales of surficial mixing of suspended sediment downstream of a confluence. This type of information is useful for exploring the potential influence of various controlling factors on mixing downstream of confluences, for evaluating how mixing in a river system varies over time and space, and for determining how these variations influence water quality and ecological conditions along the river.

Identifying and Quantifying Sources of Fall Chinook Salmon Spawning Gravel to the Snake River in Hells Canyon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Welcker, C. W.; Burke, M.

2015-12-01

The Snake River in Hells Canyon supports a growing population of spawning Fall Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) immediately downstream of the Hells Canyon Complex (HCC) of hydroelectric dams for the last 60 years. The long-term survival of this salmon run depends on the input of spawning gravel (25-150 mm) from local tributaries balancing the losses of spawning gravel through attrition and export out of the reach between the HCC and the Salmon River confluence. We are working to quantify the gravel input of these local tributaries at different time-scales and put this into the context of historical supply and transport. Long-term total sediment production rates of these tributaries estimated through various methods have varied by over 2 orders of magnitude, but we have recently completed 10Be work to constrain these estimates. We are measuring the change in storage of Fall Chinook spawning-size gravel through repeat multibeam echosounder surveys of the riverbed. The limited amount of repeat data collected to date has shown complex patterns of change in the riverbed. One possible driver of this complexity is the episodic and spatially variable nature of sediment inputs from these tributaries. We are attempting to quantify the frequency of the debris flows or floods capable of transporting spawning gravel through digitizing historic imagery of the last 60 years to determine the recurrence interval. We are measuring the magnitude of these events by surveying tributary fans pre and post-event to measure the sediment volume and particle size produced by specific events. These floods and debris flows are driven by extreme rainfall or snowmelt events, so we have also reconstructed historical meteorological conditions to identify the triggering conditions for transport, and identify the areas where snowmelt or rainfall is the more likely trigger. We are currently testing whether the unique bedrock geology of Hells Canyon can be used as a tracer to identify the source areas and downstream transport of sediment in the canyon. While the HCC has trapped gravel transported from the Snake River immediately upstream, this input has been quite low due to particle attrition across long transport distances and low transport capacity of the reach just upstream of the HCC.

Ecological requirements for pallid sturgeon reproduction and recruitment in the Missouri River—Annual report 2013

USGS Publications Warehouse

Delonay, Aaron J.; Jacobson, Robert B.; Chojnacki, Kimberly A.; Braaten, Patrick J.; Buhl, Kevin J.; Eder, Brandon L; Elliott, Caroline M.; Erwin, Susannah O.; Fuller, David B.; Haddix, Tyler M.; Ladd, Hallie L.A.; Mestl, Gerald E.; Papoulias, Diana M.; Rhoten, Jason C.; Wesolek, Christopher J.; Wildhaber, Mark L.

2016-01-20

The research tasks in the 2013 scope of work emphasized understanding reproductive migrations and spawning of adult pallid sturgeon, and hatch and drift of free embryos and larvae. These tasks were addressed in four study sections located in three hydrologically and geomorphologically distinct parts of the Missouri River Basin: the Upper Missouri River downstream from Fort Peck Dam, including downstream reaches of the Milk River, the Lower Yellowstone River, and the Lower Missouri River downstream from Gavins Point Dam. The research is designed to inform management decisions related to channel re-engineering, flow modification, and pallid sturgeon population augmentation on the Missouri River, and throughout the range of the species. Research and progress made through this project are reported to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers annually. This annual report details the research effort and progress made by the Comprehensive Sturgeon Research Project during 2013.

Measured and predicted environmental concentrations of carbamazepine, diclofenac, and metoprolol in small and medium rivers in northern Germany.

PubMed

Meyer, Wibke; Reich, Margrit; Beier, Silvio; Behrendt, Joachim; Gulyas, Holger; Otterpohl, Ralf

2016-08-01

This study evaluated the impact of secondary municipal effluent discharge on carbamazepine, diclofenac, and metoprolol concentrations in small and medium rivers in northern Germany and compared the measured environmental concentrations (MECs) to the predicted environmental concentrations (PECs) calculated with four well-established models. During a 1-year sampling period, secondary effluent grab samples were collected at four wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) together with grab samples from the receiving waters upstream and downstream from the wastewater discharge points. The carbamazepine, diclofenac, and metoprolol concentrations were analyzed with high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS-MS) after solid phase extraction. In the secondary effluents, 84-790 ng/L carbamazepine, 395-2100 ng/L diclofenac, and 745-5000 ng/L metoprolol were detected. The carbamazepine, diclofenac, and metoprolol concentrations analyzed in the rivers downstream from the secondary effluent discharge sites ranged from <5 to 68, 370, and 520 ng/L, respectively. Most of the downstream pharmaceutical concentrations were markedly higher than the corresponding upstream concentrations. The impact of wastewater discharge on the MECs in rivers downstream from the WWTPs was clearly demonstrated, but the correlations of the MECs with dilution factors were poor. The smallest rivers exhibited the largest maximum MECs and the widest ranges of MECs downstream from the wastewater discharge point. Three of the four tested models were conservative, as they showed higher PECs than the MECs in the rivers downstream from the WWTPs. However, the most detailed model underestimated the diclofenac concentrations.

Association of ice and river channel morphology determined using ground-penetrationg radar in the Kuparuk River, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Best, Heather; McNamara, J.P.; Liberty, Lee M.

2005-01-01

We collected ground-penetrating radar data at 10 sites along the Kuparuk River and its main tributary, the Toolik River, to detect unfrozen water beneath river ice. We used 250 MHz and 500 MHz antennas to image both the ice-water interface and the river channel in late April 2001, when daily high temperatures were consistently freezing and river ice had attained its maximum seasonal thickness. The presence of water below the river ice appears as a strong, horizontal reflection observed in the radar data and is confirmed by drill hole data. A downstream transition occurs from ice that is frozen to the bed, called bedfast ice, to ice that is floating on unfrozen water, called floating ice. This transition in ice type corresponds to a downstream change in channel size that was detected in previously conducted hydraulic geometry surveys of the Kuparuk River. We propose a conceptual model wherein the downstream transition from bedfast ice to floating ice is responsible for an observed step change in channel size due to enhanced bank erosion in large channels by floating ice.

Effects of Timber Harvest on River Food Webs: Physical, Chemical and Biological Responses

PubMed Central

Wootton, J. Timothy

2012-01-01

I compared physical, chemical and biological characteristics of nine rivers running through three timber harvest regimes to investigate the effects of land use on river ecosystems, to determine whether these corresponded to changes linked with downstream location, and to compare the response of different types of indicator variables. Physical variables changed with downstream location, but varied little with timber harvest. Most chemical variables increased strongly with timber harvest, but not with downstream location. Most biological variables did not vary systematically with either timber harvst or downstream location. Dissolved organic carbon did not vary with timber harvest or downstream location, but correlated positively with salmonid abundance. Nutrient manipulations revealed no general pattern of nutrient limitation with timber harvest or downstream location. The results suggest that chemical variables most reliably indicate timber harvest impact in these systems. The biological variables most relevant to human stakeholders were surprisingly insensitive to timber harvest, however, apparently because of decoupling from nutrient responses and unexpectedly weak responses by physical variables. PMID:22957030

A multitrophic approach to monitoring the effects of metal mining in otherwise pristine and ecologically sensitive rivers in northern Canada.

PubMed

Spencer, Paula; Bowman, Michelle F; Dubé, Monique G

2008-07-01

It is not known if current chemical and biological monitoring methods are appropriate for assessing the impacts of growing industrial development on ecologically sensitive northern waters. We used a multitrophic level approach to evaluate current monitoring methods and to determine whether metal-mining activities had affected 2 otherwise pristine rivers that flow into the South Nahanni River, Northwest Territories, a World Heritage Site. We compared upstream reference conditions in the rivers to sites downstream and further downstream of mines. The endpoints we evaluated included concentrations of metals in river water, sediments, and liver and flesh of slimy sculpin (Cottus cognatus); benthic algal and macroinvertebrate abundance, richness, diversity, and community composition; and various slimy sculpin measures, our sentinel forage fish species. Elevated concentrations of copper and iron in liver tissue of sculpin from the Flat River were associated with high concentrations of mine-derived iron in river water and copper in sediments that were above national guidelines. In addition, sites downstream of the mine on the Flat River had increased algal abundances and altered benthic macroinvertebrate communities, whereas the sites downstream of the mine on Prairie Creek had increased benthic macroinvertebrate taxa richness and improved sculpin condition. Biological differences in both rivers were consistent with mild enrichment of the rivers downstream of current and historical mining activity. We recommend that monitoring in these northern rivers focus on indicators in epilithon and benthic macroinvertebrate communities due to their responsiveness and as alternatives to lethal fish sampling in habitats with low fish abundance. We also recommend monitoring of metal burdens in periphyton and benthic invertebrates for assessment of exposure to mine effluent and causal association. Although the effects of mining activities on riverine biota currently are limited, our results show that there is potential for effects to occur with proposed growth in mining activities.

Water quality of Cisadane River based on watershed segmentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Effendi, Hefni; Ayu Permatasari, Prita; Muslimah, Sri; Mursalin

2018-05-01

The growth of population and industrialization combined with land development along river cause water pollution and environmental deterioration. Cisadane River is one of the river in Indonesia where urbanization, industrialization, and agricultural are extremely main sources of pollution. Cisadane River is an interesting case for investigating the effect of land use to water quality and comparing water quality in every river segment. The main objectives with this study were to examine if there is a correlation between land use and water quality in Cisadane River and there is a difference in water quality between the upstream section of Cisadane River compared with its downstream section. This study compared water quality with land use condition in each segment of river. Land use classification showed that river segment that has more undeveloped area has better water quality compared to river segment with developed area. in general, BOD and COD values have increased from upstream to downstream. However, BOD and COD values do not show a steady increase in each segment Water quality is closely related to the surrounding land use.Therefore, it can not be concluded that the water quality downstream is worse than in the upstream area.

Regulation causes nitrogen cycling discontinuities in Mediterranean rivers.

PubMed

von Schiller, Daniel; Aristi, Ibon; Ponsatí, Lídia; Arroita, Maite; Acuña, Vicenç; Elosegi, Arturo; Sabater, Sergi

2016-01-01

River regulation has fundamentally altered large sections of the world's river networks. The effects of dams on the structural properties of downstream reaches are well documented, but less is known about their effect on river ecosystem processes. We investigated the effect of dams on river nutrient cycling by comparing net uptake of total dissolved nitrogen (TDN), phosphorus (TDP) and organic carbon (DOC) in river reaches located upstream and downstream from three reservoir systems in the Ebro River basin (NE Iberian Peninsula). Increased hydromorphological stability, organic matter standing stocks and ecosystem metabolism below dams enhanced the whole-reach net uptake of TDN, but not that of TDP or DOC. Upstream from dams, river reaches tended to be at biogeochemical equilibrium (uptake≈release) for all nutrients, whereas river reaches below dams acted as net sinks of TDN. Overall, our results suggest that flow regulation by dams may cause relevant N cycling discontinuities in rivers. Higher net N uptake capacity below dams could lead to reduced N export to downstream ecosystems. Incorporating these discontinuities could significantly improve predictive models of N cycling and transport in complex river networks. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Interactions between Channel Morphology and the Propagation of Coarse Sediment Augmentations Downstream from Dams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaeuman, D. A.; Dickenson, S.; Pyles, M.

2009-12-01

Gravel augmentations are being implemented in a number of streams where natural recruitment of gravel is impeded by dams. Uncertainties relevant to the management of gravel augmentations include the quantities of gravel needed to achieve habitat benefits at downstream locations and the temporal and spatial scales over which those benefits that will be realized. The solution to such questions depends to a large extent on how gravel slugs evolve as the material is transported downstream, i.e., whether the gravel translates downstream as a coherent wave or whether it tends to disperse. A number of recent studies conducted in laboratory flumes or by numerical simulation that gravels slugs tend to disperse rather than translate. However, these studies do not consider the influence of channel morphology on slug behavior. Initial monitoring results based from 2 California streams suggest that natural channel morphology suppresses slug dispersion because the gravel tends to accumulate in discrete deposition zones. Field mapping and about 200 tracer stones implanted with passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags show that gravel recruitment piles of about 80 tons each placed in Grass Valley Creek in 2007 and 2008 were deposited as 2 new bars immediately downstream. The more upstream of the 2 bars formed during the 2007 winter and spring flood season, whereas the more downstream bar did not appear until the following year. A sharp deposition front and an absence of tracers in the reaches downstream strongly suggest that none of the added gravel was transported downstream beyond the area of bar formation in either year. A relatively small proportion of the mobilized tracer particles (59%) were located following the 2007 flood season, probably due to deep burial in the newly deposited bar and to radio interference caused by the high concentration of tracers in a small area. The proportion of newly introduced or previously-located tracers that were relocated in 2009 was considerably higher (88%), suggesting that average burial depths decrease as the deposition front moves downstream. In addition, about one quarter of the tracers that were missing in 2008 were recovered in 2009, indicating that some of the particles buried during the first flood season were exhumed the following year. Changes in bed topography downstream from a gravel augmentation in the Trinity River provide additional evidence that the presence of discrete deposition zones in stream channels tends to suppress gravel dispersion. Repeat bathymetric surveys conducted in the Trinity River before and after placement of 1000 tons of gravel during a 2008 high-flow event show that a quantity of gravel equivalent to the augmentation volume was deposited on the first bar downstream from the augmentation point.

Coastal processes of the Elwha River delta: Chapter 5 in Coastal habitats of the Elwha River, Washington--biological and physical patterns and processes prior to dam removal

USGS Publications Warehouse

Warrick, Jonathan A.; Stevens, Andrew W.; Miller, Ian M.; Gelfenbaum, Guy; Duda, Jeffrey J.; Warrick, Jonathan A.; Magirl, Christopher S.

2011-01-01

To understand the effects of increased sediment supply from dam removal on marine habitats around the Elwha River delta, a basic understanding of the region’s coastal processes is necessary. This chapter provides a summary of the physical setting of the coast near the Elwha River delta, for the purpose of synthesizing the processes that move and disperse sediment discharged by the river. One fundamental property of this coastal setting is the difference between currents in the surfzone with those in the coastal waters offshore of the surfzone. Surfzone currents are largely dictated by the direction and size of waves, and the waves that attack the Elwha River delta predominantly come from Pacific Ocean swell from the west. This establishes surfzone currents and littoral sediment transport that are eastward along much of the delta. Offshore of the surfzone the currents are largely influenced by tidal circulation and the physical constraint to flow provided by the delta’s headland. During both ebbing and flooding tides, the flow separates from the coast at the tip of the delta’s headland, and this produces eddies on the downstream side of the headland. Immediately offshore of the Elwha River mouth, this creates a situation in which the coastal currents are directed toward the east much more frequently than toward the west. This suggests that Elwha River sediment will be more likely to move toward the east in the coastal system.

Long-term macroinvertebrate response to flow abstraction at Alpine water intakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gabbud, Chrystelle; Savioz, Amélie; Lane, Stuart

2016-04-01

The natural flow hydrological characteristics of Alpine streams, dominated by snowmelt and glacier melt, have been established for many years. More recently, the ecosystems that they sustain have been described and explained, following the hydrological, biochemical, morphodynamic, and biotic elements specific to Alpine streams. However, natural Alpine flow regimes may be strongly modified by hydroelectric power production, which impacts upon both river discharge and sediment transfer, and hence on downstream flora and fauna. These kinds of impacts are well studied where river are regulated by dams, with sediments retained behind walls, but they are much less focus on water intakes, whose storage capacity is very smaller and thus have to flush flow and sediment regularly. Here we focus on the impacts of flow abstraction on macroinvertebrates, the most widely ecological group used in freshwater biomonitoring as they act typically as indicators of environmental health. Some key generalizations can be made. For instance, in European glacially fed river systems, Plecoptera, Chironomidae, Ephemeroptera, Simuliidae, and Diptera are the main taxa found in spring as they are better adapted to cold conditions. Petts and Bickerton (1994) published macroinvertebrate samples from the upper part of the glacial stream system the Borgne d'Arolla (Valais, Switzerland), highlighting that: (1) taxa variability and productivity decline in the river because of flow abstraction, (2) 60 % of the communities were provided by tributaries, (3) there is migration upstream of the species in response to the passage from a dominant ice-melt to a snow-melt regime, (4) the colonisation is difficult because of a significant modification of the habitat in the river by sediment transport, until it becomes warmer, clearer and more stable further downstream. In order to establish the long-term impacts of flow abstraction upon instream ecology where sediment delivery is maintained but transport capacity is reduced, and to determine if the above trends are accelerated, maintained or reversed, we revisited the study of Petts and Bickerton (1994) by repeating transects of interest for both the river and the tributaries during summer 2015. Based on macroinvertebrate sampling, determinations and statistics, preliminary results show that these trends have been maintained, with macroinvertebrate presence restricted to zones immediately downstream of unregulated tributaries. Despite the river having been protected as an alluvial zone of national importance since the 1990s, there is no evidence of life in the river except in isolated tributary-fed hotspots. The data suggest that restoring this kind of system will need new approaches to manage sediment, ones that environmental flows alone are unlikely to be able to address. Reference Petts GE, Bickerton MA (1994). Influence of water abstraction on the macroinvertebrate community gradient within a glacial stream system: La Borgne d'Arolla, Valais, Switzerland. Freshwater Biology, 32:375-386.

Analysis of the effects of human activities on the hydromorphological evolution channel of the Saint-Maurice River downstream from La Gabelle dam (Quebec, Canada)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vadnais, Marie-Ève; Assani, Ali A.; Landry, Raphaëlle; Leroux, Denis; Gratton, Denis

2012-11-01

During the first half of the twentieth century, many hydroelectric facilities were built in the Saint-Maurice River watershed, followed by other human activities in the second half of the century (pleasure boating, boom dismantling, urbanization, etc.). The goal of the study is to constrain the effects of these various types of human activities, particularly those of the many dams in the watershed, on the hydromorphological evolution of the Saint-Maurice River downstream from the La Gabelle (dam) power plant (43,000 km2). Comparison of specific discharge in this river with streamflow measured in a natural river setting reveals a significant decrease in seasonal maximum flows, aside from winter, when daily maximum flows increased significantly. Also, unlike natural rivers, the long-term trend in spring flows is not characterized by a significant change in mean downstream from the La Gabelle plant. These hydrological changes are linked to the inversion-type management mode of the reservoirs built downstream from the plant. As for the morphological evolution, the longitudinal variability of bankfull width downstream from the plant shows two significant shifts in mean: the first, which was quasi-abrupt, took place downstream of the des Forges rapid; and the second, which was gradual, occurred upstream from the confluence of the Saint-Maurice River with the St. Lawrence River, above the point where the Saint-Maurice splits into two branches. Comparison of aerial photographs taken at various times (1948, 1964, 1975, 1996, and 2008) reveals no significant change in the mean of bankfull width over time. However, a significant increase in the surface area of islets located at the confluence was observed, which is caused by sediment accumulation. These sediments were likely derived from local bank erosion resulting from anthropogenic changes.

5. Downstream elevation, view to southeast. Dark stains on side ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

5. Downstream elevation, view to southeast. Dark stains on side of main girder are from deck drain scuppers, marking deck level within the girders. Compare this view and CA-126-7 to CA-126-19 for indication of severity of siltation of Salt River channel has silted. - Salt River Bridge, Spanning Salt River at Dillon Road, Ferndale, Humboldt County, CA

The monitoring of organic waste pollution in the sibelis river

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huda, Thorikul; Jannah, Wirdatul

2017-03-01

Has conducted monitoring of organic waste pollution in the River Sibelis of Tegal City of Central Java. Organic wastes that pollute River Sibelis can degrade the quality of well water along the river. Monitoring carried out in the upstream and downstream by chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) parameters. COD test methods by titration and the results are used to determine the test sample comparison with the volume of diluent required for analysts BOD. COD test results on the upstream and downstream Sibelis River respectively 58.13 mg/L and 73.97 mg / L so that the ratio of the test sample with diluent volume for BOD analysis is 20: 280 (Sawyer, 1978). BOD test principle is based on the reduction of dissolved oxygen zero day (DO0) and five days (DO5). The result of observation BOD samples at upstream and downstream Sibelis Rivers are 10.7212 mg / L and 5.3792 mg / L respectively. Quality control of BOD testing conducted with measurement accuracy and precision and obtained result are 85.36% and 0.27% respectively. The result of uncertainty measurement for BOD testing at upstream and downstream are ±0.4469 mg/L and ±0.22188 mg/L.

Changes in nutrient ratios and phytoplankton community structure caused by hydropower development in the Maotiao River, China.

PubMed

Wang, Fushun; Wang, Baoli; Liu, Cong-Qiang; Liu, Xiaolong; Gao, Yang; Zhang, Jing; Li, Shuang

2014-06-01

Reservoirs created for hydropower production have become an important feature impacting a river. Understanding the effects of river impoundment on the downstream environment is critical to decision-making for water resource protection. The changes caused by impoundment are changes in water quality and the resulting effect on the phytoplankton community structure. The impacts caused by a series of reservoirs along a river are still not well understood. In this study, we conducted an investigation of five reservoirs along the Maotiao River, China. We found that a series of impoundments plays a role in decreasing the phytoplankton biomass in downstream reservoirs. Within the studied area, nitrogen is not a limiting factor for phytoplankton growth. The ratio of silicon to phosphorus (Si:P) can become a major factor in the regulation of phytoplankton community structure. The Si:P ratio increased from upstream to downstream reservoirs, causing a concurrent increase in the percentage of Bacillariophyta, particularly during the winter. In addition, our results indicate that the creation of dams eliminates Si limitation downstream.

Eruption-related lahars and sedimentation response downstream of Mount Hood: Field guide to volcaniclastic deposits along the Sandy River, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pierson, Tom C.; Scott, William E.; Vallance, James W.; Pringle, Patrick T.; O'Connor, Jim; Dorsey, Rebecca; Madin, Ian

2009-01-01

Late Holocene dome-building eruptions at Mount Hood during the Timberline and Old Maid eruptive periods resulted in numerous dome-collapse pyroclastic flows and lahars that moved large volumes of volcaniclastic sediment into temporary storage in headwater canyons of the Sandy River. During each eruptive period, accelerated sediment loading to the river through erosion and remobilization of volcanic fragmental debris resulted in very high sediment-transport rates in the Sandy River during rain- and snowmelt-induced floods. Large sediment loads in excess of the river's transport capacity led to channel aggradation, channel widening, and change to a braided channel form in the lowermost reach of the river, between 61 and 87 km downstream from the volcano. The post-eruption sediment load moved as a broad bed-material wave, which in the case of the Old Maid eruption took ~2 decades to crest 83 km downstream. Maximum post-eruption aggradation levels of at least 28 and 23 m were achieved in response to Timberline and Old Maid eruptions. In each case, downstream aggradation cycles were initiated by lahars, but the bulk of the aggradation was achieved by fluvial sediment transport and deposition. When the high rates of sediment supply began to diminish, the river degraded, incising the channel fills and forming progressively lower sets of degradational terraces. A variety of debris-flow, hyperconcentrated-flow, and fluvial (upper and lower flow regime) deposits record the downstream passage of the sediment waves that were initiated by these eruptions. The deposits also presage a hazard that may be faced by communities along the Sandy River when volcanic activity at Mount Hood resumes.

Preliminary Experimental Results on the Technique of Artificial River Replenishment to Mitigate Sediment Loss Downstream Dams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franca, M. J.; Battisacco, E.; Schleiss, A. J.

2014-12-01

The transport of sediments by water throughout the river basins, from the steep slopes of the upstream regions to the sea level, is recognizable important to keep the natural conditions of rivers with a role on their ecology processes. Over the last decades, a reduction on the supply of sand and gravel has been observed downstream dams existing in several alpine rivers. Many studies highlight that the presence of a dam strongly modifies the river behavior in the downstream reach, in terms of morphology and hydrodynamics, with consequences on local ecology. Sediment deficit, bed armoring, river incision and bank instability are the main effects which affect negatively the aquatic habitats and the water quality. One of the proposed techniques to solve the problem of sediment deficit downstream dams, already adopted in few Japanese and German rivers although on an unsatisfactory fashion, is the artificial replenishment of these. Generally, it was verified that the erosion of the replenishments was not satisfactory and the transport rate was not enough to move the sediments to sufficient downstream distances. In order to improve and to provide an engineering answer to make this technique more applicable, a series of laboratory tests are ran as preparatory study to understand the hydrodynamics of the river flow when the replenishment technique is applied. Erodible volumes, with different lengths and submergence conditions, reproducing sediment replenishments volumes, are positioned along a channel bank. Different geometrical combinations of erodible sediment volumes are tested as well on the experimental flume. The first results of the experimental research, concerning erosion time evolution, the influence of discharge and the distance travelled by the eroded sediments, will be presented and discussed.

Passage Distribution and Federal Columbia River Power System Survival for Steelhead Kelts Tagged Above and at Lower Granite Dam, Year 2

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

Colotelo, Alison HA; Harnish, Ryan A.; Jones, Bryan W.

Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) populations have declined throughout their range in the last century and many populations, including those of the Snake River Basin are listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The reasons for their decline are many and complex, but include habitat loss and degradation, overharvesting, and dam construction. The 2008 Biological Opinion calls for an increase in the abundance of female steelhead through an increase in iteroparity (i.e., repeat spawning) and this can be realized through a combination of reconditioning and in-river survival of migrating kelts. The goal of this study is to provide the data necessarymore » to inform fisheries managers and dam operators of Snake River kelt migration patterns, survival, and routes of dam passage. Steelhead kelts (n = 487) were captured and implanted with acoustic transmitters and passive integrated transponder (PIT)-tags at the Lower Granite Dam (LGR) Juvenile Fish Facility and at weirs located in tributaries of the Snake and Clearwater rivers upstream of LGR. Kelts were monitored as they moved downstream through the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) by 15 autonomous and 3 cabled acoustic receiver arrays. Cabled receiver arrays deployed on the dam faces allowed for three-dimensional tracking of fish as they approached the dam face and were used to determine the route of dam passage. Overall, 27.3% of the kelts tagged in this study successfully migrated to Martin Bluff (rkm 126, as measured from the mouth of the Columbia River), which is located downstream of all FCRPS dams. Within individual river reaches, survival per kilometer estimates ranged from 0.958 to 0.999; the lowest estimates were observed in the immediate forebay of FCRPS dams. Steelhead kelts tagged in this study passed over the spillway routes (spillway weirs, traditional spill bays) in greater proportions and survived at higher rates compared to the few fish passed through powerhouse routes (turbines and juvenile bypass systems). The results of this study provide information about the route of passage and subsequent survival of steelhead kelts that migrated through the Snake and Columbia rivers from LGR to Bonneville Dam in 2013. These data may be used by fisheries managers and dam operators to identify potential ways to increase the survival of kelts during their seaward migrations.« less

Passage Distribution and Federal Columbia River Power System Survival for Steelhead Kelts Tagged Above and at Lower Granite Dam, Year 2

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

Colotelo, Alison H.A.; Harnish, Ryan A.; Jones, Bryan W.

2014-12-15

Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) populations have declined throughout their range in the last century and many populations, including those of the Snake River Basin are listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The reasons for their decline are many and complex, but include habitat loss and degradation, overharvesting, and dam construction. The 2008 Biological Opinion calls for an increase in the abundance of female steelhead through an increase in iteroparity (i.e., repeat spawning) and this can be realized through a combination of reconditioning and in-river survival of migrating kelts. The goal of this study is to provide the data necessarymore » to inform fisheries managers and dam operators of Snake River kelt migration patterns, survival, and routes of dam passage. Steelhead kelts (n = 487) were captured and implanted with acoustic transmitters and passive integrated transponder (PIT)-tags at the Lower Granite Dam (LGR) Juvenile Fish Facility and at weirs located in tributaries of the Snake and Clearwater rivers upstream of LGR. Kelts were monitored as they moved downstream through the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) by 15 autonomous and 3 cabled acoustic receiver arrays. Cabled receiver arrays deployed on the dam faces allowed for three-dimensional tracking of fish as they approached the dam face and were used to determine the route of dam passage. Overall, 27.3% of the kelts tagged in this study successfully migrated to Martin Bluff (rkm 126, as measured from the mouth of the Columbia River), which is located downstream of all FCRPS dams. Within individual river reaches, survival per kilometer estimates ranged from 0.958 to 0.999; the lowest estimates were observed in the immediate forebay of FCRPS dams. Steelhead kelts tagged in this study passed over the spillway routes (spillway weirs, traditional spill bays) in greater proportions and survived at higher rates compared to the few fish passed through powerhouse routes (turbines and juvenile bypass systems). The results of this study provide information about the route of passage and subsequent survival of steelhead kelts that migrated through the Snake and Columbia rivers from LGR to Bonneville Dam in 2013. These data may be used by fisheries managers and dam operators to identify potential ways to increase the survival of kelts during their seaward migrations.« less

Relation of periphyton and benthic invertebrate communities to environmental factors and land use at selected sites in part of the upper Mississippi River basin, 1996-98

USGS Publications Warehouse

ZumBerge, Jeremy Ryan; Lee, Kathy E.; Goldstein, Robert M.

2003-01-01

Biological communities in the Mississippi River reflected changes in water quality and physical habitat as the Minnesota and St. Croix Rivers join the Mississippi River. Periphyton density and biovolume, and the relative abundance of blue-green algae density increased in the Mississippi River at the confluence compared to the Minnesota and St. Croix Rivers. Relative abundance of benthic invertebrate taxa richness and diversity generally decreased downstream in the large rivers as urban and agricultural land use become more prevalent. Impoundments and dredging of the Mississippi River in and downstream from the TCMA exacerbate effects of increasing river size to produce a more lake-like system.

Phase I of the Kissimmee River restoration project, Florida, USA: impacts of construction on water quality.

PubMed

Colangelo, David J; Jones, Bradley L

2005-03-01

Phase I of the Kissimmee River restoration project included backfilling of 12 km of canal and restoring flow through 24 km of continuous river channel. We quantified the effects of construction activities on four water quality parameters (turbidity, total phosphorus flow-weighted concentration, total phosphorus load and dissolved oxygen concentration). Data were collected at stations upstream and downstream of the construction and at four stations within the construction zone to determine if canal backfilling and construction of 2.4 km of new river channel would negatively impact local and downstream water quality. Turbidity levels at the downstream station were elevated for approximately 2 weeks during the one and a half year construction period, but never exceeded the Florida Department of Environmental Protection construction permit criteria. Turbidity levels at stations within the construction zone were high at certain times. Flow-weighted concentration of total phosphorus at the downstream station was slightly higher than the upstream station during construction, but low discharge limited downstream transport of phosphorus. Total phosphorus loads at the upstream and downstream stations were similar and loading to Lake Okeechobee was not significantly affected by construction. Mean water column dissolved oxygen concentrations at all sampling stations were similar during construction.

Characterization of mercury contamination in the Androscoggin River, Coos County, New Hampshire

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chalmers, Ann; Marvin-DiPasquale, Mark C.; Degnan, James R.; Coles, James; Agee, Jennifer L.; Luce, Darryl

2013-01-01

Concentrations of total mercury (THg) and MeHg in sediment, pore water, and biota in the Androscoggin River were elevated downstream from the former chloralkali facility compared with those upstream from reference sites. Sequential extraction of surface sediment showed a distinct difference in Hg speciation upstream compared with downstream from the contamination site. An upstream site was dominated by potassium hydroxide-extractable forms (for example, organic-Hg or particle-bound Hg(II)), whereas sites downstream from the point source were dominated by more chemically recalcitrant forms (largely concentrated nitric acid-extractable), indicative of elemental mercury or mercurous chloride. At all sites, only a minor fraction (less than 0.1 percent) of THg existed in chemically labile forms (for example, water extractable or weak acid extractable). All metrics indicated that a greater percentage of mercury at an upstream site was available for Hg(II)-methylation compared with sites downstream from the point source, but the absolute concentration of bioavailable Hg(II) was greater downstream from the point source. In addition, the concentration of tin-reducible inorganic reactive mercury, a surrogate measure of bioavailable Hg(II) generally increased with distance downstream from the point source. Whereas concentrations of mercury species on a sediment-dry-weight basis generally reflected the relative location of the sample to the point source, river-reach integrated mercury-species inventories and MeHg production potential (MPP) rates reflected the amount of fine-grained sediment in a given reach. THg concentrations in biota were significantly higher downstream from the point source compared with upstream reference sites for smallmouth bass, white sucker, crayfish, oligochaetes, bat fur, nestling tree swallow blood and feathers, adult tree swallow blood, and tree swallow eggs. As with tin-reducible inorganic reactive mercury, THg in smallmouth bass also increased with distance downstream from the point source. Toxicity tests and invertebrate community assessments suggested that invertebrates were not impaired at the current (2009 and 2010) levels of mercury contamination downstream from the point source. Concentrations of THg and MeHg in most water and sediment samples from the Androscoggin River were below U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, and probable effects level guidelines. Surface-water and sediment samples from the Androscoggin River had similar THg concentrations but lower MeHg concentrations compared with other rivers in the region. Concentrations of THg in fish tissue were all above regional and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidelines. Moreover, median THg concentrations in smallmouth bass from the Androscoggin River were significantly higher than those reported in regional surveys of river and streams nationwide and in the Northeastern United States and Canada. The higher concentrations of mercury in smallmouth bass suggest conditions may be more favorable for Hg(II)-methylation and bioaccumulation in the Androscoggin River compared with many other rivers in the United States and Canada.

Water Quality and Biological Characteristics of the Middle Fork of the Saline River, Arkansas, 2003-06

USGS Publications Warehouse

Galloway, Joel M.; Petersen, James C.; Shelby, Erica L.; Wise, Jim A.

2008-01-01

The Middle Fork of the Saline River has many qualities that have been recognized by State and Federal agencies. The Middle Fork provides habitat for several rare aquatic species and is part of a larger stream system (the Upper Saline River) that is known for relatively high levels of species richness and relatively high numbers of species of concern. Water-quality samples were collected and streamflow was measured by the U.S. Geological Survey at three sites in the Middle Fork Basin between October 2003 and October 2006. The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality collected discrete synoptic water-quality samples from eight sites between January 2004 and October 2006. The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality also sampled fish (September-October 2003) and benthic macroinvertebrate communities (September 2003-December 2005) at five sites. Streamflow varied annually among the three streamflow sites from October 2003 to October 2006. The mean annual streamflow for Brushy Creek near Jessieville (MFS06) was 0.72 cubic meters per second for water years 2004-2006. The Middle Fork below Jessieville (MFS05) had a mean annual streamflow of 1.11 cubic meters per second for water years 2004-2006. The Middle Fork near Owensville (MFS02), the most downstream site, had a mean annual streamflow of 3.01 cubic meters per second. The greatest streamflows at the three sites generally occurred in the winter and spring and the least in the summer. Nutrient dynamics in the Middle Fork are controlled by activities in the basin and processes that occur in the stream. Point sources and nonpoint sources of nutrients occur in the Middle Fork Basin that could affect the water-quality. Nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations generally were greatest in Mill Creek (MFS04E) and in the Middle Fork immediately downstream from the confluence with Mill Creek (MFS04) with decreasing concentrations at sites farther downstream in Middle Fork. The site in Mill Creek is located downstream from a wastewater-treatment plant discharge and concentrations at sites farther downstream probably had lesser concentrations because of dilution effects and from algal uptake. Nutrient concentrations generally were significantly greater during high-flow conditions compared to base-flow conditions. Flow-weighted nutrient concentrations were computed for the three streamflow sites and were compared to 82 relatively undeveloped sites identified across the Nation, to the Alum Fork of the Saline River near Reform, Arkansas, and to the Illinois River south of Siloam Springs, Arkansas, a site influenced by numerous point and nonpoint sources of nutrients. Annual flow-weighted nutrient concentrations for MFS06, MFS05, and MFS02 were greater than relatively undeveloped sites, but were substantially less than the Illinois River south of Siloam Springs. Fecal indicator bacteria concentrations were slightly greater at MFS06 and MFS05 compared to concentrations at MFS02 for October 2003 to October 2006. MFS05 had the greatest E.coli concentrations and MFS06 had the greatest fecal coliform concentrations. Overall, fecal indicator bacteria concentrations were significantly greater for samples collected during high-flow conditions compared to samples collected during low-flow conditions at all three sites. Suspended-sediment concentrations did not vary significantly among MFS06, MFS05, and MFS02 for all the samples collected from October 2003 to October 2006. Suspended-sediment concentrations were significantly greater in samples collected during high-flow conditions compared to samples collected during base-flow conditions. Synoptic samples indicated varied total suspended-solids distributions from upstream to downstream in the Middle Fork between January 2004 and October 2006. Overall, total suspended-solids values were the greatest at site MFS02 and decreased at sites upstream and downstream. Turbidity measured when water-quality samples were

10. Downstream face of Mormon Flat Dam under construction. Cement ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

10. Downstream face of Mormon Flat Dam under construction. Cement storage shed is at center right. Photographer unknown, September 1924. Source: Salt River Project. - Mormon Flat Dam, On Salt River, Eastern Maricopa County, east of Phoenix, Phoenix, Maricopa County, AZ

54. Downstream face of Agua Fria project's diversion dam showing ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

54. Downstream face of Agua Fria project's diversion dam showing initial masonry construction and poured concrete capping. Photographer Mark Durben, 1986. Source: Salt River Project. - Waddell Dam, On Agua Fria River, 35 miles northwest of Phoenix, Phoenix, Maricopa County, AZ

Dam impacts on and restoration of an alluvial river-Rio Grande, New Mexico

Treesearch

Gigi Richard; Pierre Julien

2003-01-01

The impact of construction of dams and reservoirs on alluvial rivers extends both upstream and downstream of the dam. Downstream of dams, both the water and sediment supplies can be altered leading to adjustments in the river channel geometry and ensuing changes in riparian and aquatic habitats. The wealth of pre and post-regulation data on the Middle Rio Grande, New...

Water Stress in Global Transboundary River Basins: Significance of Upstream Water Use on Downstream Stress

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Munia, H.; Guillaume, J. H. A.; Mirumachi, N.; Porkka,M.; Wada, Yoshihide; Kummu, M.

2016-01-01

Growing population and water demand have increased pressure on water resources in various parts of the globe, including many transboundary river basins. While the impacts of upstream water use on downstream water availability have been analyzed in many of these international river basins, this has not been systematically done at the global scale using coherent and comparable datasets. In this study, we aim to assess the change in downstream water stress due to upstream water use in the world's transboundary river basins. Water stress was first calculated considering only local water use of each sub-basin based on country-basin mesh, then compared with the situation when upstream water use was subtracted from downstream water availability. Wefound that water stress was generally already high when considering only local water use, affecting 0.95-1.44 billion people or 33%-51% of the population in transboundary river basins. After accounting for upstream water use, stress level increased by at least 1 percentage-point for 30-65 sub-basins, affecting 0.29-1.13 billion people. Altogether 288 out of 298 middle-stream and downstream sub-basin areas experienced some change in stress level. Further, we assessed whether there is a link between increased water stress due to upstream water use and the number of conflictive and cooperative events in the transboundary river basins, as captured by two prominent databases. No direct relationship was found. This supports the argument that conflicts and cooperation events originate from a combination of different drivers, among which upstream-induced water stress may play a role. Our findings contribute to better understanding of upstream-downstream dynamics in water stress to help address water allocation problems.

Preliminary assessment of aggradation potential in the North Fork Stillaguamish River downstream of the State Route 530 landslide near Oso, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Magirl, Christopher S.; Keith, Mackenzie K.; Anderson, Scott W.; O'Connor, Jim; Robert Aldrich,; Mastin, Mark C.

2015-12-28

On March 22, 2014, the State Route 530 Landslide near Oso, Washington, traveled almost 2 kilometers (km), destroyed more than 40 structures, and impounded the North Fork Stillaguamish River to a depth of 8 meters (m) and volume of 3.3×106 cubic meters (m3). The landslide killed 43 people. After overtopping and establishing a new channel through the landslide, the river incised into the landslide deposit over the course of 10 weeks draining the impoundment lake and mobilizing an estimated 280,000±56,000 m3 of predominantly sand-sized and finer sediment. During the first 4 weeks after the landslide, this eroded sediment caused downstream riverbed aggradation of 1–2 m within 1 km of the landslide and 0.4 m aggradation at Whitman Road Bridge, 3.5 km downstream. Winter high flows in 2014–15 were anticipated to mobilize an additional 220,000±44,000 m3 of sediment, potentially causing additional aggradation and exacerbating flood risk downstream of the landslide. Analysis of unit stream power and bed-material transport capacity along 35 km of the river corridor indicated that most fine-grained sediment will transport out of the North Fork Stillaguamish River, although some localized additional aggradation was possible. This new aggradation was not likely to exceed 0.1 m except in reaches within a few kilometers downstream of the landslide, where additional aggradation of up to 0.5 m is possible. Alternative river response scenarios, including continued mass wasting from the landslide scarp, major channel migration or avulsion, or the formation of large downstream wood jams, although unlikely, could result in reaches of significant local aggradation or channel change.

Bank erosion along the dam-regulated lower Roanoke River, North Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hupp, C.R.; Schenk, E.R.; Richter, J.M.; Peet, Robert K.; Townsend, Phil A.

2009-01-01

Dam construction and its impact on downstream fluvial processes may substantially alter ambient bank stability and erosion. Three high dams (completed between 1953 and 1963) were built along the Piedmont portion of the Roanoke River, North Carolina; just downstream the lower part of the river flows across largely unconsolidated Coastal Plain deposits. To document bank erosion rates along the lower Roanoke River, >700 bank-erosion pins were installed along 66 bank transects. Additionally, discrete measurements of channel bathymetry, turbidity, and presence or absence of mass wasting were documented along the entire study reach (153 km). A bank-erosion- floodplain-deposition sediment budget was estimated for the lower river. Bank toe erosion related to consistently high low-flow stages may play a large role in increased mid- and upper-bank erosion. Present bank-erosion rates are relatively high and are greatest along the middle reaches (mean 63 mm/yr) and on lower parts of the bank on all reaches. Erosion rates were likely higher along upstream reaches than present erosion rates, such that erosion-rate maxima have since migrated downstream. Mass wasting and turbidity also peak along the middle reaches; floodplain sedimentation systematically increases downstream in the study reach. The lower Roanoke River isnet depositional (on floodplain) with a surplus of ??2,800,000 m3yr. Results suggest that unmeasured erosion, particularly mass wasting, may partly explain this surplus and should be part of sediment budgets downstream of dams. ?? 2009 The Geological Society of America.

Contribution of urban runoff in Taipei metropolitan area to dissolved inorganic nitrogen export in the Danshui River, Taiwan.

PubMed

Kuo, Nae-Wen; Jien, Shih-Hao; Hong, Nien-Ming; Chen, Yao-Te; Lee, Tsung-Yu

2017-01-01

A previous study has demonstrated that Danshui River has almost the highest dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) yield in the world and exports most of the DIN in the form of ammonium unlike the world's large rivers. However, the DIN sources are poorly constrained. In this study, the contributions of major sources in the Taipei metropolitan area to the DIN export in the Danshui River were investigated. It is observed that ammonium is the major DIN species in the downstream reaches, resulting from the ammonium-dominated inputs of the effluents of wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) and rain water pumping stations (RWPS). DIN concentrations in the downstream (urban) reaches are substantially elevated. The upstream tributaries annually discharge ∼2709 t DIN to the downstream reaches. However, the DIN discharge off the downstream reaches rises to ∼17,918 t, resulting from the contribution of RWPS-collected water, i.e., ∼14,632 t, and the effluents of two WWTP, i.e., ∼577 t. RWPS-collected water inherently contains the contribution of atmospheric deposition, ∼2937 t DIN. This finding implies that ∼11,695 t (∼66 % of the downstream output) DIN flux off the Danshui River is from urban runoff and can be attributed to human activities in the Taipei metropolitan area. To improve the water quality in the Danshui River, water quality controls in urban runoff are important.

Rethinking the longitudinal stream temperature paradigm: region-wide comparison of thermal infrared imagery reveals unexpected complexity of river temperatures

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fullerton, Aimee H.; Torgersen, Christian E.; Lawler, Joshua J.; Faux, Russell N.; Steel, E. Ashley; Beechie, Timothy J.; Ebersole, Joseph L.; Leibowitz, Scott J.

2015-01-01

Prevailing theory suggests that stream temperature warms asymptotically in a downstream direction, beginning at the temperature of the source in the headwaters and leveling off downstream as it converges to match meteorological conditions. However, there have been few empirical examples of longitudinal patterns of temperature in large rivers due to a paucity of data. We constructed longitudinal thermal profiles (temperature versus distance) for 53 rivers in the Pacific Northwest (USA) using an extensive dataset of remotely sensed summertime river temperatures and classified each profile into one of five patterns of downstream warming: asymptotic (increasing then flattening), linear (increasing steadily), uniform (not changing), parabolic (increasing then decreasing), or complex (not fitting other classes). We evaluated (1) how frequently profiles warmed asymptotically downstream as expected, and (2) whether relationships between river temperature and common hydroclimatic variables differed by profile class. We found considerable diversity in profile shape, with 47% of rivers warming asymptotically, and 53% having alternative profile shapes. Water temperature did not warm substantially over the course of the river for coastal parabolic and uniform profiles, and for some linear and complex profiles. Profile classes showed no clear geographical trends. The degree of correlation between river temperature and hydroclimatic variables differed among profile classes, but there was overlap among classes. Water temperature in rivers with asymptotic or parabolic profiles was positively correlated with August air temperature, tributary temperature and velocity, and negatively correlated with elevation, August precipitation, gradient, and distance upstream. Conversely, associations were less apparent in rivers with linear, uniform, or complex profiles. Factors contributing to the unique shape of parabolic profiles differed for coastal and inland rivers, where downstream cooling was influenced locally by climate or cool water inputs, respectively. Potential drivers of shape for complex profiles were specific to each river. These thermal patterns indicate diverse thermal habitats that may promote resilience of aquatic biota to climate change. Without this spatial context, climate change models may incorrectly estimate loss of thermally suitable habitat.

48. View of unlined canal downstream from MundyLoss bridge, from ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

48. View of unlined canal downstream from Mundy-Loss bridge, from north side of canal looking southwest. Photo by Robin Lee Tedder, Puget Power, 1989. - Puget Sound Power & Light Company, White River Hydroelectric Project, 600 North River Avenue, Dieringer, Pierce County, WA

Impact of textile dyeing industries effluent on groundwater quality in Karur Amaravathi River basin, Tamil Nadu (India)--a field study.

PubMed

Rajamanickam, R; Nagan, S

2010-10-01

Karur is an industrial town located on the bank of river Amaravathi. There are 487 textile processing units in operation and discharge about 14610 kilo litres per day of treated effluent into the river. The groundwater quality in the downstream is deteriorated due to continuous discharge of effluent. In order to assess the present quality of groundwater, 13 open wells were identified in the river basin around Karur and samples were collected during pre-monsoon, post monsoon and summer, and analyzed for physico-chemical parameters. TDS, total alkalinity, total hardness, calcium, chlorides and sulphates exceeded the desirable limit. Amaravathi River water samples were also colleted at the upstream and downstream of Karur and the result shows the river is polluted. During summer season, there is no flow in the river and the river acts as a drainage for the effluent. Hence, there is severe impact on the groundwater quality in the downstream. The best option to protect the groundwater quality in the river basin is that the textile processing units should adopt zero liquid discharge (ZLD) system and completely recycle the treated effluent.

Preliminary study of the water-temperature regime of the North Santiam River downstream from Detroit and Big Cliff dams, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Laenen, Antonius

1985-01-01

A riverine-temperature model and associated data-collection system were developed to help the Corps of engineers determine cost benefits of selective-withdrawal structures for future use with dams on the Willamette River System. A U.S. Geological Survey Lagrangian reference frame, digital computer model was used to simulate stream temperatures on the North Santiam River downstream of the multipurpose Detroit dam and a reregulating dam (Big Cliff), from river mile 45.6 to 2.9. In simulation, only available air-temperature and windspeed information from a nearby National Weather Service station at Salem, Oregon were used. This preliminary investigation found that the model predicted mean daily temperatures to within 0.4 C standard deviation. Analysis of projected selective-withdrawal scenarios showed that the model has the sensitivity to indicate water-temperature changes 42.7 miles downstream on the North Santiam River. (USGS)

Groundwater-Surface Water Interactions and Downstream Transport of Water, Heat, and Solutes in a Hydropeaked River

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferencz, S. B.; Cardenas, M. B.; Neilson, B. T.; Watson, J.

2017-12-01

A majority of the world's largest river systems are regulated by dams. In addition to being used for water resources management and flood prevention, many large dams are also used for hydroelectric power generation. In the United States, dams account for 7% of domestic electricity, and hydropower accounts for 16% of worldwide electricity production. To help meet electricity demand during peak usage times, hydropower utilities often increase their releases of water during high demand periods. This practice, termed hydropeaking, can cause large transient flow regimes downstream of hydroelectric dams. These transient flow increases can result in order of magnitude daily fluctuations in discharge, and the released water can have different thermal and chemical properties than ambient river water. As hydropeaking releases travel downstream, the temporary rise in stage and increase in discharge can enhance surface water-groundwater (SW-GW) exchange between the river and its alluvial aquifer. This dam-induced SW-GW exchange, combined with hydrodynamic attenuation and heat exchange processes, result in complex responses downstream. The dam-regulated Lower Colorado River downstream of Austin, TX was used as a natural laboratory to observe SW-GW interactions and downstream transport of water, heat, and solutes under hydropeaking conditions. To characterize SW-GW interactions, well transects were installed in the banks of the river to observe exchanges between the river and alluvial aquifer. The well transects were installed at three different distances from the dam (15km, 35km, and 80km). At each well transect conductivity, temperature, and pressure sensors were deployed in the monitoring wells and in the channel. Additional conductivity and temperature sensors were deployed along the study reach to provide a more detailed record of heat and solute transport during hydropeaking releases. The field data spans over two months of daily dam releases that were punctuated by two large natural storm events. To our knowledge, this study is the first to use multiple downstream field sites to characterize how dam-induced SW-GW interactions and in-stream temperature and solute transport behave under hydropeaking conditions.

Sediment conditions in the San Antonio River Basin downstream from San Antonio, Texas, 2000-13

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ockerman, Darwin J.; Banta, J. Ryan; Crow, Cassi L.; Opsahl, Stephen P.

2015-01-01

Sediment plays an important role in the ecological health of rivers and estuaries and consequently is an important issue for water-resource managers. To better understand sediment characteristics in the San Antonio River Basin, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the San Antonio River Authority, completed a two-part study in the San Antonio River Basin downstream from San Antonio, Texas, to (1) collect and analyze sediment data to characterize sediment conditions and (2) develop and calibrate a watershed model to simulate hydrologic conditions and suspended-sediment loads during 2000–12.

Channel evolution on the dammed Elwha River, Washington, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Draut, A.E.; Logan, J.B.; Mastin, M.C.

2011-01-01

Like many rivers in the western U.S., the Elwha River, Washington, has changed substantially over the past century in response to natural and human forcing. The lower river is affected by two upstream dams that are slated for removal as part of a major river restoration effort. In preparation for studying the effects of dam removal, we present a comprehensive field and aerial photographic analysis of dam influence on an anabranching, gravel-bed river. Over the past century with the dams in place, loss of the upstream sediment supply has caused spatial variations in the sedimentary and geomorphic character of the lower Elwha River channel. Bed sediment is armored and better sorted than on the naturally evolving bed upstream of the dams. On time scales of flood seasons, the channel immediately below the lower dam is fairly stable, but progresses toward greater mobility downstream such that the lowermost portion of the river responded to a recent 40-year flood with bank erosion and bed-elevation changes on a scale approaching that of the natural channel above the dams. In general, channel mobility in the lowest 4 km of the Elwha River has not decreased substantially with time. Enough fine sediment remains in the floodplain that – given sufficient flood forcing – the channel position, sinuosity, and braiding index change substantially. The processes by which this river accesses new fine sediment below the dams (rapid migration into noncohesive banks and avulsion of new channels) allow it to compensate for loss of upstream sediment supply more readily than would a dammed river with cohesive banks or a more limited supply of alluvium. The planned dam removal will provide a valuable opportunity to evaluate channel response to the future restoration of natural upstream sediment supply.

Simulation of water level, streamflow, and mass transport for the Cooper and Wando rivers near Charleston, South Carolina, 1992-95

USGS Publications Warehouse

Conrads, P.A.; Smith, P.A.

1996-01-01

The one-dimensional, unsteady-flow model, BRANCH, and the Branched Lagrangian Transport Model (BLTM) were calibrated and validated for the Cooper and Wando Rivers near Charleston, South Carolina. Data used to calibrate the BRANCH model included water-level data at four locations on the Cooper River and two locations on the Wando River, measured tidal-cycle streamflows at five locations on the Wando River, and simulated tidal-cycle streamflows (using an existing validated BRANCH model of the Cooper River) for four locations on the Cooper River. The BRANCH model was used to generate the necessary hydraulic data used in the BLTM model. The BLTM model was calibrated and validated using time series of salinity concentrations at two locations on the Cooper River and at two locations on the Wando River. Successful calibration and validation of the BRANCH and BLTM models to water levels, stream flows, and salinity were achieved after applying a positive 0.45 foot datum correction to the downstream boundary. The sensitivity of the simulated salinity concentrations to changes in the downstream gage datum, channel geometry, and roughness coefficient in the BRANCH model, and to the dispersion factor in the BLTM model was evaluated. The simulated salinity concentrations were most sensitive to changes in the downstream gage datum. A decrease of 0.5 feet in the downstream gage datum increased the simulated 3-day mean salinity concentration by 107 percent (12.7 to 26.3 parts per thousand). The range of the salinity concentration went from a tidal oscillation with a standard deviation of 3.9 parts per thousand to a nearly constant concentration with a standard deviation of 0.0 parts per thousand. An increase in the downstream gage datum decreased the simulated 3-day mean salinity concentration by 47 percent (12.7 to 6.7 parts per thousand) and decreased the standard deviation from 3.9 to 3.4 parts per thousand.

Sand-storage changes in the Colorado River downstream from the Paria and Little Colorado rivers, April 1994 to August 1995

USGS Publications Warehouse

Graf, Julia B.; Marlow, Jonathan E.; Rigas, Patricia D.; Jansen, Samuel M.D.

1997-01-01

Sixty-six cross sections on the Colorado River in 11-kilometer reachesdownstream from the Paria and Little Colorado Rivers were monitoredfrom June 1992 to August 1995 to provide data to evaluate the effectof releases from Glen Canyon Dam on channel-sand storage and fordevelopment of multidimensional flow and sediment-transport models.Most of the network of monumented cross sections was established andfirst measured JuneSeptember 1992. Data collected from June 1992through February 1994 were published in a previous report. Crosssections downstream from the Paria River were remeasured six timesbetween April 1994 and August 1995. Most sections downstream from theLittle Colorado River were remeasured four times in the same timeperiod. Each measurement consisted of 10 passes across the section,and data presented are the mean section and the standard deviationfrom the mean. Measured depths were converted to bed elevations usingwater-surface elevations measured or estimated for each reach. A linemarked at regular intervals was strung across the river between thesection end points and used to provide horizontal-position control. AWilcoxon rank-sum test was applied to the data, and bed-elevationdifferences between successive measurements that were statisticallysignificant at the 5-percent significance level were identified andused to compute the difference in cross-sectional area frommeasurement to measurement. Changes in sand storage computed forselected cross sections are presented. Changes in area at most of theselected cross sections during the period presented in this reportwere smaller than those measured during the period covered bythe previous report. The largest changes over the monitoring periodpresented in this report were measured at section p22 (+115 squaremeters) downstream from the Paria River and at sections lb1 (+209square meters) and lc2 (156 square meters) downstream from theLittle Colorado River. This report presents selected data from themeasurements made from April 1994 through August 1995 in graphicalform and describes the electronic form of the entire data set.

75 FR 59188 - Proposed Flood Elevation Determinations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-27

... of South Sioux the Missouri River. City. Approximately 200 feet None +1092 downstream of West 29th...) Effective Modified Tuscola County, Michigan (All Jurisdictions) Cass River Approximately 180 feet +635 +634 City of Vassar, downstream of the CSX Township of Tuscola, Railroad crossing. At Kirk Road, extended...

Phenomena and characteristics of barrier river reaches in the middle and lower Yangtze River, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

You, Xingying; Tang, Jinwu

2017-06-01

Alluvial river self-adjustment describes the mechanism whereby a river that was originally in an equilibrium state of sediment transport encounters some disturbance that destroys the balance and results in responses such as riverbed deformation. A systematic study of historical and recent aerial photographs and topographic maps in the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River (MLYR) shows that river self-adjustment has the distinguishing feature of transferring from upstream to downstream, which may affect flood safety, waterway morphology, bank stability, and aquatic environmental safety over relatively long reaches downstream. As a result, it is necessary to take measures to control or block this transfer. Using the relationship of the occurrence time of channel adjustments between the upstream and downstream, 34 single-thread river reaches in the MLYR were classified into four types: corresponding, basically corresponding, basically not corresponding, not corresponding. The latter two types, because of their ability to prevent upstream channel adjustment from transferring downstream, are called barrier river reaches in this study. Statistics indicate that barrier river reaches are generally single thread and slightly curved, with a narrow and deep cross-sectional morphology, and without flow deflecting nodes in the upper and middle parts of reaches. Moreover, in the MLYR, barrier river reaches have a hydrogeometric coefficient of {<}{4}, a gradient {>}1.2‱, a silty clay content of the concave bank {>}{9.5}%, and a median diameter of the bed sediment {>}{0.158} mm. The barrier river reach mechanism lies in that can effectively centralise the planimetric position of the main stream from different upstream directions, meaning that no matter how the upper channel adjusts, the main stream shows little change, providing relatively stable inflow conditions for the lower reaches. Regarding river regulation, it is necessary to optimise the benefits of barrier river reaches; long river reaches without barrier properties should be systematically planned and regulated; drastic bank collapse and sandbar shrinking should be urgently controlled to prevent the loss of barrier effects.

The impact of commercially treated oil and gas produced water discharges on bromide concentrations and modeled brominated trihalomethane disinfection byproducts at two downstream municipal drinking water plants in the upper Allegheny River, Pennsylvania, USA.

PubMed

Landis, Matthew S; Kamal, Ali S; Kovalcik, Kasey D; Croghan, Carry; Norris, Gary A; Bergdale, Amy

2016-01-15

In 2010, a dramatic increase in the levels of total trihalomethane (THM) and the relative proportion of brominated species was observed in finished water at several Pennsylvania water utilities (PDW) using the Allegheny River as their raw water supply. An increase in bromide (Br(-)) concentrations in the Allegheny River was implicated to be the cause of the elevated water disinfection byproducts. This study focused on quantifying the contribution of Br(-) from a commercial wastewater treatment facility (CWTF) that solely treats wastes from oil and gas producers and discharges into the upper reaches of the Allegheny River, and impacts on two downstream PDWs. In 2012, automated daily integrated samples were collected on the Allegheny River at six sites during three seasonal two-week sampling campaigns to characterize Br(-) concentrations and river dispersion characteristics during periods of high and low river discharges. The CWTF discharges resulted in significant increases in Br(-) compared to upstream baseline values in PDW raw drinking water intakes during periods of low river discharge. During high river discharge, the assimilative dilution capacity of the river resulted in lower absolute halide concentrations, but significant elevations Br(-) concentrations were still observed at the nearest downstream PDW intake over baseline river levels. On days with active CWTF effluent discharge the magnitude of bromide impact increased by 39 ppb (53%) and 7 ppb (22%) for low and high river discharge campaigns, respectively. Despite a declining trend in Allegheny River Br(-) (2009-2014), significant impacts from CWTF and coal-fired power plant discharges to Br(-) concentrations during the low river discharge regime at downstream PDW intakes was observed, resulting in small modeled increases in total THM (3%), and estimated positive shifts (41-47%) to more toxic brominated THM analogs. The lack of available coincident measurements of THM, precursors, and physical parameters limited the interpretation of historical trends. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Pilot study of natural attenuation of arsenic in well water discharged to the Little River above Lake Thunderbird, Norman, Oklahoma, 2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Andrews, William J.; Masoner, Jason R.; Rendon, Samuel H.; Smith, Kevin A.; Greer, James R.; Chatterton, Logan A.

2013-01-01

The City of Norman, Oklahoma, wanted to augment its water supplies to meet the needs of an increasing population. Among the city’s potential water sources are city wells that produce water that exceeds the 10 micrograms per liter primary drinking-water standard for arsenic. The City of Norman was interested in investigating low-cost means of using natural attenuation to remove arsenic from well water and augment the water supply of Lake Thunderbird, the primary water source for the city. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the City of Norman, conducted a preliminary investigation (pilot study) to determine if discharge of water from those wells into the Little River over a 12-day period would reduce arsenic concentrations through natural-attenuation processes. Water in the Little River flows into Lake Thunderbird, the principal water source for the city, so the discharged well water would improve the water balance of that reservoir. During this pilot study, 150–250 gallons per minute from each of six city wells were discharged to the Little River over a 12-day period. Water-quality samples were collected from the wells during discharge and from the river before, during, and after well discharges. Streambed-sediment samples were collected at nine sites in the river before and after the well-discharge period. Water discharge from the six wells added 0.3 kilogram per day of arsenic to the river at the nearest downstream streamflow-gaging station. Dissolved arsenic concentration in the Little River at the closest downstream sampling site from the wells increased from about 4 micrograms per liter to as much as 24 micrograms per liter. Base flow in the river increased by about 1.7 cubic feet per second at the nearest downstream streamflow-gaging station. Streamflow in the river was two-thirds of that expected from the amount of water discharged from the wells because of seepage to soils and evapotranspiration of well water along drainage ways to the river. Arsenic concentrations at the nearest downstream streamflow-gaging station were less than arsenic concentrations measured in many of the well-water samples during the well-pumping period. Arsenic concentrations, loads, and yields in the Little River generally decreased downstream from the closest streamflow-gaging station to the wells by 50 percent or more, indicating removal of about 0.25 kilogram or 0.53 pound per day of arsenic during base-flow conditions. Measured river-water arsenic concentrations near the confluence of the Little River with Lake Thunderbird were in compliance with the primary drinking-water standard. Arsenic concentrations measured at four downstream stations in the Little River also were less than established criteria set for protection of aquatic biota. After well discharges to the Little River were stopped, arsenic concentrations, loads, and yields in the river gradually decreased over 14 days to concentrations measured prior to the well-water discharges. Cumulative loads of arsenic discharged at the wells and the closest and farthest downstream streamflow-gaging stations indicated removal of about 2.5 kilograms of arsenic as well-water flowed to and down the river. Arsenic concentrations in streambed-sediment samples collected before and after the well-water discharges were not significantly different. Results of this pilot study indicate that using natural-attenuation processes to remove arsenic from water and supplement city water supplies may be a viable, relatively low-cost method for attenuating arsenic in well water and for augmenting the water supply of Lake Thunderbird.

Migratory Behavior and Survival of Juvenile Salmonids in the Lower Columbia River, Estuary, and Plume in 2010

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

McMichael, Geoffrey A.; Harnish, Ryan A.; Skalski, John R.

