Comparison of vertical hydraulic conductivity in a streambed-point bar system of a gaining stream

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Weihong; Chen, Xunhong; Wang, Zhaowei; Ou, Gengxin; Liu, Can

2012-07-01

SummaryVertical hydraulic conductivities (Kv) of both streambed and point bars can influence water and solute exchange between streams and surrounding groundwater systems. The sediments in point bars are relatively young compared to the older sediments in the adjacent aquifers but slightly older compared to submerged streambeds. Thus, the permeability in point bar sediments can be different not only from regional aquifer but also from modern streambed. However, there is a lack of detailed studies that document spatial variability of vertical hydraulic conductivity in point bars of meandering streams. In this study, the authors proposed an in situ permeameter test method to measure vertical hydraulic conductivity of the two point bars in Clear Creek, Nebraska, USA. We compared the Kv values in streambed and adjacent point bars through 45 test locations in the two point bars and 51 test locations in the streambed. The Kv values in the point bars were lower than those in the streambed. Kruskal-Wallis test confirmed that the Kv values from the point bars and from the channel came from two statistically different populations. Within a point bar, the Kv values were higher along the point bar edges than those from inner point bars. Grain size analysis indicated that slightly more silt and clay particles existed in sediments from inner point bars, compared to that from streambed and from locations near the point bar edges. While point bars are the deposits of the adjacent channel, the comparison of two groups of Kv values suggests that post-depositional processes had an effect on the evolution of Kv from channel to point bars in fluvial deposits. We believed that the transport of fine particles and the gas ebullition in this gaining stream had significant effects on the distribution of Kv values in a streambed-point bar system. With the ageing of deposition in a floodplain, the permeability of point bar sediments can likely decrease due to reduced effects of the upward flow and gas ebullition.

Sediment Quality and Comparison to Historical Water Quality, Little Arkansas River Basin, South-Central Kansas, 2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Juracek, Kyle E.; Rasmussen, Patrick P.

2008-01-01

The spatial and temporal variability in streambed-sediment quality and its relation to historical water quality was assessed to provide guidance for the development of total maximum daily loads and the implementation of best-management practices in the Little Arkansas River Basin, south-central Kansas. Streambed-sediment samples were collected at 26 sites in 2007, sieved to isolate the less than 63-micron fraction (that is, the silt and clay), and analyzed for selected nutrients (total nitrogen and total phosphorus), organic and total carbon, 25 trace elements, and the radionuclides beryllium-7, cesium-137, lead-210, and radium-226. At eight sites, streambed-sediment samples also were collected and analyzed for bacteria. Particulate nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic carbon concentrations in the streambed sediment varied substantially spatially and temporally, and positive correlations among the three constituents were statistically significant. Along the main-stem Little Arkansas River, streambed-sediment concentrations of particulate nitrogen and phosphorus generally were larger at and downstream from Alta Mills, Kansas. The largest particulate nitrogen concentrations were measured in samples collected in the Emma Creek subbasin and may be related to livestock and poultry production. The largest particulate phosphorus concentrations in the basin were measured in samples collected along the main-stem Little Arkansas River downstream from Alta Mills, Kansas. Particulate nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic carbon content in the water and streambed-sediment samples typically decreased as streamflow increased. This inverse relation may be caused by an increased contribution of sediment from channel-bank sources during high flows and (or) increased particle sizes transported by the high flows. Trace element concentrations in the streambed sediment varied from site to site and typically were less than threshold-effects guidelines for possible adverse biological effects. The largest copper, lead, silver, and zinc concentrations, measured for a sample collected from Sand Creek downstream from Newton, Kansas, likely were related to urban sources of contamination. Radionuclide activities and bacterial densities in the streambed sediment varied throughout the basin. Variability in the former may be indicative of subbasin differences in the contribution of sediment from surface-soil and channel-bank sources. Streambed sediment may be useful for reconnaissance purposes to determine sources of particulate nitrogen, phosphorus, organic carbon, and other sediment-associated constituents in the basin. If flow conditions prior to streambed-sediment sampling and during water-quality sampling are considered, it may be possible to use streambed sediment as an indicator of water quality for nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic carbon. Flow conditions affect sediment-associated constituent concentrations in streambed-sediment and water samples, in part, because the sources of sediment (surface soils, channel banks) can vary with flow as can the size of the particles transported.

Blueprint for a coupled model of sedimentology, hydrology, and hydrogeology in streambeds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Partington, Daniel; Therrien, Rene; Simmons, Craig T.; Brunner, Philip

2017-06-01

The streambed constitutes the physical interface between the surface and the subsurface of a stream. Across all spatial scales, the physical properties of the streambed control surface water-groundwater interactions. Continuous alteration of streambed properties such as topography or hydraulic conductivity occurs through erosion and sedimentation processes. Recent studies from the fields of ecology, hydrogeology, and sedimentology provide field evidence that sedimentological processes themselves can be heavily influenced by surface water-groundwater interactions, giving rise to complex feedback mechanisms between sedimentology, hydrology, and hydrogeology. More explicitly, surface water-groundwater exchanges play a significant role in the deposition of fine sediments, which in turn modify the hydraulic properties of the streambed. We explore these feedback mechanisms and critically review the extent of current interaction between the different disciplines. We identify opportunities to improve current modeling practices. For example, hydrogeological models treat the streambed as a static rather than a dynamic entity, while sedimentological models do not account for critical catchment processes such as surface water-groundwater exchange. We propose a blueprint for a new modeling framework that bridges the conceptual gaps between sedimentology, hydrogeology, and hydrology. Specifically, this blueprint (1) fully integrates surface-subsurface flows with erosion, transport, and deposition of sediments and (2) accounts for the dynamic changes in surface elevation and hydraulic conductivity of the streambed. Finally, we discuss the opportunities for new research within the coupled framework.

Linkages between unpaved forest roads and streambed sediment: why context matters in directing road restoration

USGS Publications Warehouse

Al-Chokhachy, Robert K.; Black, Tom A.; Thomas, Cameron; Luce, Charlie H.; Rieman, Bruce; Cissel, Richard; Carlson, Anne; Hendrickson, Shane; Archer, Eric K.; Kershner, Jeffrey L.

2016-01-01

Unpaved forest roads remain a pervasive disturbance on public lands and mitigating sediment from road networks remains a priority for management agencies. Restoring roaded landscapes is becoming increasingly important for many native coldwater fishes that disproportionately rely on public lands for persistence. However, effectively targeting restoration opportunities requires a comprehensive understanding of the effects of roads across different ecosystems. Here, we combine a review and a field study to evaluate the status of knowledge supporting the conceptual framework linking unpaved forest roads with streambed sediment. Through our review, we specifically focused on those studies linking measures of the density of forest roads or sediment delivery with empirical streambed sediment measures. Our field study provides an example of a targeted effort of linking spatially explicit estimates of sediment production with measures of streambed sediment. Surprisingly, our review uncovered few studies (n = 8) that empirically tested the conceptual framework linking unpaved forest roads and streambed sediment, and the results varied considerably. Field results generally supported the conceptual model that unpaved forest roads can control streambed sediment quality, but demonstrated high-spatial variability in the effects of forest roads on streambed sediment and the need to address hotspots of sediment sources. The importance of context in the effects of forest roads is apparent in both our review and field data, suggesting the need for in situ studies to avoid misdirected restoration actions.

Using heat to characterize streambed water flux variability in four stream reaches

USGS Publications Warehouse

Essaid, H.I.; Zamora, C.M.; McCarthy, K.A.; Vogel, J.R.; Wilson, J.T.