Uncertainty regarding the migratory behavior and survival of juvenile salmonids passing through the lower Columbia River and estuary after negotiating dams on the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) prompted the development and application of the Juvenile Salmon Acoustic Telemetry System (JSATS). The JSATS has been used to investigate the survival of juvenile salmonid smolts between Bonneville Dam (river kilometer (rkm) 236) and the mouth of the Columbia River annually since 2004. In 2010, a total of 12,214 juvenile salmonids were implanted with both a passive integrated transponder (PIT) and a JSATS acoustic transmitter. Using detection information from JSATS receivermore » arrays deployed on dams and in the river, estuary, and plume, the survival probability of yearling Chinook salmon and steelhead smolts tagged at John Day Dam was estimated form multiple reaches between rkm 153 and 8.3 during the spring. During summer, the survival probability of subyearling Chinook salmon was estimated for the same reaches. In addition, the influence of routes of passage (e.g., surface spill, deep spill, turbine, juvenile bypass system) through the lower three dams on the Columbia River (John Day, The Dalles, and Bonneville) on juvenile salmonid smolt survival probability from the dams to rkm 153 and then between rkm 153 and 8.3 was examined to increase understanding of the immediate and latent effects of dam passage on juvenile salmon survival. Similar to previous findings, survival probability was relatively high (>0.95) for most groups of juvenile salmonids from the Bonneville Dam tailrace to about rkm 50. Downstream of rkm 50 the survival probability of all species and run types we examined decreased markedly. Steelhead smolts suffered the highest mortality in this lower portion of the Columbia River estuary, with only an estimated 60% of the tagged fish surviving to the mouth of the river. In contrast, yearling and subyearling Chinook salmon smolts survived to the mouth of the river at higher rates, with estimated survival probabilities of 84% and 86%, respectively. The influence of route of passage at the lower three dams in the FCRPS on juvenile salmonid survival appeared to be relatively direct and immediate. Significant differences in estimated survival probabilities of juvenile salmonid smolts among groups with different dam passage experiences were often detected between the dams and rkm 153. In contrast, the influence of route of passage on survival to the mouth of the Columbia River was not apparent among the groups of tagged juvenile salmonids with different FCRPS passage experiences after they had already survived to a point about 80 km downstream of Bonneville Dam. Yearling Chinook salmon and steelhead smolts that migrated through the lower estuary in off-channel habitats took two to three times longer to travel through these lower reaches and their estimated survival probabilities were not significantly different from that of their cohorts which migrated in or near the navigation channel. A large proportion of the tagged juvenile salmonids migrating in or near the navigation channel in the lower estuary crossed from the south side of the estuary near Astoria, Oregon and passed through relatively shallow expansive sand flats (Taylor Sands) to the North Channel along the Washington shore of the estuary. This migratory behavior may contribute to the avian predation losses observed on for fish (2 to 12% of fish in this study).« less

Morphology analysis in middle-downstream area of Progo River due to the debris flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fitriadin, Ahmad Azmi; Ikhsan, Jaza'ul; Harsanto, Puji

2017-06-01

One of the problems that occur in Progo River is the formation of sediment in the downstream section. The sediment material in the upstream becomes the source of sediment at the downstream area. Excess sediment supply from the upstream causes morphological changes in a relatively short time. The morphological changes in riverbed will affect hydraulics conditions. Hydraulic has an important role in the process of aggradation and degradation in the riverbed. Furthermore, the process of erosion and sedimentation will affect the stability of the construction in the water. In Progo River, there are some buildings of infrastructure such as revetment, bridge, irrigation intake, groundsill, and weir. Based on the results of a numerical model of the hydraulic analysis system, there was approximately 87,000,000 m3 of sediment on Progo River in 2015. In fact, aggradation and degradation occurred very intensively in the middle-downstream area of Progo River. Sediment movement simulation also showed that the sediment supply of lava could prevent excessive bed degradation. Nevertheless, the absence of sediment supply will lead to bed degradation process. It indicates that the management of the sediment supply in the upstream area must be managed properly.

12. Close up view of construction on the downstream face. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

12. Close up view of construction on the downstream face. Track at lower center conveyed aggregate from the stream bed to the mixing plant. Photographer unknown, October 15, 1924. Source: Salt River Project. - Mormon Flat Dam, On Salt River, Eastern Maricopa County, east of Phoenix, Phoenix, Maricopa County, AZ

Geomorphic Response to Two Lowhead Dam Removals in a Mid-Sized Urban River System, Columbus, Ohio, USA: Export of Impounded Reservoir Sediments Results in Upstream Coarsening and Moderate Increases in Downstream Bathymetric Heterogeneity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Comes, E.; Jaeger, K. L.

2016-12-01

Lowhead dams have had a profound cumulative impact on rivers and streams. Their removal is an increasingly popular restoration method, however, geomorphic response remains poorly resolved. This study quantified geomorphic change following two lowhead dam removal in the Olentangy River and the downstream Scioto River, which flows through Columbus, Ohio. A paired control-treatment design compared change above and below a removed dam (treatment) to an existing dam (control) in each river system over a two and three-year period. Upstream treatment reaches included passive and active restoration via in-channel engineering. Channel change was quantified through repeat bathymetric surveys using an acoustic Doppler current profiles and near-surface riverbed substrate sampling at several time periods ( 2 surveys/year). Differencing of digital elevation models from each bathymetric survey quantified changes in erosion and deposition patterns and bathymetric heterogeneity. Results indicate upstream treatment reaches were net erosional with overall substrate coarsening that included D84 sand to gravel clast size shifts. The Olentangy River's downstream treatment reach experienced concurrent erosion and deposition within a given survey although net erosion dominated the first year of the three-year study period. The downstream treatment reach also experienced substantial grain size fluctuation between surveys with little overall change. Unanticipated engineering activities in the downstream treatment reach of the Scioto River confounded geomorphic change in this reach. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis indicates a moderate, but abrupt change towards overall increased heterogeneity in the first year following dam removal in the downstream reach with little overall change in the following two years. Active restoration activities in the upstream treatment reach resulted in abrupt, but slight shifts towards decreased bathymetric heterogeneity despite substantial riverbed regrading to create pool-riffle features. Repeat intra-annual surveys revealed that the river system experiences clear seasonal patterns of erosion and deposition with associated substrate coarsening and fining that would not be evident in typical dam removal studies that generally are limited to annual surveys.

Geomorphic response of rivers to glacial retreat and increasing peak flows downstream from Mount Rainier, Washington

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czuba, J. A.; Barnas, C. R.; Magirl, C. S.; Voss, F. D.

2010-12-01

On Mount Rainier, Washington, the National Park Service has documented widespread aggradation of as much as 10 m since the early 20th century, of rivers draining the glaciated stratovolcano. This rapid sedimentation appears to be related to glacial retreat and also may be a function of the increased magnitude and timing of peak flows that mobilize and transport sediment. We are conducting an assessment of the Puget Lowland rivers that drain Mount Rainier, 25-100 km downstream from the park boundary, to document the geomorphic response of the downstream reaches given the widespread aggradation upstream. These downstream reaches provide critical aquatic habitat for spawning and rearing of several species of salmonids, including endangered Chinook salmon and steelhead. Fluvial sedimentation can have both deleterious and beneficial effects on aquatic habitat depending on sediment particle size, river slope and width, and river management. To date, our work shows sedimentation of as much as 2 m between 1984 and 2009 in these lowland rivers. Aggradation rates that were calculated by comparing channel change at 156 cross sections, ranged between 4.8 and 9.1 cm/yr in reaches where rivers exit the mountain front and enter the lowland. Analysis of streamflow-gaging station data from throughout the watersheds draining Mount Rainier show rapid incision and aggradation, suggesting pulses of coarse-grained bedload may be moving down the mountainous rivers as kinetic waves. Preliminary results, however, seem to indicate that the rivers in the Puget Lowland have not yet experienced significant widespread sedimentation directly related to glacial retreat. Estimating the time of arrival of mobilized alluvium is a critical need for resource managers given the potential effects of sedimentation on river flood-conveyance capacity, fish habitat, and estuarine wetlands.

Coastal and lower Elwha River, Washington, prior to dam removal--history, status, and defining characteristics: Chapter 1 in Coastal habitats of the Elwha River, Washington--biological and physical patterns and processes prior to dam removal

USGS Publications Warehouse

Duda, Jeffrey J.; Warrick, Jonathan A.; Magirl, Christopher S.; Duda, Jeffrey J.; Warrick, Jonathan A.; Magirl, Christopher S.

2011-01-01

Characterizing the physical and biological characteristics of the lower Elwha River, its estuary, and adjacent nearshore habitats prior to dam removal is essential to monitor changes to these areas during and following the historic dam-removal project set to begin in September 2011. Based on the size of the two hydroelectric projects and the amount of sediment that will be released, the Elwha River in Washington State will be home to the largest river restoration through dam removal attempted in the United States. Built in 1912 and 1927, respectively, the Elwha and Glines Canyon Dams have altered key physical and biological characteristics of the Elwha River. Once abundant salmon populations, consisting of all five species of Pacific salmon, are restricted to the lower 7.8 river kilometers downstream of Elwha Dam and are currently in low numbers. Dam removal will reopen access to more than 140 km of mainstem, flood plain, and tributary habitat, most of which is protected within Olympic National Park. The high capture rate of river-borne sediments by the two reservoirs has changed the geomorphology of the riverbed downstream of the dams. Mobilization and downstream transport of these accumulated reservoir sediments during and following dam removal will significantly change downstream river reaches, the estuary complex, and the nearshore environment. To introduce the more detailed studies that follow in this report, we summarize many of the key aspects of the Elwha River ecosystem including a regional and historical context for this unprecedented project.

Identifying wells downstream from Laguna Dam that yield water that will be replaced by water from the Colorado River, Arizona and California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Owen-Joyce, Sandra J.

2000-01-01

This report summarizes a comprehensive study and development of the method documented in Owen-Joyce and others (2000). That report and one for the area upstream from Laguna Dam (Wilson and Owen-Joyce, 1994) document the accounting-surface method to identify wells that yield water that will be replaced by water from the Colorado River. Downstream from Laguna Dam, the Colorado River is the source for nearly all recharge to the river aquifer. The complex surface-water and ground-water system that exists in the area is, in part, the result of more than 100 years of water-resources development. Agriculture is the principal economy and is possible only with irrigation. The construction and operation of canals provides the means to divert and distribute Colorado River water to irrigate agricultural lands on the flood plains and mesas along the Colorado and Gila Rivers, in Imperial and Coachella Valleys, and in the area upstream from Dome along the Gila River. Water is withdrawn from wells for irrigation, dewatering, and domestic use. The area downstream from Laguna Dam borders additional areas of agricultural development in Mexico where Colorado River water also is diverted for irrigation.

Stratigraphic evidence for the role of lake spillover in the inception of the lower Colorado River in southern Nevada and western Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

House, P.K.; Pearthree, P.A.; Perkins, M.E.

2008-01-01

Late Miocene and early Pliocene sediments exposed along the lower Colorado River near Laughlin, Nevada, contain evidence that establishment of this reach of the river after 5.6 Ma involved flooding from lake spillover through a bedrock divide between Cottonwood Valley to the north and Mohave Valley to the south. Lacustrine marls interfingered with and conformably overlying a sequence of post-5.6 Ma finegrained valley-fill deposits record an early phase of intermittent lacustrine inundation restricted to Cottonwood Valley. Limestone, mud, sand, and minor gravel of the Bouse Formation were subsequently deposited above an unconformity. At the north end of Mohave Valley, a coarse-grained, lithologically distinct fluvial conglomerate separates subaerial, locally derived fan deposits from subaqueous deposits of the Bouse Formation. We interpret this key unit as evidence for overtopping and catastrophic breaching of the paleodivide immediately before deep lacustrine inundation of both valleys. Exposures in both valleys reveal a substantial erosional unconformity that records drainage of the lake and predates the arrival of sediment of the through-going Colorado River. Subsequent river aggradation culminated in the Pliocene between 4.1 and 3.3 Ma. The stratigraphic associations and timing of this drainage transition are consistent with geochemical evidence linking lacustrine conditions to the early Colorado River, the timings of drainage integration and canyon incision on the Colorado Plateau, the arrival of Colorado River sand at its terminus in the Salton Trough, and a downstream-directed mode of river integration common in areas of crustal extension. ?? 2008 The Geological Society of America.

Landuse Controls Fate and Transport of Radionulides in Fukushima Rivers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Onda, Y.; Taniguchi, K.; Yoshimura, K.; Smith, H.; Brake, W.

2017-12-01

The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident has released massive amount of radiocesium into the terrestrial environment, and the radiocecium have been moved through rainfall and erosional processes. Especially, radiocesium (Cs-137) transfer and flux through river network is important to understand the redistribution of radiocesium in terrestrial environment, which is essential for assessing the external and internal radiological doses.An intensive field monitoring campaign has been started including mapping project, immediately after the Fukushima NPP accident including detailed monitoring site in upstream (Yamakiya site), and 30 monitoring sites in downstream river sites. The activity concentration of radiocesium of suspended sediment declining rapidly, and the effective half-life and had high correlation with land cover ratio by different land use of the catchments during the 1st year after the fallout. The total measured flux to the ocean of radiocesium from the Abukuma River at Iwanuma was 14 TBq for the period from August 2011 to October 2014. The detailed monitoring of activity concentration of radiocesium and their flux, which can be applicable for the fate and flux of the radionuclide transfer in humid temperate environment. We also found that land use controls most of the transport and then fate of Cs-137 in terrestrial environment.

Spatio-temporal variation of stream-aquifer interaction: Effect of a weir construction in Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Hyeonju; Koo, Min-Ho; Kim, Kisu; Kim, Yongcheol

2015-04-01

The Four Major Rivers Restoration Project was conducted to secure sufficient water resources, introduce comprehensive flood control measures, and improve water quality while restore the river ecosystem in Korea. The dredging of river bed and the installation of 16 weirs were done in Han, Geum, Yeongsan, and Nakdong rivers from late 2010 to early 2012 as a part of the project. Groundwater data obtained from 213 groundwater monitoring wells near the four major rivers were used to analyze the impacts of weir construction on the nearby groundwater flow system. The groundwater level and chemical characteristics were analyzed to investigate how the groundwater flow system and water quality changed after the weir construction. The results showed that groundwater level rose immediately following the rise of stream stage after the weir construction. Also, the hydrologic condition of the stream in some upland of the weirs was changed from a gaining to a losing stream. Consequently, the direction of groundwater flow was changed from perpendicular to parallel to the stream, and it swapped the groundwater in the downstream of the weir for the water recharged from the stream. Considering the results, some groundwater quality is expected to be changed and become similar to that of the stream, although the change has been not observed yet. Therefore, both further monitoring of the groundwater quality and hydrogeochemical analysis are required for quantitatively evaluating the effect of the weir.

Sediment Budgeting in Dam-Affected Rivers: Assessing the Influence of Damming, Tributaries, and Alluvial Valley Sediment Storage on Sediment Regimes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilcox, A. C.; Dekker, F. J.; Riebe, C. S.

2014-12-01

Although sediment supply is recognized as a fundamental driver of fluvial processes, measuring how dams affect sediment regimes and incorporating such knowledge into management strategies remains challenging. To determine the influences of damming, tributary supply, and valley morphology and sediment storage on downstream sediment supply in a dryland river, the Bill Williams River (BWR) in western Arizona, we measured basin erosion rates using cosmogenic nuclide analysis of beryllium-10 (10Be) at sites upstream and downstream of a dam along the BWR, as well as from tributaries downstream of the dam. Riverbed sediment mixing calculations were used to test if the dam, which blocks sediment supply from the upper 85% of the basin's drainage area, increases the proportion of tributary sediment to residual upstream sediment in mainstem samples downstream of the dam. Erosion rates in the BWR watershed are more than twice as large in the upper catchment (136 t km-2 yr-1) than in tributaries downstream of Alamo Dam (61 t km-2 yr-1). Tributaries downstream of the dam have little influence on mainstem sediment dynamics. The effect of the dam on reducing sediment supply is limited, however, because of the presence of large alluvial valleys along the mainstem BWR downstream of the dam that store substantial sediment and mitigate supply reductions from the upper watershed. These inferences, from our 10Be derived erosion rates and mixing calculations, are consistent with field observations of downstream changes in bed material size, which suggest that sediment-deficit conditions are restricted to a 10 km reach downstream of the dam, and limited reservoir bathymetry data. Many studies have suggested that tributary sediment inputs downstream of dams play a key role in mitigating dam-induced sediment deficits, but here we show that in a dryland river with ephemeral tributaries, sediment stored in alluvial valleys can also play a key role and in some cases trumps the role of tributaries.

Contrasting fish assemblages in free-flowing and impounded tributaries to the Upper Delaware River: Implications for conserving biodiversity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baldigo, Barry P.; Delucia, Mari-Beth; Keller, Walter D.; Schuler, George E.; Apse, Colin D.; Moberg, Tara

2015-01-01

The Neversink River and the Beaver Kill in southeastern New York are major tributaries to the Delaware River, the longest undammed river east of the Mississippi. While the Beaver Kill is free flowing for its entire length, the Neversink River is subdivided by the Neversink Reservoir, which likely affects the diversity of local fish assemblages and health of aquatic ecosystems. The reservoir is an important part of the New York City waster-supply system that provides drinking water to more than 9 million people. Fish population and community data from recent quantitative surveys at comparable sites in both basins were assessed to characterize the differences between free-flowing and impounded rivers and the extent of reservoir effects to improve our capacity to define ecosystems responses that two modified flow-release programs (implemented in 2007 and 2011) should produce in the Neversink River. In general, the continuum of changes in fish assemblages which normally occur between headwaters and mouth was relatively uninterrupted in the Beaver Kill, but disrupted by the mid-basin impoundment in the Neversink River. Fish assemblages were also adversely affected at several acidified sites in the upper Neversink River, but not at most sites assessed herein. The reservoir clearly excluded diadromous species from the upper sub-basin, but it also substantially reduced community richness, diversity, and biomass at several mid-basin sites immediately downstream from the impoundment. There results will aid future attempts to determine if fish assemblages respond to more natural, yet highly regulated, flow regimes in the Neversink River. More important, knowledge gained from this study can help optimize use of valuable water resources while promoting species of special concern, such as American eel (Anguilla rostrata) and conserving biodiversity in Catskill Mountain streams.

The persistence of lead from past gasoline emissions and mining drainage in a large riparian system: Evidence from lead isotopes in the Sacramento River, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dunlap, C.E.; Alpers, Charles N.; Bouse, R.; Taylor, Howard E.; Unruh, D.M.; Flegal, A.R.

2008-01-01

Lead concentrations and isotope ratios measured in river water colloids and streambed sediment samples along 426 km of the Sacramento River, California reveal that the influence of lead from the historical mining of massive sulfide deposits in the West Shasta Cu-mining district (at the headwaters of the Sacramento River) is confined to a 60 km stretch of river immediately downstream of that mining region, whereas inputs from past leaded gasoline emissions and historical hydraulic Au-mining in the Sierra Nevadan foothills are the dominant lead sources in the remaining 370 km of the river. Binary mixing calculations suggest that more than 50% of the lead in the Sacramento River outside of the region of influence of the West Shasta Cu-mining district is derived from past depositions of leaded gasoline emissions. This predominance is the first direct documentation of the geographic extent of gasoline lead persistence throughout a large riparian system (>160,000 km2) and corroborates previous observations based on samples taken at the mouth of the Sacramento River. In addition, new analyses of sediment samples from the hydraulic gold mines of the Sierra Nevada foothills confirm the present-day fluxes into the Sacramento River of contaminant metals derived from historical hydraulic Au-mining that occurred during the latter half of the 19th and early part of the 20th centuries. These fluxes occur predominantly during periods of elevated river discharge associated with heavy winter precipitation in northern California. In the broadest context, the study demonstrates the potential for altered precipitation patterns resulting from climate change to affect the mobility and transport of soil-bound contaminants in the surface environment. ?? 2008 Elsevier Ltd.

Summary of surface-water-quality data collected for the Northern Rockies Intermontane Basins National Water-Quality Assessment Program in the Clark Fork-Pend Oreille and Spokane River basins, Montana, Idaho, and Washington, water years 1999-2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Beckwith, Michael A.

2003-01-01

Water-quality samples were collected at 10 sites in the Clark Fork-Pend Oreille and Spokane River Basins in water years 1999 – 2001 as part of the Northern Rockies Intermontane Basins (NROK) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. Sampling sites were located in varied environments ranging from small streams and rivers in forested, mountainous headwater areas to large rivers draining diverse landscapes. Two sampling sites were located immediately downstream from the large lakes; five sites were located downstream from large-scale historical mining and oreprocessing areas, which are now the two largest “Superfund” (environmental remediation) sites in the Nation. Samples were collected during a wide range of streamflow conditions, more frequently during increasing and high streamflow and less frequently during receding and base-flow conditions. Sample analyses emphasized major ions, nutrients, and selected trace elements. Streamflow during the study ranged from more than 130 percent of the long-term average in 1999 at some sites to 40 percent of the long-term average in 2001. River and stream water in the study area exhibited small values for specific conductance, hardness, alkalinity, and dissolved solids. Dissolved oxygen concentrations in almost all samples were near saturation. Median total nitrogen and total phosphorus concentrations in samples from most sites were smaller than median concentrations reported for many national programs and other NAWQA Program study areas. The only exceptions were two sites downstream from large wastewater-treatment facilities, where median concentrations of total nitrogen exceeded the national median. Maximum concentrations of total phosphorus in samples from six sites exceeded the 0.1 milligram per liter threshold recommended for limiting nuisance aquatic growth. Concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, and zinc were largest in samples from sites downstream from historical mining and ore-processing areas in the upper Clark Fork in Montana and the South Fork Coeur d’Alene River in Idaho. Concentrations of dissolved lead in all 32 samples from the South Fork Coeur d’Alene River exceeded the Idaho chronic criterion for the protection of aquatic life at the median hardness level measured during the study. Concentrations of dissolved zinc in all samples collected at this site exceeded both the chronic and acute criteria at all hardness levels measured. When all data from all NROK sites were combined, median concentrations of dissolved arsenic, dissolved and total recoverable copper, total recoverable lead, and total recoverable zinc in the NROK study area appeared to be similar to or slightly smaller than median concentrations at sites in other NAWQA Program study areas in the Western United States affected by historical mining activities. Although the NROK median total recoverable lead concentration was the smallest among the three Western study areas compared, concentrations in several NROK samples were an order of magnitude larger than the maximum concentrations measured in the Upper Colorado River and Great Salt Lake Basins. Dissolved cadmium, dissolved lead, and total recoverable zinc concentrations at NROK sites were more variable than in the other study areas; concentrations ranged over almost three orders of magnitude between minimum and maximum values; the range of dissolved zinc concentrations in the NROK study area exceeded three orders of magnitude.

Water quality in the New River from Calexico to the Salton Sea, Imperial County, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Setmire, James G.

1984-01-01

The New River enters the United States at Calexico, Calif., after it crosses the international boundary. Water-quality data from routine collection indicated that the New River was degraded by high organic and bacterial content. Intensive sampling for chemical and physical constituents and properties of the river was done May 9-13, 1977, to quantify the chemical composition of the water and to identify water-quality problems. Concentrations of total organic carbon in the New River at Calexico ranged from 80 to 161 milligrams per liter and dissolved organic carbon ranged from 34 to 42 milligrams per liter; the maximum chemical oxygen demand was 510 milligrams per liter. Intensive sampling for chemical and biological characteristics was done in the New River from May 1977 to June 1978 to determine the occurrence of the organic material and its effects on downstream water quality. Dissolved-oxygen concentration was measured along longitudinal profiles of the river from Calexico to the Salton Sea. A dissolved-oxygen sag downstream from the Calexico gage varied seasonally. The sag extended farther downstream and had lower concentrations of dissolved oxygen during the summer months than during the winter months. The sag of zero dissolved-oxygen concentration extended 26 miles in July 1977. In December 1976, the sag extended 20 miles but the minimum dissolved-oxygen concentration was 2.5 milligrams per liter. The greatest diel (24-hour) variation in dissolved-oxygen concentration occurred in the reach from the Calexico gage to Lyons Crossing, 8.8 miles downstream. High concentrations of organic material were detected as far as Highway 80, 19.5 miles downstream from the international boundary. Biological samples analyzed for benthic invertebrates showed that water at the Calexico and Lyons Crossing sites, nearest the international boundary, was of such poor quality that very few bottom-dwelling organisms could survive. Although the water was of poor quality at Keystone Road, 36 miles downstream, it was able to support a benthic community. The April sample had more than 9,150 organisms on a multiplate sampler, 8,770 of which were of one species. Farther downstream at the Westmorland gage, the water quality, as indicated by the number and diversity of organisms, had improved over that at the Keystone site. The Alamo River at its outlet to the Salton Sea--the control site--had the greatest diversity of all the study sites. This diversity, when compared with the diversity at the Westmorland gage, indicated that the effects of the degraded water quality observed at the New River at Calexico are detected as far as 62 miles downstream. Standard bacteria indicator tests indicate that fecal contamination exists in the New River. Counts of fecal coliform bacteria ranged from 180,000 to 2,800,000 colonies per 100 milliliters for the 20-mile reach from Calexico to Highway 80, and fecal streptococcal bacteria ranged from 5,000 to 240,000 colonies per 100 milliliters.

Dam Breach Release of Non-Cohesive Sediments: Channel Response and Recovery Rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collins, M. J.; Boardman, G.; Banks, W.; Andrews, M.; Conlon, M.; Dillow, J. J. A.; Gellis, A.; Lowe, S.; McClain, S.; Miller, A. J.; Snyder, N. P.; Wilcock, P. R.

2014-12-01

Dam removals featuring unchecked releases of non-cohesive sediments are excellent opportunities to learn more about stream channel response to abrupt increases in bed material supply that can occur deliberately or by natural processes like landslides and volcanic eruptions. Understanding channel response to sediment pulses, including response rates, is essential because human uses of river channels and floodplains are impacted by these events as are aquatic habitats. We had the opportunity to study a dam removal site at the Simkins Dam in Maryland, USA, that shares many important geophysical attributes of another well-studied dam removal in the humid northeast United States [Merrimack Village Dam, New Hampshire; Pearson et al., 2011]. The watershed sizes are the same order of magnitude (102 km2), and at both sites relatively low head dams were removed (~ 3-4 m) and ~60,000 m3 of dominantly sand-sized sediments discharged to low-gradient reaches immediately downstream. Analyzing four years of repeat morphometry and bed sediment grain size surveys at the Simkins site on the Patapsco River, as well as continuous discharge and suspended sediment gaging data, we clearly document a two-phase response in the upstream reach as described by Pearson et al. [2011] for their New Hampshire site and noted at other dam removals [e.g., Major et al., 2012]. In the early phase, approximately 50% of the impounded sediment mass was eroded rapidly over a period of about three months when flows were very modest (Figure 1). After incision to base level and channel widening in the former impoundment, a second phase began when further erosion depended on floods large enough to access impounded sediments more distant from the newly-formed channel. We also found important differences in the upstream responses at the Maryland and New Hampshire sites that appear to be related to valley type (non-glaciated versus glaciated, respectively). Response variances immediately downstream between the respective sites are potentially related to local gradient and hydraulics.

Fish communities and related environmental conditions of the lower Boise River, southwestern Idaho, 1974-2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

MacCoy, Dorene E.

2006-01-01

Within the last century, the lower Boise River has been transformed from a meandering, braided, gravel-bed river that supported large runs of salmon to a channelized, regulated, urban river that provides flood control and irrigation water to more than 1,200 square miles of land. An understanding of the current status of the river's fish communities and related environmental conditions is important to support the ongoing management of the Boise River. Therefore, fish community data from the U.S. Geological Survey and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game collected since 1974 were analyzed to describe the status of fish communities in the lower Boise River. Each set of data was collected to address different study objectives, but is combined here to provide an overall distribution of fish in the lower Boise River over the last 30 years. Twenty-two species of fish in 7 families have been identified in the lower Boise River-3 salmonidae, trout and whitefish; 2 cottidae, sculpins; 3 catostomidae, suckers; 7 cyprinidae, minnows; 4 centrarchidae, sunfish; 2 ictaluridae, catfish; and 1 cobitidae, loach. Analysis of fish community data using an Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) for Northwest rivers shows a decrease in the biotic integrity in a downstream direction, with the lowest IBI near the mouth of the Boise River. The number of tolerant and introduced fish were greater in the lower reaches of the river. Changes in land use, habitat, and water quality, as well as regulated streamflow have affected the lower Boise River fish community. IBI scores were negatively correlated with maximum instantaneous water temperature, specific conductance, and suspended sediment; as well as the basin land-use metrics, area of developed land, impervious surface area, and the number of major diversions upstream of a site. Fish communities in the upstream reaches were dominated by piscivorous fish, whereas the downstream reaches were dominated by tolerant, omnivorous fish. The percentage of sculpin in the river decreased in a downstream direction, and sculpin disappear completely at sites downstream of Glenwood Bridge. The sculpin population increased downstream of the Lander wastewater-treatment facility within the last decade, possibly as a result of improved wastewater treatment. The condition of the mountain whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni) throughout the lower Boise River was good and was similar both to the condition of mountain whitefish from least-disturbed rivers in southern Idaho and to the North American standard weight for mountain whitefish.

Responses of riparian reptile communities to damming and urbanization

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hunt, Stephanie D.; Guzy, Jacquelyn C.; Price, Steven J.; Halstead, Brian J.; Eskew, Evan A.; Dorcas, Michael E.

2013-01-01

Various anthropogenic pressures, including habitat loss, threaten reptile populations worldwide. Riparian zones are critical habitat for many reptile species, but these habitats are also frequently modified by anthropogenic activities. Our study investigated the effects of two riparian habitat modifications-damming and urbanization-on overall and species-specific reptile occupancy patterns. We used time-constrained search techniques to compile encounter histories for 28 reptile species at 21 different sites along the Broad and Pacolet Rivers of South Carolina. Using a hierarchical Bayesian analysis, we modeled reptile occupancy responses to a site's distance upstream from dam, distance downstream from dam, and percent urban land use. The mean occupancy response by the reptile community indicated that reptile occupancy and species richness were maximized when sites were farther upstream from dams. Species-specific occupancy estimates showed a similar trend of lower occupancy immediately upstream from dams. Although the mean occupancy response of the reptile community was positively related to distance downstream from dams, the occupancy response to distance downstream varied among species. Percent urban land use had little effect on the occupancy response of the reptile community or individual species. Our results indicate that the conditions of impoundments and subsequent degradation of the riparian zones upstream from dams may not provide suitable habitat for a number of reptile species.

Considerations on the influence of extreme events on the phosphorus transport from river catchments to the sea.

PubMed

Zessner, M; Postolache, C; Clement, A; Kovacs, A; Strauss, P

2005-01-01

In this paper, results from rivers of different sizes in Romania, Hungary and Austria are presented. The paper shows the dynamics of extreme events and their contribution to the total P and suspended solids transported in these rivers. Special attention is paid to the influence of the size of the catchment and the event probability on the relative contribution of a single event to the total loads transported in the river. Further, the development of phosphorus loads along the Danube River at a flood event is shown. From the results it can be concluded that there is no immediate influence of high flow and flood events in upstream parts of the Basin on the transport of phosphorus from the catchment to the receiving Sea. Particle-bound phosphorus is mobilised from the catchment (through erosion) and the river bottom to a high extent at high flow events and transported at peak discharges to downstream, where retention by sedimentation of particles takes place. On the one hand this retention is a transport to flooded areas. In this case it can be considered as more or less long term retention. On the other hand sedimentation takes place in the riverbed, in case the tractive effort of the river is reduced. In this second case the P-pool in the sediments of the sedimentation area will be increased. If anaerobic conditions in the sediment appear, part of the phosphorus will be transformed to soluble ortho-phosphate and will continuously contribute to the phosphorus transport to the receiving sea. Part of the P-retained in the river sediment will be mobilised by resuspension at the next biggest high flow event. Altogether, these alternating processes of suspension, transport, export to flooded areas or sedimentation in the river bed with partly solution and partly resuspension at the next event decrease the share of the phosphorus transport during high flow events on the total loads transported in the more downstream parts of a catchments as compared to the more upstream parts. In the year of occurrence of an extreme flood event the P-transport of this year is dominated by the flood event. As an average over many years the contribution of high flow events to the total P-transport still may be between 7 and 20% in smaller catchments (around 1,000 km2). In a big catchment (e.g. river Danube) much smaller contributions of flood events on the total P-transport can be expected as an average over many years.

How have the river discharges and sediment loads changed in the Changjiang River basin downstream of the Three Gorges Dam?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Leicheng; Su, Ni; Zhu, Chunyan; He, Qing

2018-05-01

Streamflow and sediment loads undergo remarkable changes in worldwide rivers in response to climatic changes and human interferences. Understanding their variability and the causes is of vital importance regarding river management. With respect to the Changjiang River (CJR), one of the largest river systems on earth, we provide a comprehensive overview of its hydrological regime changes by analyzing long time series of river discharges and sediment loads data at multiple gauge stations in the basin downstream of Three Gorges Dam (TGD). We find profound river discharge reduction during flood peaks and in the wet-to-dry transition period, and slightly increased discharges in the dry season. Sediment loads have reduced progressively since 1980s owing to sediment yield reduction and dams in the upper basin, with notably accelerated reduction since the start of TGD operation in 2003. Channel degradation occurs in downstream river, leading to considerable river stage drop. Lowered river stages have caused a 'draining effect' on lakes by fostering lake outflows following TGD impoundments. The altered river-lake interplay hastens low water occurrence inside the lakes which can worsen the drought given shrinking lake sizes in long-term. Moreover, lake sedimentation has decreased since 2002 with less sediment trapped in and more sediment flushed out of the lakes. These hydrological changes have broad impacts on river flood and drought occurrences, water security, fluvial ecosystem, and delta safety.

Migratory Behavior and Physiological Development as Potential Determinants of Life History Diversity in Fall Chinook Salmon in the Clearwater River

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

Tiffan, Kenneth F.; Kock, Tobias J.; Connor, William P.

We studied the influence of behavior, water velocity, and physiological development on the downstream movement of subyearling fall Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha in free-flowing and impounded reaches of the Clearwater and Snake rivers as potential mechanisms that might explain life history diversity in this stock. Movement rates and the percentage of radio-tagged fish that moved faster than the average current velocity were highest in the free-flowing Clearwater River compared to impounded reaches. This provided support for our hypothesis that water velocity is a primary determinant of downstream movement regardless of a fish’s physiological development. In contrast, movement rates slowed andmore » detections became fewer in impounded reaches where velocities were much lower. The percentage of fish that moved faster than the average current velocity continued to decline and reached zero in the lower-most reach of Lower Granite Reservoir suggesting that behavioral disposition to move downstream was low. These findings contrast those of a similar, previous study of Snake River subyearlings in spite of hydrodynamic conditions being similar. Physiological differences between Snake and Clearwater river migrants shed light on this disparity. Subyearlings from the Clearwater River were parr-like in their development and never showed an increase in gill Na+/K+-ATPase activity as did smolts from the Snake River. The later emergence timing and cooler rearing temperatures in the Clearwater River may suppress normal physiological development that causes many fish to delay downstream movement and adopt a yearling life history strategy.« less

Sacramento River Water Treatment Plant Intake Pier & Access Bridge, ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Sacramento River Water Treatment Plant Intake Pier & Access Bridge, Spanning Sacramento River approximately 175 feet west of eastern levee on river; roughly .5 mile downstream from confluence of Sacramento & American Rivers, Sacramento, Sacramento County, CA

The 2016 Ft. McMurray Wildfire: Déjà vu or re-thinking the scope wildland and urban-wildland interface fires on water supplies?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silins, U.; Emelko, M.; Cooke, C. A.; Charrois, J. W. A.; Stone, M.

2016-12-01

A growing number of large severe wildfires have impacted drinking water supplies of both small and larger municipalities in western North America over the past 20 years. While some of these fires include components of wildland-urban interface fire impacts to water or water treatment infrastructure, the vast majority have been wildland fires in critical source water supply regions serving these municipalities. A large body of research has provided key insights on magnitude, variability, and longevity of post-wildfire impacts on erosion, sediment production, and water quality, however assessing the impact of wildfires on water supplies often requires measuring or predicting the downstream propagation of upstream wildfire impacts to water supplies and this remains a comparatively less well explored area of wildfire-water research. The 2016 Horse River wildfire during May-June burned 590,000 ha. forcing the evacuation of the entire City of McMurray ( 90,000 residents) and represents the most expensive natural disaster in Canadian history ($3.6 billion in insurable losses alone). While the wildfire impacted extensive source water supply regions in the area surrounding Ft. McMurray, this fire serves to illustrate a broader range of challenging wildfire-water science and engineering research issues that are needed to assess the impacts of this and potentially other large wildfires on water supplies. Unlike wildfires in headwaters regions, these include unique challenges in assessing impacts of burned tributaries adjacent sources from a large wildfire situated immediately surrounding a very large river system (Athabasca River), post-fire contaminant dilution, mixing, and transport, and contaminant runoff from severely burned residential and commercial/industrial regions of the city on downstream water supplies among others.

12. DETAIL LOOKING AT DOWNSTREAM APRON OF LOGWAY, WITH ROLLER ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

12. DETAIL LOOKING AT DOWNSTREAM APRON OF LOGWAY, WITH ROLLER GATE TRACK IN RIGHT FOREGROUND, POWER PENSTOCK OUTLETS (WITH DRAFT TUBE CONTROL VENTS OVER) IN LEFT BACKGROUND AND NEW YORK CANAL IN EXTREME LEFT BACKGROUND. VIEW TO NORTHWEST. - Boise Project, Boise River Diversion Dam, Across Boise River, Boise, Ada County, ID

EVALUATION OF ANDROSTENEDIONE AS AN ANDROGENIC COMPONENT OF RIVER WATER DOWNSTREAM OF A PULP AND PAPER MILL EFFLUENT

EPA Science Inventory

This study evaluates a recent report indicating that androstenedione contributes to the androgenicity of water downstream of a pulp and paper mill discharge on the Fenholloway River, Florida, USA. Extraction and concentration of Fenholloway water with C18 solid phase extraction c...

76 FR 17443 - Notice of Filing of Plats of Survey; Montana

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-29

... original meanders of the former left bank of the Missouri River, downstream through sections 28 and 29, and... of the present left bank of the Missouri River, downstream through a portion of sections 28 and 29, an informative traverse and the limits of erosion, through a portion of section 29, and certain...

77 FR 53905 - Notice of Filing of Plats of Survey; Montana

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-04

... original meanders of the former left bank of the Missouri River, downstream, through section [[Page 53906... present left bank of the Missouri River, downstream, through sections 29 and 30 and certain division of... final, including decisions or appeals. Authority: 43 U.S.C. Chap. 3. Steve L. Toth, Acting Chief...

Studying strategic interaction under environmental and economic uncertainties among water users in the Zambezi River Basin - From descriptive analysis to institutional design for better transboundary management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beck, L.; Siegfried, T. U.; Bernauer, T.

2009-12-01

The Zambezi River Basin (ZRB) is one of the largest freshwater catchments in Africa and worldwide. Consumptive water use in the ZRB is currently estimated at 15 - 20 percent of total runoff. This suggests many development possibilities, particularly for irrigated agriculture and hydropower production. The key drivers in the basin are population development on the demand side as well as uncertain impacts from climate change for supply. Development plans of the riparian countries suggest that consumptive water use might increase up to 40 percent of total runoff by 2025. This suggests that expanding water use in the Zambezi basin could become a source of disputes among the eight riparian countries. We study the surface water allocation in the basin by means of a couple hydrological-economic modeling approach. A conceptual lumped-parameter rainfall-runoff model for the ZRB was constructed and calibrated on the best available runoff data for the basin. Water users are modeled based on an agent-based framework and implemented as distributed sequential decision makers that act in an uncertain environment. Given the current non-cooperative status quo, we use the stochastic optimization technique of reinforcement learning to model the individual agents’ behavior. Their goals include the maximization of a) their long-term reward as conditioned on the state of the multi-agent system and b) the immediate reward obtained from operational decisions of reservoirs and water diversions under their control. We feed a wide range of water demand drivers as well as climate change predictions into the model and assess agents’ responses and the resulting implications for runoff at key points in the water catchment, including Victoria Falls, Kariba reservoir, Kafue Gorge, and Cahora Bassa reservoir in the downstream. It will be shown that considerable benefits exist if the current non-cooperative regime is replaced by a basin-wide, coordinated allocation strategy that regulates water storage and allocation in this complex multi-reservoir river basin. Benefits increase along the river towards the downstream, which suggests the establishment of an upstream-downstream compensation approach. The latter considers tradeoffs from water and hydropower exchanges during respective seasons and locations of peak demand.

A hybrid monitoring and modelling approach to assess the contribution of sources of glyphosate and AMPA in large river catchments.

PubMed

Desmet, N; Touchant, K; Seuntjens, P; Tang, T; Bronders, J

2016-12-15

Large river catchments with mixed land use capture pesticides from many sources, and degradable pesticides are converted during downstream transport. Unravelling the contribution of pesticide source and the effect of degradation processes is a challenge in such areas. However, insight and understanding of the sources is important for targeted management, especially when water is abstracted from the river for drinking water production. The river Meuse is such a case. A long-term monitoring data set was applied in a modelling approach for assessing the contribution of waste water treatment plants (WWTPs) and tributaries (sub-basins) to surface water contamination, and to evaluate the effect of decay on the downstream concentrations of glyphosate and AMPA at the point of drinking water abstraction. The results show that WWTPs are important contributors for glyphosate and AMPA in large river catchments with mixed land uses. In the studied area, the river Meuse in the Netherlands, the relative contribution of WWTP effluents is above 29% for glyphosate and around 12% for AMPA. Local industries are found to be potentially big contributors of AMPA. Glyphosate entering the river system is gradually converted to AMPA and other degradation productions, which results in downstream loads that are considerably lower than the sum of all influxes. In summer when the travel time is longer due to lower discharge, the first order decay of glyphosate in the river Meuse is estimated to result in about 50% reduction of the downstream glyphosate concentrations over a river stretch of 250km. The contribution of glyphosate decay to the observed AMPA concentrations ranges between 2% and 10%. Contributions are sensitive to seasonal variations in discharge that influence the concentrations through dilution and degradation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biological and microbiological assessment of the upper Chattahoochee River basin, Georgia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lium, Bruce W.; Stamer, J.K.; Ehlke, T.A.; Faye, R.E.; Cherry, R.N.

1979-01-01

Biological and microbiological studies were conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey as a part of the Intensive River-Quality Assessment studies of the upper Chattahoochee River basin, Georgia. Phytoplankton concentrations in cells per milliliter (cells/mL) were generally higher downstream from Atlanta than upstream. The highest concentrations, mostly blue-green algae, occurred in West Point Lake with an average of 90,000 cells/mL for the sampling period. The lowest concentrations, 1,000 cells/mL, occurred upstream of Lake Sidney Lanier. Dissolved orthophosphate and nitrite plus nitrate concentrations were highest in the river reaches and upper reaches of the two lakes and were lowest at the dam pools of both lakes. The high nitrite plus nitrate concentrations downstream from Atlanta were primarily a result of nitrification by Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter bacteria. Algal growth potential was highest downstream from Atlanta, 25 milligrams per liter (mg/L) at Whitesburg, and was the lowest in the headwaters and at the dam pools of Lake Sidney Lanier and West Point Lake. The rate of nitrification in the Atlanta to Franklin reach of the river was comparatively low, 0.02 mg/L per hour. Nitrification was an important cause of dissolved-oxygen consumption in a 45-mi reach of the river downstream from the Atlanta wastewater treatment facilities. Dissolved-oxygen consumption as a result of nitrification may be greatest during low flow. (Woodard-USGS)

Reservoirs override seasonal variability of phytoplankton communities in a regulated Mediterranean river.

PubMed

Tornés, E; Pérez, M C; Durán, C; Sabater, S

2014-03-15

Water hydrology, temperature and transparency, as well as nutrient retention downstream of the reservoirs alter the temporal and spatial distribution patterns of phytoplankton communities in regulated rivers. The seasonal dynamics of phytoplankton communities in the Ebro was analysed in contrasting water flow periods in sections upstream and downstream of three large reservoirs, as well as in an intermediate site. Phytoplankton communities changed in response to seasonal variations in the areas not influenced by the reservoirs, but the phytoplankton distribution downstream of the reservoirs was driven by their particular hydrodynamics. The change in environmental conditions promoted by reservoirs influenced the pattern of replacement between diatoms and green algae of the upstream section. Differences in the phytoplankton community structure, abundance and environmental variables between upstream and downstream sites were maximal during low flow periods. Chlorophytes and dinoflagellates were present during low flow periods upstream of the reservoirs and in the intermediate site. Cocconeis cf. placentula characterized the downstream section, associated to the presence of macrophytes in that section. The present study sheds light on the consequences of river regulation under potential scenarios of climate change, and results could be used to anticipate ecological problems in large regulated rivers under these circumstances. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The pattern of N/P/Si stoichiometry and ecological nutrient limitation in Ganga River: up- and downstream urban influences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yadav, Amita; Pandey, Jitendra

2018-06-01

The pattern of N/P/Si stoichiometry, although an important driver regulating river ecology, has received limited research attention for Ganga River. We investigated shifts in N/P/Si stoichiometry and ecological nutrient limitation as influenced by Varanasi urban core along a 37-km-long stretch of Ganga River. We also assessed the trophic status of the river in relation to shifting elemental stoichiometry. Together with point sources, atmospheric deposition coupled surface runoff appeared important factors leading to N/P/Si stoichiometric imbalances along the study stretch. The N/P and Si/P ratios declined downstream from 15.5 to 6.5 and 15.7 to 4.4, respectively, whereas N/Si increased from 1.01 to 1.6. Significant negative correlation of N/Si with biogenic silica to chlorophyll a (Chl a) ratios, and biogenic silica to phycocyanin ratios indicated increased growth of non-siliceous algae downstream signifying N and Si limitation with possible implications on food-web dynamics and feedback processes in the river in long run.

White sucker (Catostomus commersoni) growth and sexual maturation in pulp mill-contaminated and reference rivers

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

Gagnon, M.M.; Bussieres, D.; Dodson, J.J.

1995-02-01

Induction of hepatic ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity and accumulation of chlorophenolic compounds typical of bleached-kraft mill effluent (BKME) in fish sampled downstream of a pulp mill on the St. Maurice River, Quebec, Canada, provided evidence of chemical exposure to BKME. In comparison, fish sampled over the same distances and in similar habitats in a noncontaminated reference river, the Gatineau River, demonstrated low EROD activity and contamination levels. Accelerated growth of white suckers occurred between 2 and 10 years of age in both rivers at downstream stations relative to upstream stations, suggesting the existence of gradients of nutrient enrichment independent of BKMEmore » contamination. The impact of BKME exposure was expressed as reduced investment in reproduction, as revealed by greater length at maturity, reduced gonad size, and more variable fecundity. These effects were not obvious in simple upstream-downstream comparisons, but became evident when fish from the uncontaminated Gatineau River showed increased gonadal development and reduced age and size at maturity in response to enhanced growth rates.« less

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

Maze, Grace M.

STREAM II is the aqueous transport model of the Weather Information Display (WIND) emergency response system at Savannah River Site. It is used to calculate transport in the event of a chemical or radiological spill into the waterways on the Savannah River Site. Improvements were made to the code (STREAM II V7) to include flow from all site tributaries to the Savannah River total flow and utilize a 4 digit year input. The predicted downstream concentrations using V7 were generally on the same order of magnitude as V6 with slightly lower concentrations and quicker arrival times when all onsite streammore » flows are contributing to the Savannah River flow. The downstream arrival time at the Savannah River Water Plant ranges from no change to an increase of 8.77%, with minimum changes typically in March/April and maximum changes typically in October/November. The downstream concentrations are generally no more than 15% lower using V7 with the maximum percent change in January through April and minimum changes in June/July.« less

Mid Columbia sturgeon incubation and rearing study

USGS Publications Warehouse

Parsley, Michael J.; Kofoot, Eric; Blubaugh, J

2011-01-01

This report describes the results from the second year of a three-year investigation on the effects of different thermal regimes on incubation and rearing early life stages of white sturgeon Acipenser transmontanus. The Columbia River has been significantly altered by the construction of dams resulting in annual flows and water temperatures that differ from historical levels. White sturgeon have been demonstrated to spawn in two very distinct sections of the Columbia River in British Columbia, Canada, which are both located immediately downstream of hydropower facilities. The thermal regimes differ substantially between these two areas. The general approach of this study was to incubate and rear white sturgeon early life stages under two thermal regimes; one mimicking the current, cool water regime of the Columbia River downstream from Revelstoke Dam, and one mimicking a warmer regime similar to conditions found on the Columbia River at the international border. Second-year results suggest that thermal regimes during incubation influence rate of egg development and size at hatch. Eggs incubated under the warm thermal regime hatched sooner than those incubated under the cool thermal regime. Mean length of free embryos at hatch was significantly different between thermal regimes with free embryos from the warm thermal regime being longer at hatch. However, free embryos from the cool thermal regime had a significantly higher mean weight at hatch. This is in contrast with results obtained during 2009. The rearing trials revealed that growth of fish reared in the cool thermal regime was substantially less than growth of fish reared in the warm thermal regime. The magnitude of mortality was greatest in the warm thermal regime prior to initiation of exogenous feeding, but chronic low levels of mortality in the cool thermal regime were higher throughout the period. The starvation trials showed that the fish in the warm thermal regime exhausted their yolk reserves faster than fish in the cool thermal regime.

The historical and palaeoflood record of Katherine river, northern Australia: evaluating the likelihood of extreme discharge events in the context of the 1998 flood

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sandercock, Peter; Wyrwoll, Karl-Heinz

2005-12-01

The discharge regimes of the large rivers of northern Australia are characterized by the occurrence of extreme flood events with far-reaching environmental and societal impacts. In January 1998 the largest flood ever recorded on the Katherine River, northern Australia, resulted in widespread inundation and resultant damage to the town of Katherine. The occurrence of the flood emphasized the unreliability of the then available flood probability estimates and prompted a palaeoflood approach to estimate the recurrence interval of the event. The location of Katherine is ideal for such a study, as the town is located immediately downstream from Katherine Gorge, which provides the necessary bedrock-confined channel required for such an approach. In addition, previous work in Katherine Gorge had demonstrated that the gorge sections hold suitable deposits for palaeoflood stage reconstruction. The results of the present study show that at least two flow events with discharges similar to the 1998 flood have occurred within the last 600 years, and that high-magnitude floods are a general feature of the discharge record of the Katherine River over the last c. 2000 years. Furthermore, because the study was undertaken within a few months of the occurrence of the 1998 flood, it provided the opportunity to evaluate the previously obtained flood discharge estimates and draw attention to the general uncertainties associated with palaeoflood studies. Our results emphasize that palaeoflood stage estimates based on slackwater deposits need to be treated as conservative estimates only. More specifically, with respect to the 1998 event, our study demonstrates that the controls of flood peak were more complex than simply flood routing through the gorge sections. It is clear that the areas downstream from Katherine Gorge made an important contribution to the flood peak of the 1998 event. Copyright

Permafrost Degradation and Stream Metabolism in the Arctic: The effect of thaw slump sedimentation on biological productivity and water quality in the Selawik River, Northwest Alaska

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calhoun, J. P.; Crosby, B. T.

2011-12-01

The Selawik River in northwest Alaska, drains ~12,500 km^2 of tree line spruce forest, upland tundra and lowland wetlands. Along the river corridor, high concentrations of fine sediment from a large, young, active retrogressive thaw slump alter the physical and ecological form and function of the stream. This disturbance impacts the entire downstream river corridor, affecting the viability of fish habitat and quality drinking water that subsistence-based native communities depend on. In anticipated warming scenarios, it can be expected that there will be an increase in both the frequency and magnitude of these permafrost degradation features, increasing the extent to which local villages and ecosystems are affected. Our study aims to improve our physical understanding of this system in order to provide biologists, land managers and city officials improved predictive capabilities. Whole stream metabolism (WSM) combines nutrient cycling and organic matter processing to provide an integrated measure of stream health. We utilized a suite of water quality data including temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, pH, pressure, and conductance to calculate WSM values at two experimental reaches up and downstream of the slump over the past three summers. The immediate effects are large magnitude diurnal increases in turbidity, suppressed dissolved oxygen values, and strong attenuation of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) with depth. We found from 2010 data that, on average, the waters downstream from the slump were 23 times more turbid, had roughly half the dissolved oxygen, and had 4.7 and 2.7 times lower gross primary production (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (ER) respectively. In the summer of 2011, we collected measurements of terrestrial PAR, subsurface PAR, dissolved oxygen and turbidity at multiple river depths at 5 experimental locations. Though turbidity varied roughly by two orders of magnitude and terrestrial PAR increased 850 times between solar midnight and noon, the turbidity suppressed the PAR reaching the bed to almost remove any diurnal signal. The ecological impacts of geomorphic features associated with thawing permafrost is of concern to local populations who rely on their local ecosystems for subsistence, and researchers and land managers interested in the potential impacts of these features under future climate scenarios. Future changes in air temperature and length of the warm season in the Arctic stand to present favorable conditions for generation of more thaw-driven mass wasting processes and subsequent changes to the landscape and its ecosystems.

Quantification and Simulation of Metal Loading to the Upper Animas River, Eureka to Silverton, San Juan County, Colorado, September 1997 and August 1998

USGS Publications Warehouse

Paschke, Suzanne S.; Kimball, Briant A.; Runkel, Robert L.

2005-01-01

Drainage from abandoned and inactive mines and from naturally mineralized areas in the San Juan Mountains of southern Colorado contributes metals to the upper Animas River near Silverton, Colorado. Tracer-injection studies and associated synoptic sampling were performed along two reaches of the upper Animas River to develop detailed profiles of stream discharge and to locate and quantify sources of metal loading. One tracer-injection study was performed in September 1997 on the Animas River reach from Howardsville to Silverton, and a second study was performed in August 1998 on the stream reach from Eureka to Howardsville. Drainage in the upper Animas River study reaches contributed aluminum, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, sulfate, and zinc to the surface-water system in 1997 and 1998. Colloidal aluminum, dissolved copper, and dissolved zinc were attenuated through a braided stream reach downstream from Eureka. Instream dissolved copper concentrations were lower than the State of Colorado acute and chronic toxicity standards downstream from the braided reach to Silverton. Dissolved iron load and concentrations increased downstream from Howardsville and Arrastra Gulch, and colloidal iron remained constant at low concentrations downstream from Howardsville. Instream sulfate concentrations were lower than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's secondary drinking-water standard of 250 milligrams per liter throughout the two study reaches. Elevated zinc concentrations are the primary concern for aquatic life in the upper Animas River. In the 1998 Eureka to Howardsville study, instream dissolved zinc load increased downstream from the Forest Queen mine, the Kittimack tailings, and Howardsville. In the 1997 Howardsville to Silverton study, there were four primary areas where zinc load increased. First, was the increase downstream from Howardsville and abandoned mining sites downstream from the Cunningham Gulch confluence, which also was measured during the 1998 study. The second affected reach was downstream from Arrastra Gulch, where the increase in zinc load seems related to a series of right-bank inflows with low pH Quantification and Simulation of Metal Loading to the Upper Animas River, Eureka to Silverton, San Juan County, Colorado, September 1997 and August 1998By Suzanne S. Paschke, Briant A. Kimball, and Robert L. Runkeland elevated dissolved zinc concentrations. A third increase in zinc load occurred 6,100 meters downstream from the 1997 injection site and may have been from ground-water discharge with elevated zinc concentrations based on mass-loading graphs and the lack of visible inflow in the reach. A fourth but lesser dissolved zinc load increase occurred downstream from tailings near the Lackawanna Mill. Results of the tracer-injection studies and the effects of potential remediation were analyzed using the one- dimensional stream-transport computer code OTIS. Based on simulation results, instream zinc concentrations downstream from the Kittimack tailings to upstream from Arrastra Gulch would approach 0.16 milligram per liter (the upper limit of acute toxicity for some sensitive aquatic species) if zinc inflow concentrations were reduced by 75 percent in the stream reaches receiving inflow from the Forest Queen mine, the Kittimack tailings, and downstream from Howardsville. However, simulated zinc concentrations downstream from Arrastra Gulch were higher than approximately 0.30 milligram per liter due to numerous visible inflows and assumed ground-water discharge with elevated zinc concentrations in the lower part of the study reach. Remediation of discrete visible inflows seems a viable approach to reducing zinc inflow loads to the upper Animas River. Remediation downstream from Arrastra Gulch is more complicated because ground-water discharge with elevated zinc concentrations seems to contribute to the instream zinc load.

Drainage areas of the Potomac River basin, West Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wiley, Jeffrey B.; Hunt, Michelle L.; Stewart, Donald K.

1996-01-01

This report contains data for 776 drainage-area divisions of the Potomac River Basin, from the headwaters to the confluence of the Potomac River and the Shenandoah River. Data, compiled in downstream order, are listed for streams with a drainage area of approximately 2 square miles or larger within West Virginia and for U.S. Geological Survey streamflow-gaging stations. The data presented are the stream name, the geographical limits in river miles, the latitude and longitude of the point, the name of the county, and the 7 1/2-minute quadrangle in which the point lies, and the drainage area of that site. The total drainage area of the Potomac River Basin downstream of the confluence of the Shenandoah River at the State boundary is 9,367.29 square miles.

Effects of high salinity wastewater discharges on unionid mussels in the Allegheny River, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kathleen Patnode,; Hittle, Elizabeth A.; Robert Anderson,; Lora Zimmerman,; Fulton, John W.

2015-01-01

We examined the effect of high salinity wastewater (brine) from oil and natural gas drilling on freshwater mussels in the Allegheny River, Pennsylvania, during 2012. Mussel cages (N = 5 per site) were deployed at two sites upstream and four sites downstream of a brine treatment facility on the Allegheny River. Each cage contained 20 juvenile northern riffleshell mussels Epioblasma torulosa rangiana). Continuous specific conductance and temperature data were recorded by water quality probes deployed at each site. To measure the amount of mixing throughout the entire study area, specific conductance surveys were completed two times during low-flow conditions along transects from bank to bank that targeted upstream (reference) reaches, a municipal wastewater treatment plant discharge upstream of the brine-facility discharge, the brine facility, and downstream reaches. Specific conductance data indicated that high specific conductance water from the brine facility (4,000–12,000 µS/cm; mean 7,846) compared to the reference reach (103–188 µS/cm; mean 151) is carried along the left descending bank of the river and that dilution of the discharge via mixing does not occur until 0.5 mi (805 m) downstream. Juvenile northern riffleshell mussel survival was severely impaired within the high specific conductance zone (2 and 34% at and downstream of the brine facility, respectively) and at the municipal wastewater treatment plant (21%) compared to background (84%). We surveyed native mussels (family Unionidae) at 10 transects: 3 upstream, 3 within, and 4 downstream of the high specific conductance zone. Unionid mussel abundance and diversity were lower for all transects within and downstream of the high conductivity zone compared to upstream. The results of this study clearly demonstrate in situ toxicity to juvenile northern riffleshell mussels, a federally endangered species, and to the native unionid mussel assemblage located downstream of a brine discharge to the Allegheny River.

Perspective: Towards environmentally acceptable criteria for downstream fish passage through mini hydro and irrigation infrastructure in the Lower Mekong River Basin

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

Baumgartner, Lee J.; Daniel Deng, Z.; Thorncraft, Garry

2014-01-01

Tropical rivers have high annual discharges optimal for hydropower and irrigation development. The Mekong River is one of the largest tropical river systems, supporting a unique mega-diverse fish community. Fish are an important commodity in the Mekong, contributing a large proportion of calcium, protein, and essential nutrients to the diet of the local people and providing a critical source of income for rural households. Many of these fish migrate not only upstream and downstream within main-channel habitats but also laterally into highly productive floodplain habitat to both feed and spawn. Most work to date has focused on providing for upstreammore » fish passage, but downstream movement is an equally important process to protect. Expansion of hydropower and irrigation weirs can disrupt downstream migrations and it is important to ensure that passage through regulators or mini hydro systems is not harmful or fatal. Many new infrastructure projects (<6 m head) are proposed for the thousands of tributary streams throughout the Lower Mekong Basin and it is important that designs incorporate the best available science to protect downstream migrants. Recent advances in technology have provided new techniques which could be applied to Mekong fish species to obtain design criteria that can facilitate safe downstream passage. Obtaining and applying this knowledge to new infrastructure projects is essential in order to produce outcomes that are more favorable to local ecosystems and fisheries.« less

Neotectonic effects on sinuosity and channel migration, Belle Fourche River, Western South Dakota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gomez, Basil; Marron, Donna C.

1991-01-01

Short-term instability in the behaviour of a small, meandering alluvial channel is identified from the relation between sinuosity and either floodplain slope or channel slope within 17 reaches along an 81-kilometre section of the Belle Fourche River in western South Dakota. In reaches 1 to 4 and 11 to 17 the channel is relatively stable and sinuosity varies inversely with channel slope. In reaches 5 to 10, sinuosity is positively related to floodplain slope. Sinuosity increases markedly in reaches 5, 6, and 7 (which are immediately downstream from a discontinuity in the long profile of the floodplain) in association with an increase in floodplain slope. Immediately upstream from the discontinuity, bankfull channel depth and sinuosity decrease and the area of the floodplain reworked by meander migration between 1939 and 1981 increases, in association with a decrease in floodplain slope. Channel behaviour in reaches 5 to 10 is best explained as a consequence of neotectonic activity, as indicated by changes in elevation recorded along geodetic survey lines that cross lineaments that may delimit the eastern boundary of the Black Hills uplift. Sinuosity acts as a barometer of the effects of neotectonic activity on alluvial channels. Initial indications of channel and floodplain instability due to neotectonic activity may be derived from evidence of anomalously active channel migration, as documented from photographic or topographic sources.

Presence of Emerging Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) in River and Drinking Water near a Fluorochemical Production Plant in the Netherlands.

PubMed

Gebbink, Wouter A; van Asseldonk, Laura; van Leeuwen, Stefan P J

2017-10-03

The present study investigated the presence of legacy and emerging per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in river water collected in 2016 up- and downstream from a fluorochemical production plant, as well as in river water from control sites, in The Netherlands. Additionally, drinking water samples were collected from municipalities in the vicinity from the production plant, as well as in other regions in The Netherlands. The PFOA replacement chemical GenX was detected at all downstream river sampling sites with the highest concentration (812 ng/L) at the first sampling location downstream from the production plant, which was 13 times higher than concentrations of sum perfluoroalkylcarboxylic acids and perfluoroalkanesulfonates (∑PFCA+∑PFSA). Using high resolution mass spectrometry, 11 polyfluoroalkyl acids belonging to the C 2n H 2n F 2n O 2 , C 2n H 2n+2 F 2n SO 4 or C 2n+1 H 2n F 2n+4 SO 4 homologue series were detected, but only in downstream water samples. These emerging PFASs followed a similar distribution as GenX among the downstream sampling sites, suggesting the production plant as the source. Polyfluoroalkyl sulfonates (C 2n H 2 F 4n SO 3 ) were detected in all collected river water samples, and therefore appear to be ubiquitous contaminants in Dutch rivers. GenX was also detected in drinking water collected from 3 out of 4 municipalities in the vicinity of the production plant, with highest concentration at 11 ng/L. Drinking water containing the highest level of GenX also contained two C 2n H 2n F 2n O 2 homologues.

Presence of Emerging Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) in River and Drinking Water near a Fluorochemical Production Plant in the Netherlands

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

The present study investigated the presence of legacy and emerging per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in river water collected in 2016 up- and downstream from a fluorochemical production plant, as well as in river water from control sites, in The Netherlands. Additionally, drinking water samples were collected from municipalities in the vicinity from the production plant, as well as in other regions in The Netherlands. The PFOA replacement chemical GenX was detected at all downstream river sampling sites with the highest concentration (812 ng/L) at the first sampling location downstream from the production plant, which was 13 times higher than concentrations of sum perfluoroalkylcarboxylic acids and perfluoroalkanesulfonates (∑PFCA+∑PFSA). Using high resolution mass spectrometry, 11 polyfluoroalkyl acids belonging to the C2nH2nF2nO2, C2nH2n+2F2nSO4 or C2n+1H2nF2n+4SO4 homologue series were detected, but only in downstream water samples. These emerging PFASs followed a similar distribution as GenX among the downstream sampling sites, suggesting the production plant as the source. Polyfluoroalkyl sulfonates (C2nH2F4nSO3) were detected in all collected river water samples, and therefore appear to be ubiquitous contaminants in Dutch rivers. GenX was also detected in drinking water collected from 3 out of 4 municipalities in the vicinity of the production plant, with highest concentration at 11 ng/L. Drinking water containing the highest level of GenX also contained two C2nH2nF2nO2 homologues. PMID:28853567

Shifts of environmental and phytoplankton variables in a regulated river: A spatial-driven analysis.

PubMed

Sabater-Liesa, Laia; Ginebreda, Antoni; Barceló, Damià

2018-06-18

The longitudinal structure of the environmental and phytoplankton variables was investigated in the Ebro River (NE Spain), which is heavily affected by water abstraction and regulation. A first exploration indicated that the phytoplankton community did not resist the impact of reservoirs and barely recovered downstream of them. The spatial analysis showed that the responses of the phytoplankton and environmental variables were not uniform. The two set of variables revealed spatial variability discontinuities and river fragmentation upstream and downstream from the reservoirs. Reservoirs caused the replacement of spatially heterogeneous habitats by homogeneous spatially distributed water bodies, these new environmental conditions downstream benefiting the opportunist and cosmopolitan algal taxa. The application of a spatial auto-regression model to algal biomass (chlorophyll-a) permitted to capture the relevance and contribution of extra-local influences in the river ecosystem. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Controls on the abruptness of gravel-sand transitions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venditti, J. G.; Church, M. A.; Lamb, M. P.; Domarad, N.; Rennie, C. D.

2014-12-01

As gravel-bedded rivers fine downstream, they characteristically exhibit an abrupt transition from gravel- to sand-bed. This is the only abrupt transition in grain-size that occurs in the fluvial system and has attracted considerable attention. A number of competing theories have been proposed to account for the abruptness of the transition, including base-level control, attrition of ~10mm gravel to produce sand, and sediment sorting processes. The prevailing theory for the emergence of abrupt transitions is size selective sorting of bimodal sediment wherein gravel deposits due to downstream declining shear stress, fining the bedload until a sand-bed emerges. We explored this hypothesis by examining grain-size, shear stress, gravel mobility and sand suspension thresholds through the gravel-sand transition (GST) of the Fraser River, British Columbia. The Fraser GST is an arrested gravel wedge with patches of gravel downstream of the wedge forming a diffuse extension. There is an abrupt change in bed slope through the transition that leads to an abrupt change in shear stress. The GST, bed-slope change and backwater caused by the ocean are all coincident spatially, which enhances the sharpness of the GST. Interestingly, the bimodal reach of the river occurs downstream of the GST and exhibits no downstream gradients in shear stress, suspended sediment flux, gravel mobility or sand suspension thresholds. This calls into question the prevailing theory for the emergence of an abrupt GST by size selective sorting. We provide evidence, both empirical and theoretical, that suggests the emergence of an abrupt GST is caused by rapid deposition of sand when fine gravel deposits. We argue that the emergence of gravel-sand transitions is a consequence of gravel-bedded rivers adopting a steeper slope than sand-bedded rivers. The abruptness arises because the bed slope required to convey the gravel load fixes the distal location of a terminal gravel wedge, and once the river has lost the capacity to carry the gravel mixture, the river adopts the lower slope required to pass the sand load. Progressive downstream fining of a gravel-sand mixture is not a necessary condition for the emergence of a gravel-sand transition.

Impact of hydrological alterations on river-groundwater exchange and water quality in a semi-arid area: Nueces River, Texas.

PubMed

Murgulet, Dorina; Murgulet, Valeriu; Spalt, Nicholas; Douglas, Audrey; Hay, Richard G

2016-12-01

There is a lack of understanding and methods for assessing the effects of anthropogenic disruptions, (i.e. river fragmentation due to dam construction) on the extent and degree of groundwater-surface water interaction and geochemical processes affecting the quality of water in semi-arid, coastal catchments. This study applied a novel combination of electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and elemental and isotope geochemistry in a coastal river disturbed by extended drought and periodic flooding due to the operation of multiple dams. Geochemical analyses show that the saltwater barrier causes an increase in salinity in surface water in the downstream river as a result of limited freshwater inflows, strong evaporation effects on shallow groundwater and mostly stagnant river water, and is not due to saltwater intrusion by tidal flooding. Discharge from bank storage is dominant (~84%) in the downstream fragment and its contribution could increase salinity levels within the hyporheic zone and surface water. When surface water levels go up due to upstream freshwater releases the river temporarily displaces high salinity water trapped in the hyporheic zone to the underlying aquifer. Geochemical modeling shows a higher contribution of distant and deeper groundwater (~40%) in the upstream river and lower discharge from bank storage (~13%) through the hyporheic zone. Recharge from bank storage is a source of high salt to both upstream and downstream portions of the river but its contribution is higher below the dam. Continuous ERT imaging of the river bed complements geochemistry findings and indicate that while lithologically similar, downstream of the dam, the shallow aquifer is affected by salinization while fresher water saturates the aquifer in the upstream fragment. The relative contribution of flows (i.e. surface water releases or groundwater discharge) as related to the river fragmentation control changes of streamwater chemistry and likely impact the interpretation of seasonal trends. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tidal Influence on Water Quality of Kapuas Kecil River Downstream

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Purnaini, Rizki; Sudarmadji; Purwono, Suryo

2018-02-01

The Kapuas Kecil River is strongly influenced by tidal, in the dry season the intrusion of surface water is often a problem for the WTP because it causes the change of raw water quality to be processed. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of sea tides on water quality of the Kapuas Kecil River. The study was conducted in Kapuas River downstream along ± 30 km from the upper boundary to the estuary. Water sampling is carried out during the dry and rainy season, when the tidal conditions at 7 (seven) locations of the monitoring station. Descriptive analysis methods and regression-correlation statistics are used to determine the effect of tides on water quality in Kapuas River downstream. In general, the water quality of the Kapuas Kecil River has exceeded the criteria of first class water quality, ie water that can be used for drinking water. The status of water quality of the Kapuas Kecil River based on the pollution index calculation shows the condition of the river is "mild to medium pollutants". The result of multiple linear regression analysis got the value of coefficient of determination (adjusted R square) = 0,760, which in whole show that independent variable (tidal and distance) influence to dependent variable (value of TDS) equal to 76%.

Status and trends of the rainbow trout population in the Lees Ferry reach of the Colorado River downstream from Glen Canyon Dam, Arizona, 1991–2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Makinster, Andrew S.; Persons, William R.; Avery, Luke A.

2011-01-01

The Lees Ferry reach of the Colorado River, a 25-kilometer segment of river located immediately downstream from Glen Canyon Dam, has contained a nonnative rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) sport fishery since it was first stocked in 1964. The fishery has evolved over time in response to changes in dam operations and fish management. Long-term monitoring of the rainbow trout population downstream of Glen Canyon Dam is an essential component of the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program. A standardized sampling design was implemented in 1991 and has changed several times in response to independent, external scientific-review recommendations and budget constraints. Population metrics (catch per unit effort, proportional stock density, and relative condition) were estimated from 1991 to 2009 by combining data collected at fixed sampling sites during this time period and at random sampling sites from 2002 to 2009. The validity of combining population metrics for data collected at fixed and random sites was confirmed by a one-way analysis of variance by fish-length class size. Analysis of the rainbow trout population metrics from 1991 to 2009 showed that the abundance of rainbow trout increased from 1991 to 1997, following implementation of a more steady flow regime, but declined from about 2000 to 2007. Abundance in 2008 and 2009 was high compared to previous years, which was likely the result of increased early survival caused by improved habitat conditions following the 2008 high-flow experiment at Glen Canyon Dam. Proportional stock density declined between 1991 and 2006, reflecting increased natural reproduction and large numbers of small fish in samples. Since 2001, the proportional stock density has been relatively stable. Relative condition varied with size class of rainbow trout but has been relatively stable since 1991 for fish smaller than 152 millimeters (mm), except for a substantial decrease in 2009. Relative condition was more variable for larger size classes, and substantial decreases were observed for the 152-304-mm size class in 2009 and 305-405-mm size class in 2008 that persisted into 2009.

National Program for Inspection of Non-Federal Dams. Goodall-Sanford Dam (ME-00185), Mousam River Basin, Sanford, Maine. Phase I Inspection Report.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-06-01

CONCRETE FACE (1//8 SILL 280 WATE DOWNSTREAM CHANNEL L275 BEDROCK SECTION B L #MA?~ki. ’ROGNAM CISPECTON OF PeON r 9 9 MOUSAM RIVER MAINE .- 20799 - 19...0DOWNSTREAM * CHANNEL -*.:’. BEDROCK27 SECTION C WOOLiA4 PROGAM OF looSPEC-OmN o moF.ol4’C~~a6 GOODALL DAM X - SECTION MOUSAM RIVER MAINE 20799 -19. S

Floods in south-central Oklahoma and north-central Texas, October 1981

USGS Publications Warehouse

Buckner, Harold D.; Kurklin, Joanne K.

1984-01-01

Substantial reductions in peak stages and discharges on the West Fork Trinity River downstream from Eagle Mountain Reservoir were attained as a result of reservoir storage. All floodwater on the Elm Fork Trinity River was contained by reservoir storage thus preventing a potentially devastating flood downstream on the Trinity River. Maximum stages and discharges and/or contents were recorded during and after this major flood at 83 gaging stations, crest-stage stations, reservoir stations, and a miscellaneous site.

Introduced American Bullfrog distribution and diets in Grand Teton National Park

USGS Publications Warehouse

Flynn, Lauren M; Kreofsky, Tess Marie; Sepulveda, Adam

2017-01-01

Introduced American Bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus) have been present in Grand Teton National Park since approximately the 1950s, but little is known about their distribution and potential impacts. In this study, we surveyed the current bullfrog distribution and spatial overlap with sympatric native amphibians in the park, and characterized post-metamorphic bullfrog diets from July – September 2015. Despite surveys in multiple large rivers and floodplain habitats, we only documented bullfrogs in a geothermal pond and 5 km of stream channel immediately downstream of this pond. In these waters, bullfrogs overlapped with native amphibians at the downstream end of their distribution, and we did not document native amphibians in bullfrog stomach contents. Larger bullfrogs (SVL ≥ 96 mm) primarily consumed native rodents (especially meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus), while smaller bullfrogs frequently consumed native invertebrates and less frequently consumed non-native invertebrates and fish. Taken together, these data indicate that the distribution and implications of the bullfrog invasion in Grand Teton National Park are currently localized to a small area, so these bullfrogs should therefore be vulnerable to eradication.

75 FR 5342 - Notice of Filing of Plats of Survey; Montana

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-02

... 27, the adjusted original meanders of the former left bank of the Missouri River, downstream, through... of the Missouri River, downstream, through sections 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27, the limits of erosion in section 16, the left bank and informative traverse of the left bank of an abandoned channel of...

76 FR 37372 - Notice of Filing of Plats of Survey; Montana

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-27

... Missouri River, downstream, through sections 4, 5, 7, and 8, the subdivision of sections 5, 7, and 8, and the survey of the meanders of the present left bank of the Missouri River and informative traverse, downstream, through sections 4, 5, 7, and 8, the limits of erosion, through a portion of sections 7 and 8...

Sediment size of surface floodplain sediments along a large lowland river

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swanson, K. M.; Day, G.; Dietrich, W. E.

2007-12-01

Data on size distribution of surface sediment across a floodplain should place important constraints of modeling of floodplain deposition. Diffusive or advective models would predict that, generally, grain size should decrease away from channel banks. Variations in grain size downstream along floodplains may depend on downstream fining of river bed material, exchange rate with river banks and net deposition onto the floodplain. Here we report detailed grain size analyses taken from 17 floodplain transects along 450 km (along channel distance) reach of the middle Fly River, Papua New Guinea. Field studies have documented a systematic change in floodplain characteristics downstream from forested, more topographically elevated and topography bounded by an actively shifting mainstem channel to a downstream swamp grass, low elevation topography along which the river meanders are currently stagnant. Frequency and duration of flooding increase downstream. Flooding occurs both by overbank flows and by injections of floodwaters up tributary and tie channels connected to the mainstem. Previous studies show that about 40% of the total discharge of water passes across the floodplain, and, correspondingly, about 40% of the total load is deposited on the plain - decreasing exponentially from channel bank. We find that floodplain sediment is most sandy at the channel bank. Grain size rapidly declines away from the bank, but surprisingly two trends were also observed. A relatively short distance from the bank the surface material is finest, but with further distance from the bank (out to greater than 1 km from the 250 m wide channel) clay content decreases and silt content increases. The changes are small but repeated at most of the transects. The second trend is that bank material fines downstream, corresponding to a downstream finding bed material, but once away from the bank, there is a weak tendency for a given distance away from the bank the floodplain surface deposits to slightly coarsen downstream. We also find that sand is present (about 4%) in these surface sediments out to 1 km from the channel bank. These trends are not consistent with simple lateral transport models, and other factors, including effects of flocculation, local flow patterns, and possibly dry season wind effects may matter.

Numerical Simulation of Missouri River Bed Evolution Downstream of Gavins Point Dam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sulaiman, Z. A.; Blum, M. D.; Lephart, G.; Viparelli, E.

2016-12-01

The Missouri River originates in the Rocky Mountains in western Montana and joins the Mississippi River near Saint Louis, Missouri. In the 1900s dam construction and river engineering works, such as river alignment, narrowing and bank protections were performed in the Missouri River basin to control the flood flows, ensure navigation and use the water for agricultural, industrial and municipal needs, for the production of hydroelectric power generation and for recreation. These projects altered the flow and the sediment transport regimes in the river and the exchange of sediment between the river and the adjoining floodplain. Here we focus on the long term effect of dam construction and channel narrowing on the 1200 km long reach of the Missouri River between Gavins Point Dam, Nebraska and South Dakota, and the confluence with the Mississippi River. Field observations show that two downstream migrating waves of channel bed degradation formed in this reach in response to the changes in flow regime, sediment load and channel geometry. We implemented a one dimensional morphodynamic model for large, low slope sand bed rivers, we validated the model at field scale by comparing the numerical results with the available field data and we use the model to 1) predict the magnitude and the migration rate of the waves of degradation at engineering time scales ( 150 years into the future), 2) quantify the changes in the sand load delivered to the Mississippi River, where field observations at Thebes, i.e. downstream of Saint Louis, suggest a decline in the mean annual sand load in the past 50 years, and 3) identify the role of the main tributaries - Little Sioux River, Platte River and Kansas River - on the wave migration speed and the annual sand load in the Missouri River main channel.

A drifter for measuring water turbidity in rivers and coastal oceans.

PubMed

Marchant, Ross; Reading, Dean; Ridd, James; Campbell, Sean; Ridd, Peter

2015-02-15

A disposable instrument for measuring water turbidity in rivers and coastal oceans is described. It transmits turbidity measurements and position data via a satellite uplink to a processing server. The primary purpose of the instrument is to help document changes in sediment runoff from river catchments in North Queensland, Australia. The 'river drifter' is released into a flooded river and drifts downstream to the ocean, measuring turbidity at regular intervals. Deployment in the Herbert River showed a downstream increase in turbidity, and thus suspended sediment concentration, while for the Johnstone River there was a rapid reduction in turbidity where the river entered the sea. Potential stranding along river banks is a limitation of the instrument. However, it has proved possible for drifters to routinely collect data along 80 km of the Herbert River. One drifter deployed in the Fly River, Papua New Guinea, travelled almost 200 km before stranding. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ecological requirements for pallid sturgeon reproduction and recruitment in the Missouri River: annual report 2011

USGS Publications Warehouse

DeLonay, Aaron J.; Jacobson, Robert B.; Chojnacki, Kimberly A.; Annis, Mandy L.; Braaten, P. J.; Elliott, Caroline M.; Fuller, D. B.; Haas, Justin D.; Haddix, Tyler M.; Ladd, Hallie L.A.; McElroy, Brandon J.; Mestl, Gerald E.; Papoulias, Diana M.; Rhoten, Jason C.; Wildhaber, Mark L.

2014-01-01

The Comprehensive Sturgeon Research Project is a multiyear, multiagency collaborative research framework developed to provide information to support pallid sturgeon recovery and Missouri River management decisions. The project strategy integrates field and laboratory studies of sturgeon reproductive ecology, early life history, habitat requirements, and physiology. The project scope of work is developed annually with cooperating research partners and in collaboration with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Missouri River Recovery—Integrated Science Program. The research consists of several interdependent and complementary tasks that engage multiple disciplines. The research tasks in the 2011 scope of work emphasized understanding of reproductive migrations and spawning of adult sturgeon, and hatch and drift of larvae. These tasks were addressed in three hydrologically and geomorphologically distinct parts of the Missouri River Basin: the Lower Missouri River downstream from Gavins Point Dam, the Upper Missouri River downstream from Fort Peck Dam and including downstream reaches of the Milk River, and the Lower Yellowstone River. The research is designed to inform management decisions related to channel re-engineering, flow modification, and pallid sturgeon population augmentation on the Missouri River, and throughout the range of the species. Research and progress made through this project are reported to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers annually. This annual report details the research effort and progress made by the Comprehensive Sturgeon Research Project during 2011.

Coastal watershed management across an international border in the Tijuana River watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernandez, Linda

2005-05-01

The paper develops and applies a game theoretic model of upstream and downstream countries to examine cooperative and noncooperative strategies of a common watershed. The application to the Tijuana River watershed shared by the United States and Mexico provides quantification of the strategies for internalizing water quality externalities to upstream and downstream originating from sedimentation. Results show that different transfer payments, such as the Chander/Tulkens cost sharing rule and the Shapley value, imply the size of the existing transfer from downstream to upstream could increase the amount currently allocated.

Sediment transport and water-quality characteristics and loads, White River, northwestern Colorado, water years 1975-88

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tobin, R.L.

1993-01-01

Streamflow, sediment, and water-quality data are summarized for 6 sites on the White River, Colorado for water years 1975-88. Correlation techniques were used to estimate annual data for unmeasured years. Annual stream discharge in the main stem of the White River ranged from about 200,000 to about 1 million acre-feet. Generally, bedload was less than/= 3.3 percent of total sediment load. Annual suspended-sediment loads ranged from about 2,100 tons at the upstream sites on the North Fork and South Fork of the White River to about 2 million tons at the most downstream site. Average annual suspended-sediment loads ranged from about 11,000 tons at the upstream sites to about 705,000 tons at the most downstream site. Annual capacity losses in a 50,000 acre-ft reservoir could range from less than 0.01 percent near upstream sites to about 2.5 percent near downstream sites. Maximum water temperatures in the White River ranged from less than 20 to 25 C in summer. Specific conductance ranged from 200 to 1,000 microsiemens/cm. Generally, values of pH ranged from 7.6 to 8.8, and concentrations of dissolved oxygen were greater than 6.0 mg/L. In small streamflows, values of pH and dissolved oxygen were affected by biologic processes. Composition of dissolved solids in the White River was mostly calcium, bicarbonate, and(or) sulfate. Changes in the composition of dissolved solids caused by the changes in the concentrations of sodium and sulfate were greatest in small stream discharges. Annual loads of dissolved solids ranged from 21,100 tons in the South Fork to about 480,000 tons at the most downstream site. Total solids transport in the White River was mostly as dissolved solids at upstream sites and mostly as suspended sediment at downstream sites. Concentration ranges of nutrients and trace constituents were determined.

Method to identify wells that yield water that will be replaced by water from the Colorado River downstream from Laguna Dam in Arizona and California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Owen-Joyce, Sandra J.; Wilson, Richard P.; Carpenter, Michael C.; Fink, James B.

2000-01-01

Accounting for the use of Colorado River water is required by the U.S. Supreme Court decree, 1964, Arizona v. California. Water pumped from wells on the flood plain and from certain wells on alluvial slopes outside the flood plain is presumed to be river water and is accounted for as Colorado River water. The accounting-surface method developed for the area upstream from Laguna Dam was modified for use downstream from Laguna Dam to identify wells outside the flood plain of the lower Colorado River that yield water that will be replaced by water from the river. Use of the same method provides a uniform criterion of identification for all users pumping water from wells by determining if the static water-level elevation in the well is above or below the elevation of the accounting surface. Wells that have a static water-level elevation equal to or below the accounting surface are presumed to yield water that will be replaced by water from the Colorado River. Wells that have a static water-level elevation above the accounting surface are presumed to yield river water stored above river level. The method is based on the concept of a river aquifer and an accounting surface within the river aquifer. The river aquifer consists of permeable sediments and sedimentary rocks that are hydraulically connected to the Colorado River so that water can move between the river and the aquifer in response to withdrawal of water from the aquifer or differences in water-level elevations between the river and the aquifer. The subsurface limit of the river aquifer is the nearly impermeable bedrock of the bottom and sides of the basins that underlie the Yuma area and adjacent valleys. The accounting surface represents the elevation and slope of the unconfined static water table in the river aquifer outside the flood plain of the Colorado River that would exist if the river were the only source of water to the river aquifer. The accounting surface was generated by using water-surface profiles of the Colorado River from Laguna Dam to about the downstream limit of perennial flow at Morelos Dam. The accounting surface extends outward from the edges of the flood plain to the subsurface boundary of the river aquifer. Maps at a scale of 1:100,000 show the extent of the river aquifer and elevation of the accounting surface downstream from Laguna Dam in Arizona and California.

Tidal-Fluvial and Estuarine Processes in the Lower Columbia River: II. Water Level Models, Floodplain Wetland Inundation, and System Zones

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

Jay, David A.; Borde, Amy B.; Diefenderfer, Heida L.

Spatially varying water-level regimes are a factor controlling estuarine and tidal-fluvial wetland vegetation patterns. As described in Part I, water levels in the Lower Columbia River and estuary (LCRE) are influenced by tides, river flow, hydropower operations, and coastal processes. In Part II, regression models based on tidal theory are used to quantify the role of these processes in determining water levels in the mainstem river and floodplain wetlands, and to provide 21-year inundation hindcasts. Analyses are conducted at 19 LCRE mainstem channel stations and 23 tidally exposed floodplain wetland stations. Sum exceedance values (SEVs) are used to compare wetlandmore » hydrologic regimes at different locations on the river floodplain. A new predictive tool is introduced and validated, the potential SEV (pSEV), which can reduce the need for extensive new data collection in wetland restoration planning. Models of water levels and inundation frequency distinguish four zones encompassing eight reaches. The system zones are the wave- and current-dominated Entrance to river kilometer (rkm) 5; the Estuary (rkm-5 to 87), comprised of a lower reach with salinity, the energy minimum (where the turbidity maximum normally occurs), and an upper estuary reach without salinity; the Tidal River (rkm-87 to 229), with lower, middle, and upper reaches in which river flow becomes increasingly dominant over tides in determining water levels; and the steep and weakly tidal Cascade (rkm-229 to 234) immediately downstream from Bonneville Dam. The same zonation is seen in the water levels of floodplain stations, with considerable modification of tidal properties. The system zones and reaches defined here reflect geological features and their boundaries are congruent with five wetland vegetation zones« less

Benthic macroinvertebrate community structural and functional group response to cooling water discharge in the Savannah River and a coastal plain tributary

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

Poff, N.L.; Matthews, R.A.

1984-01-01

Benthic macroinvertebrate community structure and functional groups on leaf detritus in a thermal, post-thermal and an undisturbed stream, and in the Savannah River immediately downstream from each stream mouth, were compared over a 7 wk (48d) period from December 1982 to February 1983. Ambient temperatures n the post-thermal and undisturbed streams ranged from 4 to 8 and 4 to 11/sup 0/C, respectively, and from 7 to 12/sup 0/C in the Savannah River. Temperatures in the thermal stream fluctuated irregularly between 7 to 31/sup 0/C and in the river below this stream mouth between 7 to 22/sup 0/C. A total ofmore » 13,993 macroinvertebrates representing at least 51 families and 84 genera was collected. Numbers of organisms and taxa were depressed at the thermal stream site, whereas numbers of both organisms and taxa increased at the river site receiving thermal influence. Chironomids of the subfamily Orthocladiinae comprised 46 to 60% of the fauna at all sites except in the thermal stream, where they comprised 5%. Physa (Gastropoda), Ablabesmyia (Tanypodinae) and Tanytarsus (Chironominae) each contributed over 20% of the fauna at the thermal stream. Cheumatopsyche (Trichoptera) represented 12 to 13% of the riverine fauna at the ambient sites, but 25% at the thermally-perturbed site. Collectors (mostly gatherers) contributed 51 to 75% at all sites except the thermal stream where scrapers dominated with 39%. Filterer relative abundance increased from 16 to 19% at the ambient river sites to 29% at the thermally-perturbed river site, suggesting that suspended carbon transport from the thermal stream occurred and subsidized the macroinvertebrate community in the Savannah River. 48 references, 3 figures, 2 tables.« less

Presence of pharmaceuticals in the Lis river (Portugal): Sources, fate and seasonal variation.

PubMed

Paíga, Paula; Santos, Lúcia H M L M; Ramos, Sandra; Jorge, Sandra; Silva, Jaime Gabriel; Delerue-Matos, Cristina

2016-12-15

The occurrence of 33 pharmaceuticals and metabolites was evaluated along the Lis river and in the influents and effluents of two wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) located along the river. Results indicate that pharmaceuticals, such as ibuprofen, ketoprofen, carbamazepine and fluoxetine, and the metabolite salicylic acid are widespread along the Lis river, showing 100% of detection frequency, at levels up to 1.3μgL -1 . The number of molecules detected increased along the river, with 11 molecules in the source, 15 upstream WWTP 1, 16 downstream WWTP 1 and upstream WWTP 2 and 19 downstream WWTP 2. The highest concentrations were often found downstream near the river mouth. Different possible sources of contamination of the Lis river were identified, namely WWTP effluents, untreated wastewaters and livestock production. Nevertheless, the discharge of WWTP effluents appeared to be the most pronounced, given that, in general, it was noticed an increase in the concentration of pharmaceuticals downstream of the WWTPs. WWTP effluents contributed with a total mass load of pharmaceuticals into the Lis river between 470 and 2317mg/d/1000 inhabitants. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs/analgesics were the therapeutic group with a high contribution to the total mass load of pharmaceuticals entering the Lis river, followed by psychiatric drugs and antibiotics. No seasonal variation was observed for the detected concentrations of pharmaceuticals. At the levels detected in the Lis river, sulfamethoxazole, clarithromycin, azithromycin and ibuprofen showed to have potential risk for aquatic organisms. These findings show that further studies embracing different environmental compartments (water, sediment and biota) are needed, in order to evaluate the partition/distribution of pharmaceuticals, their metabolites and transformation products in the environment as well as to predict their possible impact to non-target organisms and, in a last instance, to human health. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sediment Transport Over Run-of-River Dams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Brien, M.; Magilligan, F. J.; Renshaw, C. E.

2016-12-01

Dams have numerous documented effects that can degrade river habitat downstream. One significant effect of large dams is their ability to trap sediment delivered from upstream. This trapping can alter sediment transport and grain size downstream - effects that often motivate dam removal decisions. However, recent indirect observations and modeling studies indicate that small, run-of-river (ROR) dams, which do not impede discharge, may actually leak sediment downstream. However, there are no direct measurements of sediment flux over ROR dams. This study investigates flow and sediment transport over four to six different New England ROR dams over a summer-fall field season. Sediment flux was measured using turbidity meters and tracer (RFID) cobbles. Sediment transport was also monitored through an undammed control site and through a river where two ROR dams were recently removed. These data were used to predict the conditions that contribute to sediment transport and trapping. Year 1 data show that tracer rocks of up to 61 mm were transported over a 3 m ROR dam in peak flows of 84% of bankfull stage. These tracer rocks were transported over and 10 m beyond the dam and continue to move downstream. During the same event, comparable suspended sediment fluxes of up to 81 g/s were recorded both upstream and downstream of the dam at near-synchronous timestamps. These results demonstrate the potential for sediment transport through dammed rivers, even in discharge events that do not exceed bankfull. This research elucidates the effects of ROR dams and the controls on sediment transport and trapping, contributions that may aid in dam management decisions.

Influence of Cougar Reservoir Drawdown on Sediment and DDT Transport and Deposition in the McKenzie River Basin, Oregon, Water Years 2002-04

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anderson, Chauncey W.

2007-01-01

Construction of a selective withdrawal tower at Cougar Reservoir in the South Fork McKenzie River, Oregon, during 2002-05 resulted in a prolonged release of sediment and high-turbidity water to downstream reaches throughout the summer of 2002, with additional episodic releases during storms in the following winters. Suspended-sediment concentrations and loads at five continuously monitored turbidity and discharge gaging stations were estimated using regression methods. Deposition in salmonid spawning beds was measured using infiltration bags. Stations were located upstream and downstream of Cougar Reservoir in the South Fork McKenzie River, in the mainstem of the McKenzie River upstream of the South Fork and downstream of Blue River, and in Blue River downstream of Blue River Reservoir. During 2002, Cougar Reservoir released approximately 17,000 tons of suspended sediment into the South Fork McKenzie River, or more than twice the incoming load from the South Fork upstream of the reservoir. In 2003 and 2004, the release of sediment from Cougar Reservoir decreased to 10,900 and 4,100 tons, respectively. Although Cougar Reservoir likely was a substantial source of sediment to the lower reaches during water years 2002 and 2003, the lack of continuous turbidity monitoring at stations other than the South Fork McKenzie River prior to January 2003 prevents quantification of the actual contribution to the mainstem. During water year 2004, the only year with complete records at all sites, Cougar Reservoir released about 24 percent (4,100 tons) of the sediment load estimated on the mainstem near Vida (16,900 tons); however, the relative contribution of Cougar Reservoir is expected to have been substantially larger during 2002 and 2003 when the newly exposed river channel in the upper reaches of the reservoir was actively eroding and migrating. Deposition of fine (less than 0.063-millimeter diameter) sediment into spawning beds, measured with the use of deployed infiltration bags, was greatest downstream of Cougar and Blue River Reservoirs (1.0 and 1.2 percent of total sediments, respectively). Deposition was least in the high-energy, unregulated environments (about 0.25 percent) of the South Fork McKenzie River above Cougar Reservoir and in the mainstem above the South Fork, and intermediate near Vida, the most downstream site on the mainstem. DDT, applied throughout much of the upper McKenzie River drainage basin to control spruce budworm during the 1950s, was detected in the South Fork near Rainbow in the form of its metabolites DDD and DDE in fine sediment captured in the infiltration bags. DDE also was detected in infiltration bags deployed in the McKenzie River near Vida, downstream of the South Fork. All concentrations of DDD and DDE were less than the aquatic-life criterion for bed sediment. DDT species were not detected in water samples, including samples collected during large storms. The reservoir apparently acted as a trap for sediment and DDT throughout the course of its existence, facilitating degradation of the trapped DDT, and may have been a source for both during the construction period in 2002-05, but the lack of detections during storms indicates that DDT transport was small. Transport of detectable amounts of DDT likely was limited to periods of high suspended-sediment concentrations (greater than 75-100 milligrams per liter). Infiltration bags were deployed during August 2003-July 2004 and were a useful device for measuring fine-sediment deposition and for chemical analysis of the deposited material. Deposition of fine-grained sediment downstream of the flood-control dams may be reduced if bed-moving events can be periodically reintroduced to those reaches.

Downstream on the Mississippi.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parfit, Michael

1993-01-01

Recounts a trip down the Lower Mississippi River starting in Memphis, describing the features of the river at different stops along the way. Aspects of life along the river discussed include the levee system built to contain the waters, flooding on the river, and travel on the river. (MDH)

Time-of-travel and dispersion studies, Lehigh River, Francis E. Walter Lake to Easton, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kauffman, C.D.

1983-01-01

Results of time-of-travel and dispersion studies are presented for the 77.0 mile reach of the Lehigh River from Francis E. Walter Lake to Easton, Pennsylvania. Rhodamine WT dye was injected at several points for a variety of several common flow conditions and its downstream travel was monitored at a number of downstream points by means of a fluorometer. Time-of-travel data have been related to stream discharge, distance along the river channel and dispersion. If 2.205 pounds of a conservative water soluble contaminant were accidentally spilled into the Lehigh River at Penn Haven Junction at Black Creek 6.09 miles downstream from Rockport, Pennsylvania, when the discharge at Walnutport, Pennsylvania, was 600 cubic feet per second, the leading edge, peak, and trailing edge of the contaminant would arrive 31.6 miles downstream at the Northhampton, Pennsylvania, water intakes 45, 54, and 66 hours later, respectively. The maximum concentration expected at the intakes would be about 1.450 micrograms per liter. From data and relations presented, time-of-travel and maximum concentration estimates can be made for any two points within the reach. (USGS)

Simulation of stream discharge and transport of nitrate and selected herbicides in the Mississippi River Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Broshears, R.E.; Clark, G.M.; Jobson, H.E.

2001-01-01

Stream discharge and the transport of nitrate, atrazine, and metolachlor in the Mississippi River Basin were simulated using the DAFLOW/BLTM hydrologic model. The simulated domain for stream discharge included river reaches downstream from the following stations in the National Stream Quality Accounting Network: Mississippi River at Clinton, IA; Missouri River at Hermann, MO: Ohio River at Grand Chain, IL: And Arkansas River at Little Rock, AR. Coefficients of hydraulic geometry were calibrated using data from water year 1996; the model was validated by favourable simulation of observed discharges in water years 1992-1994. The transport of nitrate, atrazine, and metolachlor was simulated downstream from the Mississippi River at Thebes, IL, and the Ohio River at Grand Chain. Simulated concentrations compared favourably with observed concentrations at Baton Rouge, LA. Development of this model is a preliminary step in gaining a more quantitative understanding of the sources and fate of nutrients and pesticides delivered from the Mississippi River Basin to the Gulf of Mexico.

Tritium as tracer of groundwater pollution extension: case study of Andralanitra landfill site, Antananarivo-Madagascar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramaroson, Voahirana; Rakotomalala, Christian Ulrich; Rajaobelison, Joel; Fareze, Lahimamy Paul; Razafitsalama, Falintsoa A.; Rasolofonirina, Mamiseheno

2018-05-01

This study aims to understand the extension of groundwater pollution downstream of a landfill, Andralanitra-Antananarivo-Madagascar. Twenty-one samples, composed of dug well waters, spring waters, river, and lake, were measured in stable isotopes ( δ 2H, δ 18O) and tritium. Results showed that only two dug well waters, collected at the immediate vicinity of the landfill, have high tritium activities (22.82 TU and 10.43 TU), probably of artificial origin. Both upstream and further downstream of the landfill, tritium activities represent natural source, with values varying from 0.17 TU to 1.46 TU upstream and from 0.88 TU to 1.88 TU further downstream. Stable isotope data suggest that recharge occurs through infiltration of slightly evaporated rainfall. Using the radioactive decay equation, the calculated tracer ages related to two recent ground water samples collected down gradient of the landfill lay between [8-15] years and [4-7] years, taking into account the uncertainty of tritium measurements. For the calculation, a value of 2.36 TU was taken as A o. The latter was estimated based on similarity between stable isotope compositions of nearby spring and dug well waters as well as tritium activities of the local precipitation. Calculation of the tritium activities from the contaminated water point having 22.82 TU to further downstream using the calculated tracer ages showed values of one order of magnitude higher than the measured values. The absence of hydrological connection from the contaminated water point to further downstream the landfill would explain the lower tritium activities measured. Groundwater pollution seems to be limited to the closest proximity of the landfill.

Patterns of larval sucker emigration from the Sprague and lower Williamson Rivers of the Upper Klamath Basin, Oregon, after the removal of Chiloquin Dam - 2009-10 Annual Report

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ellsworth, Craig M.; Martin, Barbara A.

2012-01-01

Data presented in this report is a continuation of a research project that began in 2004. Larval drift parameters measured in 2009 and 2010 were similar to those measured from 2004 to 2008. Most larvae and eggs were collected at the two drift sites downstream of the former Chiloquin Dam (river kilometer 0.7 on the Sprague River and river kilometer 7.4 on the Williamson River). Mean and peak sample densities increased with proximity to Upper Klamath Lake. Peak larval densities continued to be collected between 1 and 3 hours after sunset at Chiloquin, which is the drift site nearest a known spawning area. Catch distribution of larvae and eggs in the lower Sprague and Williamson Rivers suggests that most SNS and LRS spawning continues to occur downstream of the site of the former Chiloquin Dam. The sizes and growth stages indicate that larval emigration from spawning areas resulting from drift occurs within a few days after swim-up. Larval suckers appear to move downstream quickly until they reach suitable rearing habitat.

Sediment Transport at River Lima Estuary: Developing a Sound Methodology to Assess Sediment River Basin Input to an Erosion Prone Coast (NW Iberian Peninsula)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinho, J.; Costa, N.; Venâncio, S.; Martins, M.; Vieira, J.; Granja, H.

2016-12-01

The NW coast of Iberian Peninsula is mainly formed by rocky cliffs northern of the river Minho mouth and by narrow sandy beaches south of this river. These beaches are mainly in a sedimentary deficit status resulting from the north-south longitudinal drift driven by the dominant wave climate that acts from the NW direction. In this scenario understand and quantify river sediment inputs to the coast is crucial in order to follow a sustainable management policy to mitigate erosion impacts both in the natural and social environments. This work will present results from research conducted at rive Lima Estuary, one of the rivers flowing to the NW Iberian coast, based on both numerical modeling and field data acquisition. A hydrological model of the river basin and a detailed morphodynamic model of the estuary were implemented. Instrumentation of the estuary that is being conducted comprises traditional sensor pressures and new ones that are being designed and assembled to be installed at different measurement stations within the estuary. Modelling results for flood events showed that the river is capable of remove all the sediments that are deposited in the narrow estuarine canal located near the river mouth. Some of these sediments are immediately deposited downstream, within the interior of the harbor. Here, there is a strong possibility of silting of the river mouth and the central area of the harbor. Since the river flows during extreme events are controlled by an upstream reservoir, the capacity of the river to transport sediments to the coast was lowered during the last decades, which, moreover, requires dredging works over the years to maintain navigation depth requirements. Dredging sediments should be correctly deposited at the coast in order to properly feed the longitudinal drift, otherwise they will be out of the system, which aggravate the installed erosion tendency.

Physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the Boise River from Veterans Memorial Parkway, Boise to Star, Idaho, October 1987 to March 1988

USGS Publications Warehouse

Frenzel, S.A.

1988-01-01

Physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the Boise River were examined from October 1987 to March 1988 to determine whether trace elements in effluents from two Boise wastewater treatment facilities were detrimental to aquatic communities. Cadmium, chromium, hexavalent chromium, cyanide, lead, nickel, and silver concentrations in the Boise River were less than or near analytical detection levels and were less than chronic toxicity criteria when detectable. Arsenic, copper, and zinc were detected in concentrations less than chronic toxicity criteria. Concentrations of trace elements in bottom material generally were small and could not be attributed to effluents from wastewater treatment facilities. From October to December 1987, mean density of benthic invertebrates colonizing artificial substrates was from 6,100 individuals/substrate downstream from the West Boise wastewater treatment facility to 14,000 individuals per substrate downstream from the Lander Street wastewater treatment facility. From January to March 1988 , mean density of benthic invertebrates colonizing artificial substrates was from 7,100 individuals per substrate downstream from the West Boise facility to 10,000 individuals per substrate near Star. Insect communities upstream and downstream from the wastewater treatment facilities were strongly associated, and coeffients of community loss indicated that effluents had benign enriching effects. Distribution of mayflies indicates that trace-element concentrations in effluents did not adversely affect intolerant organisms in the Boise River. Condition factor of whitefish was significantly increased downstream from the Lander Street wastewater treatment facility and was significantly decreased downstream from the West Boise wastewater treatment facility.

Time of travel and dispersion of solutes in a 36.4-mile reach of the North Platte River downstream from Casper, Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Armentrout, G.W.; Larson, L.R.

1984-01-01

Time-of-travel and dispersion measurements made during a dye study November 7-8, 1978, are presented for a reach of the North Platte River from Casper, Wyo., to a bridge 2 miles downstream from below the Dave Johnston Power Plant. Rhodamine WT dye was injected into the river at Casper, and the resultant dye cloud was traced by sampling as it moved downstream. Samples were taken in three equal-flow sections of the river 's lateral transect at three sites, then analyzed in a fluorometer. The flow in the river was 940 cubic feet per second. The data consist of measured stream mileages and time, distance, and concentration graphs of the dye cloud. The peak concentration traveled through the reach in 24 hours, averaging 1.5 miles per hour; the leading edge took about 22 hours, averaging 1.7 miles per hour; and the trailing edge took 35 hours, averaging 1.0 mile per hour. Data from this study were compared with methods for estimating time of travel for a range of stream discharges.

Effects of wastewater effluent discharge and treatment facility upgrades on environmental and biological conditions of the upper Blue River, Johnson County, Kansas and Jackson County, Missouri, January 2003 through March 2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Graham, Jennifer L.; Stone, Mandy L.; Rasmussen, Teresa J.; Poulton, Barry C.

2010-01-01

The Johnson County Blue River Main Wastewater Treatment Facility discharges into the upper Blue River near the border between Johnson County, Kansas and Jackson County, Missouri. During 2005 through 2007 the wastewater treatment facility underwent upgrades to increase capacity and include biological nutrient removal. The effects of wastewater effluent on environmental and biological conditions of the upper Blue River were assessed by comparing an upstream site to two sites located downstream from the wastewater treatment facility. Environmental conditions were evaluated using previously and newly collected discrete and continuous data, and were compared with an assessment of biological community composition and ecosystem function along the upstream-downstream gradient. This evaluation is useful for understanding the potential effects of wastewater effluent on water quality, biological community structure, and ecosystem function. In addition, this information can be used to help achieve National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) wastewater effluent permit requirements after additional studies are conducted. The effects of wastewater effluent on the water-quality conditions of the upper Blue River were most evident during below-normal and normal streamflows (about 75 percent of the time), when wastewater effluent contributed more than 20 percent to total streamflow. The largest difference in water-quality conditions between the upstream and downstream sites was in nutrient concentrations. Total and inorganic nutrient concentrations at the downstream sites during below-normal and normal streamflows were 4 to 15 times larger than at the upstream site, even after upgrades to the wastewater treatment facility were completed. However, total nitrogen concentrations decreased in wastewater effluent and at the downstream site following wastewater treatment facility upgrades. Similar decreases in total phosphorus were not observed, likely because the biological phosphorus removal process was not optimized until after the study was completed. Total nitrogen and phosphorus from the wastewater treatment facility contributed a relatively small percentage (14 to 15 percent) to the annual nutrient load in the upper Blue River, but contributed substantially (as much as 75 percent) to monthly loads during seasonal low-flows in winter and summer. During 2007 and 2008, annual discharge from the wastewater treatment facility was about one-half maximum capacity, and estimated potential maximum annual loads were 1.6 to 2.4 times greater than annual loads before capacity upgrades. Even when target nutrient concentrations are met, annual nutrient loads will increase when the wastewater treatment facility is operated at full capacity. Regardless of changes in annual nutrient loads, the reduction of nutrient concentrations in the Blue River Main wastewater effluent will help prevent further degradation of the upper Blue River. The Blue River Main Wastewater Treatment Facility wastewater effluent caused changes in concentrations of several water-quality constituents that may affect biological community structure and function including larger concentrations of bioavailable nutrients (nitrate and orthophosphorus) and smaller turbidities. Streambed-sediment conditions were similar along the upstream-downstream gradient and measured constituents did not exceed probable effect concentrations. Habitat conditions declined along the upstream-downstream gradient, largely because of decreased canopy cover and riparian buffer width and increased riffle-substrate fouling. Algal biomass, primary production, and the abundance of nutrient-tolerant diatoms substantially increased downstream from the wastewater treatment facility. Likewise, the abundance of intolerant macroinvertebrate taxa and Kansas Department of Health and Environment aquatic-life-support scores, derived from macroinvertebrate data, significantly decreased downstream from the wastewater

Migration and spawning of radio-tagged zulega Prochilodus argenteus in a dammed Brazilian river

USGS Publications Warehouse

Godinho, Alexandre L.; Kynard, B.

2006-01-01

It is difficult for agencies to evaluate the impacts of the many planned dams on Sa??o Francisco River, Brazil, migratory fishes because fish migrations are poorly known. We conducted a study on zulega Prochilodus argenteus, an important commercial and recreational fish in the Sa??o Francisco River, to identify migrations and spawning areas and to determine linear home range. During two spawning seasons (2001-2003), we radio-tagged fish in three main-stem reaches downstream of Tre??s Marias Dam (TMD), located at river kilometer (rkm) 2,109. We tagged 10 fish at Tre??s Marias (TM), which is 5 km downstream of TMD; 12 fish at Pontal, which is 28 km downstream of TMD and which includes the mouth of the Abaete?? River, and 10 fish at Cilga, which is 45 km downstream of TMD. Late-stage (ripe) adults tagged in each area during the spawning season remained at or near the tagging site, except for four Cilga fish that went to Pontal and probably spawned. The Pontal area at the Abaete?? River mouth was the most important spawning site we found. Prespawning fish moved back and forth between main-stem staging areas upstream of the Abaete?? River mouth and Pontal for short visits. These multiple visits were probably needed as ripe fish waited for spawning cues from a flooding Abaete?? River. Some fish homed to prespaw ning staging areas, spawning areas, and nonspawning areas. The migratory style of zulega was dualistic, with resident and migratory fish. Total linear home range was also dualistic, with small (<26-km) and large (53-127-km) ranges. The locations of spawning areas and home ranges suggest that the Pontal group (which includes Cilga fish) is one population that occupies about 110 km. The Pontal population overlaps a short distance with a population located downstream of Cilga. Movements of late-stage TM adults suggest that the TM group is a separate population, possibly with connections to populations upstream of TMD. ?? Copyright by the American Fisheries Society 2006.

Mercury biogeochemistry in the Idrija River, Slovenia, from above the mine into the Gulf of Trieste

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hines, M.E.; Horvat, M.; Faganeli, J.; Bonzongo, J.-C.J.; Barkay, T.; Major, E.B.; Scott, K.J.; Bailey, E.A.; Warwick, J.J.; Lyons, W.B.

2000-01-01

The Idrija Mine is the second largest Hg mine in the world which operated for 500 years. Mercury (Hg)-laden tailings still line the banks, and the system is a threat to the Idrija River and water bodies downstream including the Soca/Isonzo River and the Gulf of Trieste in the northern Adriatic Sea. A multidisciplinary study was conducted in June 1998 on water samples collected throughout the Idrija and Soca River systems and waters and sediments in the Gulf. Total Hg in the Idrija River increased >20-fold downstream of the mine from 60 ng liter-1 with methyl mercury (MeHg) accounting for ~0.5%. Concentrations increased again downstream and into the estuary with MeHg accounting for nearly 1.5% of the total. While bacteria upstream of the mine did not contain mercury detoxification genes (mer), such genes were detected in bacteria collected downstream. Benthic macroinvertebrate diversity decreased downstream of the mine. Gulf waters near the river mouth contained up to 65 ng liter-1 total Hg with ~0.05 ng liter-1 MeHg. Gulf sediments near the river mouth contained 40 ??g g-1 total Hg with MeHg concentrations of about 3 ng g-1. Hg in sediment pore waters varied between 1 and 8 ng liter-1, with MeHg accounting for up to 85%. Hg methylation and MeHg demethylation were active in Gulf sediments with highest activities near the surface. MeHg was degraded by an oxidative pathway with >97% C released from MeHg as CO2. Hg methylation depth profiles resembled profiles of dissolved MeHg. Hg-laden waters still strongly impact the riverine, estuarine, and marine systems. Macroinvertebrates and bacteria in the Idrija River responded to Hg stress, and high Hg levels persist into the Gulf. Increases in total Hg and MeHg in the estuary demonstrate the remobilization of Hg, presumably as HgS dissolution and recycling. Gulf sediments actively produce MeHg, which enters bottom waters and presumably the marine food chain. (C) 2000 Academic Press.

Spatial and temporal patterns in channel change on the Snake River downstream from Jackson Lake dam, Wyoming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, Nicholas C.; Erwin, Susannah O.; Schmidt, John C.

2013-10-01

Operations of Jackson Lake dam (JLD) have altered the hydrology and sediment transport capacity of the Snake River in Grand Teton National Park. Prior research has provided conflicting assessments of whether the downstream river was perturbed into sediment surplus or sediment deficit. In this paper, we present the results of an aerial photo analysis designed to evaluate whether the history of channel change indicates either significant deficit or surplus of sediment that could be expressed as narrowing or expansion of the channel over time. We analyze changes in braid index, channel width, channel activity, and net channel change of the Snake River based on four series of aerial photographs. Between 1945 and 1969, a period of relatively small main-stem floods, widespread deposition, and up to 31% reduction in channel width occurred throughout the Snake River. Between 1969 and 2002, a period of large main-stem floods, the style of channel change reversed with a decrease in braid index and an increase in channel width of up to 31%. These substantial changes in the channel downstream from the dam primarily occurred in multithread reaches, regardless of proximity to tributaries, and no temporal progression of channel narrowing or widening was observed. We demonstrate that channel change downstream from JLD is more temporally and longitudinally complex than previously described.

Reproductive ecology of Actinonaias ligamentina (Bivalvia:Unionidae) in a regulated river

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moles, K.R.; Layzer, J.B.

2008-01-01

Factors affecting the reproductive success of freshwater mussels in lotic systems are poorly understood. Gravidity, fecundity, and fertilization success of Actinonaias ligamentina were examined at 4 sites along a 63-km reach of the Green River immediately below the Green River Dam, Kentucky. No gravid females were collected at the site closest to the dam, and the percentage of gravid females at downstream sites ranged from 20 to 36%. Not all females became gravid, despite the presence of early stages of ova in the gonadal fluid. This observation suggests that female A. ligamentina undergo a resting stage and, therefore, might not become gravid every year. Fecundity differed among sites and increased with distance from the dam. Fertilization rates ranged from 32 to 97% among sites and increased with distance from the dam. Fertilization rate was independent of local mussel density and position in the mussel bed. The high fertilization rates observed in the upstream portions of mussel beds indicate that freshwater mussel sperm have the ability to travel to distant females in lotic systems. Therefore, females are not necessarily dependent upon nearby males for fertilization. Successful fertilization of A. ligamentina at low mussel densities in the Green River suggests that natural recovery of rare endangered species might be possible if host fish and suitable conditions for juvenile survival and growth are present. ?? 2008 by The North American Benthological Society.

Ecological requirements for pallid sturgeon reproduction and recruitment in the Missouri River—Annual report 2014

USGS Publications Warehouse

Delonay, Aaron J.; Chojnacki, Kimberly A.; Jacobson, Robert B.; Braaten, Patrick J.; Buhl, Kevin J.; Elliott, Caroline M.; Erwin, Susannah O.; Faulkner, Jacob D.A.; Candrl, James S.; Fuller, David B.; Backes, Kenneth M.; Haddix, Tyler M.; Rugg, Matthew L.; Wesolek, Christopher J.; Eder, Brandon L.; Mestl, Gerald E.

2016-03-16

The Comprehensive Sturgeon Research Project is a multiyear, multiagency collaborative research framework developed to provide information to support pallid sturgeon recovery and Missouri River management decisions. The project strategy integrates field and laboratory studies of sturgeon reproductive ecology, early life history, habitat requirements, and physiology. The project scope of work is developed annually with collaborating research partners and in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Missouri River Recovery Program–Integrated Science Program. The project research consists of several interdependent and complementary tasks that involve multiple disciplines.The project research tasks in the 2014 scope of work emphasized understanding of reproductive migrations and spawning of adult pallid sturgeon and hatch and drift of larvae. These tasks were addressed in three hydrologically and geomorphologically distinct parts of the Missouri River Basin: the Lower Missouri River downstream from Gavins Point Dam, the Upper Missouri River downstream from Fort Peck Dam and downstream reaches of the Milk River, and the Lower Yellowstone River. The project research is designed to inform management decisions related to channel re-engineering, flow modification, and pallid sturgeon population augmentation on the Missouri River and throughout the range of the species. Research and progress made through this project are reported to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers annually. This annual report details the research effort and progress made by the Comprehensive Sturgeon Research Project during 2014.

Fish assemblage structure and habitat associations in a large western river system

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, C.D.; Quist, Michael C.; Hardy, R. S.

2016-01-01

Longitudinal gradients of fish assemblage and habitat structure were investigated in the Kootenai River of northern Idaho. A total of 43 500-m river reaches was sampled repeatedly with several techniques (boat-mounted electrofishing, hoop nets and benthic trawls) in the summers of 2012 and 2013. Differences in habitat and fish assemblage structure were apparent along the longitudinal gradient of the Kootenai River. Habitat characteristics (e.g. depth, substrate composition and water velocity) were related to fish assemblage structure in three different geomorphic river sections. Upper river sections were characterized by native salmonids (e.g. mountain whitefish Prosopium williamsoni), whereas native cyprinids (peamouth Mylocheilus caurinus, northern pikeminnow Ptychocheilus oregonensis) and non-native fishes (pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus, yellow perch Perca flavescens) were common in the downstream section. Overall, a general pattern of species addition from upstream to downstream sections was discovered and is likely related to increased habitat complexity and additions of non-native species in downstream sections. Assemblage structure of the upper sections were similar, but were both dissimilar to the lower section of the Kootenai River. Species-specific hurdle regressions indicated the relationships among habitat characteristics and the predicted probability of occurrence and relative abundance varied by species. Understanding fish assemblage structure in relation to habitat could improve conservation efforts of rare fishes and improve management of coldwater river systems.

Unit 3, STA. 6+00 Little Conemaugh River, weirdetail Johnstown ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Unit 3, STA. 6+00 Little Conemaugh River, weir-detail - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

Unit 3, STA. 6+00 Little Conemaugh River, weircontext Johnstown ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Unit 3, STA. 6+00 Little Conemaugh River, weir-context - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

Relationships between recent channel adjustments, present morphological state and river corridor vegetation in the Fortore River (southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosskopf, Carmen Maria; Scorpio, Vittoria; Calabrese, Valentina; Frate, Ludovico; Loy, Anna; Stanisci, Angela

2017-04-01

The Fortore River, as many other rivers in Italy, has experienced huge channel adjustments during the last 60 years that were mainly caused by anthropic interventions, especially in-channel mining and the closure of the Occhito dam in 1966. Such changes deeply modified extension and morphological characteristics of the river corridor and, consequently, also its ecological features. The present study aims to better understand the relationships between channel adjustments and river corridor vegetation changes and those between morphological features and environmental quality of the present-day river corridor. The study has been carried out by means of a multi-temporal GIS analysis of topographic maps and aerial photographs integrated with topographic, geomorphological and ecological field surveys. Results highlight that channel adjustments occurred through two distinct phases. Most of the channel changes occurred from the 1950s until the end of the 1990s (phase 1) and led to an overall channel narrowing (from 81 to 96%) and channel bed lowering (1-4 m). These changes were accompanied by pattern shifts from multithread to single-thread configurations. The reaches located downstream of the Occhito dam were affected by more intense modifications, especially channel narrowing, with respect to upstream reaches. From 2000 to 2016 (phase 2), a trend inversion occurred. Downstream reaches remained essentially stable, while upstream reaches were affected even by some channel widening and bed aggradation and slight increase of the extension of floodplain areas giving more space to the potential development of the riparian vegetation. The evolution and the present geomorphological conditions of the river corridor are also reflected by the state of the riparian vegetation. Upstream reaches are characterized by a higher richness in riparian vegetation types and vegetation cover with respect to downstream reaches. Best conditions occur especially in the upper Fortore valley. In the downstream reaches, riparian vegetation only consists of narrow bands of trees squeezed between the river channel and the cultivated areas. Consequently, the ecological functionality of the river corridor is highest in the upper valley and decreases gradually downstream. Anyway, along the Fortore River, several habitats and species of European interest (Habitats Directive 92/43/ECC) have been found, such as EC habitats 92A0, 3260, 3270, 3280 and the European otter. However, the conservation status of these habitats and species is critical particularly in the medium-lower valley where a buffer zone between the river channel and the cultivated land should be restored for enhancing the natural recovery of the channel system and allowing the local retreat of river banks during flood events. On overall, the present-day geomorphic-ecological characteristics of the Fortore River corridor show that the reaches located in the medium-upper valley, upstream of the dam, present a good morphological quality, a high richness in vegetation and elevated recovery potentials. Instead, the reaches located in the lower valley, downstream of the dam, are characterized by overall bad morphological and ecological conditions and scarce to nil recovery potentials.

Dynamics of Dissolved Organic Matter in Amazon Basin: Insights into Negro River Contribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreira-Turcq, P.; Perez, M. P.; Benedetti, M.; Oliveira, M. A.; Lagane, C.; Seyler, P.; Oliveira, E.

2006-12-01

The study of global carbon cycle requires a precise knowledge of spatial and temporal distributions and exportation from continents to oceans. Organic carbon fluxes represent approximately half of the total carbon budget carried by rivers. Tropical rivers transport two third of the total organic carbon discharged into the world oceans but important gaps still exist in the knowledge of the tropical river carbon biochemistry. The Amazon River is responsible for 10% of the annual amount of organic carbon transported from rivers to oceans. The most important portion of total organic matter transported in the Amazon Basin is the dissolved fraction (between 80% and 95%). Amazonian annual flux of dissolved organic matter is directly related to hydrological variations. All rivers in the Amazon basin are characterized by monomodal hydrograms, with a low water period in october/november and a high water period in may/june. Temporal variations in Amazon dissolved organic carbon (3.0 to 9.1 mg l^{- 1}) are mainly controled by Negro River inputs. DOC and DON contributions from the Negro River can vary between 120 kgC s-1 and 520 kg C s-1, and between 5 kgN s--1 and 15 kgN s-1, during low and high water period, respectivelly. In the Negro River, during high water stages, while DOC concentrations are stable from the upstream stations to the downstream ones (about 11 mg l-1), discharge increases from 16000 to 46000 m3 s-1 and NOD can quintuple from upstream (0.071 mg l-1) to downstream (0.341 mg l-1). Then the nature of dissolved organic matter is variable (C/N ratio varied from 33 to 120 from upstream to downstream). During low water stages DOC concentrations are lower (mean DOC of 8.1 mg l-1) while DON is in the same range, discharge is about 10000 m3 s-1 at downstream stations of Negro River and the C/N ratio is lower and steadier along the River. Finaly, despite a low basin surface (12%) compared with the two other main Amazon tributaries, Solimões and Madeira Rivers, and a mean annual water input to Amazonas of 15%, the Negro River contributes with about 38% of the total organic dissolved carbon transported by the Amazon River.

Geologic map of the Orchard 7.5' quadrangle, Morgan County, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Berry, Margaret E.; Slate, Janet L.; Hanson, Paul R.; Brandt, Theodore R.

2015-01-01

The Orchard 7.5' quadrangle is located along the South Platte River corridor on the semi-arid plains of eastern Colorado, and contains surficial deposits that record alluvial, eolian, and hillslope processes that have operated through environmental changes from the Pleistocene to the present. The South Platte River, originating high in the Colorado Front Range, has played a major role in shaping the geology of the quadrangle, which is situated downstream of where the last of the major headwater tributaries (St. Vrain, Big Thompson, and Cache la Poudre) join the river. Recurrent glaciation (and deglaciation) of basin headwaters affected river discharge and sediment supply far downstream, influencing alluvium deposition and terrace formation in the Orchard quadrangle. Kiowa and Bijou Creeks, unglaciated tributaries originating east of the Front Range also have played a major role by periodically delivering large volumes of sediment to the river during flood events, which may have temporarily dammed the river. Eolian sand deposits of the Greeley (north of river) and Fort Morgan (south of river) dune fields cover much of the quadrangle and record past episodes of sand mobilization during times of drought. With the onset of irrigation during historic times, the South Platte River has changed from a broad, shallow, and sandy braided river with highly seasonal discharge to a much narrower, deeper river with braided-meandering transition morphology and more uniform discharge. Along this reach, the river has incised into Upper Cretaceous Pierre Shale, which, although buried by alluvial deposits in Orchard quadrangle, is locally exposed downstream along the South Platte River bluff near the Bijou Creek confluence, in some of the larger draws, and along Wildcat Creek.

Biomarkers and bioindicators of the environmental condition using a fish species (Pimelodus maculatus Lacepède, 1803) in a tropical reservoir in Southeastern Brazil.

PubMed

Araújo, F G; Morado, C N; Parente, T T E; Paumgartten, F J R; Gomes, I D

2018-05-01

The Funil Reservoir receives a large amount of xenobiotics from the Paraíba do Sul River (PSR) from large number of industries and municipalities in the watershed. This study aimed to assess environmental quality along the longitudinal profile of the Paraíba do Sul River-Funil Reservoir system, by using biomarkers and bioindicators in a selected fish species. The raised hypothesis is that Funil Reservoir acts as a filter for the xenobiotics of the PSR waters, improving river water quality downstream the dam. Two biomarkers, the ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase activity (EROD), measured as fluorimetricly in S9 hepatic fraction, and the micronuclei frequency (MN), observed in erythrocytes of the cytoplasm, and three bioindicators, the hepatosomatic index (HSI), gonadosomatic index (GSI) and condition factor (CF) were used in Pimelodus maculatus, a fish species widely distributed in the system. Four zones were searched through a longitudinal gradient: 1, river upstream from the reservoir; 2, upper reservoir; 3, lower reservoir; 4, river downstream of the reservoir. EROD activity and HSI and GSI had significant differences among the zones (P<0.05). The upper reservoir had the lowest EROD activity and HSI, whereas the river downstream of the reservoir had the highest EROD and lowest GSI. The river upstream from the reservoir showed the highest HSI and GSI. It is suggested that the lowest environmental condition occur at the river downstream of the reservoir, where it seems to occur more influence of xenobiotics, which could be associated with hydroelectric plant operation. The hypothesis that Funil reservoir acts as a filter decanting pollution from the Paraíba do Sul River waters was rejected. These results are novel information on this subject for a native fish species and could be useful for future comparisons with other environments.

Anticipated sediment delivery to the lower Elwha River during and following dam removal: Chapter 2 in Coastal habitats of the Elwha River, Washington--biological and physical patterns and processes prior to dam removal

USGS Publications Warehouse

Czuba, Christiana R.; Randle, Timothy J.; Bountry, Jennifer A.; Magirl, Christopher S.; Czuba, Jonathan A.; Curran, Christopher A.; Konrad, Christopher P.; Duda, Jeffrey J.; Warrick, Jonathan A.; Magirl, Christopher S.

2011-01-01

During and after the planned incremental removal of two large, century-old concrete dams between 2011 and 2014, the sediment-transport regime in the lower Elwha River of western Washington will initially spike above background levels and then return to pre-dam conditions some years after complete dam removal. Measurements indicate the upper reaches of the steep-gradient Elwha River, draining the northeast section of the Olympic Mountains, carries between an estimated 120,000 and 290,000 cubic meters of sediment annually. This large load has deposited an estimated 19 million cubic meters of sediment within the two reservoirs formed by the Elwha and Glines Canyon Dams. It is anticipated that from 7 to 8 million cubic meters of this trapped sediment will mobilize and transport downstream during and after dam decommissioning, restoring the downstream sections of the sediment-starved river and nearshore marine environments. Downstream transport of sediment from the dam sites will have significant effects on channel morphology, water quality, and aquatic habitat during and after dam removal. Sediment concentrations are expected to be between 200 and 1,000 milligrams per liter during and just after dam removal and could rise to as much as 50,000 milligrams per liter during high flows. Downstream sedimentation in the river channel and flood plain will be potentially large, particularly in the lower Elwha River, an alluvial reach with a wide flood plain. Overall aggradation could be as much as one to several meters. Not all reservoir sediment, however, will be released to the river. Some material will remain on hill slopes and flood plains within the drained reservoirs in quantities that will depend on the hydrology, precipitation, and mechanics of the incising channel. Eventually, vegetation will stabilize this remaining reservoir sediment, and the overall sediment load in the restored river will return to pre-dam levels.