2008-01-01

Estimates of streambed water flux are needed for the interpretation of streambed chemistry and reactions. Continuous temperature and head monitoring in stream reaches within four agricultural watersheds (Leary Weber Ditch, IN; Maple Creek, NE; DR2 Drain, WA; and Merced River, CA) allowed heat to be used as a tracer to study the temporal and spatial variability of fluxes through the streambed. Synoptic methods (seepage meter and differential discharge measurements) were compared with estimates obtained by using heat as a tracer. Water flux was estimated by modeling one-dimensional vertical flow of water and heat using the model VS2DH. Flux was influenced by physical heterogeneity of the stream channel and temporal variability in stream and ground-water levels. During most of the study period (April-December 2004), flux was upward through the streambeds. At the IN, NE, and CA sites, high-stage events resulted in rapid reversal of flow direction inducing short-term surface-water flow into the streambed. During late summer at the IN site, regional ground-water levels dropped, leading to surface-water loss to ground water that resulted in drying of the ditch. Synoptic measurements of flux generally supported the model flux estimates. Water flow through the streambed was roughly an order of magnitude larger in the humid basins (IN and NE) than in the arid basins (WA and CA). Downward flux, in response to sudden high streamflows, and seasonal variability in flux was most pronounced in the humid basins and in high conductivity zones in the streambed. Copyright ?? 2008 by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America. All rights reserved.

Mass fluxes of organic pollutants between groundwater, streambed sediments and surface water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schirmer, Mario; Kalbus, Edda; Schmidt, Christian

2010-05-01

Rivers and groundwater are commonly hydraulically connected and thus also pollutants migrate between one and the other. Particularly in small lowland streams, pollutant transport by discharging groundwater can deteriorate the surface water quality. Moreover, in urban and industrial areas streambed sediments are often polluted with a variety of organic and inorganic substances. For planning measures to improve surface water quality or to mitigate pollutant migration, it is an essential prerequisite to understand pollutant pathways and mass fluxes between the stream, the streambed sediment and the connected aquifer. We present methodological approaches and results of a study conducted at a small man-made stream located in the industrial area of Bitterfeld-Wolfen, Germany. This site is characterized by a diffuse groundwater contamination with a variety of aliphatic and aromatic organic substances. The underlying approach of this study was to quantify the mass fluxes between the aquifer, the streambed and the stream by combining high-resolution with integral monitoring approaches. Magnitudes and pattern of water fluxes were obtained by mapping streambed temperatures. The method was applied to a reach of 280 m in length. The mass fluxes from the aquifer towards the stream were estimated by combining the water fluxes with representative, average pollutant concentrations. The concentrations were obtained from an integral pumping test with four simultaneously pumped wells operated for the period of five days. For monochlorobenzene (MCB), the main groundwater pollutant at the site, the resulting average mass flux from the aquifer towards the stream was estimated to 724 µg/m²/d. Mass flux calculations with average aqueous concentrations of MCB in the streambed were found to be higher than those originating from the aquifer. Consequently, the streambed sediments represent a secondary pollutant source for the surface water. Pollutant concentrations in the streambed were lower at locations with high groundwater discharge and vice versa. Hence, the spatial heterogeneity of water fluxes must be considered when mass fluxes between surface water and streambed sediments are assessed. River restoration could improve the structural state of rivers and may thus result in an enhanced biodegradation of organic pollutants in the streambed. However, before any physical measure is applied a profound knowledge of pollutant concentration and pathways is required in order to avoid mobilization of sediment-bound pollutants.

Trace elements and organic compounds in streambed sediment and fish tissue of coastal New England streams, 1998-99

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chalmers, Ann

2002-01-01

Streambed sediment and fish tissue were collected at 14 river sites in eastern New England during low-flow conditions in 1998 and 1999 as part of the New England Coastal Basins (NECB) study of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. Sampling sites were selected over a range of urban settings. Population densities at selected sites ranged from 26 to 3,585 people per square mile, and urban land use ranged from 1 to 68 percent. The streambed sediment samples were analyzed for a total of 141 contaminants, including 45 trace elements, 32 organochlorine compounds, and 64 semi-volatile organic compounds. The fish tissue samples were analyzed for 22 trace elements and 28 organochlorine compounds. Concentrations of selected contaminants in both streambed sediment and fish tissue correlated more strongly with population density than with other watershed characteristics. Cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, zinc, total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichloro diphenyl trichloroethane and metabolites (DDTM), and total chlordane in streambed sediment all showed strong positive correlations with population density (rho = 0.71 to 0.85, p value = 0.005 to <0.001). Correlations between population density and selected contaminants in fish tissue were less significant than with streambed sediment (rho = 0.62 to 0.72, p value = 0.03 to 0.008). Organic carbon concentrations were correlated with concentrations of arsenic, selenium, total PAHs, total PCBs, and DDTM in streambed sediment. The relation between concentrations of contaminants in streambed sediment and fish tissue was stronger for organochlorine compounds (rho = 0.75 to 0.55, p = 0.005 to 0.065) than for trace elements (rho = 0.63 to 0.53, p = 0.029 to 0.069). The NECB study area had the highest median concentrations of lead, mercury, total PAHs, total PCBs, and DDTM in streambed sediment and the highest median concentration of PCBs in fish tissue compared to 45 other NAWQA study units across the Nation. Concentrations of many of these constituents in streambed sediment also were frequently above the consensus-based Sediment-Quality Guidelines for the protection of wildlife, suggesting they are a threat to the health of aquatic biota in New England.

Development of an Unsaturated Region Below a Perennial River

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, G. W.; Zhou, Q.; Constantz, J.; Hatch, C.

2004-12-01

Field observations at the Russian River Bank Filtration Facility in Sonoma County, California indicate that an unsaturated region exists below the streambed near two adjacent groundwater pumping wells located along the riverbank. Understanding the conditions that give rise to unsaturated flow below the streambed is critical for improving and optimizing riverbank well pumping operations. To investigate the development of an unsaturated region below a perennial river near pumping wells, a three-dimensional model was developed using the multi-phase subsurface flow model, TOUGH2. The model is based on the region around the two pumping wells in the Russian River Bank Filtration Facility. The pumping wells consist of 9 perforated pipes that are projected horizontally into the aquifer at a depth of approximately 20 m below the land surface. A grid was developed for the TOUGH2 model with finer resolution near the wells to represent individual pipes. The effect of varying the pumping operation and the streambed permeability on the extent of the unsaturated region was investigated with the TOUGH2 model. The formation remained saturated below the streambed when only one of the wells was pumped at a rate of 1600 m3/hr, but an unsaturated region developed below the streambed when the two wells each pumped at a rate of 1600 m3/hr. This unsaturated region was deeper when the permeability of the streambed was lower than the aquifer material compared to when the streambed and aquifer permeabilities were the same.

Impacts of Streambed Heterogeneity and Anisotropy on Residence Time of Hyporheic Zone.

PubMed

Liu, Suning; Chui, Ting Fong May

2018-05-01

The hyporheic zone (HZ), which is the region beneath or alongside a streambed, plays an important role in the stream's ecology. The duration that a water molecule or a solute remains within the HZ, or residence time (RT), is one of the most common metrics used to evaluate the function of the HZ. The RT is greatly influenced by the streambed's hydraulic conductivity (K), which is intrinsically difficult to characterize due to its heterogeneity and anisotropy. Many laboratory and numerical studies of the HZ have simplified the streambed K to a constant, thus producing RT values that may differ from those gathered from the field. Some studies have considered the heterogeneity of the HZ, but very few have accounted for anisotropy or the natural K distributions typically found in real streambeds. This study developed numerical models in MODFLOW to examine the influence of heterogeneity and anisotropy, and that of the natural K distribution in a streambed, on the RT of the HZ. Heterogeneity and anisotropy were both found to shorten the mean and median RTs while increasing the range of the RTs. Moreover, heterogeneous K fields arranged in a more orderly pattern had longer RTs than those with random K distributions. These results could facilitate the design of streambed K values and distributions to achieve the desired RT during river restoration. They could also assist the translation of results from the more commonly considered homogeneous and/or isotropic conditions into heterogeneous and anisotropic field situations. © 2017, National Ground Water Association.

Using Heat as a Tracer to Estimate Streambed Water Exchanges beneath the Losing Disconnected Stream

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiu, Yung-Chia; Lee, Tsung-Yu; Hsu, Shao-Yu; Liao, Lin-Yan

2017-04-01

Streambed water exchanges is the movement of water from a river into the beneath sediments and then back into the river. This interaction between river and streambed is considered as a fundamental role in the functioning of riparian ecosystems. Chichiawan Watershed located in central Taiwan is the only habitat for the endangered species of formosan land-locked salmon and such dynamics of downwelling/upwelling flow within the streambed can affect the survival of salmon. In order to investigate the interaction between river and streambed, heat is used as an environmental tracer to determine the water exchanges within the streambed and estimate the hydraulic conductivity of sediments. The detailed hydrographs, thermographs, and vertical temperature profiles obtained along the Yusheng Creek, a tributary at the upstream of Chichiawan Creek, were presented and used to estimate the streambed water exchanges. Results showed that the Yusheng Creek along the monitoring section is a losing stream and its downwelling flux increases from up- to down-stream. Partial monitoring sections changed from perennial to intermittence when the consecutive dry days over a period of time increase significantly and an unsaturated zone between the creek and the groundwater existed. According to the measured temperature and water level data, the numerical model of VS2DH was used to quantify the vertical fluxes and hydraulic conductivities of streamed. The potential mechanisms causing the creek transited from perennial to intermittence and becoming a losing disconnected system need further study.

Organochlorine compounds in streambed sediment and in biological tissue from streams and their relations to land use, central Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gebler, Joseph B.

2000-01-01

Streambed-sediment samples from 13 sites and biological-tissue samples from 11 sites in the Gila River Basin in central Arizona were analyzed for 32 organochlorine compounds in streambed sediment and 28 compounds in biological tissue during 1996 as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment program. The objectives of the study were to determine the occurrence and distribution of organochlorine compounds and their relation to land use. Sampling sites were categorized on the basis of major land uses in the basin or the source of water in the stream. Because land uses were mixed or had changed over time, some land-use categories were combined. Sites were categorized as forest/rangeland (6), forest/urban (1), urban (4), or agricultural/urban (2). Thirteen organochlorine compounds were detected in streambed-sediment samples, and 10 were detected in tissue samples. The number of compounds found in streambed-sediment samples from individual sites ranged from 0 to 10, and the range for individual tissue samples was 0 to 7. Comparison of the number of detections in streambed-sediment samples to the number of detections in tissue samples from particular sites where both were sampled yielded five instances where more compounds were detected in streambed sediment, six instances where more compounds were detected in tissue, and five instances where the number of detections in streambed sediment and tissue were equal. The frequency of detection of particular compounds for sites where both streambed sediment and tissue were sampled resulted in five compounds being detected more frequently in streambed sediment, five more frequently in tissue, and three compounds that were equally frequent in streambed sediment and in tissue. Few contaminants were detected in samples from the forest/rangeland sites; greater numbers of compounds were detected at the urban sites and at the forest/urban site. The greatest number of compounds and the highest concentrations of many contaminants were detected at agriculture/urban sites. The compound detected most frequently in streambed-sediment and tissue samples was p,p'-DDE. Streambed-sediment guideline values for the protection of aquatic life for p,p'-DDE and total DDT were exceeded at both agricultural/urban sites, The streambed-sediment guideline value for the protection of aquatic life for total chlordane was exceeded at one agricultural/urban site, one urban site, and the forest/urban site. The streambed-sediment guideline value for the protection of aquatic life for total PCB’s was exceeded at one agricultural/urban site. Guideline values for the protection of fish-eating wildlife for total DDT and for toxaphene were exceeded only in samples from the two agricultural/urban sites. The guideline value for the protection of fish-eating wildlife for total PCB’s was equaled or exceeded in samples from two sites—one urban and one agricultural/urban site. Screening values established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the protection of human health for edible portions of fish were exceeded by total DDT and by toxaphene in fish-tissue samples from both agricultural/urban sites. The human-health criterion for total PCB’s was exceeded in two fish-tissue samples from an agricultural site and from an urban site. Tissue samples analyzed in this study were for whole fish, and thus, concentration data are not entirely comparable to the screening values of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Because these exceedences were an order of magnitude above the criteria, however, it is possible that concentrations in the edible portions of fish from these locations could present a human- health risk. Analyses of samples of edible portions of fish from these locations would be needed to adequately assess the presence or absence of a human-health risk. The similarity of the results of this study to the results of other studies of organochlorine compounds in the environment suggests that there is a correlation between contaminants in sediment and biological-tissue samples and land uses. As with other studies of the occurrence and distribution of organochlorine contaminants in streambed sediments and biological tissue, this study shows that many organochlorine compounds continue to persist in the environment and thus could pose a threat to aquatic life, fish-eating wildlife, and possibly to humans who consume contaminated fish.

Primary sources and toxicity of PAHs in Milwaukee-area streambed sediment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baldwin, Austin K.; Corsi, Steven R.; Lutz, Michelle A.; Ingersoll, Christopher G.; Dorman, Rebecca A.; Magruder, Christopher; Magruder, Matthew

2017-01-01

High concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in streams can be a significant stressor to aquatic organisms. To understand the likely sources and toxicity of PAHs in Milwaukee-area streams, streambed sediment samples from 40 sites and parking lot dust samples from 6 sites were analyzed for 38 parent PAHs and 25 alkylated PAHs. Diagnostic ratios, profile correlations, principal components analysis, source-receptor modeling, and mass fractions analysis were used to identify potential PAH sources to streambed sediment samples, and land-use analysis was used to relate streambed sediment PAH concentrations to different urban-related land uses. On the basis of this multiple lines-of-evidence approach, coal-tar pavement sealant was indicated as the primary source of PAHs in a majority of streambed sediment samples, contributing an estimated 77% of total PAHs to samples, on average. Comparison to the Probable Effect Concentrations and (or) the Equilibrium Partitioning Sediment Benchmark indicates that 78% of stream sediment samples are likely to cause adverse effects to benthic organisms. Laboratory toxicity tests on a 16-sample subset of the streambed sites using the amphipod Hyalella azteca (28-day) and the midge Chironomus dilutus (10-day) measured significant reductions in one or more biological endpoints, including survival, in 75% of samples, with H. azteca more responsive than C. dilutus.

Development of a cross-section based stream package for MODFLOW

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ou, G.; Chen, X.; Irmak, A.

2012-12-01

Accurate simulation of stream-aquifer interactions for wide rivers using the streamflow routing package in MODFLOW is very challenging. To better represent a wide river spanning over multiple model grid cells, a Cross-Section based streamflow Routing (CSR) package is developed and incorporated into MODFLOW to simulate the interaction between streams and aquifers. In the CSR package, a stream segment is represented as a four-point polygon instead of a polyline which is traditionally used in streamflow routing simulation. Each stream segment is composed of upstream and downstream cross-sections. A cross-section consists of a number of streambed points possessing coordinates, streambed thicknesses and streambed hydraulic conductivities to describe the streambed geometry and hydraulic properties. The left and right end points are used to determine the locations of the stream segments. According to the cross-section geometry and hydraulic properties, CSR calculates the new stream stage at the cross-section using the Brent's method to solve the Manning's Equation. A module is developed to automatically compute the area of the stream segment polygon on each intersected MODFLOW grid cell as the upstream and downstream stages change. The stream stage and streambed hydraulic properties of model grids are interpolated based on the streambed points. Streambed leakage is computed as a function of streambed conductance and difference between the groundwater level and stream stage. The Muskingum-Cunge flow routing scheme with variable parameters is used to simulate the streamflow as the groundwater (discharge or recharge) contributes as lateral flows. An example is used to illustrate the capabilities of the CSR package. The result shows that the CSR is applicable to describing the spatial and temporal variation in the interaction between streams and aquifers. The input data become simple due to that the internal program automatically interpolates the cross-section data to each model grid cell.