Application of techniques to identify coal-mine and power-generation effects on surface-water quality, San Juan River basin, New Mexico and Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Goetz, C.L.; Abeyta, Cynthia G.; Thomas, E.V.

1987-01-01

Numerous analytical techniques were applied to determine water quality changes in the San Juan River basin upstream of Shiprock , New Mexico. Eight techniques were used to analyze hydrologic data such as: precipitation, water quality, and streamflow. The eight methods used are: (1) Piper diagram, (2) time-series plot, (3) frequency distribution, (4) box-and-whisker plot, (5) seasonal Kendall test, (6) Wilcoxon rank-sum test, (7) SEASRS procedure, and (8) analysis of flow adjusted, specific conductance data and smoothing. Post-1963 changes in dissolved solids concentration, dissolved potassium concentration, specific conductance, suspended sediment concentration, or suspended sediment load in the San Juan River downstream from the surface coal mines were examined to determine if coal mining was having an effect on the quality of surface water. None of the analytical methods used to analyzed the data showed any increase in dissolved solids concentration, dissolved potassium concentration, or specific conductance in the river downstream from the mines; some of the analytical methods used showed a decrease in dissolved solids concentration and specific conductance. Chaco River, an ephemeral stream tributary to the San Juan River, undergoes changes in water quality due to effluent from a power generation facility. The discharge in the Chaco River contributes about 1.9% of the average annual discharge at the downstream station, San Juan River at Shiprock, NM. The changes in water quality detected at the Chaco River station were not detected at the downstream Shiprock station. It was not possible, with the available data, to identify any effects of the surface coal mines on water quality that were separable from those of urbanization, agriculture, and other cultural and natural changes. In order to determine the specific causes of changes in water quality, it would be necessary to collect additional data at strategically located stations. (Author 's abstract)

Rethinking the longitudinal stream temperature paradigm: region-wide comparison of thermal infrared imagery reveals unexpected complexity of river temperatures

Treesearch

Aimee H. Fullerton; Christian E. Torgersen; Joshua J. Lawler; Russell N. Faux; Ashley Steel; Timothy J. Beechie; Joseph L. Ebersole; Scott G. Leibowitz

2015-01-01

Prevailing theory suggests that stream temperature warms asymptotically in a downstream direction, beginning at the temperature of the source in the headwaters and levelling off downstream as it converges to matchmeteorological conditions.However, there have been few empirical examples of longitudinal patterns of temperature in large rivers due to a paucity of data. We...

Migratory patterns of hatchery and stream-reared Atlantic salmon Salmo salar smolts in the Connecticut River, U.S.A.

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCormick, Stephen D.; Haro, Alexander; Lerner, Darren T.; O'Dea, Michael F.; Regish, Amy M.

2014-01-01

The timing of downstream migration and detection rates of hatchery-reared Atlantic salmon Salmo salar smolts and stream-reared smolts (stocked 2 years earlier as fry) were examined in the Connecticut River (U.S.A.) using passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags implanted into fish and then detected at a downstream fish bypass collection facility at Turners Falls, MA (river length 192 km). In two successive years, hatchery-reared smolts were released in mid-April and early May at two sites: the West River (river length 241 km) or the Passumpsic (river length 450 km). Hatchery-reared smolts released higher in the catchment arrived 7 to 14 days later and had significantly lower detection rates than smolts stocked lower in the catchment. Hatchery-reared smolts released 3 weeks apart at the same location were detected downstream at similar times, indicating that early-release smolts had a lower average speed after release and longer residence time. The size and gill Na+/K+-ATPase (NKA) activity of smolts at the time of release were significantly greater for detected fish (those that survived and migrated) than for those that were not detected. Stream-reared pre-smolts (>11·5 cm) from four tributaries (length 261–551 km) were tagged in autumn and detected during smolt migration the following spring. Stream-reared smolts higher in the catchment arrived later and had significantly lower detection rates. The results indicate that both hatchery and stream-reared smolts from the upper catchment will arrive at the mouth of the river later and experience higher overall mortality than fish from lower reaches, and that both size and gill NKA activity are related to survival during downstream migration.

Transport Distance of Invertebrate Environmental DNA in a Natural River

PubMed Central

Deiner, Kristy; Altermatt, Florian

2014-01-01

Environmental DNA (eDNA) monitoring is a novel molecular technique to detect species in natural habitats. Many eDNA studies in aquatic systems have focused on lake or ponds, and/or on large vertebrate species, but applications to invertebrates in river systems are emerging. A challenge in applying eDNA monitoring in flowing waters is that a species' DNA can be transported downstream. Whether and how far eDNA can be detected due to downstream transport remains largely unknown. In this study we tested for downstream detection of eDNA for two invertebrate species, Daphnia longispina and Unio tumidus, which are lake dwelling species in our study area. The goal was to determine how far away from the source population in a lake their eDNA could be detected in an outflowing river. We sampled water from eleven river sites in regular intervals up to 12.3 km downstream of the lake, developed new eDNA probes for both species, and used a standard PCR and Sanger sequencing detection method to confirm presence of each species' eDNA in the river. We detected D. longispina at all locations and across two time points (July and October); whereas with U. tumidus, we observed a decreased detection rate and did not detect its eDNA after 9.1 km. We also observed a difference in detection for this species at different times of year. The observed movement of eDNA from the source amounting to nearly 10 km for these species indicates that the resolution of an eDNA sample can be large in river systems. Our results indicate that there may be species' specific transport distances for eDNA and demonstrate for the first time that invertebrate eDNA can persist over relatively large distances in a natural river system. PMID:24523940

Hydrodynamic controls on the downstream elimination of gravel, and implications for fluvial-deltaic stratigraphy: two end-member case studies from the Selenga River, Russia, and the Mississippi River, U.S.A.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nittrouer, J. A.

2015-12-01

The downstream termination of gravel is measured for two fluvial-deltaic systems: the Selenga and Mississippi rivers. These end-members vary by an order of magnitude for slope, water and sediment discharge, and delta area. Moreover, the contrast between the tectonic regimes of the receiving basins is stark: the Selenga delta is located along the deep-water margin of Lake Baikal, which is an active half-graben rift basin, while the Mississippi discharges onto a passive margin with little tectonic influence. Nevertheless, the two rivers share a striking sedimentological similarity: near the delta apex, gravel is eliminated from the downstream dispersal system, and so sediment reaching the land-water interface is exclusively sand and mud. Field data for both rivers, including sediment samples and water discharge and flow velocity measurements, are used to validate morphodynamic models that assess the downstream changes in fluid stress and gravel transport. The analyses show that there are two distinct mechanisms that drive gravel deposition and prohibit dispersal throughout the delta. For the Selenga, water partitioning among bifurcating channels produces a non-linear reduction in shear stress and gravel deposition. For the Mississippi, backwater flow arrests the downstream movement of gravel during low and moderate water discharges, and although floods overcome backwater and produce uniform flow to the outlet, the duration of floods is too short to disperse gravel throughout the delta. Given sufficient time, model results indicate that both rivers should approach morphodynamic equilibrium, whereby aggradation due to sediment deposition raises local bed slope and sediment transport capacity, thereby facilitating downstream gravel movement. However, both systems possess unique characteristics that prevent this process from occurring. For the Selenga, tectonically induced movements regularly down drop portions of the delta below base level, forcing renewed delta sedimentation. For the Mississippi, channel filling produces regular avulsions, whereby mainstem channels are abandoned. In both cases, sediment is sequestered in perpetuity, and gravel dispersal within the delta begins anew. This presentation will discuss the stratigraphic implications for these different scenarios.

Relation Between Flow and Dissolved Oxygen in the Roanoke River Between Roanoke Rapids and Jamesville, North Carolina, 1998-2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wehmeyer, Loren L.; Bales, Jerad D.

2009-01-01

Understanding the relation between dam release characteristics and downstream water quality in the lower Roanoke River, North Carolina, is important for natural-resource management and ecosystem protection. Data from four raingages, four water-quality monitoring sites, and one streamflow-measurement site were used to identify statistical relations and discernible quantitative or qualitative patterns linking Roanoke River instream dissolved-oxygen (DO) levels to releases at Roanoke Rapids Dam for the period 1998-2005. The time-series DO data, complicated by the occurrence of major hurricanes in the short period of hourly DO data collection at the dam, present a mixed picture of the effects of hydropower peaking (a technique used by hydropower dam operators to produce electricity when consumption is high by passing a large volume of water through the dam turbines, which dramatically increases the volume of flow below the dam) on downstream DO. Other than in 2003 when dissolved-oxygen concentrations in the Roanoke River were likely affected by runoff from Hurricane Isabel rains, there were not consistent, statistically significant differences detected in the annual medians of hourly and(or) daily DO values during peaking versus nonpeaking periods. Along the Roanoke River, downstream of Roanoke Rapids Dam at Oak City, North Carolina, using a 95-percent confidence interval, the median value of the May-November daily mean DO concentrations for each year was lower during peaking periods for 2 years, higher for 2 years, and not significantly different for 4 years. Downstream at Jamesville, North Carolina, also using a 95-percent confidence interval, the median value of the annual May-November daily mean DO concentrations during hydropower peaking was lower for 4 years, higher for 2 years, and not significantly different for 2 years. In summary, the effect of hydropower peaking on downstream DO was inconsistent. Conversely, large precipitation events downstream from the dam resulted in consistent, statistically significant decreases in DO in the mainstem of the Roanoke River at Oak City and Jamesville.

B, As, and F contamination of river water due to wastewater discharge of the Yangbajing geothermal power plant, Tibet, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Qinghai; Wang, Yanxin; Liu, Wei

2008-11-01

Thermal waters from the Yangbajing geothermal field, Tibet, contain high concentrations of B, As, and F, up to 119, 5.7 and 19.6 mg/L, respectively. In this paper, the distribution of B, As, and F in the aquatic environment at Yangbajing was surveyed. The results show that most river water samples collected downstream of the Zangbo River have comparatively higher concentrations of B, As, and F (up to 3.82, 0.27 and 1.85 mg/L, respectively), indicating that the wastewater discharge of the geothermal power plant at Yangbajing has resulted in B, As, and F contamination in the river. Although the concentrations of B, As, and F of the Zangbo river waters decline downstream of the wastewater discharge site due to dilution effect and sorption onto bottom sediments, the sample from the conjunction of the Zangbo River and the Yangbajing River has higher contents of B, As, and F as compared with their predicted values obtained using our regression analysis models. The differences between actual and calculated contents of B, As, and F can be attributed to the contribution from upstream of the Yangbajing River. Water quality deterioration of the river has induced health problems among dwellers living in and downstream of Yangbajing. Effective measures, such as decontamination of wastewater and reinjection into the geothermal field, should be taken to protect the environment at Yangbajing.

Longitudinal distribution of Chironomidae (Diptera) downstream from a dam in a neotropical river.

PubMed

Pinha, G D; Aviz, D; Lopes Filho, D R; Petsch, D K; Marchese, M R; Takeda, A M

2013-08-01

The damming of a river causes dangerous consequences on structure of the environment downstream of the dam, modifying the sediment composition, which impose major adjustments in longitudinal distribution of benthic community. The construction of Engenheiro Sérgio Motta Dam in the Upper Paraná River has caused impacts on the aquatic communities, which are not yet fully known. This work aimed to provide more information about the effects of this impoundment on the structure of Chironomidae larvae assemblage. The analysis of data of physical and chemical variables in relation to biological data of 8 longitudinal sections in the Upper Paraná River showed that composition of Chironomidae larvae of stations near Engenheiro Sérgio Motta Dam differed of the other stations (farther of the Dam). The predominance of coarse sediments at stations upstream and finer sediments further downstream affected the choice of habitat by different morphotypes of Chironomidae and it caused a change in the structure of this assemblage in the longitudinal stretch.

Favorable fragmentation: river reservoirs can impede downstream expansion of riparian weeds.

PubMed

Rood, Stewart B; Braatne, Jeffrey H; Goater, Lori A

2010-09-01

River valleys represent biologically rich corridors characterized by natural disturbances that create moist and barren sites suitable for colonization by native riparian plants, and also by weeds. Dams and reservoirs interrupt the longitudinal corridors and we hypothesized that this could restrict downstream weed expansion. To consider this "reservoir impediment" hypothesis we assessed the occurrences and abundances of weeds along a 315-km river valley corridor that commenced with an unimpounded reach of the Snake River and extended through Brownlee, Oxbow, and Hells Canyon reservoirs and dams, and downstream along the Snake River. Sampling along 206 belt transects with 3610 quadrats revealed 16 noxious and four invasive weed species. Ten weeds were upland plants, with Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) restricted to the upstream reaches, where field morning glory (Convolvulus arvensis) was also more common. In contrast, St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) was more abundant below the dams, and medusahead wildrye (Taeniatherum caput-medusae) occurred primarily along the reservoirs. All seven riparian species were abundant in the upstream zones but sparse or absent below the dams. This pattern was observed for the facultative riparian species, poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) and perennial pepperweed (Lepidium latifolium), the obligate riparian, yellow nut sedge (Cyperus esculentus), the invasive perennial, reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea), and three invasive riparian trees, Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia), false indigo (Amorpha fruticosa), and tamarisk (Tamarix spp.). The hydrophyte purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) was also restricted to the upstream zone. These longitudinal patterns indicate that the reservoirs have impeded the downstream expansion of riparian weeds, and this may especially result from the repetitive draw-down and refilling of Brownlee Reservoir that imposes a lethal combination of drought and flood stress. The dams and reservoirs may also interrupt hydrochory, the downstream flow of seeds and clonal fragments. We thus conclude that with some operational patterns, dams and reservoirs can impede the downstream expansion of riparian weeds.

Downstream passage and impact of turbine shutdowns on survival of silver American Eels at five hydroelectric dams on the Shenandoah River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eyler, Sheila; Welsh, Stuart A.; Smith, David R.; Rockey, Mary

2016-01-01

Hydroelectric dams impact the downstream migrations of silver American Eels Anguilla rostrata via migratory delays and turbine mortality. A radiotelemetry study of American Eels was conducted to determine the impacts of five run-of-the-river hydroelectric dams located over a 195-km stretch of the Shenandoah River, Virginia–West Virginia, during fall 2007–summer 2010. Overall, 96 radio-tagged individuals (mean TL = 85.4 cm) migrated downstream past at least one dam during the study. Most American Eels passed dams relatively quickly; over half (57.9%) of the dam passage events occurred within 1 h of reaching a dam, and most (81.3%) occurred within 24 h of reaching the dam. Two-thirds of the dam passage events occurred via spill, and the remaining passage events were through turbines. Migratory delays at dams were shorter and American Eels were more likely to pass via spill over the dam during periods of high river discharge than during low river discharge. The extent of delay in migration did not differ between the passage routes (spill versus turbine). Twenty-eight American Eels suffered turbine-related mortality, which occurred at all five dams. Mortality rates for eels passing through turbines ranged from 15.8% to 40.7% at individual dams. Overall project-specific mortality rates (with all passage routes combined) ranged from 3.0% to 14.3%. To protect downstream-migrating American Eels, nighttime turbine shutdowns (1800–0600 hours) were implemented during September 15–December 15. Fifty percent of all downstream passage events in the study occurred during the turbine shutdown period. Implementation of the seasonal turbine shutdown period reduced cumulative mortality from 63.3% to 37.3% for American Eels passing all five dams. Modifying the turbine shutdown period to encompass more dates in the spring and linking the shutdowns to environmental conditions could provide greater protection to downstream-migrating American Eels.

Geomorphic responses to dam removal in the United States – a two-decade perspective

USGS Publications Warehouse

Major, Jon J.; East, Amy; O'Connor, Jim E.; Grant, Gordon E.; Wilcox, Andrew C.; Magirl, Christopher S.; Collins, Matthias J.; Tullos, Desiree D.; Tsutsumi, Daizo; Laronne, Jonathan B.

2017-01-01

Recent decades have seen a marked increase in the number of dams removed in the United States. Investigations following a number of removals are beginning to inform how, and how fast, rivers and their ecosystems respond to released sediment. Though only a few tens of studies detail physical responses to removals, common findings have begun to emerge. They include: (1) Rivers are resilient and respond quickly to dam removals, especially when removals are sudden rather than prolonged. Rivers can swiftly evacuate large fractions of reservoir sediment (≥50% within one year), especially when sediment is coarse grained (sand and gravel). The channel downstream typically takes months to years—not decades—to achieve a degree of stability within its range of natural variability. (2) Modest streamflows (<2-year return interval flows) can erode and transport large amounts of reservoir sediment. Greater streamflows commonly are needed to access remnant reservoir sediment and transport it downstream. (3) Dam height, sediment volume, and sediment caliber strongly influence downstream response to dam removal. Removals of large dams (≥10 m tall) have had longer-lasting and more widespread downstream effects than more common removals of small dams. (4) Downstream valley morphology and position of a dam within a watershed influence the distribution of released sediment. Valley confinement, downstream channel gradient, locations and depths of channel pools, locations and geometries of extant channel bars, and locations of other reservoirs all influence the downstream fate of released sediment.

Sediment characteristics in the San Antonio River Basin downstream from San Antonio, Texas, and at a site on the Guadalupe River downstream from the San Antonio River Basin, 1966-2013

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crow, Cassi L.; Banta, J. Ryan; Opsahl, Stephen P.

2014-01-01

San Antonio and surrounding municipalities in Bexar County, Texas, are in a rapidly urbanizing region in the San Antonio River Basin. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the San Antonio River Authority and the Texas Water Development Board, compiled historical sediment data collected between 1996 and 2004 and collected suspended-sediment and bedload samples over a range of hydrologic conditions in the San Antonio River Basin downstream from San Antonio, Tex., and at a site on the Guadalupe River downstream from the San Antonio River Basin during 2011–13. In the suspended-sediment samples collected during 2011–13, an average of about 94 percent of the particles was less than 0.0625 millimeter (silt and clay sized particles); the 50 samples for which a complete sediment-size analysis was performed indicated that an average of about 69 percent of the particles was less than 0.002 millimeter. In the bedload samples collected during 2011–13, an average of 51 percent of sediment particles was sand-sized particles in the 0.25–0.5 millimeter-size range. In general, the loads calculated from the samples indicated that bedload typically composed less than 1 percent of the total sediment load. A least-squares log-linear regression was developed between suspended-sediment concentration and instantaneous streamflow and was used to estimate daily mean suspended-sediment loads based on daily mean streamflow. The daily mean suspended-sediment loads computed for each of the sites indicated that during 2011–12, the majority of the suspended-sediment loads originated upstream from the streamflow-gaging station on the San Antonio River near Elmendorf, Tex. A linear regression relation was developed between turbidity and suspended-sediment concentration data collected at the San Antonio River near Elmendorf site because the high-resolution data can facilitate understanding of the complex suspended-sediment dynamics over time and throughout the river basin.

Tracing the sources and cycling of phosphorus in river sediments using oxygen isotopes: Methodological adaptations and first results from a case study in France.

PubMed

Pistocchi, Chiara; Tamburini, Federica; Gruau, Gerard; Ferhi, André; Trevisan, Dominique; Dorioz, Jean-Marcel

2017-03-15

An essential aspect of eutrophication studies is to trace the ultimate origin of phosphate ions (P-PO 4 ) associated with the solid phase of river sediments, as certain processes can make these ions available for algae. However, this is not a straightforward task because of the diversity of allochthonous and autochthonous sources that can supply P-PO 4 to river sediments as well as the existence of in-stream processes that can change the speciation of these inputs and obscure the original sources. Here, we present the results of a study designed to explore the potentials, limitations and conditions for the use of the oxygen isotope composition of phosphate (δ 18 Op) extracted from river sediments for this type of tracing. We first tested if the method commonly applied to soils to purify P-PO 4 and to measure their δ 18 Op concentrations could be adapted to sediments. We then applied this method to a set of sediments collected in a river along a gradient of anthropogenic pressure and compared their isotopic signatures with those from samples that are representative of the potential P-PO 4 inputs to the river system (soils and riverbank material). The results showed that following some adaptations, the purification method could be successfully transposed to river sediments with a high level of P-PO 4 purification (>97%) and high δ 18 Op measurement repeatability and accuracy (<0.4‰). The values for the potential allochthonous sources varied from 11.8 to 18.3‰, while the δ 18 Op value for the river sediments ranged from 12.2 to 15.8‰. Moreover, a sharp increase (>3‰) in the sediment δ 18 Op value immediately downstream from the discharge point revealed the strong impact of municipal wastewater. The calculation of the theoretical equilibrium δ 18 O p values using the river water temperature and δ 18 O w showed that the downstream sediments were in equilibrium, which was not the case for the upstream sediments. This difference could be related to the contrast between the short residence time of the transfer system in the catchment head, which can preserve the isotopic variability of the source materials, and the longer residence times and higher P bioavailability in the lower catchment, possibly fostering the recycling of P-PO 4 by the biota and the equilibration of the oxygen isotope signature in P-PO 4 . These results demonstrate the potential of the isotopic approach to assess the sources and in-stream turnover of sedimentary P in river systems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Migration and spawning of female surubim (Pseudoplatystoma corruscans, Pimelodidae) in the São Francisco river, Brazil

USGS Publications Warehouse

Godinho, Alexandre L.; Kynard, Boyd; Godinho, Hugo P.

2007-01-01

Surubim, Pseudoplatystoma corruscans, is the most valuable commercial and recreational fish in the São Francisco River, but little is known about adult migration and spawning. Movements of 24 females (9.5–29.0 kg), which were radio-tagged just downstream of Três Marias Dam (TMD) at river kilometer 2,109 and at Pirapora Rapids (PR) 129 km downstream of TMD, suggest the following conceptual model of adult female migration and spawning. The tagged surubims used only 274 km of the main stem downstream of TMD and two tributaries, the Velhas and Abaeté rivers. Migration style was dualistic with non-migratory (resident) and migratory fish. Pre-spawning females swam at ground speeds of up to 31 km day-1 in late September–December to pre-spawning staging sites located 0–11 km from the spawning ground. In the spawning season (November–March), pre-spawning females migrated back and forth from nearby pre-spawning staging sites to PR for short visits to spawn, mostly during floods. Multiple visits to the spawning site suggest surubim is a multiple spawner. Most post-spawning surubims left the spawning ground to forage elsewhere, but some stayed at the spawning site until the next spawning season. Post-spawning migrants swam up or downstream at ground speeds up to 29 km day-1 during January–March. Construction of proposed dams in the main stem and tributaries downstream of TMD will greatly reduce surubim abundance by blocking migrations and changing the river into reservoirs that eliminate riverine spawning and non-spawning habitats, and possibly, cause extirpation of populations.

Regionally coherent, downstream propagating trends of river bed incision and aggradation in glaciated basins of western Washington, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, S. W.; Konrad, C. P.

2016-12-01

Understanding the connections between climate and river bed morphology is relevant both for interpreting the geologic record and understanding modern channel change. Here, we use changing stage-discharge relations at USGS stream-gage sites in western Washington State to infer local bed-elevation changes over the past 50 to 90 years. A network of gages in a large, unregulated basin with active glaciation show decadal periods of aggradation and incision that are strongly correlated when lagged. Best-fit lag times indicate the downstream propagation of single coherent signal at a slope-dependent velocity of 1-4 km/yr. This same pattern of change is observed at the outlets of regional rivers with glaciated headwaters but is absent in unglaciated river systems. Sites high in glaciated river systems also show coherency across basins, suggesting that the similarity in the downstream trends across glaciated basins is the result of the downstream propagation of a regionally coherent headwater signal. Incisional trends emanating from headwaters between 1950 and 1980 match a period when regional glaciers were stable or advancing, but assigning causation is complicated by hydroclimatic trends with similar temporal patterns. The recent trend is aggradational, though current bed elevations are generally similar to those prior to 1950, and are consistent with regional data indicating that sediment production in glaciated basins from 1950 to 1980 was anomalously low relative to conditions over the past several hundred years. Regionally, our results suggest the possibility of forecasting periods of aggradation and increased flood hazards several years to decades in advance in populated downstream settings. More broadly, the methods used in this analysis involve simple calculations on publically available data and provide a low-cost means of assessing local channel change wherever USGS stream-gages have been operated.

Role of hydrological events in sediment and sediment-associated heavy metals transport within a continental transboundary river system - Tuul River case study (Mongolia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pietroń, Jan; Jarsjö, Jerker

2013-04-01

The concentration of heavy metals in rivers is often greater in the sediment load than in the water solution. Overall, heavy metal conveyance with sediment transport is a significant contributor to the global transport of heavy metals. Heavy metals once released to a river system may remain in the deposits of the river from short to very long times, for instance depending on to which extent erosion and deposition can influence the sediment mass stored in the river bed. In general, the mobility of contaminated sediments to downstream water recipients may to large extent be governed by natural sediment transport dynamics during hydrological events, such as flow peaks following heavy rainfalls. The Tuul River (Northern Mongolia) belongs to a Tuul River-Orkhon River-Selenga River- transboundary river system that discharges into Lake Baikal. The river system is largely characterized by its natural hydrological regime with numerous rapid peak flow events of the spring-summer periods. However, recent studies indicate contamination of fine sediment with heavy metals coming from placer gold mining area (Zaamar Goldfield) located along the downstream Tuul River. In this work, the general idea is to create a one-dimensional sediment transport model of the downstream Tuul River, and use field-data supported modeling to investigate natural erosion-deposition rates and the role of peak flows in natural sediment transport at 14 km reach just downstream the gold mining area. The model results show that the sediment load of the finest investigated grain size has a great potential to be eroded from the bed of the studied reach, especially during the main peak flow events. However, the same events are associated with a significant deposition of the finest material. The model results also show different hysteresis behavior of the sediment load rating curves (clockwise and counter-clockwise) during the main peak flow events. These are interpreted as effects of changing in-channel sediment supplies due to sorting method applied in the model. More generally, the modelling may increase our knowledge about the sediment transport patterns of the reach downstream the mining area. This part of the river may be considered as a temporal sink of heavy metals which may accumulate and store sediments. The deposition in such sinks can considerably support attenuation of contaminated sediment loads. On the other hand, sediments that are accumulated in sinks can increase the concentration of contaminated sediment loads during peak flow events. Information about the rates of eroded and accumulated contaminated material in such sinks is important for future water protection planning, especially under changing climate conditions. This work may also provide scientific input to discussions on both adverse environmental consequences of placer mining, and suitable designs of sediment control measures in the Zaamar Goldfield and other continental river systems.

Evaluation of trends in pH in the Yampa River, northwestern Colorado, 1950-2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chafin, Daniel T.

2002-01-01

In 1999, the U.S. Geological Survey began a study of pH trends in the Yampa River from near its headwaters to its mouth. The study was prompted by an apparent historical increase in measured pH at the Yampa River near Maybell, from an average of about 7.6 in the 1950's and 1960's to about 8.3 in the 1980's and 1990's. If real, further increase could cause more frequent exceedances of the Colorado water-quality standard of 9.0 and adversely affect aquatic life in the Yampa River Basin, including Dinosaur National Monument. The principal conclusion of this study is that this apparent historical increase in measured pH was caused mostly by changes in measurement protocol. Synoptic sampling during August 16-19, 1999, a period of relatively warm weather and base flow, showed that late afternoon pH of the Yampa River ranged from 8.46 to 9.20. The largest pH (9.20) exceeded the Colorado water-quality standard and was measured at Yampa River above Elk River, about 1.8 miles downstream from the Steamboat Springs Regional Waste Water Treatment Plant outfall, where nutrient enrichment caused photosynthesis by algae to dominate. Here, the dissolved oxygen concentration was 161 percent of saturation and carbon dioxide (CO2 was at 26 percent of saturation. At Yampa River downstream from a diversion near Hayden, 16.3 miles downstream, the effects of photosynthesis were still dominant, though attenuated by reaeration and dilution with freshwater from the Elk River. About 37.2 miles farther downstream, at Yampa River below Craig, which is about 6.2 miles downstream from the Craig Waste Water Treatment Plant, the effects of photosynthesis increased slightly, and pH rose to 8.80. Respiration plus oxidation of organic matter became dominant at Yampa River at Deerlodge Park in Dinosaur National Monument, where pH was 8.51, dissolved oxygen concentration was at 109 percent of saturation, and CO2 was at 189 percent of saturation. Respiration plus oxidation of organic matter, though diminished, apparently extended to the mouth of the Yampa River. Diurnal measurements on the Yampa River during August 23-26, 1999, show that the effects of photosynthesis and respiration plus oxidation of organic matter decreased downstream with distance from the developed urban area in the eastern part of the basin. Larger night-time values of pH in Dinosaur National Monument at Deerlodge Park and at the mouth of the Yampa River indicate that source waters varied with respect to capacity for respiration plus oxidation and photo-synthesis, that photosynthesis was minor, and that pH was largely controlled by respiration plus oxidation of organic matter. Synoptic sampling was repeated during March 13-16, 2000, when discharge was larger in response to late-winter melting of snow and ice at lower altitudes in the basin. Concentrations of nitrite plus nitrate were about 9 times greater in the Yampa River during March 2000 than during August 1999, and the largest increase (greater than 1,200 percent) was at Yampa River below Craig. At and downstream from Steamboat Springs, Colorado, pH at Yampa River sites averaged 8.85 during synoptic sampling in March 2000 compared to 8.70 in August 1999, with the partial pressure of carbon dioxide gas (PCO2) averaging 67 percent of saturation (compared to 99 percent during August 1999). The apparently larger effects of photosynthesis on pH and dissolved oxygen concentrations during March 2000 compared to August 1999 probably were caused by (1) slower rates of exchange of CO2 into and dissolved oxygen out of the river because of colder and deeper water and (2) slower rates of CO2 production and oxygen consumption resulting from slower rates of respiration by organisms and from slower rates of aerobic decomposition of organic matter in the colder river water and streambed sediment. Hypothetical thermodynamic simulations were done for samples collected in the lower Yampa River Basin to simulate the same amount of photosynthesis th

Sources of solutes to the proglacial Watson River (Akuliarusiarsuup Kuua) near Kangerlussuaq, West Greenland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deuerling, K. M.; Martin, J. B.; Martin, E. E.; Scribner, C. A.

2013-12-01

Chemical weathering of silicate rocks in glacial forelands is a potential sink for atmospheric CO2 and therefore may impact long-term climate variability. Physical weathering in glacial environments enhances the rate of chemical weathering, particularly through subglacial production of rock flour with a high surface area to volume ratio. This reactive material is transported to and chemically weathered within the proglacial system, increasing concentrations of solutes as water flows downstream. Water from proglacial rivers may also acquire solutes and draw down atmospheric CO2 through reactions driven by hyporheic zone (HZ) exchange in the broad, braided reaches of the river channel. However, few studies have addressed this process and none to date have directly examined porewater contributions. We address these questions in the Watson River/Akuliarusiarsuup Kuua (WR), which flows approximately 40 km from its headwaters, through the town of Kangerlussuaq, and into Søndre Strømfjord. We have collected river water samples five times from six sites over the 2012 and 2013 summer melt seasons and three transects of PW from sand flats located along the river. Specific conductivity (SpC), pH, and dissolved ion concentrations increase downstream, consistent with ongoing chemical weathering reactions along the flow path. Relative abundances of Na+, K+, and SiO2 increase downstream relative to Ca2+ and Mg2+ concentrations. These signals indicate preferential dissolution of biotite and/or alkali feldspar. Additionally, 206Pb/204Pb ratios become more nonradiogenic downstream, lending further evidence to dissolution of readily weathered minerals. Over the course of the melt season, SpC, pH, and dissolved ion concentrations decrease, consistent with the increase in discharge due to supraglacial melting. The greatest downstream SpC increase (~2x) occurs where the river exits largely bedrock channeled flow and enters the braided portion at the Sandflugtdalen. In general, PW samples in the sand flats indicate weathering reactions occur near the river channel and the influence of evaporation becomes more important at distal sites. Porewater SpC increases by 4 times over river water values 20 cm below the water table at the sample sites 3.5 and 7 m from the river and then increases more than an order of magnitude at 70 cm below the water table. Sites 11 m from the river channel display SpC profiles that are elevated above the river values at shallow depths and then decrease with depth, likely reflecting evaporation at shallow depths. These trends may also reflect chemical weathering of sediments in the HZ. For the solutes in the HZ to have an effect on the composition of the WR, they must exchange with the river. This process could occur through diel fluctuations in the river stage resulting from extensive ice melt during the day. Near peak river flow, the estimated head gradient was 0.4 cm/m from the river to the bank. Pressure data from CTD sensors installed in the HZ indicate a diel signal similar to the river, though muted. These findings suggest that dilute river water enters the HZ at high flow and drains at low flow, thereby providing solutes to the river.

Satellite Altimetry based River Forecasting of Transboundary Flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hossain, F.; Siddique-E-Akbor, A.; Lee, H.; Shum, C.; Biancamaria, S.

2012-12-01

Forecasting of this transboundary flow in downstream nations however remains notoriously difficult due to the lack of basin-wide in-situ hydrologic measurements or its real-time sharing among nations. In addition, human regulation of upstream flow through diversion projects and dams, make hydrologic models less effective for forecasting on their own. Using the Ganges-Brahmaputra (GB) basin as an example, this study assesses the feasibility of using JASON-2 satellite altimetry for forecasting such transboundary flow at locations further inside the downstream nation of Bangladesh by propagating forecasts derived from upstream (Indian) locations through a hydrodynamic river model. The 5-day forecast of river levels at upstream boundary points inside Bangladesh are used to initialize daily simulation of the hydrodynamic river model and yield the 5-day forecast river level further downstream inside Bangladesh. The forecast river levels are then compared with the 5-day-later "now cast" simulation by the river model based on in-situ river level at the upstream boundary points in Bangladesh. Future directions for satellite-based forecasting of flow are also briefly overviewed.round tracks or virtual stations of JASON-2 (J2) altimeter over the GB basin shown in yellow lines. The locations where the track crosses a river and used for deriving forecasting rating curves is shown with a circle and station number (magenta- Brahmaputra basin; blue - Ganges basin). Circles without a station number represent the broader view of sampling by JASON-2 if all the ground tracks on main stem rivers and neighboring tributaries of Ganges and Brahmaputra are considered.

Capture of white sturgeon larvae downstream of The Dalles Dam, Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, 2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Parsley, Michael J.; Kofoot, Eric

2013-01-01

Wild-spawned white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) larvae captured and reared in aquaculture facilities and subsequently released, are increasingly being used in sturgeon restoration programs in the Columbia River Basin. A reconnaissance study was conducted to determine where to deploy nets to capture white sturgeon larvae downstream of a known white sturgeon spawning area. As a result of the study, 103 white sturgeon larvae and 5 newly hatched free-swimming embryos were captured at 3 of 5 reconnaissance netting sites. The netting, conducted downstream of The Dalles Dam on the Columbia River during June 25–29, 2012, provided information for potentially implementing full-scale collection efforts of large numbers of larvae for rearing in aquaculture facilities and for subsequent release at a larger size in white sturgeon restoration programs.

A toolbox for computing pebble shape and roundness indexes: experimental tests and recommendations for future applications.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cassel, M.; Piegay, H.; Lave, J.

2016-12-01

Pebble rounding caused by attrition is, beside chemical dissolution, breakage, and grain size segregation, one of the key processes controlling bedload downstream fining in rivers. Downstream changes in pebble geometry is subject of consideration since Aristotle (Krynine, 1960) and its measurement represent a challenge since the end of 19th century, leading to a long standing debate (Blott and Pye, 2008). A toolbox developed by Roussillon et al. (2009) operate on automatic computation of several shape and roundness indexes from images of 2D projection plan of pebbles disposed on a one meter square red board. In order to promote the tool for future applications, we tested the effects of pebble position on board, of picture resolution and treatment on three shape and roundness indexes. We also compared the downstream patterns of these indexes on two pebble samples of the same lithology collected on the Progo River (Indonesia) based on field observations (i) and experimentation (ii). Shape and roundness were measured on (i) 8 sites distributed over a distance of 36 km along the river, and (ii) ten times on a set of particules collected on the Progo spring and transported in an annular flume over the same distance. This travel distance was monitored using passive low frequency RFID system. Results show that pebble position does not have a significant effect on shape and roundness indexes but these indexes are sensible to picture resolutions and treatments so that a clear protocol must be considered for avoiding any observer bias. Downstream changes in roundness indexes are very similar in field and experimental conditions, while abrasion environments are distinct. Discontinuities observed in downstream river pattern but not in experimental one underlined changes in Progo River pebble roundness are probably caused by sediment supplied from tributaries or bank erosion. These results highlight the toolbox potential for diagnosing river systems function.

Delayed effects of flood control on a flood-dependent riparian forest

USGS Publications Warehouse

Katz, Gabrielle L.; Friedman, Jonathan M.; Beatty, Susan W.

2005-01-01

The downstream effects of dams on riparian forests are strongly mediated by the character and magnitude of adjustment of the fluvial–geomorphic system. To examine the effects of flow regulation on sand-bed streams in eastern Colorado, we studied the riparian forest on three river segments, the dam-regulated South Fork Republican River downstream of Bonny Dam, the unregulated South Fork Republican River upstream of Bonny Dam, and the unregulated Arikaree River. Although Bonny Dam significantly reduced peak and mean discharge downstream since 1951, there was little difference in forest structure between the regulated and unregulated segments. On all river segments, the riparian forest was dominated by the native pioneer tree, Populus deltoides, which became established during a period of channel narrowing beginning after the 1935 flood of record and ending by 1965. The nonnative Elaeagnus angustifolia was present on all river segments, with recruitment ongoing. The lack of contrast in forest structure between regulated and unregulated reaches resulted primarily from the fact that no large floods occurred on any of the study segments since dam construction. Most of the riparian forest in the study area was located on the broad narrowing terrace, which was rarely inundated on the unregulated segments, resulting in little contrast with the regulated segment. A minor dam effect occurred on the small modern floodplain, which was actively disturbed on the unregulated segments, but not on the regulated segments. Although Bonny Dam had the potential to significantly influence downstream riparian ecosystems, this influence had not been expressed, and may never be if a large flood does not occur within the lifetime of the dam. Minor dam effects to riparian systems can be expected downstream of large dams in some settings, including the present example in which there was insufficient time for the dam effects to by fully expressed.

Modeling survival of juvenile salmon during downriver migration in the Columbia River on a microcomputer

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

Peloquin, R.A.; McKenzie, D.H.

1994-10-01

A compartmental model has been implemented on a microcomputer as an aid in the analysis of alternative solutions to a problem. The model, entitled Smolt Survival Simulator, simulates the survival of juvenile salmon during their downstream migration and passage of hydroelectric dams in the Columbia River. The model is designed to function in a workshop environment where resource managers and fisheries biologists can study alternative measures that may potentially increase juvenile anadromous fish survival during downriver migration. The potential application of the model has placed several requirements on the implementing software. It must be available for use in workshop settings.more » The software must be easily to use with minimal computer knowledge. Scenarios must be created and executed quickly and efficiently. Results must be immediately available. Software design emphasis vas placed on the user interface because of these requirements. The discussion focuses on methods used in the development of the SSS software user interface. These methods should reduce user stress and alloy thorough and easy parameter modification.« less

Barren area evapotranspiration estimates generated from energy budget measurements in the Gila River valley of Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leppanen, O.E.

1980-01-01

Estimates of evapotranspiration for 479 successive days were created by using energy budget measurements. The measurement point was on the 2-kilometer wide flood plain of the Gila River in east-central Arizona, about 18 kilometers above Coolidge Dam. The flood plain had been cleared of all tall vegetation for distances of about 20 kilometers upstream and 5 kilometers downstream from the measurement site. Chaining, raking, and burning had been used to clear the area immediately surrounding the measurement site about 6 months before measurements began. Ground cover was sparse volunteer Bermudagrass and scattered seepwillow for a distance of at least 1 kilometer in all directions from the measurement point . The water table was deep , so most of the evaporated water came from rainfall, but some came from soil moisture deeper than 2 meters. The March to March water loss (evapotranspiration less rain) was about 47 millimeters, evapotranspiration demand was 377 millimeters. Daily rates varied from very small amounts of condensation to almost 5 millimeters of evapotranspiration. (USGS)

Summary of Survival Data from Juvenile Coho Salmon in the Klamath River, Northern California, 2006

USGS Publications Warehouse

Beeman, John W.

2007-01-01

Little is known about the survival of ESA-listed juvenile coho salmon during their seaward migration in the lower Klamath River. In 2006, the Bureau of Reclamation funded a study to estimate the survival of radio-tagged juvenile coho salmon in the Klamath River downstream of Iron Gate Dam. A series of models were evaluated to determine if survival varied between hatchery and wild fish and among several river reaches between the dam river kilometer 33, a total distance of 276 kilometers. The results from 2006, the first year of study, indicated little support for differences in survival between hatchery and wild fish and lower survival in the most upstream reach than in those farther downstream. This document is a brief summary of survival results to date.

Water-level decline in the Apalachicola River, Florida, from 1954 to 2004, and effects on floodplain habitats

USGS Publications Warehouse

Light, Helen M.; Vincent, Kirk R.; Darst, Melanie R.; Price, Franklin D.

2006-01-01

From 1954 to 2004, water levels declined in the nontidal reach of the Apalachicola River, Florida, as a result of long-term changes in stage-discharge relations. Channel widening and deepening, which occurred throughout much of the river, apparently caused the declines. The period of most rapid channel enlargement began in 1954 and occurred primarily as a gradual erosional process over two to three decades, probably in response to the combined effect of a dam located at the head of the study reach (106 miles upstream from the mouth of the river), river straightening, dredging, and other activities along the river. Widespread recovery has not occurred, but channel conditions in the last decade (1995-2004) have been relatively stable. Future channel changes, if they occur, are expected to be minor. The magnitude and extent of water-level decline attributable to channel changes was determined by comparing pre-dam stage (prior to 1954) and recent stage (1995-2004) in relation to discharge. Long-term stage data for the pre-dam period and recent period from five streamflow gaging stations were related to discharge data from a single gage just downstream from the dam, by using a procedure involving streamflow lag times. The resulting pre-dam and recent stage-discharge relations at the gaging stations were used in combination with low-flow water-surface profile data from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to estimate magnitude of water-level decline at closely spaced locations (every 0.1 mile) along the river. The largest water-level declines occurred at the lowest discharges and varied with location along the river. The largest water-level decline, 4.8 feet, which occurred when sediments were scoured from the streambed just downstream from the dam, has been generally known and described previously. This large decline progressively decreased downstream to a magnitude of 1 foot about 40 river miles downstream from the dam, which is the location that probably marks the downstream limit of the influence of the dam on bed scour. Downstream from that location, previously unreported water-level declines progressively increased to 3 feet at a location 68 miles downstream from the dam, probably as a result of various channel modifications conducted in that part of the river. Water-level declines in the river have substantially changed long-term hydrologic conditions in more than 200 miles of off-channel floodplain sloughs, streams, and lakes and in most of the 82,200 acres of floodplain forests in the nontidal reach of the Apalachicola River. Decreases in duration of floodplain inundation at low discharges were large in the upstream-most 10 miles of the river (20-45 percent) and throughout most of the remaining 75 miles of the nontidal reach (10-25 percent). As a consequence of this decreased inundation, the quantity and quality of floodplain habitats for fish, mussels, and other aquatic organisms have declined, and wetland forests of the floodplain are changing in response to drier conditions. Water-level decline caused by channel change is probably the most serious anthropogenic impact that has occurred so far in the Apalachicola River and floodplain. This decline has been exacerbated by long-term reductions in spring and summer flow, especially during drought periods. Although no trends in total annual flow volumes were detected, long-term decreases in discharge for April, May, July, and August were apparent, and water-level declines during drought conditions resulting from decreased discharge in those 4 months were similar in magnitude to the water-level declines caused by channel changes. The observed changes in seasonal discharge are probably caused by a combination of natural climatic changes and anthropogenic activities in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin. Continued research is needed for geomorphic studies to assist in the design of future floodplain restoration efforts and for hydrologic studies to monitor change

Unit 3, STA. 5+00 lb Stonycreek River, sideslope with balustrade ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Unit 3, STA. 5+00 lb Stonycreek River, sideslope with balustrade wall & parapets-detail - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

Unit 3, STA. 5+00 lb Stonycreek River, sideslope with balustrade ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Unit 3, STA. 5+00 lb Stonycreek River, sideslope with balustrade wall & parapets-context - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

Responses of macroinvertebrate community metrics to a wastewater discharge in the Upper Blue River of Kansas and Missouri, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Poulton, Barry C.; Graham, Jennifer L.; Rasmussen, Teresa J.; Stone, Mandy L.

2015-01-01

The Blue River Main wastewater treatment facility (WWTF) discharges into the upper Blue River (725 km2), and is recently upgraded to implement biological nutrient removal. We measured biotic condition upstream and downstream of the discharge utilizing the macroinvertebrate protocol developed for Kansas streams. We examined responses of 34 metrics to determine the best indicators for discriminating site differences and for predicting biological condition. Significant differences between sites upstream and downstream of the discharge were identified for 15 metrics in April and 12 metrics in August. Upstream biotic condition scores were significantly greater than scores at both downstream sites in April (p = 0.02), and in August the most downstream site was classified as non-biologically supporting. Thirteen EPT taxa (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera) considered intolerant of degraded stream quality were absent at one or both downstream sites. Increases in tolerance metrics and filtering macroinvertebrates, and a decline in ratio of scrapers to filterers all indicated effects of increased nutrient enrichment. Stepwise regressions identified several significant models containing a suite of metrics with low redundancy (R2 = 0.90 - 0.99). Based on the rapid decline in biological condition downstream of the discharge, the level of nutrient removal resulting from the facility upgrade (10% - 20%) was not enough to mitigate negative effects on macroinvertebrate communities.

Photographic copy of historic photograph, by Corps of Engineers, U.S. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Photographic copy of historic photograph, by Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, September 1, 1943 (original in possession of Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, Pittsburgh District, Engineering Division files) Unit 6, view of construction downstream at STA. 152+50 - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

Photographic copy of historic photograph, by Corps of Engineers, U.S. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Photographic copy of historic photograph, by Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, April 8, 1941 (original in possession of Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, Pittsburgh District, Engineering Division files) Unit 3, general view downstream at Stone Arch Bridge - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

Photographic copy of historic photograph, by Corps of Engineers, U.S. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Photographic copy of historic photograph, by Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, July 23, 1943 (original in possession of Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, Pittsburgh District, Engineering Division files) Unit 6, view downstream from RB STA. 144+00 - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

Photographic copy of historic photograph, by Corps of Engineers, U.S. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Photographic copy of historic photograph, by Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, November 28, 1942 (original in possession of Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, Pittsburgh District, Engineering Division files) Unit 5, general view downstream from Hickory Street Bridge - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

Photographic copy of historic photograph, by Corps of Engineers, U.S. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Photographic copy of historic photograph, by Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, June 10, 1941 (original in possession of Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, Pittsburgh District, Engineering Division files) Unit 4, view of construction downstream at First Street Bridge - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

Photographic copy of historic photograph, by Corps of Engineers, U.S. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Photographic copy of historic photograph, by Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, December 4, 1939 (original in possession of Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, Pittsburgh District, Engineering Division files) Unit 3, general view downstream from Fourth Avenue Bridge - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

Photographic copy of historic photograph, by Corps of Engineers, U.S. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Photographic copy of historic photograph, by Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, April 3, 1941 (original in possession of Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, Pittsburgh District, Engineering Division files) Unit 3, general view downstream at Fourth Avenue Bridge - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

Photographic copy of historic photograph, by Corps of Engineers, U.S. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Photographic copy of historic photograph, by Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, May 21, 1940 (original in possession of Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, Pittsburgh District, Engineering Division files) Unit 4, view downstream from Walnut Street Bridge - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

Photographic copy of historic photograph, by Corps of Engineers, U.S. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Photographic copy of historic photograph, by Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, June 27, 1939 (original in possession of Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, Pittsburgh District, Engineering Division files) Unit 2, general view downstream from Coopersdale Bridge - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

Photographic copy of historic photograph, by Corps of Engineers, U.S. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Photographic copy of historic photograph, by Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, May 28, 1941 (original in possession of Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, Pittsburgh District, Engineering Division files) Unit 5, view downstream from Hickory Street Bridge - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

Photographic copy of historic photograph, by Corps of Engineers, U.S. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Photographic copy of historic photograph, by Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, September 27, 1940 (original in possession of Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, Pittsburgh District, Engineering Division files) Unit 2, general view of work area, looking downstream - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

Photographic copy of historic photograph, by Corps of Engineers, U.S. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Photographic copy of historic photograph, by Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, June 27, 1941 (original in possession of Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, Pittsburgh District, Engineering Division files) Unit 3, general view downstream from Point Bridge - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

Photographic copy of historic photograph, by Corps of Engineers, U.S. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Photographic copy of historic photograph, by Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, September 27, 1940 (original in possession of Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, Pittsburgh District, Engineering Division files) Unit 3, general view downstream toward ten acre railroad bridge - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

Photographic copy of historic photograph, by Corps of Engineers, U.S. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Photographic copy of historic photograph, by Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, November 19, 1943 (original in possession of Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, Pittsburgh District, Engineering Division files) Unit 6, general view downstream from Horner Street Bridge - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

Body morphology differs in wild juvenile Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha in the Willamette River, Oregon, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Billman, E.J.; Whitman, L.D.; Schroeder, R.K.; Sharpe, C.S.; Noakes, David L. G.; Schreck, Carl B.

2014-01-01

Body morphology of juvenile Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha in the upper Willamette River, Oregon, U.S.A., was analysed to determine if variation in body shape is correlated with migratory life-history tactics followed by juveniles. Body shape was compared between migrating juveniles that expressed different life-history tactics, i.e. autumn migrants and yearling smolts, and among parr sampled at three sites along a longitudinal river gradient. In the upper Willamette River, the expression of life-history tactics is associated with where juveniles rear in the basin with fish rearing in downstream locations generally completing ocean ward migrations earlier in life than fish rearing in upstream locations. The morphological differences that were apparent between autumn migrants and yearling smolts were similar to differences between parr rearing in downstream and upstream reaches, indicating that body morphology is correlated with life-history tactics. Autumn migrants and parr from downstream sampling sites had deeper bodies, shorter heads and deeper caudal peduncles compared with yearling smolts and parr from the upstream sampling site. This study did not distinguish between genetic and environmental effects on morphology; however, the results suggest that downstream movement of juveniles soon after emergence is associated with differentiation in morphology and with the expression of life-history variation.

Sediment transport and deposition in the lower Missouri River during the 2011 flood

USGS Publications Warehouse

Alexander, Jason S.; Jacobson, Robert B.; Rus, David L.

2013-01-01

Floodwater in the Missouri River in 2011 originated in upper-basin regions and tributaries, and then travelled through a series of large flood-control reservoirs, setting records for total runoff volume entering all six Missouri River main-stem reservoirs. The flooding lasted as long as 3 months. The U.S Geological Survey (USGS) examined sediment transport and deposition in the lower Missouri River in 2011 to investigate how the geography of floodwater sources, in particular the decanting effects of the Missouri River main-stem reservoir system, coupled with the longitudinal characteristics of civil infrastructure and valley-bottom topography, affected sediment transport and deposition in this large, regulated river system. During the flood conditions in 2011, the USGS, in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, monitored suspended-sediment transport at six primary streamgages along the length of the lower Missouri River. Measured suspended-sediment concentration (SSC) in the lower Missouri River varied from approximately 150 milligrams per liter (mg/L) to 2,000 mg/L from January 1 to September 30, 2011. Median SSC increased in the downstream direction from 355 mg/L at Sioux City, Iowa, to 490 mg/L at Hermann, Missouri. The highest SSCs were measured downstream from Omaha, Nebraska, in late February when snowmelt runoff from tributaries, which were draining zones of high-sediment production, was entering the lower Missouri River, and releases of water at Gavins Point Dam were small. The combination of dilute releases of water at Gavins Point Dam and low streamflows in lower Missouri River tributaries caused sustained lowering of SSC at all streamgages from early July through late August. Suspended-sediment ranged from 5 percent washload (PW; percent silt and clay) to as much as 98 percent in the lower Missouri River from January 1 to September 30, 2011. Median PW increased in the downstream direction from 24 percent at Sioux City, Iowa, to 78 percent at Hermann, Missouri. Measurements made in early January, when SSC was low, indicate that suspended sediment mostly was composed of bed material, but by mid-February, runoff from the plains caused PW to increase at most streamgages. Total suspended-sediment discharge (SSD) during water year 2011 at the selected streamgages in the lower Missouri River ranged from approximately 29 to 64 million tons. Total estimated SSD had the lowest exceedance frequencies in the reaches between Gavins Point Dam and Nebraska City, Nebraska, but exceedance frequencies increased substantially downstream. In 2011, total SSD with low exceedance frequencies were reported at Sioux City, Iowa, Omaha, Nebraska, and Nebraska City, Nebraska, despite moderate-to-high exceedance frequencies for annual average SSC, indicating that the duration of high-magnitude flooding was the primary driver of total SSD. Comparison of median SSC for samples from water year 2011 with samples in the 20 years prior indicated that median SSC for high-action streamflows (streamflows likely to produce a stage exceeding the National Weather Service’s “action stage”) in 2011 were lower than those typical for high-action streamflows. Multiple-comparison analysis indicated that median SSC values for low-action streamflows (streamflows likely to produce stages lower than the National Weather Service’s “action stage”) and high-action streamflows sampled in 2011 at 4 of 6 streamgages were not significantly distinguishable from median SSC values for low-action streamflows in the previous 20 years. Longitudinal comparison of streamflow and SSD exceedance frequencies for 2011 with corresponding frequencies for 2008 and 1993 indicated the important role of tributary contributions to total SSD in the lower Missouri River. In 1993 and 2008, tributaries were the primary source of floodwater in the lower Missouri River, which resulted in a 20-fold increase in total SSD from Sioux City, Iowa, to Hermann, Missouri. In 2011, releases at Gavins Point Dam were the primary source of floodwater in the lower Missouri River, and total SSD at Hermann, Missouri, was only twice that estimated for Sioux City, Iowa. Sand deposition was estimated using analysis of multispectral satellite imagery collected in October and November 2011. Distributions of sand in the flood plain of the lower Missouri River also were quantified in relation to distance from the banks of the main channel for seven discrete river segments bounded by Gavins Point Dam and selected downstream tributaries. The areal extent of overbank flooding and flood-plain sand deposits increased downstream from Sioux City, Iowa to a broad peak near Rulo, Nebraska, and then decreased to levels near the lower limit of quantification downstream from Kansas City, Missouri. Most of the flood plain inundation and sediment-deposition damage to agricultural fields was observed between river miles 480 and 700, where 2011 peak streamflows had low exceedance frequencies, and the lower Missouri River channel was less incised or had aggraded recently. As channel capacity increased in the downstream direction, the relative magnitude of the flood decreased downstream, and overbank flooding was less extensive. In the constricted reaches, flood-plain sand deposits mainly were observed in association with levee breaks.

1. OVERALL VIEW OF INTAKE PIER AND ACCESS BRIDGE, LOOKING ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

1. OVERALL VIEW OF INTAKE PIER AND ACCESS BRIDGE, LOOKING NORTHEAST FROM WESTERN LEVEE OF THE SACRAMENTO RIVER. - Sacramento River Water Treatment Plant Intake Pier & Access Bridge, Spanning Sacramento River approximately 175 feet west of eastern levee on river; roughly .5 mile downstream from confluence of Sacramento & American Rivers, Sacramento, Sacramento County, CA

Resilience scales of a dammed tropical river

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calamita, Elisa; Schmid, Martin; Wehrli, Bernhard

2017-04-01

Artificial river impoundments disrupt the seasonality and dynamics of thermal, chemical, morphological and ecological regimes in river systems. These alterations affect the aquatic ecosystems in space and time and specifically modify the seasonality and the longitudinal gradients of important biogeochemical processes. Resilience of river systems to anthropogenic stressors enables their recovery along the flow path; however little is known about the longitudinal distance that rivers need to partially restore their physical, chemical and biological integrity. In this study, the concept of a "resilience scale" will be explored for different water quality parameters downstream of Kariba dam, the largest artificial lake in the Zambezi basin (South-East Africa). The goal of this project is to develop a modelling framework to investigate and quantify the impact of large dams on downstream water quality in tropical context. In particular, we aim to assess the degree of reversibility of the main downstream alterations (temperature, oxygen, nutrients) and consequently the quantification of their longitudinal extent. Coupling in-situ measurements with hydraulic and hydrological parameters such as travel times, will allow us to define a physically-based parametrization of the different resilience scales for tropical rivers. The results will be used for improving future dam management at the local scale and assessing the ecological impact of planned dams at the catchment scale.

Geochemical disturbance of soil cover in the nonferrous mining centers of the Selenga River basin.

PubMed

Timofeev, Ivan V; Kosheleva, Natalia E

2017-08-01

The anthropogenic geochemical transformation of soil cover in large nonferrous mining centers of the Selenga River basin was assessed. The results of the geochemical survey of 2010-2012 revealed the spatial distribution patterns and abundances of 18 hazardous heavy metals and metalloids in the soils of Erdenet (Mongolia) and Zakamensk (Buryat republic, Russian Federation). In both cities, mining activities disturbed soil cover which accumulates Mo, Cu, As, Sb, W in Erdenet and Bi, W, Cd, Be, Pb, Mo, Sb in Zakamensk. Maximum accumulation of elements in Erdenet is restricted to the industrial zone. In Zakamensk, it has spread on ½ of the territory with the degree of multielemental pollution exceeding the extremely dangerous level by 16 times. The effect of mining centers on the state of the river system is local and does not spread to the Selenga River. Downstream from Erdenet, an artificial pool intercepts heavy metal and metalloid flows of the Erdenetii-Gol River. By contrast, downstream from the tailing dumps of the Dzhida tungsten-molybdenum plant the concentrations of ore elements W and Mo and their accessories Bi and Cd in the Modonkul River exceed background values by 146, 20, 57, and 21 times, respectively, decreasing by an order of magnitude 30 km downstream.

Simulation of stream discharge and transport of nitrate and selected herbicides in the Mississippi River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Broshears, Robert E.; Clark, Gregory M.; Jobson, Harvey E.

2001-05-01

Stream discharge and the transport of nitrate, atrazine, and metolachlor in the Mississippi River Basin were simulated using the DAFLOW/BLTM hydrologic model. The simulated domain for stream discharge included river reaches downstream from the following stations in the National Stream Quality Accounting Network: Mississippi River at Clinton, IA; Missouri River at Hermann, MO; Ohio River at Grand Chain, IL; and Arkansas River at Little Rock, AR. Coefficients of hydraulic geometry were calibrated using data from water year 1996; the model was validated by favourable simulation of observed discharges in water years 1992-1994. The transport of nitrate, atrazine, and metolachlor was simulated downstream from the Mississippi River at Thebes, IL, and the Ohio River at Grand Chain. Simulated concentrations compared favourably with observed concentrations at Baton Rouge, LA. Development of this model is a preliminary step in gaining a more quantitative understanding of the sources and fate of nutrients and pesticides delivered from the Mississippi River Basin to the Gulf of Mexico. Published in 2001 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Terrestrial Contributions to the Aquatic Food Web in the Middle Yangtze River

PubMed Central

Wang, Jianzhu; Gu, Binhe; Huang, Jianhui; Han, Xingguo; Lin, Guanghui; Zheng, Fawen; Li, Yuncong

2014-01-01

Understanding the carbon sources supporting aquatic consumers in large rivers is essential for the protection of ecological integrity and for wildlife management. The relative importance of terrestrial and algal carbon to the aquatic food webs is still under intensive debate. The Yangtze River is the largest river in China and the third longest river in the world. The completion of the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) in 2003 has significantly altered the hydrological regime of the middle Yangtze River, but its immediate impact on carbon sources supporting the river food web is unknown. In this study, potential production sources from riparian and the main river channel, and selected aquatic consumers (invertebrates and fish) at an upstream constricted-channel site (Luoqi), a midstream estuarine site (Huanghua) and a near dam limnetic site (Maoping) of the TGD were collected for stable isotope (δ13C and δ15N) and IsoSource analyses. Model estimates indicated that terrestrial plants were the dominant carbon sources supporting the consumer taxa at the three study sites. Algal production appeared to play a supplemental role in supporting consumer production. The contribution from C4 plants was more important than that of C3 plants at the upstream site while C3 plants were the more important carbon source to the consumers at the two impacted sites (Huanghua and Maoping), particularly at the midstream site. There was no trend of increase in the contribution of autochthonous production from the upstream to the downstream sites as the flow rate decreased dramatically along the main river channel due to the construction of TGD. Our findings, along with recent studies in rivers and lakes, are contradictory to studies that demonstrate the importance of algal carbon in the aquatic food web. Differences in system geomorphology, hydrology, habitat heterogeneity, and land use may account for these contradictory findings reported in various studies. PMID:25047656

Terrestrial contributions to the aquatic food web in the middle Yangtze River.

PubMed

Wang, Jianzhu; Gu, Binhe; Huang, Jianhui; Han, Xingguo; Lin, Guanghui; Zheng, Fawen; Li, Yuncong

2014-01-01

Understanding the carbon sources supporting aquatic consumers in large rivers is essential for the protection of ecological integrity and for wildlife management. The relative importance of terrestrial and algal carbon to the aquatic food webs is still under intensive debate. The Yangtze River is the largest river in China and the third longest river in the world. The completion of the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) in 2003 has significantly altered the hydrological regime of the middle Yangtze River, but its immediate impact on carbon sources supporting the river food web is unknown. In this study, potential production sources from riparian and the main river channel, and selected aquatic consumers (invertebrates and fish) at an upstream constricted-channel site (Luoqi), a midstream estuarine site (Huanghua) and a near dam limnetic site (Maoping) of the TGD were collected for stable isotope (δ13C and δ15N) and IsoSource analyses. Model estimates indicated that terrestrial plants were the dominant carbon sources supporting the consumer taxa at the three study sites. Algal production appeared to play a supplemental role in supporting consumer production. The contribution from C4 plants was more important than that of C3 plants at the upstream site while C3 plants were the more important carbon source to the consumers at the two impacted sites (Huanghua and Maoping), particularly at the midstream site. There was no trend of increase in the contribution of autochthonous production from the upstream to the downstream sites as the flow rate decreased dramatically along the main river channel due to the construction of TGD. Our findings, along with recent studies in rivers and lakes, are contradictory to studies that demonstrate the importance of algal carbon in the aquatic food web. Differences in system geomorphology, hydrology, habitat heterogeneity, and land use may account for these contradictory findings reported in various studies.

Experiments in dam removal, sediment pulses and channel evolution on the Clark Fork River, MT and White Salmon River, WA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilcox, A. C.

2012-12-01

Two recent dam removals on tributaries to the Columbia River in the northwestern United States present contrasting examples of how dam removal methods, reservoir contents, and geomorphic settings influence system responses. The 2008 removal of Milltown Dam, from the Clark Fork River (CFR), Montana, and the 2011 removal of Condit Dam from the White Salmon River (WSR), Washington (Table 1), represent two of the largest dam removals to date. The Milltown Dam removal was notable because the dam stored millions of cubic meters of contaminated mine tailings, a portion of which were excavated as part of Superfund remediation but a portion of which flowed downstream after the removal. On the CFR, post-breach high flows in 2008 produced reservoir erosion and downstream deposition in bed interstices, along bars, and on the floodplain, but above-average (3-15 year recurrence interval) floods since then have remobilized this material and have, to a large extent, erased signs of downstream sedimentation. The Condit Dam removal entailed dynamiting of a 4m by 5.5m hole at the base of the dam, which produced rapid and dramatic draining of fine reservoir sediments within hours of the blast. Downstream of Condit Dam, the initial hyperconcentrated flows and sediment pulse draped the WSR with fine sediment, filled pools, and, in an unconfined reach influenced by the Columbia River's backwater, caused meters of aggradation and new bar formation. In the confined, bedrock-dominated reach downstream of the Condit site, pool-riffle structure has started to reemerge as of summer 2012 and the finest bed materials have been evacuated from the main channel, although sediment storage in pools and eddies persists. Whereas post-breach geomorphic responses on the CFR have been largely driven by hydrology, the post-breach evolution of the WSR has been predominantly influenced by antecedent geomorphic conditions (slope, confinement, and Columbia River backwater). On both the CFR and WSR, the pace of post-breach reservoir erosion and of geomorphic recovery from the disturbances produced by dam removal has been rapid, far exceeding pre-breach predictions.Table 1: Comparison of Milltown and Condit Dam removals

A simulation study of factors controlling white sturgeon recruitment in the Snake River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jager, H.I.; Van Winkle, W.; Chandler, James Angus; Lepla, K.B.; Bates, P.; Counihan, T.D.

2002-01-01

Five of the nine populations of white sturgeon Acipenser transmontanus, located between dams on the Middle Snake River, have declined from historical levels and are now at risk of extinction. One step towards more effectively protecting and managing these nine populations is ranking factors that influence recruitment in each of these river segments. We developed a model to suggest which of seven mechanistic factors contribute most to lost recruitment in each river segment: (1) temperature-related mortality during incubation, (2) flow-related mortality during incubation, (3) downstream export of larvae, (4) limitation of juvenile and adult habitat, (5) mortality of all ages during summer episodes of poor water quality in reservoirs, (6) entrainment mortality of juveniles and adults, and (7) angling mortality. We simulated recruitment with, and without, each of the seven factors, over a typical series of hydrologic years. We found a hierarchical pattern of limitation. In the first tier, river segments with severe water quality problems grouped together. Poor water quality during summer had a strong negative effect on recruitment in the river segments between Swan Falls Dam and Hell's Canyon Dam. In the second tier, river segments with better water quality divided into short river segments and longer river segments. Populations in short river segments were limited by larval export. Populations in longer river segments tended to be less strongly limited by any one factor. We also found that downstream effects could be important, suggesting that linked populations cannot be viewed in isolation. In two cases, the effects of a factor on an upstream population had a significant influence on its downstream neighbors. ?? 2002 by the American Fisheries Society.

Survival of cyanobacteria in rivers following their release in water from large headwater reservoirs.

PubMed

Williamson, Nicholas; Kobayashi, Tsuyoshi; Outhet, David; Bowling, Lee C

2018-05-01

Cyanobacterial survival following their release in water from major headwaters reservoirs was compared in five New South Wales rivers. Under low flow conditions, cyanobacterial presence disappeared rapidly with distance downstream in the Cudgegong and Hunter Rivers, whereas the other three rivers were contaminated for at least 300 km. Cyanobacterial survival is likely to be impacted by the geomorphology of each river, especially the extent of gravel riffle reaches (cells striking rocks can destroy them) and by the different turbulent flow conditions it produces within each. Flow conditions at gauging stations were used to estimate the turbulent strain rate experienced by suspended cyanobacteria. These indicate average turbulent strain rates in the Cudgegong and Hunter Rivers can be above 33 and 83 s -1 while for the Murray, Edward and Macquarie Rivers average strain rate was estimated to be less than 30 s -1 . These turbulent strain rate estimates are substantially above published thresholds of approximately 2 s -1 for impacts indicated from laboratory tests. Estimates of strain rate were correlated with changes in cyanobacterial biovolume at stations along the rivers. These measurements indicate a weak but significant negative linear relationship between average strain rate and change in cyanobacterial biomass. River management often involves releasing cold deep water with low cyanobacterial presence from these reservoirs, leading to ecological impacts from cold water pollution downstream. The pollution may be avoided if cyanobacteria die off rapidly downstream of the reservoir, allowing surface water to be released instead. However high concentrations of soluble cyanotoxins may remain even after the cyanobacterial cells have been destroyed. The geomorphology of the river (length of riffle reaches) is an important consideration for river management during cyanobacterial blooms in headwater reservoirs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dams and Rivers: A Primer on the Downstream Effects of Dams

USGS Publications Warehouse

Collier, Michael; Webb, Robert H.; Schmidt, John C.

1996-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey is charged with monitoring the water and mineral resources of the United States. Beginning in 1889, the Survey established a network of water gaging stations across most of the country's rivers; some also measured sediment content of the water. Consequently, we now have valuable long-term data with which to track water supply, sediment transport, and the occurrence of floods. Many variables affect the flow of water from mountain brook to river delta. Some are short-term perturbations like summer thunderstorms. Others occur over a longer period of time, like the El Ninos that might be separated by a decade or more. We think of these variables as natural occurrences, but humans have exerted some of the most important changes -- water withdrawals for agriculture, inter-basin transfers, and especially the construction of an extensive system of dams. Dams have altered the flow of many of the Nation's rivers to meet societal needs. We expect floods to be contained. Irrigation is possible where deserts once existed. And water is released downstream not according to natural cycles but as dictated by a region's hour-by-hour needs for water or electricity. As a result, river channels below dams have changed dramatically. Depending on annual flow, flood peaks, and a river's sediment load, we might see changes such as sand building up in one channel, vegetation crowding into another, and extensive bank erosion in another. This Circular explores the emerging scientific arena of change in rivers below dams. This science tries first to understand and then anticipate changes to river beds and banks, and to riparian habitats and animal communities. To some degree, these downstream changes can be influenced by specific strategies of dam management. Scientists and resource managers have a duty to assemble this information and present it without bias to the rest of society. Society can then more intelligently choose a balance between the benefits and adverse downstream effects of dams.

Consider a source: Microplastic in rivers is abundant, mobile, and selects for unique bacterial assemblages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoellein, T. J.; Kelly, J. J.; McCormick, A.; London, M.

2016-02-01

Microplastic particles (< 5mm) in oceans are an emerging ecological concern. While rivers are considered a major source of microplastic to oceans, little is known about microplastic abundance, transport, and biological interactions in rivers. Our initial research an urban river showed microplastic collected downstream of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) was more abundant than upstream, more abundant than many marine sites, and had higher occurrences of bacterial taxa associated with plastic decomposition and gastrointestinal pathogens than natural habitats (e.g., seston and water column). Based on these data, we conducted follow-up projects to measure 1) the role of WWTPs on microplastic abundance in 10 rivers, 2) microplastic concentrations in WWTP influent, sludge, and effluent, and 3) deposition rates of microplastic downstream of a WWTP point source. In each project, we characterized bacterial community composition on microplastic and natural habitats using next-generation Illumina sequencing. Although maximum concentrations varied among 10 sites, microplastic concentration was significantly higher downstream of WWTPs than upstream. WWTPs retained a significant component of microplastic in two activated sludge plants (>90%). Microplastic deposition length in an urban river was >2 km, and concentrations were orders of magnitude higher in the sediment than water column. Finally, bacterial communities were distinct on microplastic in water column and sediment habitats, yet communities became more similar with increasing distance from WWTP effluent sites. These data support the role of rivers as sources of microplastic to downstream ecosystems, but also illustrate that rivers are active sites of microplastic retention and bacterial colonization. Results will inform policies and engineering advances for mitigating microplastic inputs and redistribution. We advocate for research on plastic in the environment which synthesizes data from freshwater and marine disciplines. This approach is needed to facilitate quantitative analyses of the physical and biological factors driving the `life cycle' of plastic at a global scale.

Initial Geomorphic Responses to Removal of Milltown Dam, Clark Fork River, Montana, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilcox, A. C.; Brinkerhoff, D.; Woelfle-Erskine, C.

2008-12-01

The removal of Milltown Dam on the Clark Fork River, Montana, USA, is creating a field-scale experiment on upstream and downstream responses to dam removal and on how gravel-bed rivers respond to sediment pulses. Milltown Dam was removed in 2008, reconnecting the Clark Fork River to its upstream basin in terms of sediment transport and fish passage. This dam removal is especially notable because (1) it is the largest dam removal to date in the United States in terms of the volume of reservoir sediment potentially available for downstream transport (over 3 million m3; 1.7 million m3 are being mechanically removed); and (2) the dam is the downstream end of the largest Superfund site in the United States, the Clark Fork Complex, and reservoir sediments are composed largely of contaminated mine tailings. Data collection on pre- and post-dam removal channel morphology, bed sediment characteristics, and sediment loads are being used to investigate spatial and temporal patterns of sediment transport and deposition associated with this dam removal. In the first several months following breaching of the dam, snowmelt runoff with a 3-year recurrence interval peak caused substantial erosion and downstream transport of metals-laden sediments from Milltown reservoir. Reservoir sediments in the Clark Fork arm of Milltown reservoir eroded at levels far exceeding modeling predictions as a result of both incision to the new base level created by dam removal and bank retreat of over 200 m in reaches upstream of a constructed bypass reach and remediation area. Copper and other metals in these eroded reservoir sediments provide a tracer for identifying whether sediment deposits observed downstream of the dam originated from Milltown reservoir or uncontaminated tributaries and indicate that Milltown sediments have reached over 200 km downstream. Downstream deposition has been greatest along channel margins and in side-channel areas, whereas the transport capacity of the active channel has limited channel changes there.

Ambient conditions and fate and transport simulations of dissolved solids, chloride, and sulfate in Beaver Lake, Arkansas, 2006--10

USGS Publications Warehouse

Green, W. Reed

2013-01-01

Beaver Lake is a large, deep-storage reservoir located in the upper White River Basin in northwestern Arkansas, and was completed in 1963 for the purposes of flood control, hydroelectric power, and water supply. Beaver Lake is affected by point and nonpoint sources of minerals, nutrients, and sediments. The City of Fayetteville discharges about half of its sewage effluent into the White River immediately upstream from the backwater of the reservoir. The City of West Fork discharges its sewage effluent into the West Fork of the White River, and the City of Huntsville discharges its sewage effluent into a tributary of War Eagle Creek. A study was conducted to describe the ambient conditions and fate and transport of dissolved solids, chloride, and sulfate concentrations in Beaver Lake. Dissolved solids, chloride, and sulfate are components of wastewater discharged into Beaver Lake and a major concern of the drinking water utilities that use Beaver Lake as their source. A two-dimensional model of hydrodynamics and water quality was calibrated to include simulations of dissolved solids, chloride, and sulfate for the period January 2006 through December 2010. Estimated daily dissolved solids, chloride, and sulfate loads were increased in the White River and War Eagle Creek tributaries, individually and the two tributaries together, by 1.2, 1.5, 2.0, 5.0, and 10.0 times the baseline conditions to examine fate and transport of these constituents through time at seven locations (segments) in the reservoir, from upstream to downstream in Beaver Lake. Fifteen dissolved solids, chloride, and sulfate fate and transport scenarios were compared to the baseline simulation at each of the seven downstream locations in the reservoir, both 2 meters (m) below the surface and 2 m above the bottom. Concentrations were greater in the reservoir at model segments closer to where the tributaries entered the reservoir. Concentrations resulting from the increase in loading became more diluted farther downstream from the source. Differences in concentrations between the baseline condition and the 1.2, 1.5, and 2.0 times baseline concentration scenarios were smaller than the differences in the 5.0 and 10.0 times baseline concentration scenarios. The results for both the 2 m below the surface and 2 m above the bottom were similar, with the exception of concentrations resulting from the increased loading factors (5.0 and 10.0 times), where concentrations 2 m above the bottom were consistently greater than those 2 m below the surface at most segments.

Unit 3, STA. 5+00 RB Little Conemaugh River, sideslope with ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Unit 3, STA. 5+00 RB Little Conemaugh River, sideslope with masonry walls (with parapets)-detail - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

Unit 3, STA. 5+00 RB Little Conemaugh River, sideslope with ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Unit 3, STA. 5+00 RB Little Conemaugh River, sideslope with masonry walls (with parapets)-context - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

18. INTAKE PIER, BRIDGE DETAILS, SHEET 9 OF 117, 1920. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

18. INTAKE PIER, BRIDGE DETAILS, SHEET 9 OF 117, 1920. - Sacramento River Water Treatment Plant Intake Pier & Access Bridge, Spanning Sacramento River approximately 175 feet west of eastern levee on river; roughly .5 mile downstream from confluence of Sacramento & American Rivers, Sacramento, Sacramento County, CA

Detections, concentrations, and distributional patterns of compounds of emerging concern in the San Antonio River Basin, Texas, 2011-12

USGS Publications Warehouse

Opsahl, Stephen P.; Lambert, Rebecca B.

2013-01-01

The distributional patterns of detections and concentrations of individual compounds and compound classes show the influence of wastewater-treatment plant (WWTP) outfalls on the quality of water in the San Antonio River Basin. In the Medina River Subbasin, the minimal influence of wastewater is evident as far downstream as the Macdona site. Downstream from the Macdona site, the Medina River receives treated municipal wastewater from both the Medio Creek Water Recycling Center site from an unnamed tributary at the plant and the Leon Creek Water Recycling Center site from Comanche Creek at the plant, and corresponding increases in both the number of detections and the total concentrations of all measured compounds at all downstream sampling sites were evident. Similarly, the San Antonio River receives treated municipal wastewater as far upstream as the SAR Witte site (San Antonio River at Witte Museum, San Antonio, Tex.) and additional WWTP outfalls along the Medina River upstream from the confluence of the Medina and San Antonio Rivers. Consequently, all samples collected along the main stem of the San Antonio River had higher concentrations of CECs in comparison to sites without upstream WWTPs. Sites in urbanized areas without upstream WWTPs include the Leon 35 site (Leon Creek at Interstate Highway 35, San Antonio, Tex.), the Alazan site (Alazan Creek at Tampico Street, San Antonio, Tex.), and the San Pedro site (San Pedro Creek at Probandt Street, at San Antonio, Tex.). The large number of detections at sites with no upstream wastewater source demonstrated that CECs can be detected in streams flowing through urbanized areas without a large upstream source of treated municipal wastewater. A general lack of detection of pharmaceuticals in streams without upstream outfalls of treated wastewater appears to be typical for streams throughout the San Antonio River Basin and may be a useful indicator of point-source versus nonpoint-source contributions of these compounds in urban streams. Observations of lower concentrations of compounds at the furthest downstream sampling sites in the basin indicate some natural attenuation of these compounds during transport; however, a more focused assessment is needed to make this determination.

Physiological and endocrine changes in Atlantic salmon smolts during hatchery rearing, downstream migration and ocean entry

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCormick, Stephen D.; Sheehan, Timothy F.; Björnsson, Björn Thrandur; Lipsky, Christine; Kocik, John F.; Regish, Amy M.; O'Dea, Michael F.

2013-01-01

Billions of hatchery salmon smolts are released annually in an attempt to mitigate anthropogenic impacts on freshwater habitats, often with limited success. Mortality of wild and hatchery fish is high during downstream and early ocean migration. To understand changes that occur during migration, we examined physiological and endocrine changes in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) smolts during hatchery rearing, downstream migration, and early ocean entry in two successive years. Gill Na+/K+-ATPase activity increased in the hatchery during spring, increased further after river release, and was slightly lower after recapture in the ocean. Plasma growth hormone levels increased in the hatchery, were higher in the river, and increased further in the ocean. Plasma IGF-I remained relatively constant in the hatchery, increased in the river, then decreased in the ocean. Plasma thyroid hormones were variable in the hatchery, but increased in both river- and ocean-captured smolts. Naturally reared fish had lower condition factor, gill NKA activity, and plasma thyroxine than hatchery fish in the river but were similar in the ocean. This novel data set provides a vital first step in understanding the role and norms of endocrine function in smolts and the metrics of successful marine entry.

Changes in chemical quality of the Arkansas River in Oklahoma and Arkansas (1946-52)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dover, T.B.; Geurin, J.W.

1953-01-01

Systematic chemical quality-of-water investigations have been carried on in both Oklahoma and Arkansas by the Geological Survey in cooperation with State and Federal agencies during the past several years. Results of the Survey's quality-of-water investigations are usually published in the annual Water-Supply Papers. However, as the Geological Survey has made no sediment investigations in the Arkansas River Basin in Oklahoma and Arkansas, the published data do not include information on sediment concentrations or loads. This report attempts to summarize information collected to date in the Arkansas River Basin of the two States, and to show as clearly as possible from present information how the chemical quality of water in the Arkansas River changes downstream from the Oklahoma-Kansas State line to its confluence with the Mississippi River, and how it is affected by tributary inflows. Additional information is being collected and further studies are planned. Hence, the conclusions reached herein may be modified by more adequate information at a later date. The Arkansas River enters Oklahoma near Newkirk on the northern boundary just east of the 97th meridian, crosses the State in a general southeasterly direction flowing past Tulsa, enters Arkansas at its western boundary north of the 35th parallel near Fort Smith, still flowing in a general southeasterly direction past Little Rock near the center of the State, and empties into the Mississippi River east of Dumas. The Arkansas River is subject to many types of pollution downstream from the Oklahoma-Kansas State line, and its inferior quality along with an erratic flow pattern has caused it to be largely abandoned as a source of municipal and industrial water supply. At the present time, the Arkansas River is not directly used as a source of public supply in any part of the basin in either Oklahoma or Arkansas. In general, the river water increases in chemical concentration downstream from the Oklahoma-Kansas State line to Tulsa, due mainly to tributary inflow from the Salt Fork Arkansas River and the Cimarron River, both streams being sources of large amounts of both natural and artificial pollution. A decrease in chemical concentration is noted downstream from Tulsa due to tributary inflow from the Verdigris, Neosho, and Illinois rivers with an increase in chemical concentration then noted due to tributary inflow from the Canadian River which is largely artificial pollution. A steady decrease in concentration is then noted as the river progresses through Arkansas to the Mississippi River, as all major tributaries below the Canadian River have a dilution effect upon the chemical concentration of the Arkansas River water. Proposals for storage and regulating reservoirs on the Arkansas River in both Oklahoma and Arkansas have been made by the Corps of Engineers and others. Additional proposals are being considered in the present Arkansas-White-Red River Basin Inter-Agency Committee studies. If constructed, these reservoirs will provide an opportunity for control of flow and beneficial use of Arkansas River water, both at and downstream from these sites. Impoundment alone will greatly reduce the extremes in water quality, and by reasonable control of municipal and industrial wastes, the water would be comparable in quality to many existing basin municipal and industrial supplies. (available as photostat copy only)

Floods of October 1977 in southern Arizona and March 1978 in central Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Aldridge, Byron Neil; Eychaner, James H.

1984-01-01

Major floods occurred in October 1977 and March 1978 in Arizona. As much as 14 inches of rain fell during October 6-9, 1977, over the mountains of southern Arizona and northern Mexico resulting in the highest discharge since at least 1892 on the Santa Cruz River upstream from Tucson. The flood inundated areas as much as 4 miles wide, covered at least 16,000 acres of farmland, and caused $15.2 million in damage. Residential losses occurred at Nogales, Amado, Green Valley, and Sahuarita. Severe erosional damage occurred along the Santa Cruz River, Agua Fria Canyon, Potrero Creek, and many small drainages in the Sonoita Creek basin. The peak discharge in Agua Fria Canyon was the highest since before 1900. Less severe flooding occurred along the San Pedro River and the Gila River downstream from the San Pedro. Widespread rainfall of 3 to 6 inches and 9 to 14 inches in some areas in the central mountains during February 27 to March 3, 1978, caused the highest discharge since 1920 on the Salt River in Phoenix and resulted in three deaths. Flooding along the Salt and Gila Rivers and several lesser streams caused statewide damage totaling $65.9 million, of which about $37 million occurred in Maricopa County. Nine counties were declared disaster areas. During the flood of March 1978, moderate peak discharges and unusually high volumes of runoff occurred on tributaries to the Salt and Verde Rivers upstream from a system of reservoirs. Flood magnitudes were greater at the main-stem gaging stations than on the tributaries. The peak discharge into Theodore Roosevelt Lake, which was 21 percent full at the start of the flood, was about 155,000 cubic feet per second, the largest known from 1890 to 1978. The reservoirs stored large quantities of water and greatly reduced the magnitude of the flood. The peak discharge of the Salt River was 125,000 cubic feet per second below Granite Reef Dam and 122,000 cubic feet per second at Phoenix. Discharges in excess of 100,000 cubic feet per second occurred for 8 hours. Without the storage provided by the reservoirs, the peak discharge on the Salt River would have been 260,000 cubic feet per second, and the discharge would have exceeded 100,000 cubic feet per second for 66 hours. The Verde River was the principal flood source, but flows at the upstream gaging stations did not indicate the magnitude of the impending flood at Horseshoe Reservoir because large inflow from tributaries immediately upstream from the reservoir caused the river to rise at downstream stations before it rose at upstream stations. About 17 percent of the water entering the reach from Granite Reef Dam to Gillespie Dam went to recharge, temporary ground-water storage, or evapotranspiration losses. All water was stored at Painted Rock Reservoir and released at a low rate that prevented water from reaching the Gila River near Mohawk gaging station.

Pathogen and nutrient pulsing and attenuation in "accidental" urban wetland networks along the Salt River in Phoenix, AZ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palta, M. M.; Grimm, N. B.

2013-12-01

Increases in available nutrients and bacteria in urban streams are at the forefront of research concerns within the ecological and medical communities, and both pollutants are expected to become more problematic under projected changes in climate. Season, discharge, instream conditions (oxygen, water velocity), and weather conditions (antecedent moisture) all may influence loading rates to and the retention capabilities of wetlands fed by urban runoff and storm flow. The aim of this research was to examine the effect of these variables on nutrient (nitrogen, phosphorus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) loading and attenuation along flow paths in urban wetland networks along the Salt River in Phoenix, AZ. Samples were collected for one year along flowpaths through wetlands that formed below six perennially flowing outfalls. Collection took place monthly during baseflow (dry season) conditions, and before and immediately following storm events, in the summer monsoon and winter rainy seasons. Water quality was assessed at the following points: immediately downstream of the outfall, mid-wetland, and downstream of the wetland. For determination of E. coli counts, samples were plated on coliform-selective media (Chromocult) and incubated for 24 hours. Plates were then used to enumerate E. coli. For determination of nutrient concentrations, samples were filtered and frozen until they could be analyzed by ion chromatography and automated wet chemistry. During both summer and winter, total discharge into the wetlands increased during storm events. Concentrations of PO43+, NH4+, and E. coli were significantly higher following storm events than during baseflow conditions, and post-storm peaks in concentration ('pulses') were higher during the summer monsoon than in winter storms. Pulses of pollutants during storms were highest when preceded by hot, dry conditions. NO3- was high in both base and stormflow. E. coli counts and nutrient concentrations dropped along flowpaths through the wetlands, indicating high attenuation capability even during storms. Attenuation of nutrients during baseflow appeared to be a function of microbial processing, while during stormflow, when water retention time in the wetlands was reduced, attenuation was likely explained by other factors, such as sediment adsorption. Potential tradeoffs emerged between removal of NO3- (highest under low dissolved oxygen) and E. coli (highest under high dissolved oxygen) during baseflow. Climate change models project increases in severe droughts and extreme precipitation events for the southwestern United States, which can lead to more sewage leakages and increases in contaminated runoff from impervious surfaces in urban areas. Wetlands are constructed or restored to mitigate microbial contamination of wastewater. Our research indicates that even "accidental" urban wetlands can serve to reduce downstream transport of nutrients and pathogens in storm and wastewater. However, wetland restoration or design targeting increased water retention time may increase the capability of accidental wetlands in this urban desert river channel to remove nutrients and pathogens from stormwater.

Water temperature variability within an Arctic stream; analysis and implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mellor, C. J.; Hannah, D. M.; Milner, A. M.

2009-04-01

Arctic climate warming occurred at twice the global average over the last century and air temperature is predicted to increase by 7.5°C by 2099. Arctic river systems are hypothesized to be particularly vulnerable to warming due to their dependence on cryospheric water sources and thermal sensitivity of biotic communities. However, research is very limited on hydroecological response of Arctic rivers to a changing climate. This paper addresses this research gap and aims to investigate links between thermal dynamics and benthic communities for a river basin in Swedish Lappland. The Kårsavagge is located ~200 km north of the Arctic Circle and contains a small temperate glacier and two lakes. The Kårsa River drains into the Abisko River (~ 25 km from the valley head). The region experiences marked seasonality with average monthly air temperature ranging from +10 to -10°C. In June 2008, three gauging stations (1 - close to glacier snout, 2 - above first major extra glacial tributary and 3 - between the lakes and confluence with the Abisko river) were installed to record water temperature, riverbed temperature (at 0.05m, 0.20m and 0.40m depth), electrical conductivity, river stage, precipitation and turbidity. On top of these, twenty loggers recorded water temperature between gauging stations and across a braided reach located ~ 1.5km downstream of the glacier snout. Diurnal water temperature cycles were found at all sites; but average temperature increased downstream from 1.7°C near the glacier snout to 10.6°C before the Abisko River confluence. Sites immediately downstream of the lakes displayed moderated thermal variability. Bed temperatures in the upper catchment (lower) were higher (lower) and less variable that temperatures in the overlying water column. The degree of parity between water column and stream bed temperatures varied among sites with site 3 showing the greatest difference and site 2 showing the least. This implies a variable degree of connectivity between the water column and bed sediments and/or variation in the extent and source water of upwelling. Average temperature across the braided reach ranged from 2.8°C in the main glacier fed (kryal) channel to 8.8°C in a snowmelt (nival) channel sourced from north-facing slopes, reflecting the differential impact of solar heating on water from these two distinct sources. Chironomidae (non-biting midges) dominated the benthic communities in the upper catchment where maximum water temperature did not exceed 4.4°C. As distance from the glacier and water temperature increases other taxa appear (e.g. Plecoptera, Simulidae), with species richness and diversity peaking between the two lakes. Longitudinal changes in thermal regime are associated with shifts in the benthic invertebrate community. Work is ongoing to evaluate whether the observed lateral variation, which is close to that observed down the 25km longitudinal profile has similar implications. This lateral variability may be important in providing thermal refugia and therefore increasing biota diversity in the upper catchment. This work has highlighted the potential extent of longitudinal, vertical and lateral temperature variation within Arctic river systems. In combination with invertebrate distribution this could be used to identify communities at high risk from changes in thermal regime and further, identify species which can act as indicators of the changing Arctic climate.

Small larvae in large rivers: observations on downstream movement of European grayling Thymallus thymallus during early life stages.

PubMed

Van Leeuwen, C H A; Dokk, T; Haugen, T O; Kiffney, P M; Museth, J

2017-06-01

Behaviour of early life stages of the salmonid European grayling Thymallus thymallus was investigated by assessing the timing of larval downstream movement from spawning areas, the depth at which larvae moved and the distribution of juvenile fish during summer in two large connected river systems in Norway. Trapping of larvae moving downstream and electrofishing surveys revealed that T. thymallus larvae emerging from the spawning gravel moved downstream predominantly during the night, despite light levels sufficient for orientation in the high-latitude study area. Larvae moved in the water mostly at the bottom layer close to the substratum, while drifting debris was caught in all layers of the water column. Few young-of-the-year still resided close to the spawning areas in autumn, suggesting large-scale movement (several km). Together, these observations show that there may be a deliberate, active component to downstream movement of T. thymallus during early life stages. This research signifies the importance of longitudinal connectivity for T. thymallus in Nordic large river systems. Human alterations of flow regimes and the construction of reservoirs for hydropower may not only affect the movement of adult fish, but may already interfere with active movement behaviour of fish during early life stages. © 2017 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Development of seawater tolerance and subsequent downstream migration in wild and stocked young-of-the-year derived Atlantic salmon Salmo salar smolts.

PubMed

Urke, H A; Arnekleiv, J V; Nilsen, T O; Nilssen, K J

2014-01-01

This study investigated the development of hypo-osmoregulatory capacity and timing of downstream migration in wild Atlantic salmon Salmo salar smolts from the River Stjørdalselva and stocked young-of-the-year (YOY), derived S. salar smolts from the tributary River Dalåa. Both wild and stocked S. salar smolts developed seawater (SW) tolerance in early May, persisting through June, measured as their ability to regulate plasma osmolality and chloride following 24 h SW (salinity = 35) exposure. Although the majority of downstream migration among the stocked S. salar smolts occurred later than observed in their wild counterparts, the development of SW tolerance occurred concurrently. The wild S. salar from Stjørdalselva and stocked YOY smolts from the River Dalåa started to migrate on the same cumulative day-degrees (D°). The study revealed no downstream migration before development of SW tolerance. This emphasizes the importance of incorporating physiological status when studying environmental triggers for downstream migration of S. salar smolts. Overall, these findings suggest that the onset of smolt migration in stocked S. salar smolts was within the smolt window from an osmoregulatory point of view. © 2014 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

COMPARISON OF THE REPRODUCTIVE PHYSIOLOGY OF LARGEMOUTH BASS, MICROPTERUS SALMOIDES, COLLECTED FROM THE ESCAMBIA AND BLACKWATER RIVERS IN FLORIDA

EPA Science Inventory

Largemouth bass (LMB), Micropterus salmoides, were taken from the Escambia River (contaminated site) and the Blackwater River (reference site) near Pensacola, Florida. The Escambia River collection occurred downstream of the effluent from two identified point sources of pollution...

2. OVERALL VIEW OF INTAKE PIER AND ACCESS BRIDGE, LOOKING ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

2. OVERALL VIEW OF INTAKE PIER AND ACCESS BRIDGE, LOOKING NORTH. - Sacramento River Water Treatment Plant Intake Pier & Access Bridge, Spanning Sacramento River approximately 175 feet west of eastern levee on river; roughly .5 mile downstream from confluence of Sacramento & American Rivers, Sacramento, Sacramento County, CA

15. SUPERSTRUCTURE PLANS, ELEVATION AND DETAILS, SHEET 4 OF 117, ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

15. SUPERSTRUCTURE PLANS, ELEVATION AND DETAILS, SHEET 4 OF 117, 1920. - Sacramento River Water Treatment Plant Intake Pier & Access Bridge, Spanning Sacramento River approximately 175 feet west of eastern levee on river; roughly .5 mile downstream from confluence of Sacramento & American Rivers, Sacramento, Sacramento County, CA

16. INTAKE PIER, PLANS ELEVATIONS, AND SECTIONS, SHEETS 5 OF ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

16. INTAKE PIER, PLANS ELEVATIONS, AND SECTIONS, SHEETS 5 OF 117, 1920. - Sacramento River Water Treatment Plant Intake Pier & Access Bridge, Spanning Sacramento River approximately 175 feet west of eastern levee on river; roughly .5 mile downstream from confluence of Sacramento & American Rivers, Sacramento, Sacramento County, CA

4. DETAIL OF THE BRIDGE PIER SHOWING THE SUSPENSION CABLE, ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

4. DETAIL OF THE BRIDGE PIER SHOWING THE SUSPENSION CABLE, LOOKING SOUTHWEST. - Sacramento River Water Treatment Plant Intake Pier & Access Bridge, Spanning Sacramento River approximately 175 feet west of eastern levee on river; roughly .5 mile downstream from confluence of Sacramento & American Rivers, Sacramento, Sacramento County, CA

3. APPROACH TO THE ACCESS BRIDGE AND INTAKE PIER, LOOKING ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

3. APPROACH TO THE ACCESS BRIDGE AND INTAKE PIER, LOOKING SOUTHWEST. - Sacramento River Water Treatment Plant Intake Pier & Access Bridge, Spanning Sacramento River approximately 175 feet west of eastern levee on river; roughly .5 mile downstream from confluence of Sacramento & American Rivers, Sacramento, Sacramento County, CA

19. INTAKE CONDUITS, PROFILE, SECTIONS, AND DETAILS, SHEET 10 OF ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

19. INTAKE CONDUITS, PROFILE, SECTIONS, AND DETAILS, SHEET 10 OF 117, 1920. - Sacramento River Water Treatment Plant Intake Pier & Access Bridge, Spanning Sacramento River approximately 175 feet west of eastern levee on river; roughly .5 mile downstream from confluence of Sacramento & American Rivers, Sacramento, Sacramento County, CA

7. DETAIL OF INTAKE PIER, LOOKING SOUTHWEST FROM EASTERN SACRAMENTO ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

7. DETAIL OF INTAKE PIER, LOOKING SOUTHWEST FROM EASTERN SACRAMENTO LEVEE. - Sacramento River Water Treatment Plant Intake Pier & Access Bridge, Spanning Sacramento River approximately 175 feet west of eastern levee on river; roughly .5 mile downstream from confluence of Sacramento & American Rivers, Sacramento, Sacramento County, CA

20. COMPLETION OF INTAKE CONDUITS, PLANS, PROFILES, AND DETAILS, SHEET ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

20. COMPLETION OF INTAKE CONDUITS, PLANS, PROFILES, AND DETAILS, SHEET 115 OF 117, 1922. - Sacramento River Water Treatment Plant Intake Pier & Access Bridge, Spanning Sacramento River approximately 175 feet west of eastern levee on river; roughly .5 mile downstream from confluence of Sacramento & American Rivers, Sacramento, Sacramento County, CA

12. INTERIOR VIEW OF GATE OPERATOR ROOM, SHOWING SLIDES GATE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

12. INTERIOR VIEW OF GATE OPERATOR ROOM, SHOWING SLIDES GATE OPERATORS, LOOKING NORTHWEST. - Sacramento River Water Treatment Plant Intake Pier & Access Bridge, Spanning Sacramento River approximately 175 feet west of eastern levee on river; roughly .5 mile downstream from confluence of Sacramento & American Rivers, Sacramento, Sacramento County, CA

78 FR 21273 - Final Flood Elevation Determinations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-10

... Docket No.: FEMA-B-1117 Four Mile Run At the confluence with +10 Arlington County. the Potomac River... from From the confluence with +40 Arlington County. Potomac River). the Potomac River to a point located approximately 112 feet downstream of Chain Bridge Road. Potomac River At the confluence with +10...

18. View of Tombigbee River Bridge facing east showing upstream ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

18. View of Tombigbee River Bridge facing east showing upstream side of bridge opposite broken railing located on the downstream side. Fallen power pole and telephone cable is shown in the center of the photograph. - Tombigbee River Bridge, Spanning Tombigbee River at State Highway 182, Columbus, Lowndes County, MS

17. INTAKE PIER, BRIDGE STRESS SHEET, SHEET 8 OF 117, ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

17. INTAKE PIER, BRIDGE STRESS SHEET, SHEET 8 OF 117, 1920. - Sacramento River Water Treatment Plant Intake Pier & Access Bridge, Spanning Sacramento River approximately 175 feet west of eastern levee on river; roughly .5 mile downstream from confluence of Sacramento & American Rivers, Sacramento, Sacramento County, CA

Hydrographic survey of Chaktomuk, the confluence of the Mekong, Tonlé Sap, and Bassac Rivers near Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dietsch, Benjamin J.; Densmore, Brenda K.; Wilson, Richard C.

2014-01-01

Detailed hydrographic maps of Mekong, Tonlé Sap, and Bassac Rivers showing the riverbed elevations surveyed April 21–May 2, 2012, referenced to Ha Tien 1960 were produced. The surveyed area included a 2-km stretch of the Mekong River between the confluence with the Tonlé Sap and Bassac Rivers, and extended 4 km upstream and 3.6 km downstream from the 2,000-m confluence stretch of the Mekong River. In addition, 0.7 km of the Bassac River downstream and 3.5 km of the Tonlé Sap River (from the confluence to Chroy Changvar Bridge) upstream from their confluence with the Mekong River were surveyed. Riverbed features (such as dunes, shoals, and the effects of sediment mining, which were observed during data collection) are visible on the hydrographic maps. All surveys were completed at low annual water levels as referenced to nearby Mekong River Commission streamflow-gaging stations. Riverbed elevations surveyed ranged from 24.08 m below to 1.54 m above Ha Tien 1960.

Photographic copy of historic photograph, by Corps of Engineers, U.S. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Photographic copy of historic photograph, by Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, May 23, 1940 (original in possession of Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, Pittsburgh District, Engineering Division files) Unit 3, view of channel excavation downstream at Fourth Avenue Bridge - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

Photographic copy of historic photograph, by Corps of Engineers, U.S. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Photographic copy of historic photograph, by Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, November 23, 1938 (original in possession of Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, Pittsburgh District, Engineering Division files) Unit 1, section of wall in progress, looking downstream from lb STA. 43+00 - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

75 FR 69892 - Final Flood Elevation Determinations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-16

.... Yellow Medicine River Approximately 3,295 feet +1094 Unincorporated Areas of downstream of the county..., Unincorporated Areas of Cass County. Approximately 0.53 mile +1094 downstream of State Highway 50. Approximately...

How river rocks round: resolving the shape-size paradox.

PubMed

Domokos, Gabor; Jerolmack, Douglas J; Sipos, Andras Á; Török, Akos

2014-01-01

River-bed sediments display two universal downstream trends: fining, in which particle size decreases; and rounding, where pebble shapes evolve toward ellipsoids. Rounding is known to result from transport-induced abrasion; however many researchers argue that the contribution of abrasion to downstream fining is negligible. This presents a paradox: downstream shape change indicates substantial abrasion, while size change apparently rules it out. Here we use laboratory experiments and numerical modeling to show quantitatively that pebble abrasion is a curvature-driven flow problem. As a consequence, abrasion occurs in two well-separated phases: first, pebble edges rapidly round without any change in axis dimensions until the shape becomes entirely convex; and second, axis dimensions are then slowly reduced while the particle remains convex. Explicit study of pebble shape evolution helps resolve the shape-size paradox by reconciling discrepancies between laboratory and field studies, and enhances our ability to decipher the transport history of a river rock.

How River Rocks Round: Resolving the Shape-Size Paradox

PubMed Central

Domokos, Gabor; Jerolmack, Douglas J.; Sipos, Andras Á.; Török, Ákos

2014-01-01

River-bed sediments display two universal downstream trends: fining, in which particle size decreases; and rounding, where pebble shapes evolve toward ellipsoids. Rounding is known to result from transport-induced abrasion; however many researchers argue that the contribution of abrasion to downstream fining is negligible. This presents a paradox: downstream shape change indicates substantial abrasion, while size change apparently rules it out. Here we use laboratory experiments and numerical modeling to show quantitatively that pebble abrasion is a curvature-driven flow problem. As a consequence, abrasion occurs in two well-separated phases: first, pebble edges rapidly round without any change in axis dimensions until the shape becomes entirely convex; and second, axis dimensions are then slowly reduced while the particle remains convex. Explicit study of pebble shape evolution helps resolve the shape-size paradox by reconciling discrepancies between laboratory and field studies, and enhances our ability to decipher the transport history of a river rock. PMID:24533132

How far downstream do dams impact streamflow?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Troy, T.

2017-12-01

Water infrastructure can be a double-edged sword. For example, dams can provide significant flood protection and stable water supplies, but they negatively impact river ecosystems. As the United States enters an era of dam decommissioning instead of dam building, it raises the question of how far downstream dams provide protection against flood peaks and sustaining environmental flows. This study uses USGS streamflow observations, the National Inventory of Dams, and VIC-modeled streamflow as a proxy for naturalized streamflow to evaluate the scale at which dams impact a variety of hydrologic signatures such as flood return period flows, streamflow variability, and low flows. Results over the Delaware River show that the impact of dams quickly dissipates as one moves downstream, but this is due to the basin's characteristics. This analysis is performed over the contiguous United States, quantifying the length scale of impact as a function of dam capacity, position on the river network, and the hydroclimatology.

[Characteristics of heavy metal elements and their relationship with magnetic properties of river sediment from urban area in Lanzhou].

PubMed

Wang, Bo; Zhao, Shuang; Xia, Dun-sheng; Yu, Ye; Tian, Shi-li; Jia, Jia; Jiang, Xiao-rong

2011-05-01

The contents of As, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, V and Zn in the surface sediments from 8 rivers in urban area in Lanzhou were monitored by ecological risk which was assessed by the potential ecological Håkanson index, and the index of geoaccumulation (Igeo), sediment enrichment factor (R), and environmental magnetism. The results showed that: (1) the potential ecological risk of heavy metals of As, Co, Ni, V in surface sediments from 8 rivers were low, which belonged to low ecological risk. But the risk of heave metals Cr, Pb, Zn in surface sediments from Yuer river was high, which belonged to middle ecological risk, and in downstream of Yuer river, the element of Cu belonged to high ecological risk. (2) The rivers in Lanzhou could be divided into four groups according to the heavy mental pollution degree: first type, such as Paihong river, Shier river, Yuer river and Shuimo river, called downstream concentrate type; second type, such as Qili river, called upstream concentrate type; third type, such as Luoguo river and Dasha river, called less affected type; fourth type, Lanni river, which polluted heavily in up and downstream; (3) The correlation analysis between magnetic parameters and element contents show that the parameters which mainly reflect the concentration of the magnetic minerals (X, SIRM, Ms) have close association with Cr, Ni, Pb, Zn, Cu, So we can infer that the magnetic minerals in deposits samples mainly came from electroplating effluent, motor vehicle emission, and domestic sewage. SIRM/X shows a strong correlation with Cr, Ni, Pb, Zn, indicating the distribution of anthropogenic particulates. (4) The magnetic minerals(X, SIRM, Ms) have a strong correlation with the geoaccumulation (Igeo) than potential ecological risk index and enrichment factor (R). These results suggest a possible approach for source identification of magnetic material in pollution studies and the validity of using magnetic measurements to mapping the polluted area.

SOURCES AND TRANSFORMATIONS OF NITROGEN, CARBON, AND PHOSPHORUS IN THE POTOMAC RIVER ESTUARY

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pennino, M. J.; Kaushal, S.

2009-12-01

Global transport of nitrogen (N), carbon (C), and phosphorus (P) in river ecosystems has been dramatically altered due to urbanization. We examined the capacity of a major tributary of the Chesapeake Bay, the Potomac River, to transform carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus inputs from the world’s largest advanced wastewater treatment facility (Washington D.C. Water and Sewer Authority). Surface water and effluent samples were collected along longitudinal transects of the Potomac River seasonally and compared to long-term interannual records of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus. Water samples from seasonal longitudinal transects were analyzed for dissolved organic and inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus, total organic carbon, and particulate carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus. The source and quality of organic matter was characterized using fluorescence spectroscopy, excitation emission matrices (EEMs), and PARAFAC modeling. Sources of nitrate were tracked using stable isotopes of nitrogen and oxygen. Along the river network stoichiometric ratios of C, N, and P were determined across sites and related to changes in flow conditions. Land use data and historical water chemistry data were also compared to assess the relative importance of non-point sources from land-use change versus point-sources of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus. Preliminary data from EEMs suggested that more humic-like organic matter was important above the wastewater treatment plant, but more protein-like organic matter was present below the treatment plant. Levels of nitrate and ammonia showed increases within the vicinity of the wastewater treatment outfall, but decreased rapidly downstream, potentially indicating nutrient uptake and/or denitrification. Phosphate levels decreased gradually along the river with a small increase near the wastewater treatment plant and a larger increase and decrease further downstream near the high salinity zone. Total organic carbon levels show a small decrease downstream. Ecological stoichiometric ratios along the river indicate increases in C/N ratios downstream, but no corresponding trend with C/P ratios. The N/P ratios increased directly below the treatment plant and then decreased gradually downstream. The C/N/P ratios remained level until the last two sampling stations within 20 miles of the Chesapeake Bay, where there is a large increase. Despite large inputs, there may be large variations in sources and ecological stoichiometry along rivers and estuaries, and knowledge of these transformations will be important in predicting changes in the amounts, forms, and stoichiometry of nutrient loads to coastal waters.

Vehicle underbody fairing

DOEpatents

Ortega, Jason M.; Salari, Kambiz; McCallen, Rose

2010-11-09

A vehicle underbody fairing apparatus for reducing aerodynamic drag caused by a vehicle wheel assembly, by reducing the size of a recirculation zone formed under the vehicle body immediately downstream of the vehicle wheel assembly. The fairing body has a tapered aerodynamic surface that extends from a front end to a rear end of the fairing body with a substantially U-shaped cross-section that tapers in both height and width. Fasteners or other mounting devices secure the fairing body to an underside surface of the vehicle body, so that the front end is immediately downstream of the vehicle wheel assembly and a bottom section of the tapered aerodynamic surface rises towards the underside surface as it extends in a downstream direction.

Organic matter dynamics in a karstic watershed: Example from Santa Fe River, Florida, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, J.; Khadka, M. B.; Martin, J. B.; Zimmerman, A. R.

2011-12-01

Organic matter (OM) dynamics in karstic watersheds can involve a range of interactions between organic and inorganic phases of carbon. These interactions include OM remineralization, which will changes its lability, increase dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) concentrations, reduce pH, and enhance carbonate mineral dissolution. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations are elevated in black-water rivers of northern Florida from both allochthonous and autochthonous sources and these rivers flow into and interact with the karstic Floridan Aquifer. One such river, the Santa Fe River, is split into upper confined and lower unconfined watersheds by the Cody Scarp, which represent the erosional edge of a regional confining unit. Water samples were collected from 8 sites across the entire Santa Fe River watershed (SFRW) during 9 sampling trips from December 2009 to May 2011 at flow conditions that ranged from 27 to 39 m3/s, with the highest flow about 45% higher than baseflow. At sites above the Cody Scarp, the river has elevated DOC concentrations, which decrease downstream, while dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and δ13C-DIC show opposite trends. At high flow, DOC concentrations progressively decrease downstream from dilution by low-DOC water discharging from the Floridan Aquifer. At low flow, the water chemistry varies little from upstream to downstream, largely because the composition of upstream water becomes similar to that of downstream water. DOC is inversely and linearly correlated with DIC and δ13C-DIC, but the slope of the correlations vary with discharge, with low flow having more negative slopes than high flow. The OM becomes more labile with distance downstream as assessed using two fluorescence indices, biological/autochthonous index (BIX) and humification index (HIX). This increase in lability suggests that DOC is produced in the river, and this production is reflected in a downstream increase in DOC flux regardless of dilution by the influx of low-DOC groundwater. Primary production was 5 to 25 times higher during high and low flow, respectively, in the lower than in the upper SFRW. No decrease in DOC with a concomitant increase in DIC was observed, however, suggesting observations of microbial consumption of OM is masked by primary production and gain of DIC-rich and DOC-poor groundwater. The upper SFRW has lower saturation index (SI; -2.9 and -0.7 for high and low flow, respectively) than the lower SFRW (0.0 and 0.3 for high and low flow, respectively). The downstream shift in SI reflects dissolution of the carbonate minerals and gain of water from the Floridan Aquifer that had equilibrated with carbonate minerals. OM dynamics in the SFRW are closely linked to the allochthonous OM derived from the upper SFRW, as well as primary production in the lower watershed. Both allochthonous and autochthonous OM can be important in abiotic processes such as carbonate mineral dissolution, but flow conditions mediate the magnitudes of the reactions.

A reassessment of the suspended sediment load in the Madeira River basin from the Andes of Peru and Bolivia to the Amazon River in Brazil, based on 10 years of data from the HYBAM monitoring programme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vauchel, Philippe; Santini, William; Guyot, Jean Loup; Moquet, Jean Sébastien; Martinez, Jean Michel; Espinoza, Jhan Carlo; Baby, Patrice; Fuertes, Oscar; Noriega, Luis; Puita, Oscar; Sondag, Francis; Fraizy, Pascal; Armijos, Elisa; Cochonneau, Gérard; Timouk, Franck; de Oliveira, Eurides; Filizola, Naziano; Molina, Jorge; Ronchail, Josyane

2017-10-01

The Madeira River is the second largest tributary of the Amazon River. It contributes approximately 13% of the Amazon River flow and it may contribute up to 50% of its sediment discharge to the Atlantic Ocean. Until now, the suspended sediment load of the Madeira River was not well known and was estimated in a broad range from 240 to 715 Mt yr-1. Since 2002, the HYBAM international network developed a new monitoring programme specially designed to provide more reliable data than in previous intents. It is based on the continuous monitoring of a set of 11 gauging stations in the Madeira River watershed from the Andes piedmont to the confluence with the Amazon River, and discrete sampling of the suspended sediment concentration every 7 or 10 days. This paper presents the results of the suspended sediment data obtained in the Madeira drainage basin during 2002-2011. The Madeira River suspended sediment load is estimated at 430 Mt yr-1 near its confluence with the Amazon River. The average production of the Madeira River Andean catchment is estimated at 640 Mt yr-1 (±30%), the corresponding sediment yield for the Andes is estimated at 3000 t km-2 yr-1 (±30%), and the average denudation rate is estimated at 1.20 mm yr-1 (±30%). Contrary to previous results that had mentioned high sedimentation rates in the Beni River floodplain, we detected no measurable sedimentation process in this part of the basin. On the Mamoré River basin, we observed heavy sediment deposition of approximately 210 Mt yr-1 that seem to confirm previous studies. But while these studies mentioned heavy sedimentation in the floodplain, we showed that sediment deposition occurred mainly in the Andean piedmont and immediate foreland in rivers (Parapeti, Grande, Pirai, Yapacani, Chimoré, Chaparé, Secure, Maniqui) with discharges that are not sufficiently large to transport their sediment load downstream in the lowlands.

Inundation and draining of the Trinity River floodplain associated with extreme precipitation from Hurricane Harvey, east Texas, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hassenruck-Gudipati, H. J.; Goudge, T. A.; Mohrig, D. C.

2017-12-01

Rivers swelled up beyond their historic high-water marks due to precipitation from Hurricane Harvey. We used Harvey-induced flooding to investigate the flow connectivity between the coastal Trinity River and its floodplain by measuring water depth and velocity, as well as sediment-transporting conditions on the natural levee that separates the two. River discharge within the study area peaked at a historic high of 3600 cubic meters per second on September 1, 2017. The levees on two river bends were investigated on September 3 and 4 in order to characterize the hydraulic connectivity between the channel and its floodplain during the early falling limb of this flood. On September 3, a river bend located approximately 28km upstream of the river mouth was visited. Water was overtopping the levee crest at this location, 30m away from the levee crest. This overland flow only experienced about a threefold reduction in average velocity to 0.16 m/s (in 2.2 m of water) 600m away from the levee crest. On September 4, a river bend approximately 59km upstream of the river mouth was investigated. Even though the river stage was at the National Weather Service major flood stage, the levee crest separating the river and floodplain was emergent. Regardless of this local disconnect between the river and its floodplain, substantial and variable drainage velocities were measured depending on drainage patterns controlled by local topography. Velocities measured in shallow water immediately adjacent to the emergent levee were low (< 0.05 m/s in 0.2 m of water). The highest drainage velocity ( 0.18 m/s in 1.7 m of water) associated with the upstream river-bend was measured at 750m from the channel and was similar in magnitude to those recorded for the distal inundating overland flow a day before on the downstream river-bend. Results from this work highlight the maintenance of high flow velocities across the distal floodplain even during its drainage phase. The transport of sediment, detrital organics, and solutes will be explored within the context of these overland flow velocities.

Ecological consequences of hydropower development in Central America: Impacts of small dams and water diversion on neotropical stream fish assemblages

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anderson, Elizabeth P.; Freeman, Mary C.; Pringle, C.M.

2006-01-01

Small dams for hydropower have caused widespread alteration of Central American rivers, yet much of recent development has gone undocumented by scientists and conservationists. We examined the ecological effects of a small hydropower plant (Dona Julia Hydroelectric Center) on two low-order streams (the Puerto Viejo River and Quebradon stream) draining a mountainous area of Costa Rica. Operation of the Dona Julia plant has dewatered these streams, reducing discharge to ~ 10% of average annual flow. This study compared fish assemblage composition and aquatic habitat upstream and downstream of diversion dams on two streams and along a ~ 4 km dewatered reach of the Puerto Viejo River in an attempt to evaluate current instream flow recommendations for regulated Costa Rican streams. Our results indicated that fish assemblages directly upstream and downstream of the dam on the third order Puerto Viejo River were dissimilar, suggesting that the small dam (< 15 in high) hindered movement of fishes. Along the ~ 4 km dewatered reach of the Puerto Viejo River, species count increased with downstream distance from the dam. However, estimated species richness and overall fish abundance were not significantly correlated with downstream distance from the dam. Our results suggested that effects of stream dewatering may be most pronounced for a subset of species with more complex reproductive requirements, classified as equilibrium-type species based on their life-history. In the absence of changes to current operations, we expect that fish assemblages in the Puerto Viejo River will be increasingly dominated by opportunistic-type, colonizing fish species. Operations of many other small hydropower plants in Costa Rica and other parts of Central America mirror those of Doha Julia; the methods and results of this study may be applicable to some of those projects.

Influence of multiple dam passage on survival of juvenile Chinook salmon in the Columbia River estuary and coastal ocean

PubMed Central

Rechisky, Erin L.; Welch, David W.; Porter, Aswea D.; Jacobs-Scott, Melinda C.; Winchell, Paul M.

2013-01-01

Multiple dam passage during seaward migration is thought to reduce the subsequent survival of Snake River Chinook salmon. This hypothesis developed because juvenile Chinook salmon from the Snake River, the Columbia River’s largest tributary, migrate >700 km through eight hydropower dams and have lower adult return rates than downstream populations that migrate through only 3 or 4 dams. Using a large-scale telemetry array, we tested whether survival of hatchery-reared juvenile Snake River spring Chinook salmon is reduced in the estuary and coastal ocean relative to a downstream, hatchery-reared population from the Yakima River. During the initial 750-km, 1-mo-long migration through the estuary and coastal ocean, we found no evidence of differential survival; therefore, poorer adult returns of Snake River Chinook may develop far from the Columbia River. Thus, hydrosystem mitigation efforts may be ineffective if differential mortality rates develop in the North Pacific Ocean for reasons unrelated to dam passage. PMID:23576733

Green-blue water in the city: quantification of impact of source control versus end-of-pipe solutions on sewer and river floods.

PubMed

De Vleeschauwer, K; Weustenraad, J; Nolf, C; Wolfs, V; De Meulder, B; Shannon, K; Willems, P

2014-01-01

Urbanization and climate change trends put strong pressures on urban water systems. Temporal variations in rainfall, runoff and water availability increase, and need to be compensated for by innovative adaptation strategies. One of these is stormwater retention and infiltration in open and/or green spaces in the city (blue-green water integration). This study evaluated the efficiency of three adaptation strategies for the city of Turnhout in Belgium, namely source control as a result of blue-green water integration, retention basins located downstream of the stormwater sewers, and end-of-pipe solutions based on river flood control reservoirs. The efficiency of these options is quantified by the reduction in sewer and river flood frequencies and volumes, and sewer overflow volumes. This is done by means of long-term simulations (100-year rainfall simulations) using an integrated conceptual sewer-river model calibrated to full hydrodynamic sewer and river models. Results show that combining open, green zones in the city with stormwater retention and infiltration for only 1% of the total city runoff area would lead to a 30 to 50% reduction in sewer flood volumes for return periods in the range 10-100 years. This is due to the additional surface storage and infiltration and consequent reduction in urban runoff. However, the impact of this source control option on downstream river floods is limited. Stormwater retention downstream of the sewer system gives a strong reduction in peak discharges to the receiving river. However due to the difference in response time between the sewer and river systems, this does not lead to a strong reduction in river flood frequency. The paper shows the importance of improving the interface between urban design and water management, and between sewer and river flood management.

14. INSIDE VIEW OF FLUME, LOOKING DOWNSTREAM TOWARD SETTLING BASIN, ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

14. INSIDE VIEW OF FLUME, LOOKING DOWNSTREAM TOWARD SETTLING BASIN, SHOWING RIGHT FORK TO BYPASS, LEFT FORK TO BASIN - Electron Hydroelectric Project, Along Puyallup River, Electron, Pierce County, WA

Monitoring riparian-vegetation composition and cover along the Colorado River downstream of Glen Canyon Dam, Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Palmquist, Emily C.; Ralston, Barbara E.; Sarr, Daniel A.; Johnson, Taylor C.

2018-06-05

Vegetation in the riparian zone (the area immediately adjacent to streams, such as stream banks) along the Colorado River downstream of Glen Canyon Dam, Arizona, supports many ecosystem and societal functions. In both Glen Canyon and Grand Canyon, this ecosystem has changed over time in response to flow alterations, invasive species, and recreational use. Riparian-vegetation cover and composition are likely to continue to change as these pressures persist and new ones emerge. Because this system is a valuable resource that is known to change in response to flow regime and other disturbances, a long-term monitoring protocol has been designed with three primary objectives:Annually measure and summarize the status (composition and cover) of native and non-native vascular-plant species within the riparian zone of the Colorado River between Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Mead.At 5-year intervals, assess change in vegetation composition and cover in the riparian zone, as related to geomorphic setting and dam operations, particularly flow regime.Collect data in a manner that can be used by multiple stakeholders, particularly the basinwide monitoring program overseen by the National Park Service’s Northern Colorado Plateau Network Inventory and Monitoring program.A protocol for the long-term monitoring of riparian vegetation is described in detail and standard operating procedures are included herein for all tasks. Visual estimates of foliar and ground covers are collected in conjunction with environmental measurements to assess correlations of foliar cover with abiotic and flow variables. Sample quadrats are stratified by frequency of inundation, geomorphic feature, and by river segment to account for differences in vegetation type. Photographs of sites are also taken to illustrate qualitative characteristics of the site at the time of sampling. Procedures for field preparation, generating random samples, data collection, data management, collecting and managing unknown species collections, and reporting are also described. Although this protocol is intended to be consistent over the long-term, procedures for minor and major revisions to the protocol are also outlined.

Breakup and reestablishment of the armour layer in a large gravel-bed river below dams: The lower Ebro

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vericat, Damia; Batalla, Ramon J.; Garcia, Celso

2006-06-01

Changes in armour layer during floods under supply limited conditions are little known. This paper describes the breakup and the reestablishment of the bed armour layer in the regulated gravel-bed Ebro River during a flooding period. The study was conducted over a 28-km study reach from 2002 to 2004. The surface, subsurface and bed load grain size distribution constitute the bases for the analysis of bed-armouring dynamics. The results indicate that the magnitude of floods controlled the degree of armouring of the river bed. The initial mean armouring ratio was 2.3, with maximum values reaching 4.4. Floods in the winter of 2002-2003 ( Q8) caused the breakup of the armour layer in several sections. This resulted in the erratic bed load pattern observed during the December 2002 flushing flow and in the increase in bed load transport during successive events. Most grain size classes were entrained and transported, causing river bed incision. The mean armouring ratio decreased to 1.9. In contrast, during low magnitude floods in 2003-2004 ( Q2), the coarsest fractions (64 mm) did not take part in the bed load while finer particles were winnowed, thus surface deposits coarsened. As a result, the armour layer was reestablished (i.e., the mean armouring ratio increased to 2.3), and the supply of subsurface sediment decreased. The supply and transport of bed material appear to be in balance in the river reach immediately below the dam. In contrast, the transport of medium and finer size classes in the downstream reaches was higher than their supply from upstream, a phenomenon that progressively reduced their availability in the river bed surface, hence the armour layer reworking.

Analysis of selected water-quality data for surface water in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, April-August 1995

USGS Publications Warehouse

Demcheck, Dennis K.

1996-01-01

Physical and chemical-related properties, concentrations of chemical constituents, which included major ions and nutrients, and concentrations of fecal-coliform bacteria were determined for 17 sites on 11 streams in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, during the period April-August 1995. The streams were sampled to assess the effects of different streamflow conditions on the concentrations of water-quality constituents. The streams included in the study were Tchefuncte River, Bogue Falaya, Abita River, Bayou Chinchouba, Bayou Castine, Cane Bayou, Bayou Lacombe, Bayou Liberty, Bayou Bonfouca, Bogue Chitto, and West Pearl River. Water-quality samples were collected under several hydrologic conditions. These conditions included a period of wet weather and sustained high river stages; a period of local storms several days apart and river stages typical of that situation; and a period of dry weather and low river stages. The concentrations of inorganic chemical constituents in water from the upstream sites generally were low. Concentrations from the downstream sites varied and were higher. Nutrient and fecal-coliform bacteria concentrations varied and indicated that degraded water-quality conditions that typically occur during storms persisted less than 1-3 days. In general, the larger the drainage basin, the longer it takes for the stream to recover. Fecal-coliform concen- trations reflected the effects of small, isolated storms in the area. Bayou Castine, sampled immediately after a storm, had a fecal-coliform concentration of 26,000 colonies per 100 milliliters. The stream was resampled 24 hours later, and the fecal-coliform concentration had decreased to 1,700 colonies per 100 milliliters. This is an indication of the rapid water-quality changes that typically occur in small streams.

Channel Stability and Water Quality of the Alagnak River, Southwestern Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curran, Janet H.

2003-01-01

The Alagnak River, a National Wild River located in southwestern Alaska, drains an area of 3,600 square kilometers and is used for recreational and subsistence activities, primarily angling, camping, rafting, and hunting by visitors and seasonal residents, and for commercial guiding by several lodges. Increases in visitor use in the 1990s included an increase in the use of high-horsepower motorboats on the river, primarily for angling, and raised concerns regarding human impacts on water quality. Downstream from its confluence with the Nonvianuk River at river kilometer (RK) 93, the Alagnak River is formed in glacial drift and outwash with a single, low bedrock outcrop. Analysis of aerial photography from 1951, 1982, and 2001 shows that the river's multiple channels from RK 57 to 93 have been relatively stable. In contrast, long reaches of multiple channels from RK 35 to 57 changed substantially between 1951 and 1982, creating a new complex of channels. Downstream from RK 35, channel changes in the past 50 years consist largely of minor meander migration. Analysis of water samples collected during this study at RK 21, 46, and 93 and in the Alagnak and Nonvianuk Rivers at the outlets of the lakes that form their source shows that the Alagnak River is a nutrient-poor, calcium-bicarbonate water with low suspended-sediment concentrations. Water chemistry changes little over time or in a downstream direction. Weak patterns over time include high late May/early June concentrations of some nutrients, carbon, and iron. Weak patterns over distance include downstream increases in iron, manganese, and phosphorous. No pervasive human impacts on Alagnak River water chemistry were detected. Local effects that could be diluted within a kilometer downstream of the source were not detectable by this study. Data collected at three continuously recording wake gaging stations at RK 21, 46, and 93 showed that 1999-2000 motorboat use was heaviest in the lower reaches of the river, moderate in the middle reaches, and very light in the upper reaches. Maximum boat use was 137, 40, and 4 wakes per day at RK 21, 46, and 93, respectively. The mean height of the maximum wave generated in each wake was about 0.15 m (meters) at all three gaging stations. Bank erosion monitoring at 14 sites between RK 21 and 93 quantified erosion rates ranging from 0 to 1.1 m/yr (meters per year). Erodibility (based on grain-size analysis) increases in a downstream direction, as do measured erosion rates. Alagnak River banks are noncohesive and erode by grain-by-grain removal of sediment in an alternating pattern of water-driven erosion and gravitydriven erosion. Periodic surveys at bank erosion monitoring sites detected the development of a shallow underwater shelf formed by the action of wind waves and boat wakes at several sites. This shelf contains sediment eroded from the bank and redeposited adjacent to the bank; the shelf reformed as water levels changed but maintained the same wave-generated form throughout much of the season. Measurements of bank erosion processes, particularly the development of a wave-generated shelf, and visual observations suggest that boat wakes increase bank erosion rates, especially at high, exposed banks. Analysis of aerial photography and other assessments of bank erosion processes indicate that this increase in erosion rates has not altered the mechanisms of channel change, which in the past 50 years have included complex, compound channel changes and meander migration.