Streambed adjustment and channel widening in eastern Nebraska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rus, David L.; Dietsch, Benjamin J.; Simon, Andrew

2003-01-01

In eastern Nebraska, stream straightening and dredging efforts since the 1890s have disturbed the natural equilibrium of stream channels and have led to streambed adjustment by degradation and subsequent channel widening. This report describes a study to evaluate the effect these disturbances have had on stream channels in eastern Nebraska. Two sets of survey data were collected approximately 2 years apart during 1996-99 at 151 primary sites. Additionally, historical streambed-elevation data (dating back to the 1890s) were compiled from several sources for the primary sites and 45 supplemental sites, and relevant disturbances were identified for each of eight basin groupings. Streambed-elevation data sets were used to estimate the amount of change to the streambed at the sites over the time period of the data. Recent channel widening was documented for 73 of the primary sites by comparing the two survey sets. The majority of observed streambed-gradation responses appear to be related to the various straightening efforts and to the effects of grade-control structures in the study area. Channel responses were complicated by the presence of multiple disturbances. However, in many cases, the streambed-elevation data sets provide a reliable representation of the past streambed gradation, with some sites showing 6 to 7 meters of degradation since they were straightened. Many sites that had been straightened showed considerable degradation following the disturbance. This indicates that eastern Nebraska stream channels can regain equilibrium mainly through the slope adjustment process of head-ward-progressing degradation. Bank failures were documented at sites in all eight of the basin groupings analyzed, and widening rates were computed at 64 of 73 sites. Observed bank widening in the Big Blue River Basin, a relatively unstraightened basin, indicates that other disturbances besides stream-channel straightening may be causing channel responses in the basin and possibly in the entire study area.

Spatial and Temporal Variability of Hydraulic Properties in the Russian River Streambed, Central Sonoma County, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorman, P. D.; Constantz, J.; Laforce, M. J.

2007-12-01

The reach of the Russian River flowing through Sonoma County, CA, is important to fisheries and recreations, as well as being essential to the water resources infrastructure of the county. An improved understanding of the manner in which streambed sediments impact rates of ground-water recharge is essential in optimizing withdrawals without increasing potential impacts on fishery habitats and recreational needs. Temporal and spatial variations of flux and vertical hydraulic conductivity (Kv) were measured in the streambed along the Russian River at multiple locations. In-situ flux and Kv measurements were made using a modified seepage meter equipped with piezometers during monitoring events performed in June 2003, September 2003, and March 2004. Additionally, bulk sediment samples were collected during the monitoring events to characterize the grain size distribution of the streambed. Three different streambed locations (near-bank, midpoint, and thalweg) were monitored and sampled at five different sample locales in a 20-km reach of the Russian River. Vertical hydraulic conductivity of the streambed ranged from 8.55x10-5 cm/sec to 1.52x10-1 cm/sec. Significantly (p<0.05) higher values of Kv were found near the banks of the Russian River, and Kv increased (30% to an order of magnitude) after the winter storm season of 2004. Flux varied from -240 to 600 cm/day, which indicates both gaining and losing reaches of the stream occur in our study area. These findings will assist in developing a MODFLOW ground-water flow simulation that incorporates the variable streambed conductance values determined along this reach of the Russian River.

Use of heat to estimate streambed fluxes during extreme hydrologic events

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barlow, Jeannie R.B.; Coupe, Richard H.

2009-01-01

Using heat as a tracer, quantitative estimates of streambed fluxes and the critical stage for flow reversal were calculated for high‐flow events that occurred on the Bogue Phalia (a tributary of the Mississippi River) following the 2005 Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. In June 2005, piezometers were installed in the Bogue Phalia upstream from the stream gage near Leland, Mississippi, to monitor temperature. Even with the hurricanes, precipitation in the Bogue Phalia Basin for the months of June to October 2005 was below normal, and consequently, streamflow was below the long‐term average. Temperature profiles from the piezometers indicate that the Bogue Phalia was a gaining stream during most of this time, but relatively static streambed temperatures suggested long‐term data was warranted for heat‐based estimates of flux. However, the hurricanes caused a pair of sharp rises in stream stage over short periods of time, increasing the potential for rapid heat‐based modeling and for identification of the critical stage for flow reversal into the streambed. Heat‐based modeling fits of simulated‐to‐measured sediment temperatures show that once a critical stage was surpassed, flow direction reversed into the streambed. Results of this study demonstrate the ability to constrain estimates of streambed water flux and the critical stage of flow reversal, with little available groundwater head data, by using heat as a tracer during extreme stage events.

Analysis of streambed temperatures in ephemeral channels to determine streamflow frequency and duration

USGS Publications Warehouse

Constantz, James E.; Stonestrom, David A.; Stewart, Amy E.; Niswonger, Richard G.; Smith, Tyson R.

2001-01-01

Spatial and temporal patterns in streamflow are rarely monitored for ephemeral streams. Flashy, erosive streamflows common in ephemeral channels create a series of operational and maintenance problems, which makes it impractical to deploy a series of gaging stations along ephemeral channels. Streambed temperature is a robust and inexpensive parameter to monitor remotely, leading to the possibility of analyzing temperature patterns to estimate streamflow frequency and duration along ephemeral channels. A simulation model was utilized to examine various atmospheric and hydrological upper boundary conditions compared with a series of hypothetical temperature‐monitoring depths within the streambed. Simulation results indicate that streamflow events were distinguished from changing atmospheric conditions with greater certainty using temperatures at shallow depths (e.g., 10–20 cm) as opposed to the streambed surface. Three ephemeral streams in the American Southwest were instrumented to monitor streambed temperature for determining the accuracy of using this approach to ascertain the long‐term temporal and spatial extent of streamflow along each stream channel. Streambed temperature data were collected at the surface or at shallow depth along each stream channel, using thermistors encased in waterproof, single‐channel data loggers tethered to anchors in the channel. On the basis of comparisons with site information, such as direct field observations and upstream flow records, diurnal temperature variations successfully detected the presence and duration of streamflow for all sites.

Quantifying surface water–groundwater interactions using time series analysis of streambed thermal records: Method development

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hatch, Christine E; Fisher, Andrew T.; Revenaugh, Justin S.; Constantz, Jim; Ruehl, Chris

2006-01-01

We present a method for determining streambed seepage rates using time series thermal data. The new method is based on quantifying changes in phase and amplitude of temperature variations between pairs of subsurface sensors. For a reasonable range of streambed thermal properties and sensor spacings the time series method should allow reliable estimation of seepage rates for a range of at least ±10 m d−1 (±1.2 × 10−2 m s−1), with amplitude variations being most sensitive at low flow rates and phase variations retaining sensitivity out to much higher rates. Compared to forward modeling, the new method requires less observational data and less setup and data handling and is faster, particularly when interpreting many long data sets. The time series method is insensitive to streambed scour and sedimentation, which allows for application under a wide range of flow conditions and allows time series estimation of variable streambed hydraulic conductivity. This new approach should facilitate wider use of thermal methods and improve understanding of the complex spatial and temporal dynamics of surface water–groundwater interactions.

Stream Channel Stability Assessment

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1982-01-01

Channel instability is manifested as lateral bank erosion, progressive degradation of the streambed, or natural scour and fill of the streambed. Lateral stability is related to stream type, and four major stream types having different stability chara...

U.S. Geological Survey - Virginia Department of Transportation: Bridge scour pilot study

USGS Publications Warehouse

Austin, Samuel H.

2018-02-27

BackgroundCost effective and safe highway bridge designs are required to ensure the long-term sustainability of Virginia’s road systems. The streamflows that, over time, scour streambed sediments from bridge piers inherently affect bridge safety and design costs. To ensure safety, bridge design must anticipate streambed scour at bridge piers over the lifespan of a bridge. Until recently Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) guidance provided only for scour estimates of granular, noncohesive, highly erosive material yielding overestimates of scour potential in instances when streambed materials offer some resistance to scour. This study seeks to estimate stream power and streambed scour for these more resistive sites, with bridge piers potentially established in cohesive soil or erodible rock. This new knowledge may provide significant construction cost savings while ensuring design and construction of safe highway bridges.

Spatial and Temporal Variability of Hydraulic Properties in the Russian River Streambed, Central Sonoma, County, CA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laforce, M.; Gorman, P.; Constantz, J.

2004-12-01

Temporal and spatial variations of flux and vertical hydraulic conductivity were measured in the Russian River streambed in Sonoma County, California. In-situ vertical hydraulic conductivity measurements were made using a modified seepage meter, equipped with mini-piezometers and sediment was collected with a bucket and shovel. We sampled three different streambed (near bank, midpoint, and thalweg) locations at five different sample locales throughout the river system. Vertical hydraulic conductivity of the streambed ranged from 8.55X10-5 cm/sec to 1.52X10-1 cm/sec. Flux varied from -240 to 600 cm/day, which indicates both gaining and losing reaches of the stream occur in our study area. There was not a strong correlation (r=0.08) between particle size distribution and vertical hydraulic conductivity. Our findings will assist the Sonoma County Water Agency in managing water needs for the citizens of Sonoma County.

The role of dynamic surface water-groundwater exchange on streambed denitrification in a first-order, low-relief agricultural watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahimi, Mina; Essaid, Hedeff I.; Wilson, John T.

2015-12-01

The role of temporally varying surface water-groundwater (SW-GW) exchange on nitrate removal by streambed denitrification was examined along a reach of Leary Weber Ditch (LWD), Indiana, a small, first-order, low-relief agricultural watershed within the Upper Mississippi River basin, using data collected in 2004 and 2005. Stream stage, GW heads (H), and temperatures (T) were continuously monitored in streambed piezometers and stream bank wells for two transects across LWD accompanied by synoptic measurements of stream stage, H, T, and nitrate (NO3) concentrations along the reach. The H and T data were used to develop and calibrate vertical two-dimensional, models of streambed water flow and heat transport across and along the axis of the stream. Model-estimated SW-GW exchange varied seasonally and in response to high-streamflow events due to dynamic interactions between SW stage and GW H. Comparison of 2004 and 2005 conditions showed that small changes in precipitation amount and intensity, evapotranspiration, and/or nearby GW levels within a low-relief watershed can readily impact SW-GW interactions. The calibrated LWD flow models and observed stream and streambed NO3 concentrations were used to predict temporal variations in streambed NO3 removal in response to dynamic SW-GW exchange. NO3 removal rates underwent slow seasonal changes, but also underwent rapid changes in response to high-flow events. These findings suggest that increased temporal variability of SW-GW exchange in low-order, low-relief watersheds may be a factor contributing their more efficient removal of NO3.

The role of dynamic surface water-groundwater exchange on streambed denitrification in a first-order, low-relief agricultural watershed

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rahimi Kazerooni, Mina N.; Essaid, Hedeff I.; Wilson, John T.

2015-01-01

The role of temporally varying surface water-groundwater (SW-GW) exchange on nitrate removal by streambed denitrification was examined along a reach of Leary Weber Ditch (LWD), Indiana, a small, first-order, low-relief agricultural watershed within the Upper Mississippi River basin, using data collected in 2004 and 2005. Stream stage, GW heads (H), and temperatures (T) were continuously monitored in streambed piezometers and stream bank wells for two transects across LWD accompanied by synoptic measurements of stream stage, H, T, and nitrate (NO3) concentrations along the reach. The H and T data were used to develop and calibrate vertical two-dimensional, models of streambed water flow and heat transport across and along the axis of the stream. Model-estimated SW-GW exchange varied seasonally and in response to high-streamflow events due to dynamic interactions between SW stage and GW H. Comparison of 2004 and 2005 conditions showed that small changes in precipitation amount and intensity, evapotranspiration, and/or nearby GW levels within a low-relief watershed can readily impact SW-GW interactions. The calibrated LWD flow models and observed stream and streambed NO3 concentrations were used to predict temporal variations in streambed NO3 removal in response to dynamic SW-GW exchange. NO3 removal rates underwent slow seasonal changes, but also underwent rapid changes in response to high-flow events. These findings suggest that increased temporal variability of SW-GW exchange in low-order, low-relief watersheds may be a factor contributing their more efficient removal of NO3.

A new method for mapping variability in vertical seepage flux in streambeds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Xunhong; Song, Jinxi; Cheng, Cheng; Wang, Deming; Lackey, Susan O.

2009-05-01

A two-step approach was used to measure the flux across the water-sediment interface in river channels. A hollow tube was pressed into the streambed and an in situ sediment column of the streambed was created inside the tube. The hydraulic gradient between the two ends of the sediment column was measured. The vertical hydraulic conductivity of the sediment column was determined using a falling-head permeameter test in the river. Given the availability of the hydraulic gradient and vertical hydraulic conductivity of the streambed, Darcy’s law was used to calculate the specific discharge. This approach was applied to the Elkhorn River and one tributary in northeastern Nebraska, USA. The results suggest that the magnitude of the vertical flux varied greatly within a short distance. Furthermore, the flux can change direction from downward to upward between two locations only several meters apart. This spatial pattern of variation probably represents the inflow and outflow within the hyporheic zone, not the regional ambient flow systems. In this study, a thermal infrared camera was also used to detect the discharge locations of groundwater in the streambed. After the hydraulic gradient and the vertical hydraulic conductivity were estimated from the groundwater spring, the discharge rate was calculated.

Aerobic mineralization of MTBE and tert-butyl alcohol by stream-bed sediment microorganisms

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bradley, P.M.; Landmeyer, J.E.; Chapelle, F.H.

1999-01-01

Microorganisms indigenous to the stream-bed sediments at two gasoline- contaminated groundwater sites demonstrated significant mineralization of the fuel oxygenates, methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and tert-butyl alcohol (TBA). Up to 73% of [U-14C]-MTBE and 84% of [U-14C]-TBA were degraded to 14CO2 under mixed aerobic/anaerobic conditions. No significant mineralization was observed under strictly anaerobic conditions. The results indicate that, under the mixed aerobic/anaerobic conditions characteristic of stream-bed sediments, microbial processes may provide a significant environmental sink for MTBE and TBA delivered to surface water bodies by contaminated groundwater or by other sources.Microorganisms indigenous to the stream-bed sediments at two gasoline-contaminated groundwater sites demonstrated significant mineralization of the fuel oxygenates, methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and tert-butyl alcohol (TBA). Up to 73% of [U-14C]-MTBE and 84% of [U-14C]-TBA were degraded to 14CO2 under mixed aerobic/anaerobic conditions. No significant mineralization was observed under strictly anaerobic conditions. The results indicate that, under the mixed aerobic/anaerobic conditions characteristic of stream-bed sediments, microbial processes may provide a significant environmental sink for MTBE and TBA delivered to surface water bodies by contaminated groundwater or by other sources.

Role of a Streambed's Benthic Biolayer in Enhancing Chemical Reactions in Hyporheic Flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harvey, J. W.

2016-12-01

Chemical processing of metals, nutrients, and organic compounds occurs throughout natural waters, however the rate of reactions often is greater at the streambed interface compared with surface water or deeper groundwater. Hydrologic exchange across the sediment interface brings reactive solutes and fine particulate organic matter from surface waters into contact with the streambed biolayer, a zone with algae and other living microflora and fauna, microbial communities, and reactive geochemical coatings on granular sediments. Compared with surface water or deeper hyporheic sediments, the intrinsic rate of reactions may be stimulated in biolayers because of higher rates of metabolic processing and associated redox reactions. Also, hydrologic transport may enhance reaction rates by relieving potential transport limitations through the re-supply of reactive substrates from surface water. As a result the chemical processing that occurs in the biolayer may far exceed processing that occurs in deeper hyporheic flow. Here I highlight new understanding of enhancement of reaction rates and their hydrologic and biogeochemical controls in streambed biolayers compared with hyporheic flow as a whole. The approach distinguishes and quantifies reaction limitation and transport limitation both at the centimeter-scale within the hyporheic zone and at the river network scale where the effect of streambed reactions accumulates and influences downstream water quality.