8. VIEW OF DAM 83, SHOWING OLD SOURIS RIVER CHANNEL ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

8. VIEW OF DAM 83, SHOWING OLD SOURIS RIVER CHANNEL FROM THE DOWNSTREAM FACE OF THE DAM WITH POND A IN THE BACKGROUND, LOOKING SOUTH - Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge, Dam 83, Souris River Basin, Foxholm, Surrey (England), ND

Development of river flood model in lower reach of urbanized river basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshimura, Kouhei; Tajima, Yoshimitsu; Sanuki, Hiroshi; Shibuo, Yoshihiro; Sato, Shinji; Lee, SungAe; Furumai, Hiroaki; Koike, Toshio

2014-05-01

Japan, with its natural mountainous landscape, has demographic feature that population is concentrated in lower reach of elevation close to the coast, and therefore flood damage with large socio-economic value tends to occur in low-lying region. Modeling of river flood in such low-lying urbanized river basin is complex due to the following reasons. In upstream it has been experienced urbanization, which changed land covers from natural forest or agricultural fields to residential or industrial area. Hence rate of infiltration and runoff are quite different from natural hydrological settings. In downstream, paved covers and construct of sewerage system in urbanized areas affect direct discharges and it enhances higher and faster flood peak arrival. Also tidal effect from river mouth strongly affects water levels in rivers, which must be taken into account. We develop an integrated river flood model in lower reach of urbanized areas to be able to address above described complex feature, by integrating model components: LSM coupled distributed hydrological model that models anthropogenic influence on river discharges to downstream; urban hydrological model that simulates run off response in urbanized areas; Saint Venant's equation approximated river model that integrates upstream and urban hydrological models with considering tidal effect from downstream. These features are integrated in a common modeling framework so that model interaction can be directly performed. The model is applied to the Tsurumi river basin, urbanized low-lying river basin in Yokohama and model results show that it can simulate water levels in rivers with acceptable model errors. Furthermore the model is able to install miscellaneous water planning constructs, such as runoff reduction pond in urbanized area, flood control field along the river channel, levee, etc. This can be a useful tool to investigate cost performance of hypothetical water management plan against impact of climate change in the region.

Hourly Water Quality Dynamics in Rivers Downstream of Urban Areas: Quantifying Seasonal Variation and Modelling Impacts of Urban Growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hutchins, M.; McGrane, S. J.; Miller, J. D.; Hitt, O.; Bowes, M.

2016-12-01

Continuous monitoring of water flows and quality is invaluable in improving understanding of the influence of urban areas on river health. When used to inform predictive modelling, insights can be gained as to how urban growth may affect the chemical and biological quality of rivers as they flow downstream into larger waterbodies. Water flow and quality monitoring in two urbanising sub-catchments (<100 km2) of the River Thames (southern UK) is described. Temperature, conductivity, turbidity, dissolved oxygen (DO) and ammonium (NH4) were measured at downstream locations where long term flow records are available, but particular focus is given to monitoring of an extended set of sites during prolonged winter rainfall. In the Ray sub-catchment streams were monitored in which urban cover varied across a range of 7-78%. A rural-urban gradient in DO was apparent in the low flow period prior to the storms. Transient low DO (< 8 mg L-1) as a response to pollutant first flushes was particularly apparent in urban streams but this was followed by a rapid recovery. Chronic effects lasting for three to four weeks were only seen downstream of a sewage treatment works (STW). In this respect temperature- and respiration-driven DO sags in summer were at least if not more severe than those driven by the winter storms. Likewise, although winter storm NH4 concentrations violated EU legislation downstream of the STW, they were lower than summer concentrations in pollutant flushes following dry spells. In contrast the predominant phenomenon affecting water quality in the Cut during the storms was dilution. Here, a river water quality model was calibrated and applied over the course of a year to capture the importance of periphyton photosynthesis and respiration cycles in determining water quality and to predict the influence of hypothetical urban growth on downstream river health. The periods monitored intensively, dry spells followed by prolonged rainfall, represent: (i) marked changes in conditions likely to become more prevalent in future, (ii) situations under which water quality in urban areas is likely to be particularly vulnerable, being influenced for example by first flush effects followed by capacity exceedance at STW. Despite this, whilst being somewhat long lasting in places, impacts on DO were not severe.

Channel adjustments to historical disturbances along the lower Brazos and Sabine Rivers, south-central USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heitmuller, Franklin T.

2014-01-01

Historical channel adjustments are documented and discussed in context with anthropogenic disturbances along two meandering, coastal plain rivers - the lower Brazos and Sabine Rivers in the south-central United States. Hard-copy streamflow-measurement notes of the U.S. Geological Survey were utilized to render historical cross sections (1925-2007) at nine gauging stations, which were complemented with repeat photographs and flood-frequency analysis to assess trajectories of channel change and interpret causative mechanisms. Downstream- and upstream-propagating disturbances caused episodes of channel-bed incision and aggradation at different locations for distinct time periods along both rivers. Incision associated with upstream dams is detected, but channels are compensated downstream with sediment inputs from lateral channel migration and tributaries. In one case, temporary aggradation along the Brazos River at Waco was likely caused by a combination of dam construction and regional soil erosion. Channel-bed incision on the lowermost Brazos River is unrelated to dams, but is associated with instream aggregate extraction, possibly in conjunction with downstream channelization. On the Sabine River, extensive aggradation during the 1930s might be associated with logging activities (1880s-1930s), but whether the cause is pervasive regional-scale hillslope erosion or local-scale mill-site activities is indeterminate. Following passage of this sediment, the river generally recovered to pre-disturbance conditions and has exhibited stability despite a mainstem reservoir. Translation of this sediment slug is attenuated by a transition to a flood-prone, distributary-dominated system downstream of the Holocene-Pleistocene terrace onlap position. Additional findings include cross-channel hingepoints separating thalweg incision from simultaneous point-bar or bank accretion at meander bends, which indicates channel adjustment occurs along non-cohesive beds in preference to cohesive or artificially reinforced banks. Also, flood reduction has resulted in bankfull stages that are higher than levels associated with the post-regulation 2-year return period. Finally, vegetation encroachment along banks since the 1970s coupled with reduced flooding along the lower Brazos River has promoted bank accretion deposits that, when fully developed, serve as morphologic indicators of the post-regulation 1- to 2-year return period stage.

An assessment of sediment-transport processes in the Lower Mekong River based on deposit grain sizes, the CM technique and flow-energy data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bravard, Jean-Paul; Goichot, Marc; Tronchère, Hervé

2014-02-01

The Lower Mekong River has been an important research topic for at least 15 years, notably in the fields of hydrology, fluvial geomorphology, and the impact of dams. Recent papers refer mostly to the impact of the Lancang chain of hydroelectric dams constructed on the Chinese section of the river. Among the pending scientific questions are (1) the upstream-downstream variations in the concentration and yield of suspended sediment and (2) the relative importance of sand in the total yield. The general consensus among the scientific community is that the relative importance of sand in suspended load is not the main scientific concern despite its extensive presence in the Mekong River channel, as noted by geomorphologists, and despite its extreme importance for the stability of the delta shoreline in Viet Nam. This paper contradicts the general consensus. Its objective is to present new information on the processes of sand transport in the Lower Mekong channel. Imagery, field observations, sampling on the river banks, and grain size analysis of sand deposits have been carried out between Chiang Sean (downstream of the Chinese border) and the delta. The C-M image technique served to discriminate between the various transport processes (bedload and different types of suspension). This technique helps in understanding the changing processes responsible for downstream sediment transfer in river channels. The results of this study are the following.

The geomorphic effects of dams on rivers: some examples from southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosskopf, Carmen Maria; Scorpio, Vittoria

2017-04-01

During the second half of the last century, many rivers in southern Italy have experienced huge channel adjustments mainly induced by anthropic interventions. Particularly, in several cases dams were built along them mainly to meet the growing need for energy and water for irrigation purposes. The present study investigates the cases of Fortore and Biferno rivers, whose lower courses are regulated respectively since 1966 and 1976 by the Occhito and Ponteliscione dams, with the aim to verify possible impacts of the dams on channel morphology and adjustments over the last 60 years. Channel changes were analyzed by means of a multi-temporal GIS analysis of topographic maps and aerial photographs integrated with topographic and geomorphological field. The obtained evolutionary trajectories highlight that channel adjustments occurred through two distinct phases and led to an overall channel narrowing and channel bed lowering accompanied by pattern changes in prevalence from multithread to single-thread channel configurations. Major channel adjustments occurred in the first phase, from the 1950s until the end of the 1990s, under the dominant control of in-channel mining, channel works and hydraulic interventions. Regarding this phase, the impact of the dams is highlighted by net differences in the amount of channel adjustments of the reaches located respectively upstream and downstream of them. Especially channel narrowing was more intense in downstream reaches (up to 98% in the Fortore River and up to 96% in the Biferno River) than in upstream reaches (up to 81% in the Fortore and up to 86% in the Biferno). With respectively 7.4 m y-1 and -7.8 m y-1, averages rates of narrowing are very similar for the Fortore and Biferno in downstream reaches. Observed differences suggest that, besides the control factors that guided the evolution of the entire fluvial systems, the closure of the two dams had additional and permanent effects on downstream reaches through overall discharge regulation and permanent sediment trapping as also confirmed by the progressive retreat of the river mouth areas. From 2000 to 2016 (phase 2), a trend inversion is observed: channel narrowing is replaced by channel stabilization or widening and partial aggradation of upstream reaches and total stabilization of downstream reaches. Besides the cessation of in-channel mining, channel recovery appears favored by several major flood events, occurred from 2003 to 2015. The ongoing trend to recovery of upstream reaches is well evident for the Fortore River, whilst for the Biferno River, due to the presence of several secondary hydraulic structures (small hydropower reservoirs and check-dams), only some localized resumption of river dynamics can be observed evidenced by bank retreat, channel widening and sediment deposition. Regarding downstream reaches of both rivers, their stabilization can be interpreted as an amelioration of their condition with respect to the precedent period (phase 1). Nevertheless, their very scarce dynamics due to the permanent disturbance created by the dams along with the very low diversity of geomorphological and ecological river corridor features, the scarce to nil recovery potentials and associated high flood risks, strongly contrast possible restorative actions.

Subsurface flow in lowland river gravel bars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bray, E. N.; Dunne, T.

2017-09-01

Geomorphic and hydraulic processes, which form gravel bars in large lowland rivers, have distinctive characteristics that control the magnitude and spatial patterns of infiltration and exfiltration between rivers and their immediate subsurface environments. We present a bedform-infiltration relation together with a set of field measurements along two reaches of the San Joaquin River, CA to illustrate the conditions required for infiltration and exfiltration of flow between a stream and its undulating bed, and a numerical model to investigate the factors that affect paths and residence times of flow through barforms at different discharges. It is shown that asymmetry of bar morphology is a first-order control on the extent and location of infiltration, which would otherwise produce equal areas of infiltration and exfiltration under the assumption of sinusoidal bedforms. Hydraulic conductivity varies by orders of magnitude due to fine sediment accumulation and downstream coarsening related to the process of bar evolution. This systematic variability not only controls the magnitude of infiltration, but also the residence time of flow through the bed. The lowest hydraulic conductivity along the reach occurred where the difference between the topographic gradient and the water-surface gradient is at a maximum and thus where infiltration would be greatest into a homogeneous bar, indicating the importance of managing sand supply to maintain the ventilation and flow through salmon spawning riffles. Numerical simulations corroborate our interpretation that infiltration patterns and rates are controlled by distinctive features of bar morphology.

Channel Maintenance and Flushing Flows for the Klamath River Below Iron Gate Dam, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Holmquist-Johnson, Cristopher L.; Milhous, Robert T.

2010-01-01

The Klamath River is a major river in northern California and southern Oregon. Iron Gate Dam divides the river into the two subunits where there is a significant change in utilization of the river. Downstream of Iron Gate Dam, the river is very important for the propagation of salmon. To address concerns relating to substrate conditions in the mainstem Klamath River below Iron Gate Dam, the Arcata, California, office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service contracted with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to determine flushing flows required to improve and maintain quality spawning and rearing habitats for salmon, and to reduce the abundance of preferred habitats of the polychaete worm suspected of being the intermediate host for Ceratomyxa shasta, a species of bacteria that infects fish. Historically, the river has had the capacity to move sediment just below Iron Gate Reservoir, but there have been periods when the capacity was very low. The results indicate that if the future is more like the pre-1961 period (low transport capacity) than the more recent period, there will be significant sediment issues in the Klamath River below Iron Gate Dam. It seems that during normal or wet years, winter months, and periods of high flow, sediments are flushed either downstream or deposited on higher surfaces. The recent drought conditions during 2000-2005 probably resulted in extensive fine-grained sedimentation along the river, which in turn may have caused increased establishment of aquatic vegetation and increased concentrations of C. shasta. It appears that releases from Iron Gate Dam as far downstream as Seiad Valley are important in maintaining flow conditions to flush the fines and clean the gravels in the river during summer months, or during drought years. Sediment transport studies indicate that supplemental flows during dry or drought conditions may provide some flushing flows in reaches downstream of the dam. For purposes of flushing fine sediments during drought years or dry summer months, flows in the range of 2,500-5,000 cubic feet per second during a period of days may be necessary. Providing these types of flows in a manner similar to a storm pulse would provide the best opportunity to flush the fines and clean some of the gravels given the upper ranges of flows are achieved.

Assessment of potential effects of water produced from coalbed natural gas development on macroinvertebrate and algal communities in the Powder River and Tongue River, Wyoming and Montana, 2010

USGS Publications Warehouse

Peterson, David A.; Hargett, Eric G.; Feldman, David L.

2011-01-01

Ongoing development of coalbed natural gas in the Powder River structural basin in Wyoming and Montana led to formation of an interagency aquatic task group to address concerns about the effects of the resulting production water on biological communities in streams of the area. Ecological assessments, made from 2005–08 under the direction of the task group, indicated biological condition of the macroinvertebrate and algal communities in the middle reaches of the Powder was lower than in the upper or lower reaches. On the basis of the 2005–08 results, sampling of the macroinvertebrate and algae communities was conducted at 18 sites on the mainstem Powder River and 6 sites on the mainstem Tongue River in 2010. Sampling-site locations were selected on a paired approach, with sites located upstream and downstream of discharge points and tributaries associated with coalbed natural gas development. Differences in biological condition among site pairs were evaluated graphically and statistically using multiple lines of evidence that included macroinvertebrate and algal community metrics (such as taxa richness, relative abundance, functional feeding groups, and tolerance) and output from observed/expected (O/E) macroinvertebrate models from Wyoming and Montana. Multiple lines of evidence indicated a decline in biological condition in the middle reaches of the Powder River, potentially indicating cumulative effects from coalbed natural gas discharges within one or more reaches between Flying E Creek and Wild Horse Creek in Wyoming. The maximum concentrations of alkalinity in the Powder River also occurred in the middle reaches. Biological condition in the upper and lower reaches of the Powder River was variable, with declines between some site pairs, such as upstream and downstream of Dry Fork and Willow Creek, and increases at others, such as upstream and downstream of Beaver Creek. Biological condition at site pairs on the Tongue River showed an increase in one case, near the Wyoming-Montana border, and a decrease in another case, upstream of Tongue River Reservoir. Few significant differences were noted from upstream to downstream of Prairie Dog Creek, a major tributary to the Tongue River. Further study would be needed to confirm the observed patterns and choose areas to examine in greater detail.

Photographic copy of historic photograph, by Corps of Engineers, U.S. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Photographic copy of historic photograph, by Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, June 7, 1940 (original in possession of Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, Pittsburgh District, Engineering Division files) Unit 2, view of left bank in construction, looking downstream from RB STA. 63+75 - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

Fate of antimony and arsenic in contaminated waters at the abandoned Su Suergiu mine (Sardinia, Italy)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cidu, Rosa; Dore, Elisabetta; Biddau, Riccardo; Nordstrom, D. Kirk

2018-01-01

We investigated the fate of Sb and As downstream of the abandoned Su Suergiu mine (Sardinia, Italy) and surrounding areas. The mined area is a priority in the Sardinian remediation plan for contaminated sites due to the high concentrations of Sb and As in the mining-related wastes, which may impact the Flumendosa River that supplies water for agriculture and domestic uses. Hydrogeochemical surveys conducted from 2005 to 2015 produced time-series data and downstream profiles of water chemistry at 46 sites. Water was sampled at: springs and streams unaffected by mining; adits and streams in the mine area; drainage from the slag heaps; stream water downstream of the slag drainages; and the Flumendosa River downstream from the confluence of the contaminated waters. At specific sites, water sampling was repeated under different flow conditions, resulting in a total of 99 samples. The water samples were neutral to slightly alkaline. Elevated Sb (up to 30 mg L−1) and As (up to 16 mg L−1) concentrations were observed in water flowing from the slag materials from where the Sb ore was processed. These slag materials were the main Sb and As source at Su Suergiu. A strong base, Na-carbonate, from the foundry wastes, had a major influence on mobilizing Sb and As. Downstream contamination can be explained by considering that: (1) the predominant aqueous species, Sb(OH)6 − and HAsO4 −2, are not favored in sorption processes at the observed pH conditions; (2) precipitation of Sb- and As-bearing solid phases was not observed, which is consistent with modeling results indicating undersaturation; and (3) the main decrease in dissolved Sb and As concentrations was by dilution. Dissolved As concentrations in the Flumendosa River did not generally exceed the EU limit of 10 µg L−1, whereas dissolved Sb in the river downstream of the contamination source always exceeded the EU limit of 5 µg L−1. Recent actions aimed at retaining runoff from the slag heaps are apparently not sufficiently mitigating contamination in the Flumendosa River.

Bank Erosion, Mass Wasting, Water Clarity, Bathymetry and a Sediment Budget Along the Dam-Regulated Lower Roanoke River, North Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schenk, Edward R.; Hupp, Cliff R.; Richter, Jean M.; Kroes, Daniel E.

2010-01-01

Dam construction and its impact on downstream fluvial processes may substantially alter ambient bank stability, floodplain inundation patterns, and channel morphology. Most of the world's largest rivers have been dammed, which has prompted management efforts to mitigate dam effects. Three high dams (completed between 1953 and 1963) occur along the Piedmont portion of the Roanoke River, North Carolina; just downstream, the lower part of the river flows across largely unconsolidated Coastal Plain deposits. To document bank erosion rates along the lower Roanoke River, more than 700 bank erosion pins were installed along 124 bank transects. Additionally, discrete measurements of channel bathymetry, water clarity, and presence or absence of mass wasting were documented along the entire 153-kilometer-long study reach. Amounts of bank erosion in combination with prior estimates of floodplain deposition were used to develop a bank erosion and floodplain deposition sediment budget for the lower river. Present bank erosion rates are relatively high [mean 42 milimeters per year (mm/yr)] and are greatest along the middle reaches (mean 60 mm/yr) and on lower parts of the bank on all reaches. Erosion rates were likely higher along upstream reaches than present erosion rates such that erosion rate maxima have migrated downstream. Mass wasting and water clarity also peak along the middle reaches.

Hydrologic and hydraulic factors affecting passage of paddlefish through dams in the Upper Mississippi River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zigler, S.J.; Dewey, M.R.; Knights, B.C.; Runstrom, A.L.; Steingraeber, M.T.

2004-01-01

Populations of paddlefish Polyodon spathula have been adversely affected by dams that can block their movements. Unlike high-head dams that preclude fish passage (unless they are equipped with fishways), the dams on the upper Mississippi River are typically low-head dams with bottom release gates that may allow fish passage under certain conditions. We evaluated the relation of dam head and river discharge to the passage of radio-tagged paddlefish through dams in the upper Mississippi River. Radio transmitters were surgically implanted into 71 paddlefish from Navigation Pools 5A and 8 of the upper Mississippi River and from two tributary rivers during fall 1994 through fall 1996. We tracked paddlefish through September 1997 and documented 53 passages through dams, 20 upstream and 33 downstream. Passages occurred mostly during spring (71%) but also occurred sporadically during summer and fall (29%). Spring passages varied among years in response to hydrologic conditions. We evaluated patterns in upstream and downstream passages with Cox proportional hazard regression models. Model results indicated that dam head height strongly affected the upstream passage of paddlefish but not the downstream passage. Several paddlefish, however, passed upstream through a dam during periods when the minimum head at the dam was substantial ( greater than or equal to 1m). In these cases, we hypothesize that paddlefish moved upstream through the lock chamber.

Effects of advanced wastewater treatment on the quality of White River, Indiana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crawford, Charles G.; Wangsness, David J.

1991-01-01

In 1983, the City of Indianapolis, Indiana, completed construction of advanced wastewater treatment (AWT) systems to enlarge and upgrade its existing Belmont Road and Southport Road secondary treatment plants. A nonparametric statistical procedure, a modified form of the Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney rank-sum test, was used to test for trends in water quality at two upstream and two downstream sites on White River and at the two treatment plants. Results comparing the pre- (1978-1980) and post- (1983-1988) AWT periods show statistically significant improvements in the quality of the treated effluent and of the White River downstream from the plants. Water quality at sites upstream from the city was relatively constant during the period of study. Total ammonia (as N) decreased 14.6 mg/L and BOD5 (five-day biochemical oxygen demand) decreased 10 to 19 mg/L in the two effluents. Total ammonia in the river downstream from the plants decreased 0.8 to 1.9 mg/L and BOD5 decreased 2.3 to 2.5 mg/L. Nitrate (as N) increased 14.5 mg/L in the plant effluents and 2.0 to 2.4 mg/L in the river because of in-plant nitrification. Dissolved oxygen concentration in the river increased about 3 mg/L because of reduced oxygen demand for nitrification and biochemical oxidation processes.

Nutrient, suspended sediment, and trace element loads in the Blackstone River Basin in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, 2007 to 2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zimmerman, Marc J.; Waldron, Marcus C.; DeSimone, Leslie A.

2015-01-01

Analysis of the representative constituents (total phosphorus, total chromium, and suspended sediment) upstream and downstream of impoundments indicated that the existing impoundments, such as Rice City Pond, can be sources of particulate contaminant loads in the Blackstone River. Loads of particulate phosphorus, particulate chromium, and suspended sediment were consistently higher downstream from Rice City Pond than upstream during high-flow events, and there was a positive, linear relation between streamflow and changes in these constituents from upstream to downstream of the impoundment. Thus, particulate contaminants were mobilized from Rice City Pond during high-flow events and transported downstream. In contrast, downstream loads of particulate phosphorus, particulate chromium, and suspended sediment were generally lower than or equal to upstream loads for the former Rockdale Pond impoundment. Sediments associated with the former impoundment at Rockdale Pond, breached in the late 1960s, did not appear to be mobilized during the high-flow events monitored during this study.

A coupled modelling effort to study the fate of contaminated sediments downstream of the Coles Hill deposit, Virginia, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castro-Bolinaga, C. F.; Zavaleta, E. R.; Diplas, P.

2015-03-01

This paper presents the preliminary results of a coupled modelling effort to study the fate of tailings (radioactive waste-by product) downstream of the Coles Hill uranium deposit located in Virginia, USA. The implementation of the overall modelling process includes a one-dimensional hydraulic model to qualitatively characterize the sediment transport process under severe flooding conditions downstream of the potential mining site, a two-dimensional ANSYS Fluent model to simulate the release of tailings from a containment cell located partially above the local ground surface into the nearby streams, and a one-dimensional finite-volume sediment transport model to examine the propagation of a tailings sediment pulse in the river network located downstream. The findings of this investigation aim to assist in estimating the potential impacts that tailings would have if they were transported into rivers and reservoirs located downstream of the Coles Hill deposit that serve as municipal drinking water supplies.

5. OBLIQUE VIEW OF INTAKE PIER AND ACCESS BRIDGE, LOOKING ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

5. OBLIQUE VIEW OF INTAKE PIER AND ACCESS BRIDGE, LOOKING SOUTHWEST, FROM THE EASTERN LEVEE. - Sacramento River Water Treatment Plant Intake Pier & Access Bridge, Spanning Sacramento River approximately 175 feet west of eastern levee on river; roughly .5 mile downstream from confluence of Sacramento & American Rivers, Sacramento, Sacramento County, CA

21. COMPLETION OF INTAKE CONDUITS REVISED, PIPE SECTIONS AND PLANS, ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

21. COMPLETION OF INTAKE CONDUITS REVISED, PIPE SECTIONS AND PLANS, SHEET 117 OF 117, 1922. - Sacramento River Water Treatment Plant Intake Pier & Access Bridge, Spanning Sacramento River approximately 175 feet west of eastern levee on river; roughly .5 mile downstream from confluence of Sacramento & American Rivers, Sacramento, Sacramento County, CA

13. INTERIOR VIEW OF GATE OPERATOR ROOM, SHOWING UNFINISHED CONCRETE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

13. INTERIOR VIEW OF GATE OPERATOR ROOM, SHOWING UNFINISHED CONCRETE WALLS AND SLIDE GATE OPERATORS, LOOKING NORTH. - Sacramento River Water Treatment Plant Intake Pier & Access Bridge, Spanning Sacramento River approximately 175 feet west of eastern levee on river; roughly .5 mile downstream from confluence of Sacramento & American Rivers, Sacramento, Sacramento County, CA

8. VIEW OF ACCESS BRIDGE AND INTAKE PIER FROM THE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

8. VIEW OF ACCESS BRIDGE AND INTAKE PIER FROM THE BRIDGE PIER ABUTMENT, LOOKING NORTHEAST. - Sacramento River Water Treatment Plant Intake Pier & Access Bridge, Spanning Sacramento River approximately 175 feet west of eastern levee on river; roughly .5 mile downstream from confluence of Sacramento & American Rivers, Sacramento, Sacramento County, CA

6. VIEW OF APPROACH SPAN AND MAIN SPAN OF THE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

6. VIEW OF APPROACH SPAN AND MAIN SPAN OF THE ACCESS BRIDGE AND INTAKE PIER, LOOKING SOUTHWEST. - Sacramento River Water Treatment Plant Intake Pier & Access Bridge, Spanning Sacramento River approximately 175 feet west of eastern levee on river; roughly .5 mile downstream from confluence of Sacramento & American Rivers, Sacramento, Sacramento County, CA

9. VIEW OF INTAKE PIER AND MAIN SPAN OF ACCESS ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

9. VIEW OF INTAKE PIER AND MAIN SPAN OF ACCESS BRIDGE FROM WATER LEVEL, LOOKING NORTHWEST. - Sacramento River Water Treatment Plant Intake Pier & Access Bridge, Spanning Sacramento River approximately 175 feet west of eastern levee on river; roughly .5 mile downstream from confluence of Sacramento & American Rivers, Sacramento, Sacramento County, CA

Nutrient Chemistry and Microbial Activity in the Upper Mississippi River Basin: Stoichiometry and Downstream Patterns

EPA Science Inventory

Nutrients, carbon, and silica have been used to track changes in water quality in the major rivers of the world. Most studies focus on the mouths of rivers and adjacent coastal waters. Studies on the Mississippi River have concluded that N enrichment and stable or declining Si co...

Downstream Migration of Masu Salmon Smolt at a Diversion Facility of Dam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayashida, K.; Nii, H.; Kasuga, K.; Watanabe, K.

2014-12-01

A diversion facility was installed on the upstream of Pirika Dam in Northern Japan that produced a downstream flow into the fishway, thus allowing the fish to migrate to the sea. On the other hand, if the flow rate in the river was more than 7.00 m 3/s (design flow rate of diversion facility), masu salmon smolt were concerned about accessing the dam reservoir, because the smolt can't migrate to the sea through the diversion facility unfortunately. Therefore, the downstream migration of smolt was investigated around the diversion facility. The PIT tag system and radio transmitters as the biotelemetry were used to determine 1) whether masu salmon smolt were able to migrate downstream through the diversion facility and fishway at Pirika Dam, 2) when the smolt started to migrate downstream, 3) whether the downstream migration of smolt were affected by the flow increase in the river. It was clarified that 88% of the smolt were able to enter the diversion facility, and then 81% of the smolt were able to access the fishway. It was also clarified that smolt downstream migration had two peaks in a day (5:00 and 18:00). During the study period, although the flow rate was in the 2.21 m3/s to 30.44 m3/s range (average 6.70 m3/s), it was revealed that the diversion facility has a satisfactory function for the downstream migration of smolt as presented above. The survey clarified the downstream migration behavior of masu salmon by using two types of biotelemetry equipment. PIT tag and radio transmitter were found to be very effective in tracking the behavior of small fish such as smolt. PIT tags, in particular, require very little operating cost, because once they are inserted in the fish, they do not need human labor for tracking. It is desirable to actively introduce the biotelemetry as tracking equipment when surveying the fish migration in the river.

Elwha River dam removal-Rebirth of a river

USGS Publications Warehouse

Duda, Jeffrey J.; Warrick, Jonathan A.; Magirl, Christopher S.

2011-01-01

After years of planning for the largest project of its kind, the Department of the Interior will begin removal of two dams on the Elwha River, Washington, in September 2011. For nearly 100 years, the Elwha and Glines Canyon Dams have disrupted natural processes, trapping sediment in the reservoirs and blocking fish migrations, which changed the ecology of the river downstream of the dams. All five Pacific salmon species and steelhead-historically present in large numbers-are locally extirpated or persist in critically low numbers. Upstream of the dams, more than 145 kilometers of pristine habitat, protected inside Olympic National Park, awaits the return of salmon populations. As the dams are removed during a 2-3 year project, some of the 19 million cubic meters of entrapped sediment will be carried downstream by the river in the largest controlled release of sediment into a river and marine waters in history. Understanding the changes to the river and coastal habitats, the fate of sediments, and the salmon recolonization of the Elwha River wilderness will provide useful information for society as future dam removals are considered.

Migratory behavior and physiological development as potential determinants of life history diversity in fall Chinook Salmon in the Clearwater River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tiffan, Kenneth F.; Kock, Tobias J.; Connor, William P.; Richmond, Marshall C.; Perkins, William A.

2018-01-01

We studied the influence of behavior, water velocity, and physiological development on the downstream movement of subyearling fall‐run Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha in both free‐flowing and impounded reaches of the Clearwater and Snake rivers as potential mechanisms that might explain life history diversity in this stock. Movement rates and the percentage of radio‐tagged fish that moved faster than the average current velocity were higher in the free‐flowing Clearwater River than in impounded reaches. This supports the notion that water velocity is a primary determinant of downstream movement regardless of a fish's physiological development. In contrast, movement rates slowed and detections became fewer in impounded reaches, where water velocities were much lower. The percentage of fish that moved faster than the average current velocity continued to decline and reached zero in the lowermost reach of Lower Granite Reservoir, suggesting that the behavioral disposition to move downstream was low. These findings contrast with those of a similar, previous study of Snake River subyearlings despite similarity in hydrodynamic conditions between the two studies. Physiological differences between Snake and Clearwater River migrants shed light on this disparity. Subyearlings from the Clearwater River were parr‐like in their development and never showed the increase in gill Na+/K+‐ATPase activity displayed by smolts from the Snake River. Results from this study provide evidence that behavioral and life history differences between Snake and Clearwater River subyearlings may have a physiological basis that is modified by environmental conditions.

The effect of channel shape, bed morphology, and shipwrecks on flow velocities in the Upper St. Clair River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Czuba, Jonathan A.; Oberg, Kevin; Best, Jim; Parsons, Daniel R.

2009-01-01

In the Great Lakes of North America, the St. Clair River is the major outlet of Lake Huron and conveys water to Lake St. Clair which then flows to Lake Erie. One major topic of interest is morphological change in the St. Clair River and its impact on water levels in the Upper Great Lakes and connecting channel flows. A combined multibeam echosounder (MBES) bathymetric survey and acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) flow survey of the outlet of Lake Huron and the Upper St. Clair River was conducted July 21 – 25, 2008. This paper presents how channel morphology and shipwrecks affect the flow in the Upper St. Clair River. The river is most constricted at the Blue Water Bridge near Port Huron, Michigan, with water velocities over 2 ms-1 for a flow of 5,200 m3s-1. Downstream of this constriction, the river flows around a bend and expands creating a large recirculation zone along the left bank due to flow separation. This recirculation zone reduces the effective channel width, and thus increases flow velocities to over 2 ms-1 in this region. The surveys reveal several shipwrecks on the bed of the St. Clair River, which possess distinct wakes in their flow velocity downstream of the wrecks. The constriction and expansion of the channel, combined with forcing of the flow by bed topography, initiates channel-scale secondary flow, creating streamwise vortices that maintain coherence downstream over a distance of several channel widths.

Characterization of organic composition in snow and surface waters in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region, using ultrahigh resolution Fourier transform mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Yi, Y; Birks, S J; Cho, S; Gibson, J J

2015-06-15

This study was conducted to characterize the composition of dissolved organic compounds present in snow and surface waters in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region (AOSR) with the goal of identifying whether atmospherically-derived organic compounds present in snow are a significant contributor to the compounds detected in surface waters (i.e., rivers and lakes). We used electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (ESI-FTICR MS) to characterize the dissolved organic compound compositions of snow and surface water samples. The organic profiles obtained for the snow samples show compositional differences between samples from near-field sites (<5 km from oil sands activities) and those from more distant locations (i.e., far-field sites). There are also significant compositional differences between samples collected in near-field sites and surface water samples in the AOSR. The composition of dissolved organic compounds at the upstream Athabasca River site (i.e., Athabasca River at Athabasca) is found to be different from samples obtained from downstream sites in the vicinity of oil sands operations (i.e., Athabasca River at Fort McMurray and Athabasca River at Firebag confluence). The upstream Athabasca River sites tended to share some compositional similarities with far-field snow deposition, while the downstream Athabasca River sites are more similar to local lakes and tributaries. This contrast likely indicates the relative role of regional snowmelt contributions to the Athabasca River vs inputs from local catchments in the reach downstream of Fort McMurray. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sunkoshi landslide in Nepal and its possible impact in India: A remote sensing based appraisal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Champati ray, P. K.; Chattoraj, S. L.

2014-12-01

A devastating landslide that killed at least 156 people occurred on the right bank of Sunkoshi river at village Jure, 70 km northeast of Kathmandu in Nepal. It not only affected hydroelectric projects in the near vicinity but also had potential to flood large tracts of downstream area in Nepal and north Bihar. Timely action by Nepal Army and Indian authorities have averted a major disaster but satellite data analysis (using IRS Resourcesat-2 LISS IV, WorldView-2, RISAT-1, Radarsat-2 etc.) reveal that the site was easily identifiable on satellite image as a potential landslide zone that has been affected by landslide related mass wasting in the past. It was reactivated and intermittently slided during 2000-2012 and finally when the whole mass came down on 2nd August 2014 pushing materials up to the opposite slope, a landslide dammed lake was formed on Sunkoshi river which extended up to a distance of 2.5-3 km as observed on 5-6th August on satellite images and the volume was estimated to be around 8.26-10.5 MCM, which needs to be released safely to avert any further disaster. Attempt is made to simulate the event to assess the run out and debris thickness using process based model. Satellite observation (using IRS Resourcesat-2 LISS IV, WorldView-2, RISAT-1, Radarsat-2 etc.), aided by hydrological data obtained through telemetry immensely helped to assess the landslide dimension, lake extent, volume, discharge, water level and travel time of water in Sunkoshi river. But the question remains how to manage the large amount of debris that Sunkoshi brings to its downstream areas causing river aggradations that eventually increases the flood risk. In such situations, the most immediate landslide remedial measures are four fold: monitoring of landslide, dam and reservoir using remote sensing and hydrological observations, controlled release of water, water discharge management at Kosi barrage and mechanism/preparedness for evacuation. The Sunkoshi landslide has brought to forefront the core issue of analysing mass wasting in all major river valleys outside Indian territory that can pose risk to Indian population. In this regard, it is needless to say that remotely sensed images through Indian Remote Sensing satellites and many other satellites can provide most crucial information in short time.

10. DETAIL VIEW OF LOWER LEVEL OF INTAKE PIER SHOWING ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

10. DETAIL VIEW OF LOWER LEVEL OF INTAKE PIER SHOWING THE RIVER HEIGHT INDICATOR, ONE OF THE FIVE GATE OPENINGS, AND MOORINGS, LOOKING SOUTHWEST. - Sacramento River Water Treatment Plant Intake Pier & Access Bridge, Spanning Sacramento River approximately 175 feet west of eastern levee on river; roughly .5 mile downstream from confluence of Sacramento & American Rivers, Sacramento, Sacramento County, CA

Hydrologic connectivity and the contribution of stream headwaters to ecological integrity at regional scales

USGS Publications Warehouse

Freeman, Mary C.; Pringle, C.M.; Jackson, C.R.

2007-01-01

Cumulatively, headwater streams contribute to maintaining hydrologic connectivity and ecosystem integrity at regional scales. Hydrologic connectivity is the water-mediated transport of matter, energy and organisms within or between elements of the hydrologic cycle. Headwater streams compose over two-thirds of total stream length in a typical river drainage and directly connect the upland and riparian landscape to the rest of the stream ecosystem. Altering headwater streams, e.g., by channelization, diversion through pipes, impoundment and burial, modifies fluxes between uplands and downstream river segments and eliminates distinctive habitats. The large-scale ecological effects of altering headwaters are amplified by land uses that alter runoff and nutrient loads to streams, and by widespread dam construction on larger rivers (which frequently leaves free-flowing upstream portions of river systems essential to sustaining aquatic biodiversity). We discuss three examples of large-scale consequences of cumulative headwater alteration. Downstream eutrophication and coastal hypoxia result, in part, from agricultural practices that alter headwaters and wetlands while increasing nutrient runoff. Extensive headwater alteration is also expected to lower secondary productivity of river systems by reducing stream-system length and trophic subsidies to downstream river segments, affecting aquatic communities and terrestrial wildlife that utilize aquatic resources. Reduced viability of freshwater biota may occur with cumulative headwater alteration, including for species that occupy a range of stream sizes but for which headwater streams diversify the network of interconnected populations or enhance survival for particular life stages. Developing a more predictive understanding of ecological patterns that may emerge on regional scales as a result of headwater alterations will require studies focused on components and pathways that connect headwaters to river, coastal and terrestrial ecosystems. Linkages between headwaters and downstream ecosystems cannot be discounted when addressing large-scale issues such as hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico and global losses of biodiversity.

First steps in developing a multimetric macroinvertebrate index for the Ohio River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Applegate, J.M.; Baumann, P.C.; Emery, E.B.; Wooten, M.S.

2007-01-01

The causes of degradation of aquatic systems are often complex and stem from a variety of human influences. Comprehensive, multimetric biological indices have been developed to quantify this degradation and its effect on aquatic communities, and measure subsequent recovery from anthropogenic stressors. Traditionally, such indices have concentrated on small-to medium-sized streams. Recently, however, the Ohio River Fish Index (ORFIn) was created to assess biotic integrity in the Ohio River. The goal of the present project was to begin developing a companion Ohio River multimetric index using benthic macroinvertebrates. Hester-Dendy multiplate samplers were used to evaluate benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages in relation to a gradient of water quality disturbance, represented by varying distances downstream of industrial and municipal wastewater outfalls in the Ohio River. In August 1999 and 2000, samplers were set every 100 m downstream of outfalls (12 outfalls in 1999, 22 in 2000) for 300-1000 m, as well as at upstream reference sites. Candidate metrics (n = 55) were examined to determine which have potential to detect changes in water quality downstream of outfalls. These individual measures of community structure were plotted against distance downstream of each outfall to determine their response to water quality disturbance. Values at reference and outfall sites were also compared. Metrics that are ecologically relevant and showed a response to outfall disturbance were identified as potentially valuable in a multimetric index. Multiple box plots of index scores indicated greater response to outfall disturbance during periods of low-flow, and longitudinal river-wide trends. Evaluation of other types of anthropogenic disturbance, as well as continued analysis of the effects of chemical water quality on macroinvertebrate communities in future years will facilitate further development of a multimetric benthic macroinvertebrate index to evaluate biotic integrity in the Ohio River. Copyright ?? 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

77 FR 66788 - Proposed Flood Elevation Determinations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-07

...). Specifically, it addresses the following flooding sources: Demarest Kill, East Branch Hackensack River, Golf... Hackensack River, Golf Course Brook, Hackensack River, Minisceongo Creek, Nauraushaun Brook, North Branch... Town of Clarkstown. Old Mill Road. Approximately 600 feet +150 +151 downstream of Rockland Lake. Golf...

Short-Term Effects of the 2008 High-Flow Experiment on Macroinvertebrates in Colorado River Below Glen Canyon Dam, Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rosi-Marshall, Emma J.; Kennedy, Theodore A.; Kincaid, Dustin W.; Cross, Wyatt F.; Kelly, Holly A.W.; Behn, Kathrine A.; White, Tyler; Hall, Robert O.; Baxter, Colden V.

2010-01-01

Glen Canyon Dam has dramatically altered the physical environment (especially discharge regime, water temperatures, and sediment inputs) of the Colorado River. High-flow experiments (HFE) that mimic one aspect of the natural hydrograph (floods) were implemented in 1996, 2004, and 2008. The primary goal of these experiments was to increase the size and total area of sandbar habitats that provide both camping sites for recreational users and create backwaters (areas of stagnant flow in the lee of return-current eddies) that may be important as rearing habitat for native fish. Experimental flows might also positively or negatively alter the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) sport fishery in the clear tailwater reach below Glen Canyon Dam, Ariz., and native fish populations in downstream reaches (for example, endangered humpback chub, Gila cypha) through changes in available food resources. We examined the short-term response of benthic macroinvertebrates to the March 2008 HFE at three sites [river mile 0 (RM 0, 15.7 miles downriver from the dam), RM 62, and RM 225] along the Colorado River downstream from Glen Canyon Dam by sampling immediately before and then 1, 7, 14, and 30 days after the HFE. We selected these sites because of their importance to management; RM 0 has a valuable trout fishery, and RM 62 is the location of the largest population of the endangered humpback chub in the Grand Canyon. In addition to the short-term collection of samples, as part of parallel investigations, we collected 3 years of monthly (quarterly for RM 62) benthic macroinvertebrate samples that included 15 months of post-HFE data for all three sites, but processing of the samples is only complete for one site (RM 0). At RM 0, the HFE caused an immediate 1.75 g AFDM/m2 (expressed as grams ash-free dry mass, or AFDM) reduction of macroinvertebrate biomass that was driven by significant reductions in the biomass of the two dominant taxa in this reach-Potamopyrgus antipodarum (New Zealand mud snails) and Gammarus lacustris (scuds or side-swimmers)-and also biomass reductions of other common taxa (worms in the families Lumbricidae and Tubificidae). Invertebrate drift estimates during the HFE suggest that reductions in biomass of some taxa were because of export from the reach. Reductions in biomass of P. antipodarum and G. lacustris persisted at least 15 months after the HFE, when this study concluded, and coincided with a significant decline in the annual production of these taxa: P. antipodarum production of 11 to 13 g AFDM/m2/yr in two pre-HFE years versus 2 g AFDM/m2/yr in the post-HFE year, and G. lacustris production of 7 to 8 g AFDM/m2/yr in two pre-HFE years versus 3 g AFDM/m2/yr in the post-HFE year. There were not changes in invertebrate feeding habits in response to the HFE, as our 3-year dataset of invertebrate diets indicated no substantial changes. Our long-term analysis of the composition of the drift indicates that because of a reduction in P. antipodarum in the drift relative to digestible taxa, the quality of the drift as a food resource for fishes increased. At downstream sites, total assemblage biomass did not decline, likely because assemblages were dominated by blackflies (Simulium arcticum), which were not affected by the HFE. Similar to RM 0, G. lacustris and Tubificidae had significantly lower biomass after the HFE at RM 62 and RM 225. Chironomids were also significantly lower following the flood at both downstream sites. Our findings demonstrate that the effects of a HFE on invertebrates may persist up to at least 15 months in the clear tailwater below the dam, whereas in downstream reaches impacts were more short lived. If controlling the abundance of P. antipodarum is a goal of managers, our findings indicate that periodic HFEs on the order of every 2 to 3 years may be an effective strategy for meeting that goal. More frequent HFEs may cause a shift in the state of the benthic invertebrate assemblage of the tailwa

16. DOWNSTREAM VIEW OF OUTLET STRUCTURE AND OUTLET CHANNEL, FROM ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

16. DOWNSTREAM VIEW OF OUTLET STRUCTURE AND OUTLET CHANNEL, FROM WEST END OF EMBANKMENT. - Prado Dam, Outlet Works, Santa Ana River near junction of State Highways 71 & 91, Corona, Riverside County, CA

23. DOWNSTREAM VIEW OF COMPLETED OUTLET CONTROL STRUCTURE.... Volume XIX, ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

23. DOWNSTREAM VIEW OF COMPLETED OUTLET CONTROL STRUCTURE.... Volume XIX, No. 8, April 12, 1940. - Prado Dam, Outlet Works, Santa Ana River near junction of State Highways 71 & 91, Corona, Riverside County, CA

3. VIEW OF DIABLO CANYON LOOKING DOWNSTREAM FROM THE VALVE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

3. VIEW OF DIABLO CANYON LOOKING DOWNSTREAM FROM THE VALVE HOUSE AT ELEVATION 1044, 1989. - Skagit Power Development, Diablo Dam, On Skagit River, 6.9 miles upstream from Newhalem, Newhalem, Whatcom County, WA

Movement and spawning of American shad transported above dams on the Roanoke River, North Carolina and Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harris, Julianne E.; Hightower, Joseph E.

2011-01-01

American shad Alosa sapidissima are in decline throughout much of their native range as a result of overfishing, pollution, and habitat alteration in coastal rivers where they spawn. One approach to restoration in regulated rivers is to provide access to historical spawning habitat above dams through a trap-and-transport program. We examined the initial survival, movement patterns, spawning, and downstream passage of sonic-tagged adult American shad transported to reservoir and riverine habitats upstream of hydroelectric dams on the Roanoke River, North Carolina and Virginia, during 2007–2009. Average survival to release in 2007–2008 was 85%, but survival decreased with increasing water temperature. Some tagged fish released in reservoirs migrated upstream to rivers; however, most meandered back and forth within the reservoir. A higher percentage of fish migrated through a smaller (8,215-ha) than a larger (20,234-ha) reservoir, suggesting that the population-level effects of transport may depend on upper basin characteristics. Transported American shad spent little time in upper basin rivers but were there when temperatures were appropriate for spawning. No American shad eggs were collected during weekly plankton sampling in upper basin rivers. The estimated initial survival of sonic-tagged American shad after downstream passage through each dam was 71–100%; however, only 1% of the detected fish migrated downstream through all three dams and many were relocated just upstream of a dam late in the season. Although adult American shad were successfully transported to upstream habitats in the Roanoke River basin, under present conditions transported individuals may have reduced effective fecundity and postspawning survival compared with nontransported fish that spawn in the lower Roanoke River.

Movement Patterns of American Shad Transported Upstream of Dams on The Roanoke River, North Carolina and Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harris, Julianne E.; Hightower, J.E.

2011-01-01

American shad Alosa sapidissima are in decline throughout much of their native range as a result of overfishing, pollution, and habitat alteration in coastal rivers where they spawn. One approach to restoration in regulated rivers is to provide access to historical spawning habitat above dams through a trap-and-transport program. We examined the initial survival, movement patterns, spawning, and downstream passage of sonic-tagged adult American shad transported to reservoir and riverine habitats upstream of hydroelectric dams on the Roanoke River, North Carolina and Virginia, during 2007–2009. Average survival to release in 2007–2008 was 85%, but survival decreased with increasing water temperature. Some tagged fish released in reservoirs migrated upstream to rivers; however, most meandered back and forth within the reservoir. A higher percentage of fish migrated through a smaller (8,215-ha) than a larger (20,234-ha) reservoir, suggesting that the population-level effects of transport may depend on upper basin characteristics. Transported American shad spent little time in upper basin rivers but were there when temperatures were appropriate for spawning. No American shad eggs were collected during weekly plankton sampling in upper basin rivers. The estimated initial survival of sonic-tagged American shad after downstream passage through each dam was 71–100%; however, only 1% of the detected fish migrated downstream through all three dams and many were relocated just upstream of a dam late in the season. Although adult American shad were successfully transported to upstream habitats in the Roanoke River basin, under present conditions transported individuals may have reduced effective fecundity and postspawning survival compared with nontransported fish that spawn in the lower Roanoke River.

Data collected to support monitoring of constructed emergent sandbar habitat on the Missouri River downstream from Gavins Point Dam, South Dakota and Nebraska, 2004-06

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thompson, Ryan F.; Johnson, Michaela R.; Andersen, Michael J.

2007-01-01

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has constructed emergent sandbar habitat on sections of the Missouri River bordering South Dakota and Nebraska downstream from Gavins Point Dam to create and enhance habitat for threatened and endangered bird species. Two areas near river miles 761.3 and 769.8 were selected for construction of emergent sandbar habitat. Pre- and postconstruction data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, to evaluate the success of the habitat management techniques. Data collected include pre- and postconstruction channel-geometry data (bathymetric and topographic) for areas upstream from, downstream from, and within each construction site. Water-velocity data were collected for selected parts of the site near river mile 769.8. Instruments and methods used in data collection, as well as quality-assurance and quality-control measures, are described. Geospatial channel-geometry data are presented for transects of the river channel as cross sections and as geographical information system shapefiles. Geospatial land-surface elevation data are provided for part of each site in the form of a color-shaded relief map. Geospatial water-velocity data also are provided as color-shaded maps and geographical information system shapefiles.

Large-scale dam removal on the Elwha River, Washington, USA: coastal geomorphic change

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gelfenbaum, Guy R.; Stevens, Andrew W.; Miller, Ian M.; Warrick, Jonathan A.; Ogston, Andrea S.; Eidam, Emily

2015-01-01

Two dams on the Elwha River, Washington State, USA trapped over 20 million m3 of mud, sand, and gravel since 1927, reducing downstream sediment fluxes and contributing to erosion of the river's coastal delta. The removal of the Elwha and Glines Canyon dams, initiated in September 2011, induced massive increases in river sediment supply and provided an unprecedented opportunity to examine the geomorphic response of a coastal delta to these increases. Detailed measurements of beach topography and nearshore bathymetry show that ~ 2.5 million m3 of sediment was deposited during the first two years of dam removal, which is ~ 100 times greater than deposition rates measured prior to dam removal. The majority of the deposit was located in the intertidal and shallow subtidal region immediately offshore of the river mouth and was composed of sand and gravel. Additional areas of deposition include a secondary sandy deposit to the east of the river mouth and a muddy deposit west of the mouth. A comparison with fluvial sediment fluxes suggests that ~ 70% of the sand and gravel and ~ 6% of the mud supplied by the river was found in the survey area (within about 2 km of the mouth). A hydrodynamic and sediment transport model, validated with in-situ measurements, shows that tidal currents interacting with the larger relict submarine delta help disperse fine sediment large distances east and west of the river mouth. The model also suggests that waves and currents erode the primary deposit located near the river mouth and transport sandy sediment eastward to form the secondary deposit. Though most of the substrate of the larger relict submarine delta was unchanged during the first two years of dam removal, portions of the seafloor close to the river mouth became finer, modifying habitats for biological communities. These results show that river restoration, like natural changes in river sediment supply, can result in rapid and substantial coastal geomorphological responses.

Transient Fluvial Response to Alpine Deglaciation, Mount Rainier, WA: Geomorphic Process Domains and Proglacial Flux Controls on Channel Evolution.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beyeler, J. D.; Montgomery, D.; Kennard, P. M.

2016-12-01

Downwasting of all glaciers on the flanks of Mount Rainier, WA, in recent decades has debuttressed Little Ice Age glaciogenic sediments driving proglacial responses to regionally warming climate. Rivers draining the deglaciating edifice are responding to paraglacial sedimentation processes through transient storage of retreat-liberated sediments in aggrading (e.g., >5m) fluvial networks with widening channel corridors (i.e., 50-150%) post-LIA (ca., 1880-1910 locally). We hypothesize that the downstream transmission of proglacial fluxes (i.e., sediment and water) through deglaciating alpine terrain is a two-step geomorphic process. The ice-proximal portion of the proglacial system is dominated by the delivery of high sediment-to-water ratio flows (i.e., hyperconcentrated and debris slurries) and sediment retention by in-channel accumulation (e.g., confined debris fans within channel margins of valley segments) exacerbated by recruitment and accumulation of large wood (e.g., late seral stage conifers), whereas ice-distal fluvial reworking of transient sediment accumulations generates downstream aggradation. Historical Carbon River observations show restricted ice-proximal proglacial aggradation until a mainstem avulsion in 2009 initiated incision into sediment accumulations formed in recent decades, which is translating into aggradation farther down the network. Surficial morphology mapped with GPS, exposed subsurface sedimentology, and preliminary dating of buried trees suggest a transitional geomorphic process zone has persisted along the proglacial Carbon River through recent centuries and prior to the ultimate LIA glaciation. Structure-from-motion DEM differencing through the 2016 water year shows discrete zones of proglacial evolution through channel-spanning bed aggradation forced by interactions between large wood and sediment-rich flows that transition to fluvial process dominance as sediment is transported downstream. Long-term DEM differencing suggests these are persistent geomorphic processes as rivers respond to alpine deglaciation. This process-based study implies downstream river flooding in deglaciating alpine terrain globally is driven by glaciogenic sediment release and downstream channel aggradation irrespective of changes in discharge.

Calculated hydrographs for unsteady research flows at selected sites along the Colorado River downstream from Glen Canyon Dam, Arizona, 1990 and 1991

USGS Publications Warehouse

Griffin, Eleanor R.; Wiele, Stephen M.

1996-01-01

A one-dimensional model of unsteady discharge waves was applied to research flowr that were released from Glen Canyon Dam in support of the Glen Canyon Environmental Studies. These research flows extended over periods of 11 days during which the discharge followed specific, regular patterns repeated on a daily cycle that were similar to the daily releases for power generation. The model was used to produce discharge hydrographs at 38 selected sites in Marble and Grand Canyons for each of nine unsteady flows released from the dam in 1990 and 1991. In each case, the discharge computed from stage measurements and the associated stage-discharge relation at the streamflow-gaging station just below the dam (09379910 Colorado River Hlow Glen Canyon Dam) was routed to Diamond Creek, which is 386 kilometers downstream. Steady and unsteady tributary inflows downstream from the dam were included in the model calculations. Steady inflow to the river from tributaries downstream from the dam was determined for each case by comparing the steady base flow preceding and following the unsteady flow measured at six streamflow-gaging stations between Glen Canyon Dam and Diamond Creek. During three flow periods, significant unsteady inflow was received from the Paria River, or the Little Colorado River, or both. The amount and timing of unsteady inflow was determined using the discharge computed from records of streamflow-gaging stations on the tributaries. Unsteady flow then was added to the flow calculated by the model at the appropriate location. Hydrographs were calculated using the model at 5 streamflow-gaging stations downstream from the dam and at 33 beach study sites. Accuracy of model results was evaluated by comparing the results to discharge hydrographs computed from the records of the five streamflow-gaging stations between Lees Ferry and Lake Mead. Results show that model predictions of wave speed and shape agree well with data from the five streamflow-gaging stations.

Continuous measurements of water surface height and width along a 6.5km river reach for discharge algorithm development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuozzolo, S.; Durand, M. T.; Pavelsky, T.; Pentecost, J.

2015-12-01

The upcoming Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite will provide measurements of river width and water surface elevation and slope along continuous swaths of world rivers. Understanding water surface slope and width dynamics in river reaches is important for both developing and validating discharge algorithms to be used on future SWOT data. We collected water surface elevation and river width data along a 6.5km stretch of the Olentangy River in Columbus, Ohio from October to December 2014. Continuous measurements of water surface height were supplemented with periodical river width measurements at twenty sites along the study reach. The water surface slope of the entire reach ranged from during 41.58 cm/km at baseflow to 45.31 cm/km after a storm event. The study reach was also broken into sub-reaches roughly 1km in length to study smaller scale slope dynamics. The furthest upstream sub-reaches are characterized by free-flowing riffle-pool sequences, while the furthest downstream sub-reaches were directly affected by two low-head dams. In the sub-reaches immediately upstream of each dam, baseflow slope is as low as 2 cm/km, while the furthest upstream free-flowing sub-reach has a baseflow slope of 100 cm/km. During high flow events the backwater effect of the dams was observed to propagate upstream: sub-reaches impounded by the dams had increased water surface slopes, while free flowing sub-reaches had decreased water surface slopes. During the largest observed flow event, a stage change of 0.40 m affected sub-reach slopes by as much as 30 cm/km. Further analysis will examine height-width relationships within the study reach and relate cross-sectional flow area to river stage. These relationships can be used in conjunction with slope data to estimate discharge using a modified Manning's equation, and are a core component of discharge algorithms being developed for the SWOT mission.

Ecological risk assessment based on IHA-RVA in the lower Xiaolangdi reservoir under changed hydrological situation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bai, Tao; Ma, Pan-pan; Kan, Yan-bin; Huang, Qiang

2017-12-01

Ecological risk assessment of river is an important content for protection and improvement of ecological environment. In this paper, taking Xiaolangdi reservoir for example, ecological risk assessments are studied based on the 1956-1997 and 2002-2008 dairy runoff data as the pre and post of construction of Xiaolangdi reservoir. Considering pre and post hydrological regime of construction of Xiaolangdi, ecological risk assessment index systems of downstream are established based on Index of Hydrologic Alteration-Range of Variability Approach method (IHA-RVA), which considering characters of flow, time, frequency, delay and change rate. Then ecological risk fuzzy comprehensive evaluation assessment model downstream is established based on risk index and RVA method. The results show that after the construction of Xiaolangdi reservoir, ecological risk occurred in the downstream of Yellow River for changed hydrological indexes, such as monthly average flow, frequency and duration of extreme annual flow and so on, which probably destroy the whole ecosystems of the river. For example, ecological risk downstream of Xiaolangdi reservoir upgrade to level two in 2008. Research results make reference values and scientific basis both in ecological risk assessment and management of reservoir after construction.

Sources and Transformations of Carbon and Nitrogen in the Potomac River Estuary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pennino, M. J.; Kaushal, S.; Murthy, S.

2011-12-01

Urbanization has altered the transport of nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) in river ecosystems, making it important to understand how rivers are responding to these increased inputs of C and N. This study examines the capacity of a major tributary of the Chesapeake Bay, the Potomac River, to transform N and C inputs from the world's largest advanced wastewater treatment facility (Washington D.C. Water and Sewer Authority). Surface water and effluent samples were collected monthly for one year, along longitudinal transects of the Potomac River. Water samples were analyzed for the major dissolved and particulate forms of C and N. Nitrate stable isotopes were used to trace the fate of wastewater nitrate, as well as how other nitrate sources vary downriver. Sources of carbon downriver were traced using fluorescence spectroscopy, excitation emission matrices (EEMs), and PARAFAC modeling. Historical influent and effluent data on C and N levels were also compared with regional population growth data, climate change data, and long-term interannual records of C and N levels within downstream stations along the Potomac River. Improvements in treatment technology over the past two decades have shown significant decreases in effluent nitrogen levels, with corresponding decreases overtime of nutrients at downstream sampling stations. Levels of nitrate show increases within the vicinity of the wastewater treatment outfall, but decrease rapidly downstream, potentially indicating nutrient uptake and/or denitrification. Total organic carbon levels show a smaller decrease downstream, resulting in an increase in the C:N ratio downstream. Longitudinal river chemistry data also show that dissolved inorganic nitrogen goes down while total organic nitrogen goes up with distance downriver, indicating biological transformations are taking place along the river. Preliminary data from fluorescence EEMs suggested that more humic-like organic matter is important above the wastewater treatment plant, but more protein-like organic matter is present below the treatment plant. However, this fluorescence signal from wastewater organic matter disappears within 2-4 km downriver, indicating rapid processing of the labile organic matter within the river. Nitrate isotope data for both upriver and downriver samples show a signal from manure or sewage inputs, indicating a potential influence from animal farms upstream in the Potomac. However, only the downriver samples show evidence for denitrification. Additionally, the higher 15N isotope levels of nitrate, which are characteristic of wastewater sources, disappear by 20 km downriver. Majors rivers like the Potomac may have a huge capacity for transforming and processing large carbon and nitrogen inputs within a short distance. Greater knowledge of how land management and climate change impacts these transformations will be important in predicting changes in the amounts, forms, and stoichiometry of nutrient loads to coastal waters.

Geomorphic response of the North Fork Stillaguamish River to the State Route 530 landslide near Oso, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anderson, Scott W.; Keith, Mackenzie K.; Magirl, Christopher S.; Wallick, J. Rose; Mastin, Mark C.; Foreman, James R.

2017-08-03

On March 22, 2014, the State Route 530 Landslide near Oso, Washington mobilized 8 million cubic meters of unconsolidated Pleistocene material, creating a valley‑spanning deposit that fully impounded the North Fork Stillaguamish River. The river overtopped the 8-meter high debris impoundment within 25 hours and began steadily incising a new channel through the center of the deposit. Repeat topographic surveys, sediment transport measurements, bedload transport models, and observations of downstream channel change were used to document the establishment of that new channel through the landslide and assess the potential for downstream aggradation or channel change that might increase downstream flood hazards.Efficient erosion of the landslide deposit, associated with the steep knickzone formed by the downstream edge of the deposit, resulted in the re-establishment of a 20–40 meters wide, deeply inset channel through the entire deposit by May 2014, 2 months after the landslide. The mean water-surface elevation of the channel through the landslide decreased 7 meters during that 2-month period, and was about 1 meter above the pre-landslide profile in July 2014. The 2014–15 flood season, which included flows near the 0.5 annual exceedance probability discharge (2-year flood), widened the channel tens of meters, and further lowered the water-surface profile 0.5 meter. The planform position evolved slowly as a result of 5–20-meter high banks predominantly composed of clay-rich, cohesive lacustrine material. Erosion of the landslide deposit delivered a total of 820 thousand metric tons of sediment to the North Fork Stillaguamish River over the 18 months following the landslide. The sediment delivery from the deposit was predominantly fine grained: 77 percent (by mass) of the eroded material was silt or clay (less than 0.063 millimeter [mm]), 19 percent sand (0.063–2 mm), and 4 percent pebbles and cobbles (greater than 2 mm).Over the 18 months following the landslide, the bedload at a site 5 kilometers downstream of the landslide was estimated to be 310±65 thousand metric tons, and the suspended load at that same site was estimated to be 990±110 thousand metric tons. These loads represent the combined input from the landslide and ambient upstream sources; over the study interval, landslide sediment made up about 20–40 percent of the bedload, and 65–85 percent of the suspended-sediment load at this site. At a site 70 kilometers downstream of the landslide, near the mouth of the main‑stem Stillaguamish River, suspended sediment loads were estimated to be about 1,440 thousand metric tons, of which about 600 thousand metric tons, or 30 percent, likely was derived from the landslide. The mass of landslide sediment in suspension at the mouth of the river, and the timing of arrival of that sediment, indicates that about 70 percent of the landslide sediment eroded during the study period was quickly transported through the entire basin, exiting into Puget Sound within weeks of initial entrainment.Empirical bedload transport equations, in conjunction with surficial grain-size data and output from a one‑dimensional hydraulic model, were used to estimate spatial trends in bedload transport capacity, highlighting areas where reach-scale conditions would be most likely to promote deposition of coarse landslide sediment. Transport capacities decreased sharply over a reach about 5 kilometers downstream of the landslide and remained relatively low over the next 10 kilometers downstream. However, the magnitude of calculated transport capacities are large relative to the coarse sediment input from the landslide, suggesting that substantial deposition of landslide sediment was not likely to occur. These assessments were corroborated by observations of channel change, which indicated that the downstream channel response to the landslide was modest and short-lived. The most pronounced downstream effects included a wedge of aggradation just downstream of the landslide, about 1 meter high and extending a kilometer downstream, and a 0.3-meter pulse of aggradation observed 5 kilometers downstream of the landslide. In both locations, peak aggradation and channel response occurred within about a month of the landslide, and both sites had largely recovered to pre-landslide conditions by July 2014. No substantial channel change clearly linked to the landslide was observed after July 2014 except for a modest fining of surficial gravel size distributions and continued recovery and incision of the reach just downstream of the landslide.The muted downstream response of the North Fork Stillaguamish River to the State Route 530 Landslide primarily can be attributed to the cohesive, silt- and clay-rich material that bounded most of the new channel. Although the river efficiently incised a new channel through the deposit, subsequent rates of lateral erosion were slowed by the tall, cohesive banks, limiting the total volume of sediment delivery. Once entrained, however, most landslide material was rapidly transported downstream in suspension with little geomorphic effect. Landslide material coarse enough to travel as bedload was predominantly sand and fine gravel, and sediment transport models and observations of downstream change indicated that the rate of coarse sediment delivery from the landslide did not exceed the rivers ability to transport that material. The generally muted downstream response to sediment delivery from the State Route 530 Landslide, as well as the mechanics of that delivery and response, were generally consistent with observations made following the intentional removal of constructed dams.The rate and efficiency of erosion from the landslide decreased over the period of analysis, as the new channel approached a quasi-equilibrium form. In the absence of additional hillslope activity, rates of erosion from the landslide are likely to be small compared to those over the first 18 months after the landslide. The modest channel response to the highest rates of sediment delivery, and rapid recovery thereafter, indicate that the river should be able to convey the continued supply of landslide-derived sediment effectively with little effect on the downstream morphology and flood risks.