Evaluation of streambed scour at bridges over tidal waterways in Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Conaway, Jeffrey S.; Schauer, Paul V.

2012-01-01

The potential for streambed scour was evaluated at 41 bridges that cross tidal waterways in Alaska. These bridges are subject to several coastal and riverine processes that have the potential, individually or in combination, to induce streambed scour or to damage the structure or adjacent channel. The proximity of a bridge to the ocean and water-surface elevation and velocity data collected over a tidal cycle were criteria used to identify the flow regime at each bridge, whether tidal, riverine, or mixed, that had the greatest potential to induce streambed scour. Water-surface elevations measured through at least one tide cycle at 32 bridges were correlated to water levels at the nearest tide station. Asymmetry of the tidal portion of the hydrograph during the outgoing tide at 12 bridges indicated that riverine flows were stored upstream of the bridge during the tidal exchange. This scenario results in greater discharges and velocities during the outgoing tide compared to those on the incoming tide. Velocity data were collected during outgoing tides at 10 bridges that experienced complete flow reversals, and measured velocities during the outgoing tide exceeded the critical velocity required to initiate sediment transport at three sites. The primary risk for streambed scour at most of the sites considered in this study is from riverine flows rather than tidal fluctuations. A scour evaluation for riverine flow was completed at 35 bridges. Scour from riverine flow was not the primary risk for six tidally-controlled bridges and therefore not evaluated at those sites. Field data including channel cross sections, a discharge measurement, and a water-surface slope were collected at the 35 bridges. Channel instability was identified at 14 bridges where measurable scour and or fill were noted in repeated surveys of channel cross sections at the bridge. Water-surface profiles for the 1-percent annual exceedance probability discharge were calculated by using the Hydrologic Engineering Center’s River Analysis System model, and scour depths were calculated using methods recommended by the Federal Highway Administration. Computed contraction-scour depths were greater than 2.0 feet at five bridges and computed pier-scour depths were 4.0 feet or greater at 15 bridges. The potential for streambed scour by both coastal and riverine processes at the bridges considered in this study were evaluated, ranked, and summed to determine a cumulative risk factor for each bridge. Possible factors that could mitigate the scour risks were investigated at 22 bridges that had high individual or cumulative rankings. Mitigating factors such as piers founded in bedrock, deep pier foundations relative to scour depths, and lack of observed scour during field measurements were documented for 13 sites, but additional study and monitoring is needed to better quantify the streambed scour potential for nine sites. Three bridges prone to being affected by storm surges will require more data collection and possibly complex hydrodynamic modeling to accurately quantify the streambed scour potential. Continuous monitoring of water-surface and streambed elevation at one or more piers is needed for two bridges to better understand the tidal and riverine influences on streambed scour.

Selected organic compounds and trace elements in streambed sediments and fish tissues, Cook Inlet Basin, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Frenzel, Steven A.

2000-01-01

Organochlorines, semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs), and trace elements were investigated in streambed sediments and fish tissues at selected sites in the Cook Inlet Basin, Alaska, during 1998. At most sites, SVOCs and organochlorine compounds were either not detected or detected at very low concentrations. Chester Creek at Arctic Boulevard at Anchorage, which was the only site sampled with a significant degree of development in the watershed, had elevated levels of many SVOCs in streambed sediment. Coring of sediments from two ponds on Chester Creek confirmed the presence of elevated concentrations of a variety of organic compounds. Moose Creek, a stream with extensive coal deposits in its watershed, had low concentrations of numerous SVOCs in streambed sediment. Three sites located in national parks or in a national wildlife refuge had no detectable concentrations of SVOCs. Trace elements were analyzed in both streambed sediments and tissues of slimy sculpin. The two media provided similar evidence for elevated concentrations of cadmium, lead, and zinc at Chester Creek. In this study, 'probable effect levels '(PELs) were determined from sediments finer than 0.063 millimeters, where concentrations tend to be greatest. Arsenic and chromium concentrations exceeded the PEL at eight and six sites respectively. Zinc exceeded the PEL at one site. Cadmium and copper concentrations were smaller than the PEL at all sites. Mercury concentrations in streambed sediments from the Deshka River were near the PEL, and selenium concentrations at that site also appear to be elevated above background levels. At half the sites where slimy sculpin were sampled, selenium concentrations were at levels that may cause adverse effects in some species.

Drivers of Microbial Metabolic Activity, Biogeochemical Cycling and Associated Greenhouse Gas Production in Streambed Sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Comer-Warner, S.; Krause, S.; Gooddy, D.; Blaen, P.; Brekenfeld, N.; Wexler, S.; Kaiser, J.

2017-12-01

Hotspots of enhanced biogeochemical reactivity are produced where groundwater and surface water mixes in streambed sediments. This enhanced reactivity is due to elevated residence times and nutrient concentrations found in these areas, leading to increased rates of microbial metabolic activity. Streambed sediments, therefore, may be important in reducing catchment-wide nutrient concentrations through increased cycling. However, they also have the potential to produce high concentrations of greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4 and N2O), as end-products of respiration and intermediate products of denitrification. The hydrological and biogeochemical drivers of streambed C and N cycling, are still insufficiently understood. Here we present results from biogeochemical sampling and tracer experiments in an agricultural sandstone stream in the UK. Nutrient, DOC and greenhouse gas concentrations, as well as d13CCO2, were measured in the streambed sediment in multilevel piezometers, and nutrient concentrations, as well as d15NNO3 and d18ONO3, were measured in Diffusive Equilibrium in Thin-film Gels. Tracer experiments using both conservative (Fluorescein and NaCl) and smart (Resazurin-Resorufin) tracers were performed to determine in-stream metabolism, transient storage and solute transport times in sub-reaches of the stream. Our results show large differences in nutrient and greenhouse gas concentrations between sub-reaches dominated by gravel sediments and those dominated by sandy sediments, as well as seasonally. This suggests temperature, sediment type and residence time are key controls on streambed nutrient cycling and greenhouse gas production. The results of this study have important implications for future greenhouse gas estimates from streams and rivers, particularly as the contribution of sediment greenhouse gas production is recognised as increasingly significant.

Erosion Processes of Streambed in the Channelized River Draining Into the Kushiro Mire, Hokkaido, Northern Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mizugaki, S.; Yoshida, K.; Kojima, Y.; Araya, T.

2004-12-01

In Japan, the wetlands have shrunk markedly since 1950s due to land-use development from wetland to urban and agricultural land. Rapid sedimentation in the Kushiro Mire, Hokkaido, northern Japan, was caused by extensive land-use development and stream channel rationalization during the 1960s and 1970s. In the Kuchoro River catchment, draining into the Kushiro Mire, the meandering stream was channelized in the mid- and downstream associated with land-use development between 1966 and 1980. Prominent degradation of a streambed due to channelization has occurred over 2 km in the midstream since channelization was finished. Bare slope has occurred due to streambed degradation, and produced fine sediment through the freeze-thaw process in late fall season. Following snowmelt and/or typhoon flood events in spring and summer season could transport fine sediment on the bare slope into the wetland. During a flood event, stream flow eroded the streambed laterally and vertically, resulting in the overhang of riverbank and the dropping down the clods into the stream. These erosion processes has occurred and produced the sediment of 7500 m3/year in average between 2000 and 2003. The upstream portion of a channelized reach is often degraded because of high flow velocities associated with a steeper streambed. On the other hand, the annual sediment production on the streamside bare slopes in the mountain area was measured by erosion pins and estimated as 4500 m3/year. Thus, the reach of streambed degradation is considered a major point-source of suspended sediment in the Kuchoro River catchment for the past 20 years, leading to the recent rapid sedimentation in the marginal area of the wetland.

Transport and fate of nitrate at the ground-water/surface-water interface

USGS Publications Warehouse

Puckett, L.J.; Zamora, C.; Essaid, H.; Wilson, J.T.; Johnson, H.M.; Brayton, M.J.; Vogel, J.R.

2008-01-01

Although numerous studies of hyporheic exchange and denitrification have been conducted in pristine, high-gradient streams, few studies of this type have been conducted in nutrient-rich, low-gradient streams. This is a particularly important subject given the interest in nitrogen (N) inputs to the Gulf of Mexico and other eutrophic aquatic systems. A combination of hydrologic, mineralogical, chemical, dissolved gas, and isotopic data, were used to determine the processes controlling transport and fate of NO3- in streambeds at five sites across the USA. Water samples were collected from streambeds at depths ranging from 0.3 to 3 m at three to five points across the stream and in two to five separate transects. Residence times of water ranging from 0.28 to 34.7 d m-1 in the streambeds of N-rich watersheds played an important role in allowing denitrification to decrease NO3- concentrations. Where potential electron donors were limited and residence times were short, denitrification was limited. Consequently, in spite of reducing conditions at some sites, NO3- was transported into the stream. At two of the five study sites, NO3- in surface water infiltrated the streambeds and concentrations decreased, supporting current models that NO3- would be retained in N-rich streams. At the other three study sites, hydrogeologic controls limited or prevented infiltration of surface water into the streambed, and ground-water discharge contributed to NO 3- loads. Our results also show that in these low hydrologic-gradient systems, storm and other high-flow events can be important factors for increasing surface-water movement into streambeds. Copyright ?? 2008 by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America. All rights reserved.

Geomorphic and hydrologic study of peak-flow management on the Cedar River, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Magirl, Christopher S.; Gendaszek, Andrew S.; Czuba, Christiana R.; Konrad, Christopher P.; Marineau, Mathieu D.

2012-01-01

Assessing the linkages between high-flow events, geomorphic response, and effects on stream ecology is critical to river management. High flows on the gravel-bedded Cedar River in Washington are important to the geomorphic function of the river; however, high flows can deleteriously affect salmon embryos incubating in streambed gravels. A geomorphic analysis of the Cedar River showed evidence of historical changes in river form over time and quantified the effects of anthropogenic alterations to the river corridor. Field measurements with accelerometer scour monitors buried in the streambed provided insight into the depth and timing of streambed scour during high-flow events. Combined with a two-dimensional hydrodynamic model, the recorded accelerometer disturbances allowed the prediction of streambed disturbance at the burial depth of Chinook and sockeye salmon egg pockets for different peak discharges. Insight gained from these analyses led to the development of suggested monitoring metrics for an ongoing geomorphic monitoring program on the Cedar River.

STREAMBED PARTICLE SIZE FROM PEBBLE COUNTS USING VISUALLY ESTIMATED SIZE CLSASES: JUNK OR USEFUL DATA?

EPA Science Inventory

In large-scale studies, it is often neither feasible nor necessary to obtain the large samples of 400 particles advocated by many geomorphologists to adequately quantify streambed surface particle-size distributions. Synoptic surveys such as U.S. Environmental Protection Agency...

Priority-pollutant trace elements in streambed sediments of the Cook Inlet basin, Alaska, 1998-2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Frenzel, Steven A.

2002-01-01

Trace element concentrations in 48 streambed sediment samples collected at 47 sites in the Cook Inlet Basin, Alaska, were compared to concentrations from studies in the conterminous United States using identical methods and to Probable Effect Concentrations. Concentrations of arsenic, chromium, mercury, and nickel in the 0.063-mm size fraction of streambed sediments from the Cook Inlet Basin were elevated relative to reference sites in the conterminous United States. Concentrations of cadmium, lead, and zinc were highest at the most urbanized site in Anchorage and at two sites downstream from an ore body in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve. At least 35 percent of the 48 samples collected in the Cook Inlet Basin exceeded the Probable Effect Concentration for arsenic, chromium, or nickel. More than 50 percent of the samples were considered to have low potential toxicity for cadmium, lead, mercury, nickel, selenium, and zinc. A Probable Effect Concentration quotient that reflects the combined toxicity of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, and zinc was exceeded in 44 percent of the samples from the Cook Inlet Basin. The potential toxicity was high in the Denali and Lake Clark National Parks and Preserves where organic carbon concentrations in streambed sediments were low. However, potential toxicity results should be considered in context with the very small amounts of fine-grained sediment present in the streambed sediments of the Cook Inlet Basin.

Establishing reference condition for streambed mobility: Quantifying the effect of form roughness from stream habitat survey data

EPA Science Inventory

The size and mobility of streambed particles are sensitive to changes in the balance between sediment supply and transport. Therefore, changes in mobility can be an indicator of natural or anthropogenic alterations in this balance. Predictions of the critical diameter for mobil...

Protecting sediment-sensitive aquatic species inmountain streams through the application of biologically based streambed sediment criteria

EPA Science Inventory

We evaluated several lines of evidence to identify bedded fine sediment levels that should protect and maintain self-sustaining populations of native sediment-sensitive aquatic species in the western US. To identify these potential criterion values for streambed sediments ≤0.06 ...

Organochlorine compounds and trace elements in fish tissue and streambed sediment in the Mobile River Basin, Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia, 1998

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zappia, Humbert

2002-01-01

During the summer of 1998, as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program, a survey was conducted to determine which organochlorine compounds and trace elements occur in fish tissues and streambed sediments in the Mobile River Basin, which includes parts of Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, and Tennessee. The data collected were compared to guidelines related to wildlife, land use, and to 1991 and 1994 National Water-Quality Assessment Program Study-Unit data.Twenty-one sites were sampled in subbasins of the Mobile River Basin. The subbasins ranged in size from about 9 to 22,000 square miles and were dominated by either a single land use or a combination of land uses. The major land-use categories were urban, agriculture, and forest.Organochlorine compounds were widespread spatially in the Mobile River Basin. At least one organochlorine compound was reported at the majority of sampling sites (84 percent) and in a majority of whole-fish (80 percent) and streambed-sediment (52 percent) samples. Multiple organochlorine compounds were reported at 75 percent of the sites where fish tissues were collected and were reported at many of the streambed-sediment sampling sites (45 percent). The majority of concentrations reported, however, were less than 5 micrograms per kilogram in fish-tissue samples and less than 1 microgram per kilogram in streambed-sediment samples.The majority of trace elements analyzed in fish-liver tissue (86 percent) and streambed-sediment (98 percent) samples were reported during this study. Multiple trace elements were reported in all samples and at all sites.Based on comparisons of concentrations of organochlorine compounds and trace elements in fish-tissue and streambed-sediment samples in relation to National Academy of Science and National Academy of Engineering and Canadian tissue guidelines, probable-effects concentrations, and mean probable-effects concentration quotients for streambed sediment, the potential exists for adverse effects to wildlife at 15 (72 percent) of the sites sampled. The potential for adverse effects at these sites is because of the presence of residues or breakdown products related to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB?s), chlordane, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), chromium, lead, and zinc.The majority of compounds reported (65 percent) were chlordane, DDT, and PCB?s, or their breakdown products. Concentrations of chlordane and heptachlor epoxide in whole-fish tissue were positively correlated to the amount of urban land use in a basin. Total DDT concentrations in whole-fish tissues were positively correlated to agriculture.The relation of trace elements to land use is not as clear as the relation of organochlorine compounds to land use. This lack of clarity may be due to the possibility of geologic sources of trace elements in the Mobile River Basin and to the ubiquitous nature of many of these trace elements. However, there may be a correlation between the amount of urban land use and concentrations of antimony, cadmium, lead, and zinc in streambed-sediment samples from the Mobile River Basin.Fewer organochlorine compounds and trace elements were reported in samples from the Mobile River Basin than in samples collected during the 1991 and 1994 National Water-Quality Assessment Program studies. Of the organochlorine compounds analyzed nationally, 57 percent were reported in whole-fish tissue samples collected locally and 41 percent were reported in streambed-sediment samples collected locally, whereas 96 percent and 86 percent, respectively, were reported nationally. Of trace elements analyzed nationally, 86 percent were reported in fish-liver tissue locally and 95 percent were reported in streambed-sediment samples locally, whereas 95 percent and 98 percent, respectively, were reported nationally.In general, concentrations of organochlorine compounds and trace elements and the frequency with which they were reported in the Mobile River Basin are similar to or less than t

Benthic-invertebrate, fish-community, and streambed-sediment-chemistry data for streams in the Indianapolis metropolitan area, Indiana, 2009–2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Voelker, David C.