A simplified water temperature model for the Colorado River below Glen Canyon Dam

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wright, S.A.; Anderson, C.R.; Voichick, N.

2009-01-01

Glen Canyon Dam, located on the Colorado River in northern Arizona, has affected the physical, biological and cultural resources of the river downstream in Grand Canyon. One of the impacts to the downstream physical environment that has important implications for the aquatic ecosystem is the transformation of the thermal regime from highly variable seasonally to relatively constant year-round, owing to hypolimnetic releases from the upstream reservoir, Lake Powell. Because of the perceived impacts on the downstream aquatic ecosystem and native fish communities, the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program has considered modifications to flow releases and release temperatures designed to increase downstream temperatures. Here, we present a new model of monthly average water temperatures below Glen Canyon Dam designed for first-order, relatively simple evaluation of various alternative dam operations. The model is based on a simplified heat-exchange equation, and model parameters are estimated empirically. The model predicts monthly average temperatures at locations up to 421 km downstream from the dam with average absolute errors less than 0.58C for the dataset considered. The modelling approach used here may also prove useful for other systems, particularly below large dams where release temperatures are substantially out of equilibrium with meteorological conditions. We also present some examples of how the model can be used to evaluate scenarios for the operation of Glen Canyon Dam.

Modulation of Extreme Flood Levels by Impoundment Significantly Offset by Floodplain Loss Downstream of the Three Gorges Dam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mei, Xuefei; Dai, Zhijun; Darby, Stephen E.; Gao, Shu; Wang, Jie; Jiang, Weiguo

2018-04-01

River flooding—the world's most significant natural hazard—is likely to increase under anthropogenic climate change. Most large rivers have been regulated by damming, but the extent to which these impoundments can mitigate extreme flooding remains uncertain. Here the catastrophic 2016 flood on the Changjiang River is first analyzed to assess the effects of both the Changjiang's reservoir cascade and the Three Gorges Dam (TGD), the world's largest hydraulic engineering project on downstream flood discharge and water levels. We show that the Changjiang's reservoir cascade impounded over 30.0 × 103 m3/s of flow at the peak of the flood on 25 July 2016, preventing the occurrence of what would otherwise have been the second largest flood ever recorded in the reach downstream of the TGD. Half of this flood water storage was retained by the TGD alone, meaning that impoundment by the TGD reduced peak water levels at the Datong hydrometric station (on 25 July) by 1.47 m, compared to pre-TGD conditions. However, downstream morphological changes, in particular, extensive erosion of the natural floodplain, offset this reduction in water level by 0.22 m, so that the full beneficial impact of floodwater retention by the TGD was not fully realized. Our results highlight how morphological adjustments downstream of large dams may inhibit their full potential to mitigate extreme flood risk.

Defining ecosystem flow requirements for the Bill Williams River, Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shafroth, Patrick B.; Beauchamp, Vanessa B.

2006-01-01

Alteration of natural river flows resulting from the construction and operation of dams can result in substantial changes to downstream aquatic and bottomland ecosystems and undermine the long-term health of native species and communities (for general review, cf. Ward and Stanford, 1995; Baron and others, 2002; Nilsson and Svedmark, 2002). Increasingly, land and water managers are seeking ways to manage reservoir releases to produce flow regimes that simultaneously meet human needs and maintain the health and sustainability of downstream biotaa.

15. INSIDE VIEW OF FLUME, LOOKING DOWNSTREAM, LEFT FORK TO ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

15. INSIDE VIEW OF FLUME, LOOKING DOWNSTREAM, LEFT FORK TO SETTLING BASIN, SHOWING RIGHT FORK WITH GATE IN PLACE AND A FEW NEEDLES IN PLACE - Electron Hydroelectric Project, Along Puyallup River, Electron, Pierce County, WA

Rapid reservoir erosion, hyperconcentrated flow, and downstream deposition triggered by breaching of 38 m tall Condit Dam, White Salmon River, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilcox, Andrew C.; O'Connor, James E.; Major, Jon J.

2014-01-01

Condit Dam on the White Salmon River, Washington, a 38 m high dam impounding a large volume (1.8 million m3) of fine-grained sediment (60% sand, 35% silt and clay, and 5% gravel), was rapidly breached in October 2011. This unique dam decommissioning produced dramatic upstream and downstream geomorphic responses in the hours and weeks following breaching. Blasting a 5 m wide hole into the base of the dam resulted in rapid reservoir drawdown, abruptly releasing ~1.6 million m3 of reservoir water, exposing reservoir sediment to erosion, and triggering mass failures of the thickly accumulated reservoir sediment. Within 90 min of breaching, the reservoir's water and ~10% of its sediment had evacuated. At a gauging station 2.3 km downstream, flow increased briefly by 400 m3 s−1during passage of the initial pulse of released reservoir water, followed by a highly concentrated flow phase—up to 32% sediment by volume—as landslide-generated slurries from the reservoir moved downstream. This hyperconcentrated flow, analogous to those following volcanic eruptions or large landslides, draped the downstream river with predominantly fine sand. During the ensuing weeks, suspended-sediment concentration declined and sand and gravel bed load derived from continued reservoir erosion aggraded the channel by >1 m at the gauging station, after which the river incised back to near its initial elevation at this site. Within 15 weeks after breaching, over 1 million m3 of suspended load is estimated to have passed the gauging station, consistent with estimates that >60% of the reservoir's sediment had eroded. This dam removal highlights the influence of interactions among reservoir erosion processes, sediment composition, and style of decommissioning on rate of reservoir erosion and consequent downstream behavior of released sediment.

Mountains, Climate Change and North American Water Security

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pomeroy, J. W.; Fang, X.; Whitfield, P. H.; Rasouli, K.; Harder, P.; Siemens, E.; Pradhananga, D.

2016-12-01

The juxtaposition of cold high precipitation catchments in mountains and low precipitation in downstream lowlands means that mountain water supplies support over half the world's population and sustain most irrigation agriculture. How secure is this mountain water in northern North America? Irrigation and other consumptive downstream uses have put immense pressure on water supplied from the Canadian Rockies. Excess water from these rivers also carries risk. Downstream communities are often located in the flood plains of mountain rivers, making them subject to the extreme hydrometeorology of the headwaters as was evident in the BC/Alberta/Saskatchewan floods of 2013 and droughts of 2015/2016. Climate change is disproportionately warming high mountain areas and the impacts of warming on water are magnified in high mountains because seasonal snowpacks, perennial snowfields and glaciers form important stores of water and control the timing of release of water and the seasonal and annual discharge of major mountain rivers. Changes in mountain snow and glacial regimes are rapidly occurring in Western Canada and this is already impacting downstream water security by changing flood risk, streamflow timing and volume. Hydrological process modelling is diagnosing the causes of intensification of hydrological cycling and coupled to climate models suggesting that the timing and quantity of mountain waters will shift under certain climate, glacier cover and forest cover scenarios and so impact the water security of downstream food production. So far, changes in precipitation are matched by evapotranspiration and sublimation providing some resilience to change in streamflow due to intensification of hydrological cycling. Faster glacier melt in drought periods has buffered low flows but this capacity id dwindling as glaciers ablate. The International Network for Alpine Research Catchment Hydrology (INARCH) project of GEWEX is quantifying water resiliency and risk in mountain headwaters so as to better assess the water security of downstream regions. INARCH results from Western Canada suggest current mountain river resiliency is at risk from increased climate variability as rainfall runoff replaces snowmelt and glacier melt runoff processes.

Magnetic properties of Surabaya river sediments, East Java, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mariyanto, Bijaksana, Satria

2017-07-01

Surabaya river is one of urban rivers in East Java Province, Indonesia that is a part of Brantas river that flows in four urban and industrial cities of Mojokerto, Gresik, Sidoarjo, and Surabaya. The urban populations and industries along the river pose serious threat to the river mainly for their anthropogenic pollutants. This study aims to characterize the magnetic properties of sediments in various locations along Surabaya river and correlate these magnetic properties to the level of pollution along the river. Samples are taken and measured through a series of magnetic measurements. The mass-specific magnetic susceptibility of sediments ranges from 259.4 to 1134.8 × 10-8 m3kg-1. The magnetic minerals are predominantly PSD to MD magnetite with the grain size range from 6 to 14 μm. The mass-specific magnetic susceptibility tends to decreases downstream as accumulation of magnetic minerals in sediments is affected not only by the amount of household and industrial wastes but also by sediment dredging, construction of embankments, and extensive erosion arround the river. Sediments located in the industrial zone on the upstream area tend to have higher mass-specific magnetic susceptibility than in the non-industrial zones on the downstream area.

Movement of bull trout in the upper Jarbidge River watershed, Idaho and Nevada, 2008-09--A supplement to Open-File Report 2010-1033

USGS Publications Warehouse

Munz, Carrie S.; Allen, M. Brady; Connolly, Patrick J.

2011-01-01

We monitored bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) in 2008 and 2009 as a continuation of our work in 2006 and 2007, which involved the tagging of 1,536 bull trout with passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags in the East Fork Jarbidge River and West Fork Jarbidge River and their tributaries in northeastern Nevada and southern Idaho. We installed PIT tag interrogation systems (PTISs) at established locations soon after ice-out, and maintained the PTISs in order to collect information on bull trout movements through December of each year. We observed a marked increase of movement in 2008 and 2009. Bull trout tagged in the uppermost portions of the East Fork Jarbidge River at altitudes greater than 2,100 meters moved to the confluence of the East Fork Jarbidge River and West Fork Jarbidge River in summer and autumn. Ten bull trout tagged upstream of the confluence of Pine Creek and the West Fork Jarbidge River moved downstream and then upstream in the East Fork Jarbidge River, and then past the PTIS at Murphy Hot Springs (river kilometer [rkm] 4.1). Two of these fish ascended Dave Creek, a tributary of the East Fork Jarbidge River, past the PTIS at rkm 0.4. One bull trout that was tagged at rkm 11 in Dave Creek on June 28, 2007 moved downstream to the confluence of the East Fork Jarbidge River and West Fork Jarbidge River (rkm 0) on July 28, 2007, and it was then detected in the West Fork Jarbidge River moving past our PTIS at rkm 15 on May 4, 2008. Combined, the extent and types of bull trout movements observed indicated that the primarily age-1 and age-2 bull trout that we tagged in 2006 and 2007 showed increased movement with age and evidence of a substantial amount of fluvial life history. The movements suggest strong connectivity between spawning areas and downstream mainstem areas, as well as between the East Fork Jarbidge River and West Fork Jarbidge River.

11. DETAIL VIEW OF APPROACH TO INTAKE PIER FROM ACCESS ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

11. DETAIL VIEW OF APPROACH TO INTAKE PIER FROM ACCESS BRIDGE, SHOWING DOOR TO INTERIOR GATE OPERATOR ROOM, LOOKING WEST. - Sacramento River Water Treatment Plant Intake Pier & Access Bridge, Spanning Sacramento River approximately 175 feet west of eastern levee on river; roughly .5 mile downstream from confluence of Sacramento & American Rivers, Sacramento, Sacramento County, CA

Chicago's living rivers.

Treesearch

Department of the Interior National Park Service

1998-01-01

Chicago?s sister rivers, the Chicago and the Calumet, have been joined together to form a single, intertwined network of waterways. Together they affect downstream waters of the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers to the Gulf of Mexico. By calling them Chicago Area Rivers we recognize the vital role they played in the city?s growth while remembering their past as separate...

Mechanisms of carbon storage in mountainous headwater rivers

Treesearch

Ellen Wohl; Kathleen Dwire; Nicholas Sutfin; Lina Polvi; Roberto Bazan

2012-01-01

Published research emphasizes rapid downstream export of terrestrial carbon from mountainous headwater rivers, but little work focuses on mechanisms that create carbon storage along these rivers, or on the volume of carbon storage. Here we estimate organic carbon stored in diverse valley types of headwater rivers in Rocky Mountain National Park, CO, USA. We show that...

Assessing impacts of dike construction on the flood dynamics of the Mekong Delta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tran, Dung Duc; van Halsema, Gerardo; Hellegers, Petra J. G. J.; Phi Hoang, Long; Quang Tran, Tho; Kummu, Matti; Ludwig, Fulco

2018-03-01

Recent flood dynamics of the Mekong Delta have raised concerns about an increased flood risk downstream in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta. Accelerated high dike building on the floodplains of the upper delta to allow triple cropping of rice has been linked to higher river water levels in the downstream city of Can Tho. This paper assesses the hydraulic impacts of upstream dike construction on the flood hazard downstream in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta. We combined the existing one-dimensional (1-D) Mekong Delta hydrodynamic model with a quasi-two-dimensional (2-D) approach. First we calibrated and validated the model using flood data from 2011 and 2013. We then applied the model to explore the downstream water dynamics under various scenarios of high dike construction in An Giang Province and the Long Xuyen Quadrangle. Calculations of water balances allowed us to trace the propagation and distribution of flood volumes over the delta under the different scenarios. Model results indicate that extensive construction of high dikes on the upstream floodplains has had limited effect on peak river water levels downstream in Can Tho. Instead, the model shows that the impacts of dike construction, in terms of peak river water levels, are concentrated and amplified in the upstream reaches of the delta. According to our water balance analysis, river water levels in Can Tho have remained relatively stable, as greater volumes of floodwater have been diverted away from the Long Xuyen Quadrangle than the retention volume lost due to dike construction. Our findings expand on previous work on the impacts of water control infrastructure on flood risk and floodwater regimes across the delta.

Interactions between river channel processes and riparian vegetation - an example from the Lužnice River, Czech Republic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krejci, Lukas; Macka, Zdenek

2010-05-01

Riparian vegetation responds to hydrogemorphic processes and environmental changes and also controls these processes. Our study focuses on the interactions between woody riparian vegetation (live and dead trees) and river channel morphology on the example of three 1 km long reaches of the Lužnice River in southern Czech Republic. Here, we propose that despite spatial proximity, identical hydrological and sedimentological controls, three river reaches have different geomorphology due to varying character of riparian woody vegetation and different character and abundance of large in-stream wood (LW). Upstream, middle and downstream reaches vary markedly in channel dimensions (width, depth) and the present day rate of lateral erosion. Three reaches also show the different in-stream wood loads which are dependent mainly on the character of the riparian vegetation, and on the lateral activity of the channel. The highest wood load was recorded at the downstream reach with 102,162 m3/ha, the lowest at the middle reach 37,041 m3/ha, the upstream reach has load 81,370 m3/ha. Upper reach woody vegetation is the mixture of willow, alder, chokecherry and oak. The reach is only slightly sinuous with the moderate rate of incision and lateral erosion. The channel width and depth are 13 m and 2,1 m respectively, the mean cross section area is 27,3 m2. Erosion in the reach is slightly enhanced by the river training works upstream (canalisation, weir construction). Middle reach woody vegetation mostly consist of willow. Tree-tops often incline into the channel, thus, dissipating effectively the energy of the river flow. The reach is moderately sinuous and rather laterally stable. The channel width and depth are 10 m and 2,5 m respectively, the mean cross section area is 25 m2. The reach approximates the natural condition of the pristine river. The impact of river training works is minor only with the road bridge upstream. This reach in the most natural condition shows the lowest in-stream wood load and lowest rate of the present day bank erosion. Downstream reach woody vegetation is discontinuous, alternating with pastures. Riparian trees are the mixture of poplar, willow, alder and oak. The reach is highly sinuous with distinct meanders and laterally very dynamic. The channel width and depth are 15 m and 3,7 m respectively, the mean cross section area is 55,5 m2. The highest bank erosion was noted at the locations with pastures. The specific feature of this reach are fossil oak logs, which are exhumed from the alluvial sediments by the rapid lateral erosion. The enhanced incision and lateral erosion is the combined effect of riparian forest clearance and river training works (canalisation) downstream. The planform changes of the river since 1952 have been studied by analysis of the aerial images. It was derived that floodplain area of 12 450 m2, 16 318 m2 and 20 687 m2 was eroded, of which 10 465 m2, 8496 m2 and 10 733 m2 was wooded land at the upstream, middle and downstream reaches. We estimated that this rate of bank erosion delivered 644, 510 and 628 trees to the river channel since 1952. These numbers represent 390%, 1130% and 285% of the present day number of LW pieces in the river channel. Approximate turnover rates of LW can be estimated from these data. Present day rate of bank erosion and LW input is monitored at selected concave banks by repeated geodetic surveying. The Lužnice River has a sandy bed and LW modifies bed and bank morphology profoundly. We found that 33%, 29% and 36% of LW pieces caused localized erosion (pool formation) and 37%, 24% and 21 % caused local deposition at upstream, middle and downstream river reaches. The research was supported by Czech Science Foundation, grant no. 205/08/0926.

Suspended Sediment Loads and Tributary Inputs in the Mississippi River below St. Louis, MO, 1990-2013 Compared With Earlier Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allison, M. A.; Biedenharn, D. S.; Dahl, T. A.; Kleiss, B.; Little, C. D.

2017-12-01

Annual suspended sediment loads and water discharges were calculated in the Mississippi River mainstem channel, and at the most downstream gaging station for major tributaries, from below the Missouri confluence near St. Louis, MO to Belle Chasse, LA, as well as down the Atchafalaya distributary for water years 1990 to 2013. The purpose of the present study was to assess changes in the Mississippi River sediment budget over the past half century, and to examine the continuing role that anthropogenic (e.g., dams, river control works, soil conservation practices) and natural (e.g., rainfall and denudation rates) factors have in controlling these changes. Sixteen of the 17 measured Mississippi River tributaries decreased in total suspended sediment load) from 1970-1978 to 1990-2013. The largest decreases occurred in the 2nd (Ohio River, 41% of 1970-1978) and 4th (Arkansas River, 45% of 1970-1978) largest water sources to the Mississippi. The Missouri River remains the largest Mississippi River tributary in terms of average annual suspended sediment flux; its relative contribution increased from 38% to 51% of the total flux from the 17 measured tributaries, even as its total suspended flux declined by 13%. Averaged over the period of study (WY 1990-2013), water flux increased by 468% and sediment flux increased by 37,418% downstream from the Gavin's Point Dam to the confluence with the Mississippi. Possible reasons for this disproportional increase in suspended sediment load downstream include sediment-rich contributions from 2nd order rivers below the dams and channel incision. Suggested station improvements to the system include improved monitoring of the Upper Mississippi and Arkansas River tributaries, establishing additional mainstem stations in the reach between Thebes, IL and Arkansas City, AR, and standardization of laboratory and field methodologies to eliminate a major source of station-to-station and time-series variability in the sediment budgeting.

Sediment regime constraints on river restoration - An example from the lower Missouri river

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jacobson, R.B.; Blevins, D.W.; Bitner, C.J.

2009-01-01

Dammed rivers are subject to changes in their flow, water-quality, and sediment regimes. Each of these changes may contribute to diminished aquatic habitat quality and quantity. Of the three factors, an altered sediment regime is a particularly unyielding challenge on many dammed rivers. The magnitude of the challenge is illustrated on the Lower Missouri River, where the largest water storage system in North America has decreased the downriver suspended-sediment load to 0.2%–17% of pre-dam loads. In response to the altered sediment regime, the Lower Missouri River channel has incised as much as 3.5 m just downstream of Gavins Point Dam, although the bed has been stable to slightly aggrading at other locations farther downstream. Effects of channel engineering and commercial dredging are superimposed on the broad-scale adjustments to the altered sediment regime.The altered sediment regime and geomorphic adjustments constrain restoration and management opportunities. Incision and aggradation limit some objectives of flow-regime management: In incising river segments, ecologically desirable reconnection of the floodplain requires discharges that are beyond operational limits, whereas in aggrading river segments, small spring pulses may inundate or saturate low-lying farmlands. Lack of sediment in the incising river segment downstream of Gavins Point Dam also limits sustainable restoration of sand-bar habitat for bird species listed under the Endangered Species Act. Creation of new shallow-water habitat for native fishes involves taking sediment out of floodplain storage and reintroducing most or all of it to the river, raising concerns about increased sediment, nutrient, and contaminant loads. Calculations indicate that effects of individual restoration projects are small relative to background loads, but cumulative effects may depend on sequence and locations of projects. An understanding of current and historical sediment fluxes, and how they vary along the river, provides a quantitative basis for defining management constraints and identifying opportunities.

OLD SUSPENSION BRIDGE. This view appears to be looking southeast, ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

OLD SUSPENSION BRIDGE. This view appears to be looking southeast, at the downstream side of the suspension bridge, which was replaced by the South Fork Trinity River Bridge - South Fork Trinity River Bridge, State Highway 299 spanning South Fork Trinity River, Salyer, Trinity County, CA

Sedimentological downstream effects of dam failure and the role of sediment connectivity: a case study from the Bohemian Massif, Austria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wurster, Maria-Theresia; Weigelhofer, Gabriele; Pichler-Scheder, Christian; Hein, Thomas; Pöppl, Ronald

2017-04-01

Sediment connectivity describes the potential for sediment transport through catchment systems, further defining locality and characteristics of sedimentation in river channels. Dams generally decrease sediment connectivity and act as temporary sediment sinks. When dams are removed these sediments are being reworked and released downstream. During dam restoration works along a small-sized stream in the Bohemian Massif of Austria in December 2015 a dam failure occurred which led to the entrainment of several tons of fine-grained reservoir sediments further entering and depositing in the downstream channel reaches, located in the Thayatal National Park. Aiming to remove these fine sediment deposits the National Park Authority decided to initiate a flushing event in April 2016. The main aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of dam failure-induced fine sediment release and reservoir flushing on downstream bed sediment characteristics by applying geomorphological mapping (incl. volumetric surveys) and sedimentological analyses (freeze-core sampling and granulometry), further discussing the role of in-channel sediment connectivity. The obtained results have shown that immediately after the dam failure event a total of ca. 18 m3 of fine-grained sediments have accumulated as in-channel sediment bars which were primarily formed in zones of low longitudinal connectivity (e.g. in the backwater areas of woody debris jams, or at slip-off bank locations). The flushing event has been shown to have caused remobilization and downstream translocation of these deposits, further reducing their total volume by approx. 60%. The results of the granulometric analyses of the freeze-core samples have revealed fine sediment accumulation and storage in the upper parts of the channel bed, having further increased after the flushing event. Additionally, effects on chemical conditions and invertebrate community have been observed. These observations clearly indicate a significant influence of vertical connectivity conditions on in-channel fine sediment storage.

Evaluating the Effects of the Kingston Fly Ash Release on Fish Reproduction: Spring 2009 - 2010 Studies

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

Greeley Jr, Mark Stephen; Adams, Marshall; McCracken, Kitty

2012-05-01

On December 22, 2008, a dike containing fly ash and bottom ash at the Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA) Kingston Fossil Plant in East Tennessee failed and released a large quantity of ash into the adjacent Emory River. Ash deposits from the spill extended 4 miles upstream of the facility to Emory River mile 6 and downstream to Tennessee River mile 564 ({approx}8.5 miles downstream of the confluence of the Emory River with the Clinch River, and {approx}4 miles downstream of the confluence of the Clinch River with the Tennessee River). A byproduct of coal combustion, fly ash contains a varietymore » of metals and other elements which, at sufficient concentrations and in specific forms, can be harmful to biological systems. The ecological effects of fly ash contamination on exposed fish populations depend on the magnitude and duration of exposure, with the most significant risk considered to come from elevated levels of certain metals in the ash, particularly selenium, on fish reproduction and fish early life stages (Lemly 1993; Besser and others 1996). The ovaries of adult female fish in a lake contaminated by coal ash were reported to have an increased frequency of atretic oocytes (dead or damaged immature eggs) and reductions in the overall numbers of developing oocytes (Sorensen 1988) associated with elevated body burdens of selenium. Larval fish exposed to selenium through maternal transfer of contaminants to developing eggs in either contaminated bodies of water (Lemly 1999) or in experimental laboratory exposures (Woock and others 1987, Jezierska and others 2009) have significantly increased incidences of developmental abnormalities. Contact of fertilized eggs and developing embryos to ash in water and sediments may also pose an additional risk to the early life stages of exposed fish populations through direct uptake of metals and other ash constituents (Jezierska and others 2009). The establishment and maintenance of fish populations is intimately associated with the ability of individuals within a population to reproduce. Reproduction is thus generally considered to be the most critical life function affected by environmental contamination. From a regulatory perspective, the issue of potential contaminant-related effects on fish reproduction from the Kingston fly ash spill has particular significance because the growth and propagation of fish and other aquatic life is a specific classified use of the affected river systems. To address the potential effects of fly ash from the Kingston spill on the reproductive health of exposed fish populations, ORNL has undertaken a series of studies in collaboration with TVA that include: (1) a combined field study of metal bioaccumulation in ovaries and other fish tissues (Adams and others 2012) and the reproductive condition of sentinel fish species in reaches of the Emory and Clinch Rivers affected by the fly ash spill (the current report); (2) laboratory tests of the potential toxicity of fly ash from the spill area on fish embryonic and larval development (Greeley and others 2012); (3) additional laboratory experimentation focused on the potential effects of long-term exposures to fly ash on fish survival and reproductive competence (unpublished); and (4) a combined field and laboratory study examining the in vitro developmental success of embryos and larvae obtained from fish exposed in vivo for over two years to fly ash in the Emory and Clinch Rivers (unpublished). The current report focuses on the reproductive condition of adult female fish in reaches of the Emory and Clinch Rivers influenced by the fly ash spill at the beginning of the spring 2009 breeding season - the first breeding season immediately following the fly ash release - and during the subsequent spring 2010 breeding season. Data generated from this and related reproductive/early life stage studies provide direct input to ecological risk assessment efforts and complement and support other phases of the overall biomonitoring program associated with the fly ash spill.« less

Community structure of macrozoobenthos as bioindicator of pepe river quality, Mojosongo Boyolali

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarwotjo, Udi; Rahadian, Rully; Hadi, Mochammad

2018-05-01

The main problem that arises so far is the declining water quality of Pepe river due to increased human population and industrial activities along the Pepe River. This research was conducted in August 2017 using purposive random sampling method in three stations. Theobjective of this research is to provide basic information about the change of macrozoobenthos community structure which can be used as bioindicator of environmental quality in downstream of Pepe River. The results of this study showed that 72 macrozoobenthos species were found in 4 Class and 3 Fillum. The biological parameters showed that the upstream, center and downstream of the Pepe River was highly polluted, characterized by low diversity index, high density and high dominance index and low diversity. This study foundthree tolerant species that can be used as bioindicator of quality of water in the lower part of the Pepe River, i.e., Chirronomus sp, Pheretima sp, Cheumatopsyche,Melanoides maculata, Melanoides punctata and Thiara scabra. Based on the calculation of mFBI that can be used as an initial estimation of water quality status, Pepe river is very heavy polluted by organic matter.

Characterizing and simulating sediment loads and transport in the lower part of the San Antonio River Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Banta, J. Ryan; Ockerman, Darwin J.; Crow, Cassi; Opsahl, Stephen P.

2015-01-01

This extended abstract is based on the U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Reports by Crow et al. (2013) and Banta and Ockerman (2014). Suspended sediment in rivers and streams can play an important role in ecological health of rivers and estuaries and consequently is an important issue for water-resource managers. The quantity and type of suspended sediment can affect the biological communities (Wood and Armitage, 1997), the concentration and movement of natural constituents and anthropogenic contaminants (Moran and others, 2012), and the amount of sediment deposition in coastal environments (Milliman and Meade, 1983). To better understand suspended-sediment characteristics in the San Antonio River Basin, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the San Antonio River Authority and Texas Water Development Board, conducted a two-phase study to (1) collect and analyze sediment data to characterize sediment conditions in the San Antonio River downstream of San Antonio, Texas, and (2) develop and calibrate a watershed model to simulate hydrologic conditions and suspended-sediment loads for four watersheds in the San Antonio River Basin, downstream from San Antonio, Texas.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 34 (ROCHTH00210034) on Town Highway 21, crossing the White River, Rochester, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wild, Emily C.; Degnan, James

1997-01-01

This report provides the results of a detailed Level II analysis of scour potential at structure ROCHTH00210034 on Town Highway 21 crossing the White River, Rochester, Vermont (figures 1–8). A Level II study is a basic engineering analysis of the site, including a quantitative analysis of stream stability and scour (U.S. Department of Transportation, 1993). Results of a Level I scour investigation also are included in Appendix E of this report. A Level I investigation provides a qualitative geomorphic characterization of the study site. Information on the bridge, obtained from Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTAOT) files, was compiled prior to conducting Level I and Level II analyses and is found in Appendix D.The site is in the Green Mountain section of the New England physiographic province in central Vermont. The 74.8-mi2 drainage area is in a predominantly rural and forested basin. In the vicinity of the study site, the surface cover is suburban on the upstream and downstream left overbanks, though brush prevails along the immediate banks. On the upstream and downstream right overbanks, the surface cover is pasture with brush and trees along the immediate banks.In the study area, the White River has an incised, straight channel with a slope of approximately 0.002 ft/ft, an average channel top width of 102 ft and an average bank height of 5 ft. The channel bed material ranges from sand to cobble with a median grain size (D50) of 74.4 mm (0.244 ft). The geomorphic assessment at the time of the Level I and Level II site visit on July 23, 1996, indicated that the reach was stable.The Town Highway 21 crossing of the White River is a 72-ft-long, two-lane bridge consisting of 70-foot steel stringer span (Vermont Agency of Transportation, written communication, March 22, 1995). The opening length of the structure parallel to the bridge face is 67.0 ft. The bridge is supported by vertical, concrete abutments with wingwalls. The channel is skewed approximately 15 degrees to the opening while the opening-skew-to-roadway is zero degrees.Channel scour, 1.5 ft deeper than the mean thalweg depth was observed along the left abutment and wingwalls during the Level I assessment. Scour countermeasures at the site includes type-1 stone fill (less than 12 inches diameter) along the upstream left bank and the upstream and downstream left road embankments, type-2 (less than 36 inches diameter) along the upstream end of the upstream left wingwall and downstream left bank, and type-3 (less than 48 inches diameter) along the downstream end of the downstream left wingwall. Additional details describing conditions at the site are included in the Level II Summary and Appendices D and E.Scour depths and recommended rock rip-rap sizes were computed using the general guidelines described in Hydraulic Engineering Circular 18 (Richardson and others, 1995). In addition, the incipient roadway-overtopping discharge is analyzed since it has the potential of being the worst-case scour scenario. Total scour at a highway crossing is comprised of three components: 1) long-term streambed degradation; 2) contraction scour (due to accelerated flow caused by a reduction in flow area at a bridge) and; 3) local scour (caused by accelerated flow around piers and abutments). Total scour is the sum of the three components. Equations are available to compute depths for contraction and local scour and a summary of the results of these computations follows.Contraction scour for all modelled discharges was zero. Left abutment scour ranged from 6.8 to 21.2 ft. Right abutment scour ranged from 13.9 to 18.4 ft. The worst-case abutment scour occurred at the 500-year discharge at the left and right abutments. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution.It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Landslide mobility and connectivity with fluvial networks during earthquakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, M. K.; West, A. J.; Li, G.; Roback, K.; Zekkos, D.

2016-12-01

In some tectonically active mountain belts, coseismic landslide events displace sediment volumes equal to long-term erosion rates when averaged over typical seismic cycles. However, the contribution of landsliding to total erosional budgets depends critically on the export of landslide debris, which in turn is thought to depend on connectivity of landslides with fluvial channels and the sediment transport capacity of fluvial systems. From the 2015 Mw7.8 Gorkha event in central Nepal, we present connectivity data based on a mapped inventory of nearly 25,000 landslides and compare these results to those from the 2008 Mw7.9 Wenchuan earthquake in China. Landslide runout length in Nepal scales with landslide volume, and has a strong association with slope, elevation and relief. Connectivity is greatest for larger landslides in the high-relief, high-elevation part of the High Himalaya, suggesting that these slope failures may have the most immediate impact on sediment dynamics and cascading hazards, such as landslide reactivation by monsoon rainfall and outburst floods that pose immediate threat to communities far down stream. Although more rare than landslides at lower elevation, large high-elevation landslides that cause outburst flooding due to failure of landslide dams in the upper reaches of large Himalayan rivers may also enhance river incision downstream. The overall high fluvial connectivity (i.e. high percentage of landslide volumes directly intersecting the stream network) of coseismic landsliding in the Gorkha event suggests coupling between the earthquake cycle and sediment/geochemical budgets of fluvial systems in the steep topography of the Himalaya.

C, N, P export regimes from headwater catchments to downstream reaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dupas, R.; Musolff, A.; Jawitz, J. W.; Rao, P. S.; Jaeger, C. G.; Fleckenstein, J. H.; Rode, M.; Borchardt, D.

2017-12-01

Excessive amounts of nutrients and dissolved organic matter in freshwater bodies affect aquatic ecosystems. In this study, the spatial and temporal variability in nitrate (NO3), dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) was analyzed in the Selke river continuum from headwaters draining 1 - 3 km² catchments to downstream reaches representing spatially integrated signals from 184 - 456 km² catchments (part of TERENO - Terrestrial Environmental Observatories, in Germany). Three headwater catchments were selected as archetypes of the main landscape units (land use x lithology) present in the Selke catchment. Export regimes in headwater catchments were interpreted in terms of NO3, DOC and SRP land-to-stream transfer processes. Headwater signals were subtracted from downstream signals, with the differences interpreted in terms of in-stream processes and contribution of point-source emissions. The seasonal dynamics for NO3 were opposite those of DOC and SRP in all three headwater catchments, and spatial differences also showed NO3 contrasting with DOC and SRP. These dynamics were interpreted as the result of the interplay of hydrological and biogeochemical processes, for which riparian zones were hypothesized to play a determining role. In the two downstream reaches, NO3 was transported almost conservatively, whereas DOC was consumed and produced in the upper and lower river sections, respectively. The natural export regime of SRP in the three headwater catchments mimicked a point-source signal, which may lead to overestimation of domestic contributions in the downstream reaches. Monitoring the river continuum from headwaters to downstream reaches proved effective to investigate jointly land-to-stream and in-stream transport and transformation processes.

Global Analysis of River Planform Change using the Google Earth Engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bryk, A.; Dietrich, W. E.; Gorelick, N.; Sargent, R.; Braudrick, C. A.

2014-12-01

Geomorphologists have historically tracked river dynamics using a combination of maps, aerial photographs, and the stratigraphic record. Although stratigraphic records can extend into deep time, maps and aerial photographs often confine our record of change to sparse measurements over the last ~80 years and in some cases much less time. For the first time Google's Earth Engine (GEE) cloud based platform allows researchers the means to analyze quantitatively the pattern and pace of river channel change over the last 30 years with high temporal resolution across the entire planet. The GEE provides an application programing interface (API) that enables quantitative analysis of various data sets including the entire Landsat L1T archive. This allows change detection for channels wider than about 150 m over 30 years of successive, georeferenced imagery. Qualitatively, it becomes immediately evident that the pace of channel morphodynamics for similar planforms varies by orders of magnitude across the planet and downstream along individual rivers. To quantify these rates of change and to explore their controls we have developed methods for differentiating channels from floodplain along large alluvial rivers. We introduce a new metric of morphodynamics: the ratio of eroded area to channel area per unit time, referred to as "M". We also keep track of depositional areas resulting from channel shifting. To date our quantitative analysis has focused on rivers in the Andean foreland. Our analysis shows channel bank erosion rates, M, varies by orders of magnitude for these rivers, from 0 to ~0.25 yr-1, yet these rivers have essentially identical curvature and sinuosity and are visually indistinguishable. By tracking both bank paths in time, we find that, for some meandering rivers, a significant fraction of new floodplain is produced through outer-bank accretion rather than point bar deposition. This process is perhaps more important in generating floodplain stratigraphy than previously recognized. These initial findings indicate a new set of quantitative observations will emerge to further test and advance morphodynamic theory. The Google Earth Engine offers the opportunity to explore river morphodynamics on an unprecedented scale and provides a powerful tool for addressing fundamental questions in river morphodynamics.

Possible changes in ground-water flow to the Pecos River caused by Santa Rosa Lake, Guadalupe County, New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Risser, D.W.

1987-01-01

In 1980 Santa Rosa Dam began impounding water on the Pecos River about 7 miles north of Santa Rosa, New Mexico, to provide flood control, sediment control, and storage for irrigation. Santa Rosa Lake has caused changes in the groundwater flow system, which may cause changes in the streamflow of the Pecos River that cannot be detected at the present streamflow gaging stations. Data collected at these stations are used to measure the amount of water available for downstream users. A three-dimensional groundwater flow model for a 950 sq mi area between Anton Chico and Puerto de Luna was used to simulate the effects of Santa Rosa Lake on groundwater flow to a gaining reach of the Pecos River for lake levels of 4,675, 4,715, 4,725, 4,750, 4,776, and 4,797 feet above sea level and durations of impoundment of 30, 90, 182, and 365 days for all levels except 4 ,797 feet. These simulations indicated that streamflow in the Pecos River could increase by as much as 2 cu ft/sec between the dam and Puerto de Luna if the lake level were maintained at 4 ,797 feet for 90 days or 4,776 feet for 1 year. About 90% of this increased streamflow would occur < 0.5 mi downstream from the dam, some of which would be measured at the streamflow gaging station located 0.2 mile downstream from the dam. Simulations also indicated that the lake will affect groundwater flow such that inflow to the study area may be decreased by as much as 1.9 cu ft/sec. This water may leave the Pecos River drainage basin or be diverted back to the Pecos River downstream from the gaging station near Puerto de Luna. In either case, this quantity represents a net loss of water upstream from Puerto de Luna. Most simulations indicated that the decrease in groundwater flow into the study area would be of about the same quantity as the simulated increase in streamflow downstream from the dam. Therefore, the net effect of the lake on the flow of the Pecos River in the study area appears to be negligible. Model simulations indicated that effect of lake levels below 4 ,750 feet on water levels in observation wells completed in the San Andres Limestone could not be distinguished from the effects of other hydrologic stresses. (Author 's abstract)

Bovine Enteroviruses as Indicators of Fecal Contamination

PubMed Central

Ley, Victoria; Higgins, James; Fayer, Ronald

2002-01-01

Surface waters frequently have been contaminated with human enteric viruses, and it is likely that animal enteric viruses have contaminated surface waters also. Bovine enteroviruses (BEV), found in cattle worldwide, usually cause asymptomatic infections and are excreted in the feces of infected animals in large numbers. In this study, the prevalence and genotype of BEV in a closed herd of cattle were evaluated and compared with BEV found in animals in the immediate environment and in environmental specimens. BEV was found in feces from 76% of cattle, 38% of white-tailed deer, and one of three Canada geese sharing the same pastures, as well as the water obtained from animal watering tanks, from the pasture, from streams running from the pasture to an adjacent river, and from the river, which emptied into the Chesapeake Bay. Furthermore, BEV was found in oysters collected from that river downstream from the farm. These findings suggest that BEV could be used as an indicator of fecal pollution originating from animals (cattle and/or deer). Partial sequence analysis of the viral genomes indicates that different viral variants coexist in the same area. The possibility of identifying the viral strains found in the animals and in the contaminated areas by sequencing the RNA genome, could provide a tool to find the origin of the contamination and should be useful for epidemiological and viral molecular evolution studies. PMID:12089028

Urban Wastewater Impacts on the Spatial Distribution of Solutes and Microbial Constituents in the Musi River, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ensink, J.; Scott, C. A.; Cairncross, S.

2006-05-01

Wastewater discharge from expanding urban centers deteriorates the quality of receiving waters, a trend that has management and investment implications for cities around the world. This paper presents the results of a 14-month water quality evaluation over a 40-km longitudinal profile downstream of the city of Hyderabad, India (population 7 million) on the Musi River, a tributary to the Krishna River. Upstream to downstream improvements in Musi water quality for microbial constituents (nematode egg, faecal coliform), dissolved oxygen, and nitrate are attributed to natural attenuation processes (dilution, die-off, sedimentation and biological processes) coupled with the effects of in-stream hydraulic infrastructure (weirs and reservoirs). Conversely, upstream to downstream increases in total dissolved solids concentrations are caused by off- stream infrastructure and agricultural water use resulting in crop evapotranspiration and increased solute concentration in the return flow of irrigation diverted upstream in the wastewater system. Future water quality management challenges resulting from rampant urban growth, particularly in developing countries, are discussed.

Response of small glaciers to climate change: runoff from glaciers of the Wind River range, Wyoming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bliss, A. K.; Stamper, B.

2017-12-01

Runoff from glaciers affects downstream ecosystems by influencing the quantity, seasonality, and chemistry of the water. We describe the present state of glaciers in the Wind River range, Wyoming and consider how these glaciers will change in the future. Wind River glaciers have been losing mass in recent decades, as seen with geodetic techniques and by examining glacier morphology. Interestingly, the 2016/7 winter featured one of the largest snowfalls on record. Our primary focus is the Dinwoody Glacier ( 3 km^2, 3300-4000 m above sea level). We present data collected in mid-August 2017 including glacier ablation rates, snow line elevations, and streamflow. We compare measured glacier mass loss to streamflow at the glacier terminus and at a USGS stream gauge farther downstream. Using a hydrological model, we explore the fate of glacial runoff as it moves into downstream ecosystems and through ranchlands important to local people. The techniques used here can be applied to similar small-glacier systems in other parts of the world.

How much suspended particulate matter enters long-term in-channel storage?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dietrich, Stephan; Kleisinger, Carmen; Kehl, Nora; Schubert, Birgit; Hillebrand, Gudrun

2017-04-01

The route of suspended particulate matter (SPM) downstream rivers strongly depends on discharge conditions and involves transport times and periods with resting times in deposits e.g. at areas with low-flow conditions near the channel bed. It is, however, difficult to estimate the contribution of SPM on the bed load. In this study, particle-bound polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), which were released by an incident in the Elbe river (Central Europe) in spring 2015, could be used as unique tracer for transport pathways of SPM along the whole river stretch (over 700 km length), including low mountain ranges, lowlands, and the estuary. In 2015 the Elbe River was characterized by low-discharge conditions. Thus, the export of SPM on flood plains was strongly limited. The incident was monitored by concentration measurements of seven indicator PCB congeners along the inland part of the Elbe River as well as in the Elbe estuary. Data from ten monitoring stations (settling tanks) are considered. The total PCB load is calculated for all stations on the basis of monthly contaminant concentrations and daily suspended sediment concentrations. Monte-Carlo simulations assess the uncertainties of the calculated load. It is shown that the ratio of high versus low chlorinated PCB congeners is a suitable tracer to distinguish the PCB load of the incident from the long-term background signal (hereafter PCB6 ratio). We demonstrate that both the load of PCB as well as its chemical fingerprint allows the estimation of transport durations for the transport processes involved. Only a little part of the suspension has been transported via wash load. The PCB6 ratio is used to estimate mean transport velocities of the wash load fraction. A direct transport of wash load via the mean flow velocity of the water was not observed. Shortly after the incident, the PCB6 ratio was monitored 257 km downstream of the incident site in April 2015, in May first occurrence was monitored 514 km downstream of the incident site and in July it reaches the tidal weir 626 km downstream and enters the estuary. Here the transport velocity strongly decreases and the PCB6 ratio was not detected 25 km downstream the tidal weir before December 2015. The major part of the PCB-marked suspension is transported via suspended load. Interestingly, the reduction of total PCB tagged SPM load within the first 514 km downstream of the incident site indicates that roughly 75% of the annual SPM load (of the most upstream monitoring station located 43 km downstream of the incident site) is stored in the sediments of the Elbe River, suggesting that suspended sediment in transport enters storage after a relatively short distance. Once SPM settles, significant storage can occur over decadal time scales.

National Program for Inspection of Non-Federal Dams. Beseck Lake Dam (CT 00381), Connecticut River Basin, Middlefield, Connecticut. Phase I Inspection Report.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-01-01

leaking. There is some excessive growth on the crest of the dam, on the masonry downstream face and in the downstream channel . The outlet pipe is of...measures: (1) eliminate and control growth on the dam and in the downstream channel ; (2) moni- tor leaks on a monthly basis; (3) level the tops of the...the downstream abutment, which is generally exposed bedrock. No excessive scour was noticed along this slope. The downstream channel is rather heavily

Modeling groundwater/surface-water interactions in an Alpine valley (the Aosta Plain, NW Italy): the effect of groundwater abstraction on surface-water resources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stefania, Gennaro A.; Rotiroti, Marco; Fumagalli, Letizia; Simonetto, Fulvio; Capodaglio, Pietro; Zanotti, Chiara; Bonomi, Tullia

2018-02-01

A groundwater flow model of the Alpine valley aquifer in the Aosta Plain (NW Italy) showed that well pumping can induce river streamflow depletions as a function of well location. Analysis of the water budget showed that ˜80% of the water pumped during 2 years by a selected well in the downstream area comes from the baseflow of the main river discharge. Alluvial aquifers hosted in Alpine valleys fall within a particular hydrogeological context where groundwater/surface-water relationships change from upstream to downstream as well as seasonally. A transient groundwater model using MODFLOW2005 and the Streamflow-Routing (SFR2) Package is here presented, aimed at investigating water exchanges between the main regional river (Dora Baltea River, a left-hand tributary of the Po River), its tributaries and the underlying shallow aquifer, which is affected by seasonal oscillations. The three-dimensional distribution of the hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer was obtained by means of a specific coding system within the database TANGRAM. Both head and flux targets were used to perform the model calibration using PEST. Results showed that the fluctuations of the water table play an important role in groundwater/surface-water interconnections. In upstream areas, groundwater is recharged by water leaking through the riverbed and the well abstraction component of the water budget changes as a function of the hydraulic conditions of the aquifer. In downstream areas, groundwater is drained by the river and most of the water pumped by wells comes from the base flow component of the river discharge.

Management Options During the 2011-2012 Drought on the Apalachicola River: A Systems Dynamic Model Evaluation.

PubMed

Leitman, S; Pine, W E; Kiker, G

2016-08-01

The Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River basin (ACF) is a large watershed in the southeastern United States. In 2012, the basin experienced the second year of a severe drought and the third multi-year drought in the last 15 years. During severe droughts, low reservoir and river levels can cause economic and ecological impacts to the reservoir, river, and estuarine ecosystems. During drought, augmenting Apalachicola River discharge through upstream reservoir releases and demand management are intuitive and often-suggested solutions to minimizing downstream effects. We assessed whether the existing reservoir system could be operated to minimize drought impacts on downstream water users and ecosystems through flow augmentation. Our analysis finds that in extreme drought such as observed during 2012, increases in water releases from reservoir storage are insufficient to even increase Apalachicola River discharge to levels observed in the 2007 drought. This suggests that there is simply not enough water available in managed storage to offset extreme drought events. Because drought frequency and intensity is predicted to increase under a variety of climate forecasts, our results demonstrate the need for a critical assessment of how water managers will meet increasing water demands in the ACF. Key uncertainties that should be addressed include (1) identifying the factors that led to extremely low Flint River discharge in 2012, and (2) determining how water "saved" via demand management is allocated to storage or passed to downstream ecosystem needs as part of the ongoing revisions to the ACF Water Control Manual by the US Army Corps of Engineers.

Management Options During the 2011-2012 Drought on the Apalachicola River: A Systems Dynamic Model Evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leitman, S.; Pine, W. E.; Kiker, G.

2016-08-01

The Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River basin (ACF) is a large watershed in the southeastern United States. In 2012, the basin experienced the second year of a severe drought and the third multi-year drought in the last 15 years. During severe droughts, low reservoir and river levels can cause economic and ecological impacts to the reservoir, river, and estuarine ecosystems. During drought, augmenting Apalachicola River discharge through upstream reservoir releases and demand management are intuitive and often-suggested solutions to minimizing downstream effects. We assessed whether the existing reservoir system could be operated to minimize drought impacts on downstream water users and ecosystems through flow augmentation. Our analysis finds that in extreme drought such as observed during 2012, increases in water releases from reservoir storage are insufficient to even increase Apalachicola River discharge to levels observed in the 2007 drought. This suggests that there is simply not enough water available in managed storage to offset extreme drought events. Because drought frequency and intensity is predicted to increase under a variety of climate forecasts, our results demonstrate the need for a critical assessment of how water managers will meet increasing water demands in the ACF. Key uncertainties that should be addressed include (1) identifying the factors that led to extremely low Flint River discharge in 2012, and (2) determining how water "saved" via demand management is allocated to storage or passed to downstream ecosystem needs as part of the ongoing revisions to the ACF Water Control Manual by the US Army Corps of Engineers.

Strategies to optimize monitoring schemes of recreational waters from Salta, Argentina: a multivariate approach

PubMed Central

Gutiérrez-Cacciabue, Dolores; Teich, Ingrid; Poma, Hugo Ramiro; Cruz, Mercedes Cecilia; Balzarini, Mónica; Rajal, Verónica Beatriz

2014-01-01

Several recreational surface waters in Salta, Argentina, were selected to assess their quality. Seventy percent of the measurements exceeded at least one of the limits established by international legislation becoming unsuitable for their use. To interpret results of complex data, multivariate techniques were applied. Arenales River, due to the variability observed in the data, was divided in two: upstream and downstream representing low and high pollution sites, respectively; and Cluster Analysis supported that differentiation. Arenales River downstream and Campo Alegre Reservoir were the most different environments and Vaqueros and La Caldera Rivers were the most similar. Canonical Correlation Analysis allowed exploration of correlations between physicochemical and microbiological variables except in both parts of Arenales River, and Principal Component Analysis allowed finding relationships among the 9 measured variables in all aquatic environments. Variable’s loadings showed that Arenales River downstream was impacted by industrial and domestic activities, Arenales River upstream was affected by agricultural activities, Campo Alegre Reservoir was disturbed by anthropogenic and ecological effects, and La Caldera and Vaqueros Rivers were influenced by recreational activities. Discriminant Analysis allowed identification of subgroup of variables responsible for seasonal and spatial variations. Enterococcus, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, E. coli, pH, and fecal coliforms are sufficient to spatially describe the quality of the aquatic environments. Regarding seasonal variations, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, fecal coliforms, and pH can be used to describe water quality during dry season, while dissolved oxygen, conductivity, total coliforms, E. coli, and Enterococcus during wet season. Thus, the use of multivariate techniques allowed optimizing monitoring tasks and minimizing costs involved. PMID:25190636

31. VIEW OF TWIN FALLS MAIN CANAL BRIDGE FROM DOWNSTREAM ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

31. VIEW OF TWIN FALLS MAIN CANAL BRIDGE FROM DOWNSTREAM LOOKING UPSTREAM. - Milner Dam & Main Canal: Twin Falls Canal Company, On Snake River, 11 miles West of city of Burley, Idaho, Twin Falls, Twin Falls County, ID

24. TWIN FALLS MAIN CANAL HEADWORKS, DOWNSTREAM LOOKING TOWARD THE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

24. TWIN FALLS MAIN CANAL HEADWORKS, DOWNSTREAM LOOKING TOWARD THE EAST. - Milner Dam & Main Canal: Twin Falls Canal Company, On Snake River, 11 miles West of city of Burley, Idaho, Twin Falls, Twin Falls County, ID

18. GENERAL VIEW OF THE OUTLET STRUCTURE LOOKING DOWNSTREAM AT ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

18. GENERAL VIEW OF THE OUTLET STRUCTURE LOOKING DOWNSTREAM AT WEST ABUTMENT.... Volume XVI, No. 13, July 26, 1939. - Prado Dam, Outlet Works, Santa Ana River near junction of State Highways 71 & 91, Corona, Riverside County, CA

14. Credit PED. Downstream elevation, near completion, showing tail race ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

14. Credit PED. Downstream elevation, near completion, showing tail race and trestle used to carry excavated rock and construction materials across tail race. Photo c. 1909. - Dam No. 4 Hydroelectric Plant, Potomac River, Martinsburg, Berkeley County, WV

Fish embryo tests with Danio rerio as a tool to evaluate surface water and sediment quality in rivers influenced by wastewater treatment plants using different treatment technologies.

PubMed

Thellmann, Paul; Köhler, Heinz-R; Rößler, Annette; Scheurer, Marco; Schwarz, Simon; Vogel, Hans-Joachim; Triebskorn, Rita

2015-11-01

In order to evaluate surface water and the sediment quality of rivers connected to wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) with different treatment technologies, fish embryo tests (FET) with Danio rerio were conducted using native water and sediment samples collected upstream and downstream of four WWTPs in Southern Germany. Two of these WWTPs are connected to the Schussen River, a tributary of Lake Constance, and use a sand filter with final water purification by flocculation. The two others are located on the rivers Schmiecha and Eyach in the area of the Swabian Alb and were equipped with a powdered activated carbon stage 20 years ago, which was originally aimed at reducing the release of stains from the textile industry. Several endpoints of embryo toxicity including mortality, malformations, reduced hatching rate, and heart rate were investigated at defined time points of embryonic development. Higher embryotoxic potentials were found in water and sediments collected downstream of the WWTPs equipped with sand filtration than in the sample obtained downstream of both WWTPs upgraded with a powdered activated carbon stage.

Quantifying the impact of the Three Gorges Dam on the thermal dynamics of the Yangtze River

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Huayang; Piccolroaz, Sebastiano; Huang, Jingzheng; Liu, Zhiyong; Liu, Feng; Toffolon, Marco

2018-05-01

This study examines the impact of the world’s largest dam, the Three Gorges Dam (TGD), on the thermal dynamics of the Yangtze River (China). The analysis uses long-term observations of river water temperature (RWT) in four stations and reconstructs the RWT that would have occurred in absence of the TGD. Relative to pre-TGD conditions, RWT consistently warmed in the region due to air temperature (AT) increase. In addition, the analysis demonstrates that the TGD significantly affected RWT in the downstream reach. At the closest downstream station (Yichang) to the TGD, the annual cycle of RWT experienced a damped response to AT and a marked seasonal alteration: warming during all seasons except for spring and early summer which were characterized by cooling. Both effects were a direct consequence of the larger thermal inertia of the massive water volume stored in the TGD reservoir, causing the downstream reach to be more thermally resilient. The approach used here to quantify the separate contributions of climate and human interventions on RWT can be used to set scientific guidelines for river management and conservation planning strategies.

River Incision and Knickpoints on the Flank of the Yellowstone Hotspot — Alpine Canyon of the Snake River, Wyoming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuzlak, D.; Pederson, J. L.

2015-12-01

Understanding patterns of deformation and testing geophysical models in the dynamic region of the Yellowstone Hotspot requires Quaternary-scale records of incision and uplift, which are currently absent. This study examines fluvial terraces and longitudinal-profile metrics along Alpine Canyon of the Snake River, WY. Because the Snake is the only regional river crossing from the uplifting Yellowstone Plateau and flowing into the subsiding Eastern Snake River Plain, it provides an opportunity to investigate both ends of the phenomenon. Field observations through Alpine Canyon indicate that Pleistocene incision rates in this region are relatively high for the interior western U.S., that the river switches between bedrock and alluvial forms, and that incision/uplift is not uniform. Two endmembers of regional deformation may be tested: 1) the arch of high topography surrounding Yellowstone is uplifting and terraces converge downstream as incision rates decrease towards the Snake River Plain, or 2) baselevel fall originates at the subsiding Snake River Plain and terraces diverge as incision rates increase downstream. Datasets include surficial mapping, rock strength measurements, surveying of the longitudinal profile and terraces using RTK-GPS, optically stimulated luminescence dating of fluvial-terrace deposits, and investigation of drainages through ksn and χ analyses. Initial results indicate that there are four primary terrace deposits along the canyon, three of which are timed with glacial epochs. Considering the relative heights of terrace straths and preliminary ages, incision rates are indeed relatively high. There is a major knickzone covering the last 15 km of the canyon that is also reflected in tributary profiles and is consistent with a wave of incision propagating upstream, favoring the second endmember of active baselevel fall downstream.

Alternate promoter selection within a human cytomegalovirus immediate-early and early transcription unit (UL119-115) defines true late transcripts containing open reading frames for putative viral glycoproteins.

PubMed Central

Leatham, M P; Witte, P R; Stinski, M F

1991-01-01

The human cytomegalovirus open reading frames (ORFs) UL119 through UL115 (UL119-115) are located downstream of the immediate-early 1 and 2 transcription units. The promoter upstream of UL119 is active at all times after infection and drives the synthesis of a spliced 3.1-kb mRNA. The viral mRNA initiates in UL119, contains UL119-117 and UL116, and terminates just downstream of UL115. True late transcripts that are detected only after viral DNA synthesis originate from this transcription unit. True late mRNAs of 2.1 kb, containing ORFs UL116 and UL115, and 1.2 kb, containing ORF UL115 only, are synthesized. The true late viral mRNAs are 3' coterminal with the 3.1-kb mRNA. This transcription unit is an example of late promoters nested within an immediate-early-early transcription unit. The gene products of UL119-117, UL116, and UL115 are predicted to be glycoproteins. Efficient expression of the downstream ORFs at late times after infection may be related to alternate promoter usage and downstream cap site selection. Images PMID:1717716

The effect of sewage effluent on the physico-chemical and biological characteristics of the Sand River, Limpopo, South Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seanego, K. G.; Moyo, N. A. G.

Population growth in urban areas is putting pressure on sewage treatment plants. The improper treatment of sewage entering the aquatic ecosystems causes deterioration of the water quality of the receiving water body. The effect of sewage effluent on the Sand River was assessed. Eight sampling sites were selected, site 1 and 2 were upstream of the sewage treatment plant along the urbanised area of Polokwane, whilst sites 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 were downstream. The physico-chemical parameters and coliform counts in the water samples were determined. The suitability of the water for irrigation was also determined. Hierarchical average linkage cluster analysis produced two clusters, grouping two sites above the sewage treatment works and six sites downstream of the sewage effluent discharge point. Principal component analysis (PCA) identified total nitrogen, total phosphorus, conductivity and salinity as the major factors contributing to the variability of the Sand River water quality. These factors are strongly associated with the downstream sites. Canonial correspondence analysis (CCA) indicated the macroinvertebrates, Chironomidae, Belastomatidae, Chaoborus and Hirudinea being strongly associated with nitrogen, phosphorus, conductivity and temperature. Escherichia coli levels in the Polokwane wastewater treatment works maturation ponds, could potentially lead to contamination of the Polokwane aquifer. The Sodium Adsorption Ratio was between 1.5 and 3.0 and residual sodium carbonate was below 1.24 Meq/l, indicating that the Sand River water is still suitable for irrigation. The total phosphorus concentrations fluctuated across the different site. Total nitrogen concentrations showed a gradual decrease downstream from the point of discharge. This shows that the river still has a good self-purification capacity.

Diet of first-feeding larval and young-of-the-year white sturgeon in the lower Columbia River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Muir, W.D.; McCabe, G.T.; Parsley, M.J.; Hinton, S.A.

2000-01-01

In some Snake and Columbia River reservoirs, adult white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) are common but few juvenile fish are found, indicating a lack of spawning success or poor survival of larvae. In contrast, recruitment of young-of-the-year white sturgeon to juvenile and adult stages is successful in the unimpounded Columbia River downstream of Bonneville Dam. The availability and size of preferred prey during the period when white sturgeon larvae begin exogenous feeding could be an important determinant of year-class strength. To explore this issue, we examined the diet composition of 352 larval and young-of-the year white sturgeon collected from 1989 through 1991 in the lower Columbia River. Samples were collected downstream from Bonneville Dam and upstream from the dam in Bonneville and The Dalles Reservoirs. Fish that ranged in size from 15 to 290 mm in total length fed primarily on gammarid amphipods (Corophium spp.) during all months. This diet item became increasingly important to all sizes of white sturgeon examined as they grew. The length of Corophium spp. eaten by larval and young-of-the-year white sturgeon increased with increasing fish length (r2 = 45.6%, P < 0.0001). Copepods (Cyclopoida), Ceratopogonidae larvae, and Diptera pupae and larvae (primarily chironomids) were also consumed, especially at the onset of exogenous feeding. A small percentage of white sturgeon were found with empty stomachs during June (1.6% downstream from Bonneville Dam) and July (4.5% downstream and 2.6% in the reservoirs). Diets of larval and young-of-the year white sturgeon from both impounded and free-flowing sections of the Columbia River were similar and we found no evidence of larval starvation in the areas investigated, areas currently supporting healthy white sturgeon populations.

Sequencing Insights into Microbial Communities in the Water and Sediments of Fenghe River, China.

PubMed

Lu, Sidan; Sun, Yujiao; Zhao, Xuan; Wang, Lei; Ding, Aizhong; Zhao, Xiaohui

2016-07-01

The connection between microbial community structure and spatial variation and pollution in river waters has been widely investigated. However, water and sediments together have rarely been explored. In this study, Illumina high-throughput sequencing was performed to analyze microbes in 24 water and sediment samples from natural to anthropogenic sources and from headstream to downstream areas. These data were used to assess variability in microbial community structure and diversity along in the Fenghe River, China. The relationship between bacterial diversity and environmental parameters was statistically analyzed. An average of 1682 operational taxonomic units was obtained. Microbial diversity increased from the headstream to downstream and tended to be greater in sediment compared with water. The water samples near the headstream endured relatively low Shannon and Chao1 indices. These diversity indices and the number of observed species in the water and sediment samples increase downstream. The parameters also differ in the two river tributaries. Community structures shift based on the extent of nitrogen pollution variation in the sediment and water samples. The four most dominant genera in the water community were Escherichia, Acinetobacter, Comamonadaceae, and Pseudomonas. In the sediments, the most dominant genera were Stramenopiles, Flavobacterium, Pseudomonas, and Comamonadaceae. The number of ammonia-oxidizing archaea in the headstream water slightly differed from that in the sediment but varied considerably in the downstream sediments. Statistical analysis showed that community variation is correlated with changes in ammonia nitrogen, total nitrogen, and nitrate nitrogen. This study identified different microbial community structures in river water and sediments. Overall this study emphasized the need to elucidate spatial variations in bacterial diversity in water and sediments associated with physicochemical gradients and to show the effects of such variation on waterborne microbial community structures.

[Spatial distribution characteristics of the physical and chemical properties of water in the Kunes River after the supply of snowmelt during spring].

PubMed

Liu, Xiang; Guo, Ling-Peng; Zhang, Fei-Yun; Ma, Jie; Mu, Shu-Yong; Zhao, Xin; Li, Lan-Hai

2015-02-01

Eight physical and chemical indicators related to water quality were monitored from nineteen sampling sites along the Kunes River at the end of snowmelt season in spring. To investigate the spatial distribution characteristics of water physical and chemical properties, cluster analysis (CA), discriminant analysis (DA) and principal component analysis (PCA) are employed. The result of cluster analysis showed that the Kunes River could be divided into three reaches according to the similarities of water physical and chemical properties among sampling sites, representing the upstream, midstream and downstream of the river, respectively; The result of discriminant analysis demonstrated that the reliability of such a classification was high, and DO, Cl- and BOD5 were the significant indexes leading to this classification; Three principal components were extracted on the basis of the principal component analysis, in which accumulative variance contribution could reach 86.90%. The result of principal component analysis also indicated that water physical and chemical properties were mostly affected by EC, ORP, NO3(-) -N, NH4(+) -N, Cl- and BOD5. The sorted results of principal component scores in each sampling sites showed that the water quality was mainly influenced by DO in upstream, by pH in midstream, and by the rest of indicators in downstream. The order of comprehensive scores for principal components revealed that the water quality degraded from the upstream to downstream, i.e., the upstream had the best water quality, followed by the midstream, while the water quality at downstream was the worst. This result corresponded exactly to the three reaches classified using cluster analysis. Anthropogenic activity and the accumulation of pollutants along the river were probably the main reasons leading to this spatial difference.

Geomorphic mapping to support river restoration on the Trinity River downstream from Lewiston Dam, California, 1980-2011

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtis, Jennifer A.; Guerrero, Timothy M.

2015-01-01

Historic land use, dam construction, water storage, and flow diversions in the Trinity River watershed have resulted in downstream geomorphic change, loss of salmonid habitat, and declines in salmonid populations. The USGS in cooperation with the Trinity River Restoration Program, a multi-agency partnership tasked with implementing federally mandated restoration, completed a geomorphic change assessment to inform the planning process for future restoration work. This report documents an ARCMAP geodatabase (v.10.0) containing geomorphic features digitized from a series of rectified orthophotographs (http://dx.doi.org/10.5066/F7TT4P04). Upland, riparian, and channel features were digitized from six available base images (1980, 1997, 2001, 2006, 2009, and 2011). This report describes the structure of the geodatabase and the methods used to delineate individual geomorphic features.

Shift in the chemical composition of dissolved organic matter in the Congo River network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lambert, Thibault; Bouillon, Steven; Darchambeau, François; Massicotte, Philippe; Borges, Alberto V.

2016-09-01

The processing of terrestrially derived dissolved organic matter (DOM) during downstream transport in fluvial networks is poorly understood. Here, we report a dataset of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations and DOM composition (stable carbon isotope ratios, absorption and fluorescence properties) acquired along a 1700 km transect in the middle reach of the Congo River basin. Samples were collected in the mainstem and its tributaries during high-water (HW) and falling-water (FW) periods. DOC concentrations and DOM composition along the mainstem were found to differ between the two periods because of a reduced lateral mixing between the central water masses of the Congo River and DOM-rich waters from tributaries and also likely because of a greater photodegradation during FW as water residence time (WRT) increased. Although the Cuvette Centrale wetland (one of the world's largest flooded forests) continuously releases highly aromatic DOM in streams and rivers of the Congo Basin, the downstream transport of DOM was found to result in an along-stream gradient from aromatic to aliphatic compounds. The characterization of DOM through parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) suggests that this transition results from (1) the losses of aromatic compounds by photodegradation and (2) the production of aliphatic compounds by biological reworking of terrestrial DOM. Finally, this study highlights the critical importance of the river-floodplain connectivity in tropical rivers in controlling DOM biogeochemistry at a large spatial scale and suggests that the degree of DOM processing during downstream transport is a function of landscape characteristics and WRT.

The fate of large sediment inputs in rivers: Implications for watershed and waterway management

Treesearch

Thomas E. Lisle

2000-01-01

Valued resources in and along stream channels are commonly many river miles downstream of large sediment inputs such as landslides. Evaluating and predicting the arrival, severity, and duration of sediment impacts thus requires an understanding of how river channels digest elevated sediment loads.

27 CFR 9.210 - Lehigh Valley.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Lehigh River in the city of Jim Thorpe; then (8) Proceed east-northeasterly in a straight line to the... along Interstate 80 through Stroudsburg to the west bank of the Delaware River; then (15) Proceed south (downstream) along the west bank of the Delaware River, and, crossing onto the Northampton County map...

Rethinking the longitudinal stream temperature paradigm: region-wide comparison of thermal infrared imagery reveals unexpected complexity of river temperatures

EPA Science Inventory

We used an extensive dataset of remotely sensed summertime river temperature to compare longitudinal profiles (temperature versus distance) for 54 rivers in the Pacific Northwest. We evaluated (1) how often profiles fit theoretical expectations of asymptotic downstream warming, a...

Effects of fluvial processes in different order river valleys on redistribution and storage of particle-bound radioactive caesium-137 in area of significant Chernobyl fallout and impact on linked rivers with lower contamination levels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belyaev, Vladimir; Golosov, Valentin; Shamshurina, Evgeniya; Ivanov, Maxim; Ivanova, Nadezhda; Bezukhov, Dmitry; Onda, Yuichi; Wakiyama, Yoshifumi; Evrard, Olivier

2015-04-01

Detailed investigations of the post-fallout fate of radionuclide contamination represent an important task in terms of environmental quality assessment. In addition, particle-bound radionuclides such as the most widespread anthropogenic isotope caesium-137 can be used as tracers for quantitative assessment of different sediment redistribution processes. In landscapes of humid plains with agriculture-dominated land use the post-fallout redistribution of caesium-137 is primarily associated with fluvial activity of various scales in cascade systems starting from soil erosion on cultivated hillslopes through gully and small dry valley network into different order perennial streams and rivers. Our investigations in the so-called Plavsk hotspot (area of very high Chernobyl caesium-137 contamination within the Plava River basin, Tula Region, Central European Russia) has been continuing for more than 15 years by now, while the time passed since the Chernobyl disaster and associated radioactive fallout (1986) is almost 29 years. Detailed information on the fluvial sediment and associated caesium-137 redistribution has been obtained for case study sites of different size from individual cultivated slopes and small catchments of different size (2-180 km2) to the entire Plava River basin scale (1856 km2). It has been shown that most of the contaminated sediment over the time passed since the fallout has remained stored within the small dry valleys of the 1-4 Hortonian order and local reservoirs (>70%), while only about 5% reached the 5-6 order valleys (main tributaries of the Plava River) and storage of the Plava floodplain itself represents as low as 0.3% of the basin-scale total sediment production from eroded cultivated hillslopes. Nevertheless, it has been shown that contaminated sediment yield from the Plava River basin exerts significant influence on less polluted downstream-linked river system. Recent progress of the investigations involved sampling of 7 detailed depth-incremental floodplain sediment sections along the Upa River valley, which is the receiving river for the Plava and is characterized by generally much lower caesium-137 contamination within other parts of its basin. One of the sampled sections was located several kilometers upstream from the Plava River mouth and the other 6 - at different distances downstream starting from about 2 km to about 40 km. In this case we can assume the Plava River mouth to be the point-source of sediment-associated radioactive contamination additional to the initial fallout. It has been found that while at the nearest point downstream the floodplain sediment contamination by caesium-137 is about 2 order of magnitude higher, than upstream, it decreases quickly along the Upa River valley two about 3 times higher than upstream at the most remote downstream point. Importantly, the decrease is not represented by gradual and uniform curve. In contrast, it is interrupted by local increase caused by smaller tributary from relatively high contamination area. It is believed that the obtained information on decadal-scale sediment and associated post-fallout caesium-137 redistribution through the fluvial network, patterns of sinks and rate of contamination propagation into the less polluted downstream-linked river basin can be used for testing and improving the predictive models being developed for applications in other contaminated areas such as river basins around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, providing that differences in landscape settings, hydrological regime and land use patterns are taken into account.

Flow Structure and Channel Morphology at a Confluent-Meander Bend

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riley, J. D.; Rhoads, B. L.

2009-12-01

Flow structure and channel morphology in meander bends have been well documented. Channel curvature subjects flow through a bend to centrifugal acceleration, inducing a counterbalancing pressure-gradient force that initiates secondary circulation. Transverse variations in boundary shear stress and bedload transport parallel cross-stream movement of high velocity flow and determine spatial patterns of erosion along the outer bank and deposition along the inner bank. Laboratory experiments and numerical modeling of confluent-meander bends, a junction planform that develops when a tributary joins a meandering river along the outer bank of a bend, suggest that flow and channel morphology in such bends deviate from typical patterns. The purpose of this study is to examine three-dimensional (3-D) flow structure and channel morphology at a natural confluent-meander bend. Field data were collected in southeastern Illinois where Big Muddy Creek joins the Little Wabash River near a local maximum of curvature along an elongated meander loop. Measurements of 3-D velocity components were obtained with an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) for two flow events with differing momentum ratios. Channel bathymetry was also resolved from the four-beam depths of the ADCP. Analysis of velocity data reveals a distinct shear layer flanked by dual helical cells within the bend immediately downstream of the confluence. Flow from the tributary confines flow from the main channel along the inner part of the channel cross section, displacing the thalweg inward, limiting the downstream extent of the point bar, protecting the outer bank from erosion and enabling bar-building along this bank. Overall, this pattern of flow and channel morphology is quite different from typical patterns in meander bends, but is consistent with a conceptual model derived from laboratory experiments and numerical modeling.

14. PROJECT PLAN, INTAKE PIER, RAW WATER CONDUITS, PUMPING STATION ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

14. PROJECT PLAN, INTAKE PIER, RAW WATER CONDUITS, PUMPING STATION FORCE MAINS, TREATED WATER PIPELINES, AND FILTRATION PLANT, SHEET 1 OF 117, 1920. - Sacramento River Water Treatment Plant Intake Pier & Access Bridge, Spanning Sacramento River approximately 175 feet west of eastern levee on river; roughly .5 mile downstream from confluence of Sacramento & American Rivers, Sacramento, Sacramento County, CA

Use of Virginia's tributaries of the Potomac River by anadromous fishes : final report for phase four of an analysis of the impediments to spawning migrations of anadromous fish in Virginia rivers.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1988-10-01

The use of Virginia's tributaries of the lower Potomac River (downstream of Great Falls) : by striped bass, American shad, hickory shad, and river herring (a collective term for alewife : and blueback herring) was determined by reviewing literature, ...

Dramatic undercutting of piedmont rivers after the 2008 Wenchuan Ms 8.0 Earthquake

PubMed Central

Fan, Niannian; Nie, Ruihua; Wang, Qiang; Liu, Xingnian

2016-01-01

Changes in river channel erosion or deposition affect the geomorphic evolution, aquatic ecosystems, and river regulation strategies. Fluvial processes are determined by the flow, sediment and boundary conditions, and it has long been expected that increasing sediment supply will induce aggradation. Here, based on thorough field surveys, we show the unexpected undercutting of the piedmont rivers influenced by the 2008 Wenchuan (Ms 8.0) Earthquake. The rivers flow from the Longmen Mountain with significant topographic relief to the flat Chengdu plain. In the upstreams, sediment supply increased because of the landslides triggered by the earthquake, causing deposition in the upstream mountain reaches. However, the downstream plain reaches suffered undercutting instead of deposition, and among those rivers, Shiting River was the most seriously affected, with the largest undercutting depth exceeding 20 m. The reasons for this unexpected undercutting are proposed herein and relate to both natural and anthropogenic causes. In addition, we also demonstrate, at least for certain conditions, such as rivers flowing from large-gradient mountain regions to low-gradient plain regions, that upstream sediment pulses may induce aggradation in upstream and degradation in downstream, causing the longitudinal profile to steepen to accommodate the increasing sediment flux. PMID:27857220

The Colorado River and its deposits downstream from Grand Canyon in Arizona, California, and Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crow, Ryan S.; Block, Debra L.; Felger, Tracey J.; House, P. Kyle; Pearthree, Philip A.; Gootee, Brian F.; Youberg, Ann M.; Howard, Keith A.; Beard, L. Sue

2018-02-05

Understanding the evolution of the Colorado River system has direct implications for (1) the processes and timing of continental-scale river system integration, (2) the formation of iconic landscapes like those in and around Grand Canyon, and (3) the availability of groundwater resources. Spatial patterns in the position and type of Colorado River deposits, only discernible through geologic mapping, can be used to test models related to Colorado River evolution. This is particularly true downstream from Grand Canyon where ancestral Colorado River deposits are well-exposed. We are principally interested in (1) regional patterns in the minimum and maximum elevation of each depositional unit, which are affected by depositional mechanism and postdepositional deformation; and (2) the volume of each unit, which reflects regional changes in erosion, transport efficiency, and accommodation space. The volume of Colorado River deposits below Grand Canyon has implications for groundwater resources, as the primary regional aquifer there is composed of those deposits. To this end, we are presently mapping Colorado River deposits and compiling and updating older mapping. This preliminary data release shows the current status of our mapping and compilation efforts. We plan to update it at regular intervals in conjunction with ongoing mapping.

Human-induced stream channel abandonment/capture and filling of floodplain channels within the Atchafalaya River Basin, Louisiana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kroes, Daniel E.; Kraemer, Thomas F.

2013-01-01

The Atchafalaya River Basin is a distributary system of the Mississippi River containing the largest riparian area in the lower Mississippi River Valley and the largest remaining forested bottomland in North America. Reductions in the area of open water in the Atchafalaya have been occurring over the last 100 years, and many historical waterways are increasingly filled by sediment. This study examines two cases of swamp channels (3/s) that are filling and becoming unnavigable as a result of high sediment loads and slow water velocities. The water velocities in natural bayous are further reduced because of flow capture by channels constructed for access. Bathymetry, flow, suspended sediment, deposited bottom-material, isotopes, and photointerpretation were used to characterize the channel fill. On average, water flowing through these two channels lost 23% of the suspended sediment load in the studied reaches. Along one of the studied reaches, two constructed access channels diverted significant flow out of the primary channel and into the adjacent swamp. Immediately downstream of each of the two access channels, the cross-sectional area of the studied channel was reduced. Isotopic analyses of bottom-material cores indicate that bed filling has been rapid and occurred after detectable levels of Cesium-137 were no longer being deposited. Interpretation of aerial photography indicates that water is bypassing the primary channels in favor of the more hydraulically efficient access channels, resulting in low or no-velocity flow conditions in the primary channel. These swamp channel conditions are typical in the Atchafalaya River Basin where relict large channel dimensions result in flow velocities that are normally too low to carry fine-grained sediment. Constructed channels increase the rate of natural channel avulsion and abandonment as a result of flow capture.

Geomorphic status of regulated rivers in the Iberian Peninsula.

PubMed

Lobera, G; Besné, P; Vericat, D; López-Tarazón, J A; Tena, A; Aristi, I; Díez, J R; Ibisate, A; Larrañaga, A; Elosegi, A; Batalla, R J

2015-03-01

River regulation by dams modifies flow regimes, interrupts the transfer of sediment through channel networks, and alters downstream bed dynamics, altogether affecting channel form and processes. So far, most studies on the geomorphic impacts of dams are restricted to single rivers, or even single river stretches. In this paper we analyse the geomorphic status of 74 river sites distributed across four large basins in the Iberian Peninsula (i.e. 47 sites located downstream of dams). For this purpose, we combine field data with hydrological data available from water agencies, and analyse historical (1970) and current aerial photographs. In particular, we have developed a Geomorphic Status (GS) index that allows us to assess the physical structure of a given channel reach and its change through time. The GS encompasses a determination of changes in sedimentary units, sediment availability, bar stability and channel flow capacity. Sites are statistically grouped in four clusters based on contrasted physical and climate characteristics. Results emphasise that regulation changes river's flow regime with a generalized reduction of the magnitude and frequency of floods (thus flow competence). This, in addition to the decrease downstream sediment supply, results in the loss of active bars as they are encroached by vegetation, to the point that only reaches with little or no regulation maintain exposed sedimentary deposits. The GS of regulated river reaches is negatively correlated with magnitude of the impoundment (regulation). Heavily impacted reaches present channel stabilization and, in contrast to the hydrological response, the distance and number of tributaries do not reverse the geomorphic impact of the dams. Stabilization limits river dynamics and may contribute to the environmental degradation of the fluvial ecosystem. Overall, results describe the degree of geomorphological alteration experienced by representative Iberian rivers mostly because of regulation, challenging the successful long-term implementation of river basin management programmes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chemical quality of surface water in the West Branch Susquehanna River basin, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCarren, Edward F.

1964-01-01

The West Branch Susquehanna River is 228 miles long and drains 6,913 square miles of mountainous area in central Pennsylvania. Much of this area is forestcovered wilderness, part of which is reserved as State game land. Wild animals, such as deer, bear, turkey and grouse, are sheltered there, and many streams contain trout and other game fish. This helps to make the region one of the best hunting and fishing areas in Pennsylvania. The Congress has approved Federal funds for the construction of several reservoirs to prevent flooding of the main river and several of its tributaries. Water stored behind the dams will not be withdrawn below a minimum level designated as conservation pools. These pools will be available for recreation. Several headwater streams, such as Clearfield, Moshannon, and at times Sinnemahoning Creek, that carry drainage from coal mines are acid and contain high concentrations of dissolved solids, especially sulfates. These streams acidify the West Branch Susquehanna River downstream as far as Jersey Shore. One of the most influential tributaries affecting the quality of the West Branch Susquehanna River after they merge is Bald Eagle Creek. Bald Eagle Creek enters the main river downstream from Lock Haven which is approximately 100 river miles from the river's source. Because of its alkaline properties, water of Bald Eagle Creek can neutralize acidic water. Many streams draining small areas and several draining large areas such as Pine Creek, Lycoming Creek, and Loyalsock Creek are clear nearly neutral water low in dissolved solids whose pH is about 7.0 most of the time. These streams have a diluting and neutralizing effect on the quality of the West Branch Susquehanna River, so that from Williamsport downstream the river water is rarely acid, and for most of the time it is of good chemical quality.

28. DOWNSTREAM VIEW OF ROCK PAVING OPERATIONS ON LEFT BANK ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

28. DOWNSTREAM VIEW OF ROCK PAVING OPERATIONS ON LEFT BANK OF OUTLET CHANNEL.... Volume XVI, No. 18, September 29, 1939. - Prado Dam, Outlet Works, Santa Ana River near junction of State Highways 71 & 91, Corona, Riverside County, CA

Quantifying human impacts on hydrological drought using a combined modelling approach in a tropical river basin in central Vietnam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Firoz, A. B. M.; Nauditt, Alexandra; Fink, Manfred; Ribbe, Lars

2018-01-01

Hydrological droughts are one of the most damaging disasters in terms of economic loss in central Vietnam and other regions of South-east Asia, severely affecting agricultural production and drinking water supply. Their increasing frequency and severity can be attributed to extended dry spells and increasing water abstractions for e.g. irrigation and hydropower development to meet the demand of dynamic socioeconomic development. Based on hydro-climatic data for the period from 1980 to 2013 and reservoir operation data, the impacts of recent hydropower development and other alterations of the hydrological network on downstream streamflow and drought risk were assessed for a mesoscale basin of steep topography in central Vietnam, the Vu Gia Thu Bon (VGTB) River basin. The Just Another Modelling System (JAMS)/J2000 was calibrated for the VGTB River basin to simulate reservoir inflow and the naturalized discharge time series for the downstream gauging stations. The HEC-ResSim reservoir operation model simulated reservoir outflow from eight major hydropower stations as well as the reconstructed streamflow for the main river branches Vu Gia and Thu Bon. Drought duration, severity, and frequency were analysed for different timescales for the naturalized and reconstructed streamflow by applying the daily varying threshold method. Efficiency statistics for both models show good results. A strong impact of reservoir operation on downstream discharge at the daily, monthly, seasonal, and annual scales was detected for four discharge stations relevant for downstream water allocation. We found a stronger hydrological drought risk for the Vu Gia river supplying water to the city of Da Nang and large irrigation systems especially in the dry season. We conclude that the calibrated model set-up provides a valuable tool to quantify the different origins of drought to support cross-sectorial water management and planning in a suitable way to be transferred to similar river basins.

Spatio-Temporal Migration Patterns of Pacific Salmon Smolts in Rivers and Coastal Marine Waters

PubMed Central

Melnychuk, Michael C.; Welch, David W.; Walters, Carl J.

2010-01-01

Background Migrations allow animals to find food resources, rearing habitats, or mates, but often impose considerable predation risk. Several behavioural strategies may reduce this risk, including faster travel speed and taking routes with shorter total distance. Descriptions of the natural range of variation in migration strategies among individuals and populations is necessary before the ecological consequences of such variation can be established. Methodology/Principal Findings Movements of tagged juvenile coho, steelhead, sockeye, and Chinook salmon were quantified using a large-scale acoustic tracking array in southern British Columbia, Canada. Smolts from 13 watersheds (49 watershed/species/year combinations) were tagged between 2004–2008 and combined into a mixed-effects model analysis of travel speed. During the downstream migration, steelhead were slower on average than other species, possibly related to freshwater residualization. During the migration through the Strait of Georgia, coho were slower than steelhead and sockeye, likely related to some degree of inshore summer residency. Hatchery-reared smolts were slower than wild smolts during the downstream migration, but after ocean entry, average speeds were similar. In small rivers, downstream travel speed increased with body length, but in the larger Fraser River and during the coastal migration, average speed was independent of body length. Smolts leaving rivers located towards the northern end of the Strait of Georgia ecosystem migrated strictly northwards after ocean entry, but those from rivers towards the southern end displayed split-route migration patterns within populations, with some moving southward. Conclusions/Significance Our results reveal a tremendous diversity of behavioural migration strategies used by juvenile salmon, across species, rearing histories, and habitats, as well as within individual populations. During the downstream migration, factors that had strong effects on travel speeds included species, wild or hatchery-rearing history, watershed size and, in smaller rivers, body length. During the coastal migration, travel speeds were only strongly affected by species differences. PMID:20886121

River flow availability for environmental flow allocation downstream of hydropower facilities in the Kafue Basin of Zambia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalumba, Mulenga; Nyirenda, Edwin

2017-12-01

The Government of the Republic Zambia (GRZ) will install a new hydropower station Kafue Gorge Lower downstream of the existing Kafue Gorge Station (KGS) and plans to start operating the Itezhi-Tezhi (ITT) hydropower facility in the Kafue Basin. The Basin has significant biodiversity hot spots such as the Luangwa National park and Kafue Flats. It is described as a Man-Biosphere reserve and the National Park is a designated World Heritage Site hosting a variety of wildlife species. All these natural reserves demand special protection, and environmental flow requirements (e-flows) have been identified as a necessary need to preserve these ecosystems. Implementation of e-flows is therefore a priority as Zambia considers to install more hydropower facilities. However before allocation of e-flows, it is necessary to first assess the river flow available for allocation at existing hydropower stations in the Kafue Basin. The river flow availability in the basin was checked by assessing the variability in low and high flows since the timing, frequency and duration of extreme droughts and floods (caused by low and high flows) are all important hydrological characteristics of a flow regime that affects e-flows. The river flows for a 41 year monthly time series data (1973-2014) were used to extract independent low and high flows using the Water Engineering Time Series Processing Tool (WETSPRO). The low and high flows were used to construct cumulative frequency distribution curves that were compared and analysed to show their variation over a long period. A water balance of each hydropower station was used to check the river flow allocation aspect by comparing the calculated water balance outflow (river flow) with the observed river flow, the hydropower and consumptive water rights downstream of each hydropower station. In drought periods about 50-100 m3/s of riverflow is available or discharged at both ITT and KGS stations while as in extreme flood events about 1300-1500 m3/s of riverflow is available. There is river flow available in the wet and dry seasons for e-flow allocation at ITT. On average per month 25 m3/s is allocated for e-flows at ITT for downstream purposes. On the other hand, it may be impossible to implement e-flows at KGS with the limited available outflow (river flow). The available river flow from ITT plays a very vital role in satisfying the current hydropower generating capacity at KGS. Therefore, the operations of KGS heavily depends on the available outflow (river flow) from ITT.

Geomorphic analysis of the river response to sedimentation downstream of Mount Rainier, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Czuba, Jonathan A.; Magirl, Christopher S.; Czuba, Christiana R.; Curran, Christopher A.; Johnson, Kenneth H.; Olsen, Theresa D.; Kimball, Halley K.; Gish, Casey C.

2012-01-01

A study of the geomorphology of rivers draining Mount Rainier, Washington, was completed to identify sources of sediment to the river network; to identify important processes in the sediment delivery system; to assess current sediment loads in rivers draining Mount Rainier; to evaluate if there were trends in streamflow or sediment load since the early 20th century; and to assess how rates of sedimentation might continue into the future using published climate-change scenarios. Rivers draining Mount Rainier carry heavy sediment loads sourced primarily from the volcano that cause acute aggradation in deposition reaches as far away as the Puget Lowland. Calculated yields ranged from 2,000 tonnes per square kilometer per year [(tonnes/km2)/yr] on the upper Nisqually River to 350 (tonnes/km2)/yr on the lower Puyallup River, notably larger than sediment yields of 50–200 (tonnes/km2)/yr typical for other Cascade Range rivers. These rivers can be assumed to be in a general state of sediment surplus. As a result, future aggradation rates will be largely influenced by the underlying hydrology carrying sediment downstream. The active-channel width of rivers directly draining Mount Rainier in 2009, used as a proxy for sediment released from Mount Rainier, changed little between 1965 and 1994 reflecting a climatic period that was relatively quiet hydrogeomorphically. From 1994 to 2009, a marked increase in geomorphic disturbance caused the active channels in many river reaches to widen. Comparing active-channel widths of glacier-draining rivers in 2009 to the distance of glacier retreat between 1913 and 1994 showed no correlation, suggesting that geomorphic disturbance in river reaches directly downstream of glaciers is not strongly governed by the degree of glacial retreat. In contrast, there was a correlation between active-channel width and the percentage of superglacier debris mantling the glacier, as measured in 1971. A conceptual model of sediment delivery processes from the mountain indicates that rockfalls, glaciers, debris flows, and main-stem flooding act sequentially to deliver sediment from Mount Rainier to river reaches in the Puget Lowland over decadal time scales. Greater-than-normal runoff was associated with cool phases of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. Streamflow-gaging station data from four unregulated rivers directly draining Mount Rainier indicated no statistically significant trends of increasing peak flows over the course of the 20th century. The total sediment load of the upper Nisqually River from 1945 to 2011 was determined to be 1,200,000±180,000 tonnes/yr. The suspended-sediment load in the lower Puyallup River at Puyallup, Washington, was 860,000±300,000 tonnes/yr between 1978 and 1994, but the long-term load for the Puyallup River likely is about 1,000,000±400,000 tonnes/yr. Using a coarse-resolution bedload transport relation, the long-term average bedload was estimated to be about 30,000 tonnes/yr in the lower White River near Auburn, Washington, which was four times greater than bedload in the Puyallup River and an order of magnitude greater than bedload in the Carbon River. Analyses indicate a general increase in the sediment loads in Mount Rainier rivers in the 1990s and 2000s relative to the time period from the 1960s to 1980s. Data are insufficient, however, to determine definitively if post-1990 increases in sediment production and transport from Mount Rainier represent a statistically significant increase relative to sediment-load values typical from Mount Rainier during the entire 20th century. One-dimensional river-hydraulic and sediment-transport models simulated the entrainment, transport, attrition, and deposition of bed material. Simulations showed that bed-material loads were largest for the Nisqually River and smallest for the Carbon River. The models were used to simulate how increases in sediment supply to rivers transport through the river systems and affect lowland reaches. For each simulation, the input sediment pulse evolved through a combination of translation, dispersion, and attrition as it moved downstream. The characteristic transport times for the median sediment-size pulse to arrive downstream for the Nisqually, Carbon, Puyallup, and White Rivers were approximately 70, 300, 80, and 60 years, respectively.

Monitoring the impact of urban effluents on mineral contents of water and sediments of four sites of the river Ravi, Lahore.

PubMed

Shakir, Hafiz Abdullah; Qazi, Javed Iqbal; Chaudhry, Abdul Shakoor

2013-12-01

We assessed the impact of urban effluents on the concentrations of selected minerals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, Zn, Mn, Ni, and Hg) in river Ravi before and after its passage through Lahore city. Water and sediment samples were collected from three lowly to highly polluted downstream sites (Shahdera (B), Sunder (C), and Balloki (D)) alongside the least polluted upstream site (Siphon (A)) during high and low river flow seasons. All the mineral concentrations increased up to site C but stabilized at site D, showing some recovery as compared to the third sampling site. The trend of mean mineral concentration was significantly higher during the low than the high flow season at all the sites. The mean Hg concentrations approached 0.14 and 0.12 mg/l at site A which increased (%) up to 107 and 25% at site B, 1,700 and 1,317% at site C, and 1,185 and 1,177% at site D during low and high river flows, respectively. All mineral concentrations were much higher in the sediment than the water samples. Mean Cd (917%), Cr (461%), Cu (300%), Fe (254%), Pb (179%), Zn (170%), Mn (723%), Ni (853%), and Hg (1,699%) concentrations were higher in riverbed sediments sampled from site C in comparison with the sample collected at site A during low flow season. The domestic and industrial discharges from Lahore city have created undesirable water qualities during the low river flow season. As majority of the mineral levels in the river Ravi were higher than the permissible and safe levels, this is of immediate concern for riverine fish consumers and the users of water for recreation and even irrigation. The use of these waters may pose health risks, and therefore, urgent intervention strategies are needed to minimize river water pollution and its impact on fish-consuming communities of this study area and beyond.

Multiyear Downstream Response to Dam Removal on the White Salmon River, WA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilcox, A. C.; O'Connor, J. E.; Major, J. J.

2017-12-01

The 2011 removal of the 38 m tall Condit Dam on the White Salmon River, Washington was one of the largest dam removals to date, in terms of both dam height and sediment release. We examined the multiyear geomorphic response to this event, through 2015, including in a bedrock-confined canyon and in a less-confined, backwater-influenced pool reach near the river's mouth, to the large, rapid influx of fine reservoir sediment produced by the breach and to subsequent sediment transfer in the free-flowing White Salmon River. In the canyon reach, aggraded sediments were rapidly eroded from riffles, returning them toward pre-breach bed elevations within weeks, but pool aggradation persisted for longer. The downstream, less-confined reach transformed from a deep pool to a narrower pool-riffle channel with alternate bars; multiyear observations showed persistence of bars and of this new and distinct morphology. This downstream reach marks a rare case in post-dam removal channel response; in most dam removals, channels have rapidly reverted toward pre-removal morphology, as in the canyon reach here. Comparison of the multiyear geomorphic evolution of the White Salmon River to other recent large dam removals in the U.S. allows evaluation of the relative influences of antecedent channel morphology, post-breach hydrology, and dam removal style, as well as providing a basis for predicting responses to future dam removals.

Unit 5, upstream toward incline bridge Johnstown Local Flood ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Unit 5, upstream toward incline bridge - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

Elevated view of city from incline Johnstown Local Flood ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Elevated view of city from incline - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

Unit 3, upstream from footbridge Johnstown Local Flood Protection ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Unit 3, upstream from footbridge - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

20. View to southeast. Aerial view of bridge in setting; ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

20. View to southeast. Aerial view of bridge in setting; downstream side. (135mm lens) - South Fork Trinity River Bridge, State Highway 299 spanning South Fork Trinity River, Salyer, Trinity County, CA

11. View to southeast. More distant overview of bridge in ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

11. View to southeast. More distant overview of bridge in setting; downstream side. (135mm lens) - South Fork Trinity River Bridge, State Highway 299 spanning South Fork Trinity River, Salyer, Trinity County, CA

Channel adjustments in a Mediterranean river over the last 150 years in the context of anthropic and natural controls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scorpio, Vittoria; Rosskopf, Carmen M.

2016-12-01

Evolutionary trajectories and related control factors of the Fortore River (southern Italy) are analyzed over a 150-year period as to assess channel modifications. A multitemporal GIS analysis of topographic maps and aerial photographs together with topographic and geomorphological field surveys were performed. Attention was focused on the impact caused by human disturbance, above all the presence of the Occhito dam at only 40 km upstream of the Fortore mouth (central Adriatic coast). Results show that channel adjustments occurred in three distinct phases and were primarily driven by human disturbance that diversely affected reaches located upstream and downstream of the dam. From the last decades of the nineteenth century to the 1950s (phase 1), channel widening prevailed along upstream reaches whilst narrowing along downstream reaches. Major channel adjustments occurred from the 1950s until the end of the 1990s (phase 2), especially channel narrowing of up to 81% in upstream reaches and 98% in downstream reaches. Narrowing was accompanied by channel-bed lowering of 1 to 5 m and by pattern changes in prevalence from multithread to largely prevailing single-thread channel configurations. In-channel mining, channel works, and hydraulic interventions are considered key driving factors of observed channel adjustments. The closure of the Occhito dam in 1966 had significant and permanent effects on downstream reaches through overall discharge regulation and permanent sediment trapping as also proved by the progressive retreat of the Fortore river mouth area. From 2000 to 2015 (phase 3), a substantial trend inversion was observed with overall channel widening and partial aggradation of upstream reaches and total stabilization of downstream reaches. As highlighted by an integrated multitemporal analysis of recent channel changes and flood events, the latter have played an important role in channel recovery of upstream reaches. Comparison between the Fortore River and other rivers in southern Italy has allowed us to ascertain that the reconstructed evolutionary trajectories are quite similar and that control factors are essentially the same. In particular, it confirms the role of major hydraulic structures as to the amount of channel adjustments of downstream reaches and the ensuing scarce to nil potential to channel recovery of regulated reaches.

National Program for Inspection of Non-Federal Dams. Notch Reservoir Dam (MA 00283), Hoosic River Basin, North Adams, Massachusetts. Phase I Inspection Report.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-06-01

floodwaters. About 600 feet downstream of the dam, West Mountain Road would be overtopped; 600 feet further downstream Reservoir Road would be overtopped for...removed and the surface coated to protect the pipes. . d. Reservoir Area- Notch Reservoir, as the name implies, is in a mountain notch. The area is...Brook which connects Notch Reservoir to the Hoosic River in the City of North Adams, Massachusetts, flows on a steep gradient down a mountain notch

Determination of flow losses in the Cape Fear River between B. Everett Jordan Lake and Lillington, North Carolina, 2008-2010

USGS Publications Warehouse

Weaver, J. Curtis; McSwain, Kristen Bukowski

2013-01-01

During 2008-2010, the U.S. Geological Survey conducted a hydrologic investigation in cooperation with the Triangle J Council of Governments Cape Fear River Flow Study Committee and the North Carolina Division of Water Resources to collect hydrologic data in the Cape Fear River between B. Everett Jordan Lake and Lillington in central North Carolina to help determine if suspected flow losses occur in the reach. Flow loss analyses were completed by summing the daily flow releases at Jordan Lake Dam with the daily discharges at Deep River at Moncure and Buckhorn Creek near Corinth, then subtracting these values from the daily discharges at Cape Fear River at Lillington. Examination of long-term records revealed that during 10,227 days of the 1983-2010 water years, 408 days (4.0 percent) had flow loss when conditions were relatively steady with respect to the previous day's records. The flow loss that occurred on these 40 days ranged from 0.49 to 2,150 cubic feet per second with a median flow loss of 37.2 cubic feet per second. The months with the highest number of days with flow losses were June (16. percent), September (16.9 percent), and October (19.4 percent). A series of synoptic discharge measurements made on six separate days in 2009 provided "snapshots" of overall flow conditions along the study reach. The largest water diversion is just downstream from the confluence of the Haw and Deep Rivers, and discharges substantially decrease in the main stem downstream from the intake point. Downstream from Buckhorn Dam, minimal gain or loss between the dam and Raven Rock State Park was noted. Analyses of discharge measurements and ratings for two streamgages-one at Deep River at Moncure and the other at Cape Fear River at Lillington-were completed to address the accuracy of the relation between stage and discharge at these sites. The ratings analyses did not indicate a particular time during the 1982-2011 water years in which a consistent bias occurred in the computations of discharge records that would indicate false flow losses. A total of 34 measured discharges at a streamgage on the Haw River below B. Everett Jordan Lake near Moncure were compared with the reported hourly flow releases from Jordan Lake Dam. Because 28 of 34 measurements were within plus or minus 10 percent of the hourly flow releases reported by the U.S Army Corps of Engineers, use of the current discharge computation tables for reporting Jordan Lake Dam flow releases is generally supported. A stage gage was operated on the Cape Fear River at Buckhorn Dam near Corinth to collect continuous stage-only records. Throughout the study period, flow over the dam was observed along its length, and flow loss within the study reach is not attributed to river-level fluctuations at the dam. Water-use information and (or) data were obtained for five industrial facilities, a regional power utility, two municipalities, one small hydropower facility on the Deep River, and one quarry operation also adjacent to the Deep River. The largest water users are the regional power producer, a small hydropower operation, and the two municipalities. The total water-use diversions for these facilities range from almost 25.5 to 38.5 cubic feet per second (39.5 to 59.5 million gallons per day) during the winter and summer periods, respectively. This range is equivalent to 69 to 104 percent of the 37 cubic feet per second median flow loss. The Lockville hydropower station is on the Deep River about 1 mile downstream from the streamgage near Moncure. Run-of-river operations at the facility do not appear to affect flow losses in the study reach. The largest water user in the study area is a regional power producer at a coal-fired power-generation plant located immediately adjacent to the Cape Fear River just downstream from the confluence of the Haw an Deep Rivers. Comparisons of daily water withdrawals, sup-plied by the regional power producer, and discharge records at a streamgage on the diversion canal indicated many days when consumption exceeded the producer's estimates for the cooling towers. Uncertainty surrounding reasonable estimates of consumption remained in effect at the end of the study. Data concerning evaporative losses were compiled using two approaches-an analysis of available pan-evaporation data from a National Weather Service cooperative observer station in Chapel Hill, North Carolina; and a compilation of reference open-water evaporation computed by the State Climate Office of North Carolina. The potential flow loss by evaporation from the main stem and the Deep River was estimated to be in the range of 4 to 14 cubic feet per second during May through October, equivalent to 10 to 38 percent of the 37 cubic feet per second median flow loss. Daily water-use diversions and evaporation losses were compared to flow-loss occurrences during the period April 2008 through September 2010. In comparing the surface-water, water-use, and evaporation data compiled for 2008-2010, it is evident that documented water diversions combined with flow losses by open-water evaporation can exceed the net flow gain in the study area and result in flow losses from the reach. Analysis of data from a streamgage downstream from the regional power plant on the diversion canal adjacent to the Cape Fear River provided insight into the occurrence of an apparent flow loss at the streamgage at Lillington. Assessment of the daily discharges and subsequent hydrographs for the canal streamgage indicated at least 24 instances during the study when the flows suddenly changed by magnitudes of 100 to more that 200 cubic feet per second, resulting in a noted time-lag effect on the downstream discharges at the Lillington streamgage, beginning 8 to 16 hours after the sudden flow change. A fiber-optic distributed temperature-sensing survey was conducted on the Cape Fear River at the Raven Rock State Park reach August 12-14, 2009, to determine if the presence of diabase dikes were preferentially directing groundwater discharge. No temperature anomalies of colder water were measured during the survey, which indicated that at the time of the survey that particular reach of the Cape Fear River was a "no-flow" or losing stream. An aerial thermal-infrared survey was conducted on the Haw and Cape Fear Rivers on February 27, 2010, from Jordan Lake Dam to Lillington to qualitatively delineate areas of groundwater discharge on the basis of the contrast between warm groundwater discharge and cold surface-water temperatures. Dis-charge generally was noted as diffuse seepage, but in a few cases springs were detected as inflow at a discrete point of discharge. Two reaches of the Cape Fear River (regional power plant and Bradley Road reaches) were selected for groundwater monitoring with a transect of piezometers installed within the flood plain. Groundwater-level altitudes at these reaches were analyzed for 1 water year (October 1, 2009, to September 30, 2010). Data collected as part of this study represent only a brief period of time and may not represent all conditions and all years; however, the data indicate that, during the dry summer months, the Cape Fear River within the study area is losing an undetermined quantity of water through seepage. Analyses completed during this investigation indicate a study reach with complex flow patterns affected by numerous concurrent factors resulting in flow losses. The causes of flow loss could not be solely attributed to any one factor. Among the factors considered, the occurrences of water diversions and evaporative losses were determined to be sufficient on some days (particularly during the base-flow period) to exceed the net gain in flows between the upstream and downstream ends of the study area. Losses by diversions and evaporation can exceed the median flow loss of 3 cubic feet per second, which indicates that flow loss from the study reach is real. Groundwater data collected during 2009-2010 indicate the possibility of localized flow loss during the summer, particularly in the impounded reach above Buckhorn Dam. However, no indication of unusual patterns was noted that would cause substantial flow loss by groundwater and surface-water interaction at the river bottom.

Physical and Chemical Connectivity of Streams and Riparian Wetlands to Downstream Waters: A Synthesis

EPA Science Inventory

Streams, riparian areas, floodplains, alluvial aquifers, and downstream waters (e.g., large rivers, lakes, and oceans) are interconnected by longitudinal, lateral, and vertical fluxes of water, other materials, and energy. Collectively, these interconnected waters are called fluv...

27. Evening view of downstream face of Pleasant Dam under ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

27. Evening view of downstream face of Pleasant Dam under construction. Part of construction camp housing is visible in foreground. Photographer unknown, 1927. Source: MWD. - Waddell Dam, On Agua Fria River, 35 miles northwest of Phoenix, Phoenix, Maricopa County, AZ

17. VIEW EASTERLY ALONG DOWNSTREAM END OF THE SPILLWAY, SHOWING ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

17. VIEW EASTERLY ALONG DOWNSTREAM END OF THE SPILLWAY, SHOWING CELL WALL CONSTRUCTION IN THE CRIB CUTOFF.... Volume XX, No. 4, August 3, 1940. - Prado Dam, Spillway, Santa Ana River near junction of State Highways 71 & 91, Corona, Riverside County, CA

VIEW OF DOWNSTREAM SIDE OF CHECK DAM, CONCRETE SPILLWAY WITH ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

VIEW OF DOWNSTREAM SIDE OF CHECK DAM, CONCRETE SPILLWAY WITH MORTARED ROCK WALLS, AND CIPPOLETTI WEIR ON TUMALO RESERVOIR FEED CANAL NEAR COLLINS ROAD (IN BACKGROUND). LOOKING NORTHEAST - Tumalo Irrigation District, Tumalo Project, West of Deschutes River, Tumalo, Deschutes County, OR

Water Quality in Surface Water: A Preliminary Assessment of Heavy Metal Contamination of the Mashavera River, Georgia

PubMed Central

Urushadze, Teo

2018-01-01

Water quality contamination by heavy metal pollution has severe effects on public health. In the Mashavera River Basin, an important agricultural area for the national food system in Georgia (e.g., vegetable, dairy and wine production), water contamination has multiple influences on the regional and country-wide health. With new industrial activities in the region, sediment extraction, and discharge of untreated wastewater into the river, its tributaries and irrigation canals, a comprehensive study of water quality was greatly needed. This study examined sediment and water samples from 17 sampling sites in the Mashavera River Basin during the high and low precipitation seasons. The results were characterized utilizing the Geo-accumulation Index (Igeo), Enrichment Factor (EF), Pollution Load index (PLI), Contamination Factor (CF) and Metal Index (MI). According to the CFs, Cu > Cd > Zn > Pb > Fe > Mn > Ni > Cr > Hg is the descending order for the content of all observed heavy metals in sediments collected in both seasons. Fe and As were additionally examined in water samples. Overall, As, Cd and Pb, all highly toxic elements, were found in high concentrations in downstream sample sites. According to these results, comprehensive monitoring with narrow intervals between sampling dates, more sample sites along all waterways, and proximate observation of multiple trace metal elements are highly recommended. Moreover, as the part of the water quality governance system, an immediate and sustainable collective action by all stakeholders to control the pollution level is highly recommended, as this issue is linked to the security of the national food system and poses a local public health risk. PMID:29597320

Particle size distribution of main-channel-bed sediments along the upper Mississippi River, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Remo, Jonathan; Heine, Ruben A.; Ickes, Brian

2016-01-01

In this study, we compared pre-lock-and-dam (ca. 1925) with a modern longitudinal survey of main-channel-bed sediments along a 740-km segment of the upper Mississippi River (UMR) between Davenport, IA, and Cairo, IL. This comparison was undertaken to gain a better understanding of how bed sediments are distributed longitudinally and to assess change since the completion of the UMR lock and dam navigation system and Missouri River dams (i.e., mid-twentieth century). The comparison of the historic and modern longitudinal bed sediment surveys showed similar bed sediment sizes and distributions along the study segment with the majority (> 90%) of bed sediment samples having a median diameter (D50) of fine to coarse sand. The fine tail (≤ D10) of the sediment size distributions was very fine to medium sand, and the coarse tail (≥ D90) of sediment-size distribution was coarse sand to gravel. Coarsest sediments in both surveys were found within or immediately downstream of bedrock-floored reaches. Statistical analysis revealed that the particle-size distributions between the survey samples were statistically identical, suggesting no overall difference in main-channel-bed sediment-size distribution between 1925 and present. This was a surprising result given the magnitude of river engineering undertaken along the study segment over the past ~ 90 years. The absence of substantial differences in main-channel-bed-sediment size suggests that flow competencies within the highly engineered navigation channel today are similar to conditions within the less-engineered historic channel.

Nile River, Lake Nasser, Aswan Dam, Egypt

NASA Image and Video Library

1991-08-11

Egypt's High Aswan Dam on the Nile River at the first cataracts, Nile River, (24.0N, 33.0E) was completed in 1971 to provide cheap hydroelectric power and to regulate the historically uneven flow of the Nile River. The contrast between the largely base rock desert east of the Nile versus the sand covered desert west of the river and the ancient irrigated floodplain downstream from the damsite is clearly shown.

Nile River, Lake Nasser, Aswan Dam, Egypt

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

Egypt's High Aswan Dam on the Nile River at the first cataracts, Nile River, (24.0N, 33.0E) was completed in 1971 to provide cheap hydroelectric power and to regulate the historically uneven flow of the Nile River. The contrast between the largely base rock desert east of the Nile versus the sand covered desert west of the river and the ancient irrigated floodplain downstream from the damsite is clearly shown.

Spatial and temporal variations of water quality in an artificial urban river receiving WWTP effluent in South China.

PubMed

Zhang, Di; Tao, Yi; Liu, Xiaoning; Zhou, Kuiyu; Yuan, Zhenghao; Wu, Qianyuan; Zhang, Xihui

2016-01-01

Urban wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent as reclaimed water provides an alternative water resource for urban rivers and effluent will pose a significant influence on the water quality of rivers. The objective of this study was to investigate the spatial and temporal variations of water quality in XZ River, an artificial urban river in Shenzhen city, Guangdong Province, China, after receiving reclaimed water from WWTP effluent. The water samples were collected monthly at different sites of XZ River from April 2013 to September 2014. Multivariate statistical techniques and a box-plot were used to assess the variations of water quality and to identify the main pollution factor. The results showed the input of WWTP effluent could effectively increase dissolved oxygen, decrease turbidity, phosphorus load and organic pollution load of XZ River. However, total nitrogen and nitrate pollution loads were found to remain at higher levels after receiving reclaimed water, which might aggravate eutrophication status of XZ River. Organic pollution load exhibited the lowest value on the 750 m downstream of XZ River, while turbidity and nutrient load showed the lowest values on the 2,300 m downstream. There was a higher load of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution in the dry season and at the beginning of wet season.

Discharge, water quality, and native fish abundance in the Virgin River, Utah, Nevada, and Arizona, in support of Pah Tempe Springs discharge remediation efforts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, Matthew P.; Lambert, Patrick M.; Hardy, Thomas B.

2014-01-01

Pah Tempe Springs discharge hot, saline, low dissolved-oxygen water to the Virgin River in southwestern Utah, which is transported downstream to Lake Mead and the Colorado River. The dissolved salts in the Virgin River negatively influence the suitability of this water for downstream agricultural, municipal, and industrial use. Therefore, various remediation scenarios to remove the salt load discharged from Pah Tempe Springs to the Virgin River are being considered. One concern about this load removal is the potential to impact the ecology of the Virgin River. Specifically, information is needed regarding possible impacts of Pah Tempe Springs remediation scenarios on the abundance, distribution, and survival of native fish in the Virgin River. Future efforts that aim to quantitatively assess how various remediation scenarios to reduce the load of dissolved salts from Pah Tempe Springs into the Virgin River may influence the abundance, distribution, and survival of native fish will require data on discharge, water quality, and native fish abundance. This report contains organized accessible discharge, water quality, and native fish abundance data sets from the Virgin River, documents the compilation of these data, and discusses approaches for quantifying relations between abiotic physical and chemical conditions, and fish abundance.

Putting flow-ecology relationships into practice: A decision-support system to assess fish community response to water-management scenarios

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cartwright, Jennifer M.; Caldwell, Casey; Nebiker, Steven; Knight, Rodney

2017-01-01

This paper presents a conceptual framework to operationalize flow–ecology relationships into decision-support systems of practical use to water-resource managers, who are commonly tasked with balancing multiple competing socioeconomic and environmental priorities. We illustrate this framework with a case study, whereby fish community responses to various water-management scenarios were predicted in a partially regulated river system at a local watershed scale. This case study simulates management scenarios based on interactive effects of dam operation protocols, withdrawals for municipal water supply, effluent discharges from wastewater treatment, and inter-basin water transfers. Modeled streamflow was integrated with flow–ecology relationships relating hydrologic departure from reference conditions to fish species richness, stratified by trophic, reproductive, and habitat characteristics. Adding a hypothetical new water-withdrawal site was predicted to increase the frequency of low-flow conditions with adverse effects for several fish groups. Imposition of new reservoir release requirements was predicted to enhance flow and fish species richness immediately downstream of the reservoir, but these effects were dissipated further downstream. The framework presented here can be used to translate flow–ecology relationships into evidence-based management by developing decision-support systems for conservation of riverine biodiversity while optimizing water availability for human use.

Evaluate the Restoration Potential of Snake River Fall Chinook Salmon Spawning Habitat, Status Report 2006.

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

Hanrahan, T.P.

2009-01-08

The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) Project 2003-038-00, Evaluate the restoration potential of Snake River fall Chinook salmon spawning habitat, began in FY04 (15 December 2003) and continues into FY06. This status report is intended to summarize accomplishments during FY04 and FY05. Accomplishments are summarized by Work Elements, as detailed in the Statement of Work (see BPA's project management database PISCES). This project evaluates the restoration potential of mainstem habitats for fall Chinook salmon. The studies address two research questions: 'Are there sections not currently used by spawning fall Chinook salmon within the impounded lower Snake River that possess the physicalmore » characteristics for potentially suitable fall Chinook spawning habitat?' and 'Can hydrosystem operations affecting these sections be adjusted such that the sections closely resemble the physical characteristics of current fall Chinook salmon spawning areas in similar physical settings?' Efforts are focused at two study sites: (1) the Ice Harbor Dam tailrace downstream to the Columbia River confluence, and (2) the Lower Granite Dam tailrace. Our previous studies indicated that these two areas have the highest potential for restoring Snake River fall Chinook salmon spawning habitat. The study sites will be evaluated under existing structural configurations at the dams (i.e., without partial removal of a dam structure), and alternative operational scenarios (e.g., varying forebay/tailwater elevations). The areas studied represent tailwater habitat (i.e., riverine segments extending from a dam downstream to the backwater influence from the next dam downstream). We are using a reference site, indicative of current fall Chinook salmon spawning areas in tailwater habitat, against which to compare the physical characteristics of each study site. The reference site for tailwater habitats is the section extending downstream from the Wanapum Dam tailrace on the Columbia River. Escapement estimates for fall of 2000 indicate more than 9000 adult fall Chinook salmon returned to this area, accounting for more than 2100 redds within a 5 km section of river.« less

Synthetic organic agrochemicals in the lower Mississippi River and its major tributaries: Distribution, transport and fate

USGS Publications Warehouse

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

1992-01-01

The Mississippi River and its major tributaries transport herbicides and their degradation products from agricultural areas in the mid-western U.S.A. These compounds include atrazine and its degradation products (desethyl- and desisopropylatrazine), simazine, cyanazine, metolachlor, and alachlor and its degradation products (2-chloro-2',6'-diethylacetanilide, 2-hydroxy-2',6'-diethylacetanilide and 2,6-diethylaniline). These compounds were identified and confirmed by gas chromatography-ion trap mass spectrometry. Loads of these compounds were determined during five sampling trips in 1987-1989. Stream loads of these compounds indicated that atrazine and metolachlor were relatively conservative in downstream transport. Alachlor and its degradation products were generated from point and non-point sources. Seasonal variations and hydrologic conditions controlled the loads of these compounds in the Mississippi River. Cross-channel mixing was slow downstream from major river confluences, possibly requiring several hundred kilometers of downriver transit for completion. The annual transport of these compounds into the Gulf of Mexico was estimated to be < 2% of the annual application of each herbicide in the Midwest.The Mississippi River and its major tributaries transport herbicides and their degradation products from agricultural areas in the mid-western U.S.A. These compounds include atrazine and its degradation products (desethyl- and desisopropylatrazine), simazine, cyanazine, metolachlor, and alachlor and its degradation products (2-chloro-2???,6???-diethylacetanilide, 2-hydroxy-2???,6???-diethylacetanilide and 2,6-diethylaniline). These compounds were identified and confirmed by gas chromatography-ion trap mass spectrometry. Loads of these compounds were determined during five sampling trips in 1987-1989. Stream loads of these compounds indicated that atrazine and metolachlor were relatively conservative in downstream transport. Alachlor and its degradation products were generated from point and non-point sources. Seasonal variations and hydrologic conditions controlled the loads of these compounds in the Mississippi River. Cross-channel mixing was slow downstream from major river confluences, possibly requiring several hundred kilometers of downriver transit for completion. The annual transport of these compounds into the Gulf of Mexico was estimated to be <2% of the annual application of each herbicide in the Midwest.

With deck removed and critical members severed, the bridge begins ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

With deck removed and critical members severed, the bridge begins to succumb to tractors, pulling cables attached to its downstream side. View is to the southeast from confluence of Trinity and South Fork Trinity Rivers - South Fork Trinity River Bridge, State Highway 299 spanning South Fork Trinity River, Salyer, Trinity County, CA

EVALUATION OF MICROSOMAL AND CYTOSOLIC BIOMARKERS IN A SEVEN-DAY LARVAL TROUT SEIMENT TOXICITY TEST

EPA Science Inventory

Rainbow trout (Oncorhynclus mykiss) sac fry (larvae) were exposed to River Po sediments for 7 days. The sediments were collected in the River Po at two sites located upstream and downstream of the confluence of a polluted tributary, the River Lambro. An additional sediment treatm...

Summary of the river-quality assessment of the upper Chattahoochee River basin, Georgia

USGS Publications Warehouse

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

1980-01-01

The river-quality assessment of the Upper Chattahoochee River Basin included studies of (1) the impact of heat loads on river quality, (2) sediment transport and deposition, (3) magnitude and nature of point and nonpoint discharges, and (4) phytoplankton growth in the river and reservoirs. The combined thermal effects of flow regulation and powerplants effluents resulted in mean daily river temperature downstream of the powerplants about equal to or less than computed natural temperatures. The average annual river temperature in 1976 was 14.0 ? Celsius just upstream of the Atkinson-McDonough thermoelectric powerplants and 16.0 ? Celsius just downstream from the powerplants. During a low-flow period in June 1977 the heat load from the two powerplants caused an increase in river temperatures of about 7 ? Celsius and a subsequent decrease in the dissolved-oxygen concentration of about 0.2 milligrams per liter. During the June low-flow period, point sources contributed 63 percent of the ultimate biochemical oxygen demand and 97 percent of ammonium as nitrogen at the Franklin station. Oxidation of ultimate biochemical demand and ammonium caused dissolved-oxygen concentrations to decrease from about 8.0 milligrams per liter at river mile 299 to about 4.5 milligrams per liter at river mile 271. Dissolved orthophosphate is the nutrient presently limiting phytoplankton growth in the West Point Lake when water temperatures are greater than about 26 ? Celsius.

Design of a sediment-monitoring gaging network on ephemeral tributaries of the Colorado River in Glen, Marble, and Grand Canyons, Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Griffiths, Ronald E.; Topping, David J.; Anderson, Robert S.; Hancock, Gregory S.; Melis, Theodore S.

2014-01-01

Management of sediment in rivers downstream from dams requires knowledge of both the sediment supply and downstream sediment transport. In some dam-regulated rivers, the amount of sediment supplied by easily measured major tributaries may overwhelm the amount of sediment supplied by the more difficult to measure lesser tributaries. In this first class of rivers, managers need only know the amount of sediment supplied by these major tributaries. However, in other regulated rivers, the cumulative amount of sediment supplied by the lesser tributaries may approach the total supplied by the major tributaries. The Colorado River downstream from Glen Canyon has been hypothesized to be one such river. If this is correct, then management of sediment in the Colorado River in the part of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area downstream from the dam and in Grand Canyon National Park may require knowledge of the sediment supply from all tributaries. Although two major tributaries, the Paria and Little Colorado Rivers, are well documented as the largest two suppliers of sediment to the Colorado River downstream from Glen Canyon Dam, the contributions of sediment supplied by the ephemeral lesser tributaries of the Colorado River in the lowermost Glen Canyon, and Marble and Grand Canyons are much less constrained. Previous studies have estimated amounts of sediment supplied by these tributaries ranging from very little to almost as much as the amount supplied by the Paria River. Because none of these previous studies relied on direct measurement of sediment transport in any of the ephemeral tributaries in Glen, Marble, or Grand Canyons, there may be significant errors in the magnitudes of sediment supplies estimated during these studies. To reduce the uncertainty in the sediment supply by better constraining the sediment yield of the ephemeral lesser tributaries, the U.S. Geological Survey Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center established eight sediment-monitoring gaging stations beginning in 2000 on the larger of the previously ungaged tributaries of the Colorado River downstream from Glen Canyon Dam. The sediment-monitoring gaging stations consist of a downward-looking stage sensor and passive suspended-sediment samplers. Two stations are equipped with automatic pump samplers to collect suspended-sediment samples during flood events. Directly measuring discharge and collecting suspended-sediment samples in these remote ephemeral streams during significant sediment-transporting events is nearly impossible; most significant run-off events are short-duration events (lasting minutes to hours) associated with summer thunderstorms. As the remote locations and short duration of these floods make it prohibitively expensive, if not impossible, to directly measure the discharge of water or collect traditional depth-integrated suspended-sediment samples, a method of calculating sediment loads was developed that includes documentation of stream stages by field instrumentation, modeling of discharges associated with these stages, and automatic suspended-sediment measurements. The approach developed is as follows (1) survey and model flood high-water marks using a two-dimensional hydrodynamic model, (2) create a stage-discharge relation for each site by combining the modeled flood flows with the measured stage record, (3) calculate the discharge record for each site using the stage-discharge relation and the measured stage record, and (4) calculate the instantaneous and cumulative sediment loads using the discharge record and suspended-sediment concentrations measured from samples collected with passive US U-59 samplers and ISCOTM pump samplers. This paper presents the design of the gaging network and briefly describes the methods used to calculate discharge and sediment loads. The design and methods herein can easily be used at other remote locations where discharge and sediment loads are required.

Size-dependent trophic patterns of pallid sturgeon and shovelnose sturgeon in a large river system

USGS Publications Warehouse

French, William E.; Graeb, Brian D. S.; Bertrand, Katie N.; Chipps, Steven R.; Klumb, Robert A.

2013-01-01

This study compared patterns of δ15N and δ13C enrichment of pallid sturgeon Scaphirhynchus albus and shovelnose sturgeon S. platorynchus in the Missouri River, United States, to infer their trophic position in a large river system. We examined enrichment and energy flow for pallid sturgeon in three segments of the Missouri River (Montana/North Dakota, Nebraska/South Dakota, and Nebraska/Iowa) and made comparisons between species in the two downstream segments (Nebraska/South Dakota and Nebraska/Iowa). Patterns in isotopic composition for pallid sturgeon were consistent with gut content analyses indicating an ontogenetic diet shift from invertebrates to fish prey at sizes of >500-mm fork length (FL) in all three segments of the Missouri River. Isotopic patterns revealed shovelnose sturgeon did not experience an ontogenetic shift in diet and used similar prey resources as small (<500-mm FL) pallid sturgeon in the two downstream segments. We found stable isotope analysis to be an effective tool for evaluating the trophic position of sturgeons within a large river food web.

Simulating Water Resource Disputes of Transboundary River: A Case Study of the Zhanghe River Basin, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Liang; He, Weijun; Liao, Zaiyi; Mulugeta Degefu, Dagmawi; An, Min; Zhang, Zhaofang

2018-01-01

Water resource disputes within transboundary river basin has been hindering the sustainable use of water resources and efficient management of environment. The problem is characterized by a complex information feedback loop that involves socio-economic and environmental systems. This paper presents a system dynamics based model that can simulate the dynamics of water demand, water supply, water adequacy and water allocation instability within a river basin. It was used for a case study in the Zhanghe River basin of China. The base scenario has been investigated for the time period between 2000 and 2050. The result shows that the Chinese national government should change the water allocation scheme of downstream Zhanghe River established in 1989, more water need to be allocated to the downstream cities and the actual allocation should be adjusted to reflect the need associated with the socio-economic and environmental changes within the region, and system dynamics improves the understanding of concepts and system interactions by offering a comprehensive and integrated view of the physical, social, economic, environmental, and political systems.

40 CFR 60.395 - Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... temperature (or the gas temperature upstream and downstream of the catalyst bed), the total mass of VOC per... temperature upstream and downstream of the incinerator catalyst bed during coating operations for catalytic... which the average temperature immediately before the catalyst bed, when the coating system is...

Unit 4, upstream from Johns Street Bridge Johnstown Local ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Unit 4, upstream from Johns Street Bridge - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

Unit 6, upstream from Hickory Street Bridge Johnstown Local ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Unit 6, upstream from Hickory Street Bridge - Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, Beginning on Conemaugh River approx 3.8 miles downstream from confluence of Little Conemaugh & Stony Creek Rivers at Johnstown, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

9. INTAKE STREAM ON GROUND LOOKING WEST AS IT FLOWS ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

9. INTAKE STREAM ON GROUND LOOKING WEST AS IT FLOWS DOWNSTREAM TO LAKE MATHEWS, ALL WATER COMING FROM PUMPS. - Colorado River Aqueduct, From Colorado River to Lake Mathews, Parker Dam, San Bernardino County, CA

Long-Term Movement and Estimated Age of a Paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) in the Arkansas River Basin of Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Long, James M.

2018-01-01

We report the age and distance moved for an individual paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) that was tagged March 1998 in the Cimarron River Arm of Keystone Lake, Oklahoma, and snagged by an angler in April 2016 downstream of Eufaula Dam, Oklahoma. The fish was part of a cohort spawned in 1995. At the time of initial capture, the fish measured 795 mm eye–fork length, was estimated to be 3 y old, and 18 y had elapsed before its recapture by an angler in 2016, indicating this fish was 21 y old at recapture. Although paddlefish as old as 27 have been estimated in the Grand River basin of Oklahoma, this is the oldest fish known in the Arkansas River basin of Oklahoma. At the place of its recapture, this fish would have traveled approximately 235 km, passing downstream through three dams before moving upstream to Eufaula Dam.

Glacier shrinkage driving global changes in downstream systems.

PubMed

Milner, Alexander M; Khamis, Kieran; Battin, Tom J; Brittain, John E; Barrand, Nicholas E; Füreder, Leopold; Cauvy-Fraunié, Sophie; Gíslason, Gísli Már; Jacobsen, Dean; Hannah, David M; Hodson, Andrew J; Hood, Eran; Lencioni, Valeria; Ólafsson, Jón S; Robinson, Christopher T; Tranter, Martyn; Brown, Lee E

2017-09-12

Glaciers cover ∼10% of the Earth's land surface, but they are shrinking rapidly across most parts of the world, leading to cascading impacts on downstream systems. Glaciers impart unique footprints on river flow at times when other water sources are low. Changes in river hydrology and morphology caused by climate-induced glacier loss are projected to be the greatest of any hydrological system, with major implications for riverine and near-shore marine environments. Here, we synthesize current evidence of how glacier shrinkage will alter hydrological regimes, sediment transport, and biogeochemical and contaminant fluxes from rivers to oceans. This will profoundly influence the natural environment, including many facets of biodiversity, and the ecosystem services that glacier-fed rivers provide to humans, particularly provision of water for agriculture, hydropower, and consumption. We conclude that human society must plan adaptation and mitigation measures for the full breadth of impacts in all affected regions caused by glacier shrinkage.