2014-01-01

Aquatic-biology and sediment-chemistry data were collected at seven sites on the White River and at six tributary sites in the Indianapolis metropolitan area of Indiana during the period 2009 through 2012. Data collected included benthic-invertebrate and fish-community information and concentrations of metals, insecticides, herbicides, and semivolatile organic compounds adsorbed to streambed sediments. A total of 120 benthic-invertebrate samples were collected, of which 16 were replicate samples. A total of 26 fish-community samples were collected in 2010 and 2012. Thirty streambed-sediment chemistry samples were collected in 2009 and 2011, of which four were concurrent duplicate samples

E. coli release from streambed to water column during base flow periods: a modeling study

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Microbial quality of stream water is important for recreation, irrigation, and other uses. It is usually evaluated by concentrations of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) such as E. coli. Streambed sediments have been shown to harbor large FIB populations that could be released into the water column dur...

Prediction of E. coli release from streambed to water column during base flow periods using SWAT model

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Microbial water quality in streams is of importance for recreation, irrigation, and other uses. The streambed sediment has been shown to harbor large fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) population that can be released to water column during high-flow events when sediments are resuspended. There have been...

Photo essay: Trinchera dams for erosion control and streambed restoration (Foto ensayo: Trincheras para controlar la erosion y restaurar el cauce de los arroyos)

Treesearch

Valer Austin; Josiah Austin

2006-01-01

Loose rock structures, called trincheras or rock curtains, can be constructed across streambeds to slow water flow, allowing water to seep into the ground. Soil and debris collect behind the rocks, forming a bed for vegetation.

Development, verification, and application of a simplified method to estimate total-streambed scour at bridge sites in Illinois

USGS Publications Warehouse

Holmes, Robert R.; Dunn, Chad J.

1996-01-01

A simplified method to estimate total-streambed scour was developed for application to bridges in the State of Illinois. Scour envelope curves, developed as empirical relations between calculated total scour and bridge-site chracteristics for 213 State highway bridges in Illinois, are used in the method to estimate the 500-year flood scour. These 213 bridges, geographically distributed throughout Illinois, had been previously evaluated for streambed scour with the application of conventional hydraulic and scour-analysis methods recommended by the Federal Highway Administration. The bridge characteristics necessary for application of the simplified bridge scour-analysis method can be obtained from an office review of bridge plans, examination of topographic maps, and reconnaissance-level site inspection. The estimates computed with the simplified method generally resulted in a larger value of 500-year flood total-streambed scour than with the more detailed conventional method. The simplified method was successfully verified with a separate data set of 106 State highway bridges, which are geographically distributed throughout Illinois, and 15 county highway bridges.

Influences of high-flow events on a stream channel altered by construction of a highway bridge: A case study

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hedrick, Lara B.; Welsh, Stuart A.; Anderson, James T.

2009-01-01

Impacts of highway construction on streams in the central Appalachians are a growing concern as new roads are created to promote tourism and economic development in the area. Alterations to the streambed of a first-order stream, Sauerkraut Run, Hardy County, WV, during construction of a highway overpass included placement and removal of a temporary culvert, straightening and regrading of a section of stream channel, and armourment of a bank with a reinforced gravel berm. We surveyed longitudinal profiles and cross sections in a reference reach and the altered reach of Sauerkraut Run from 2003 through 2007 to measure physical changes in the streambed. During the four-year period, three high-flow events changed the streambed downstream of construction including channel widening and aggradation and then degradation of the streambed. Upstream of construction, at a reinforced gravel berm, bank erosion was documented. The reference section remained relatively unchanged. Knowledge gained by documenting channel changes in response to natural and anthropogenic variables can be useful for managers and engineers involved in highway construction projects.

The significance of GW-SW interactions for biogeochemical processes in sandy streambeds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arnon, Shai; De Falco, Natalie; Fox, Aryeh; Laube, Gerrit; Schmidt, Christian; Fleckenstein, Jan; Boano, Fulvio

2015-04-01

Stream-groundwater interactions have a major impact on hyporheic exchange fluxes in sandy streambeds. However, the physical complexity of natural streams has limited our ability to study these types of interactions systematically, and to evaluate their importance to biogeochemical processes and nutrient cycling. In this work we were able to quantify the effect of losing and gaining fluxes on hyporheic exchange and nutrient cycling in homogeneous and heterogeneous streambeds by combining experiments in laboratory flumes and modeling. Tracer experiments for measuring hyporheic exchange were done using dyes and NaCl under various combinations of overlying water velocity and losing or gaining fluxes. Nutrient cycling experiments were conducted after growing a benthic biofilm by spiking with Sodium Benzoate (as a source of labile dissolved organic carbon, DOC) and measuring DOC and oxygen dynamics. The combination of experimental observations and modeling revealed that interfacial transport increases with the streambed hydraulic conductivity and proportional to the square of the overlying water velocity. Hyporheic exchange fluxes under losing and gaining flow conditions were similar, and became smaller when the losing or gaining flux increases. Increasing in streambed hydraulic conductivity led to higher hyporheic fluxes and reduction in the effects of losing and gaining flow conditions to constrain exchange. Despite the evident effect of flow conditions on hyporheic exchange, labile DOC uptake was positively linked to increasing overlying water velocity but was not affected by losing and gaining fluxes. This is because microbial aerobic activity was taking place at the upper few millimeters of the streambed as shown by local oxygen consumption rates, which was measured using microelectrodes. Based on modeling work, it is expected that GW-SW interaction will be more significant for less labile DOC and anaerobic processes. Our results enable us to study systematically the coupling between flow conditions and biogeochemical processes under highly controlled physical and chemical conditions and are expected to improve our understanding of nutrient cycling in streams.

Use of fallout radionuclides ((7)Be, (210)Pb) to estimate resuspension of Escherichia coli from streambed sediments during floods in a tropical montane catchment.

PubMed

Ribolzi, Olivier; Evrard, Olivier; Huon, Sylvain; Rochelle-Newall, Emma; Henri-des-Tureaux, Thierry; Silvera, Norbert; Thammahacksac, Chanthamousone; Sengtaheuanghoung, Oloth

2016-02-01

Consumption of water polluted by faecal contaminants is responsible for 2 million deaths annually, most of which occur in developing countries without adequate sanitation. In tropical aquatic systems, streambeds can be reservoirs of persistent pathogenic bacteria and high rainfall can lead to contaminated soils entering streams and to the resuspension of sediment-bound microbes in the streambed. Here, we present a novel method using fallout radionuclides ((7)Be and (210)Pbxs) to estimate the proportions of Escherichia coli, an indicator of faecal contamination, associated with recently eroded soil particles and with the resuspension of streambed sediments. We show that using these radionuclides and hydrograph separations we are able to characterize the proportion of particles originating from highly contaminated soils and that from the resuspension of particle-attached bacteria within the streambed. We also found that although overland flow represented just over one tenth of the total flood volume, it was responsible for more than two thirds of the downstream transfer of E. coli. We propose that data obtained using this method can be used to understand the dynamics of faecal indicator bacteria (FIB) in streams thereby providing information for adapted management plans that reduce the health risks to local populations. Graphical Abstract Graphical abstract showing (1) the main water flow processes (i.e. overland flow, groundwater return flow, blue arrows) and sediment flow components (i.e. resuspension and soil erosion, black arrows) during floods in the Houay Pano catchment; (2) the general principle of the method using fallout radionuclide markers (i.e. (7)Be and (210)Pbxs) to estimate E. coli load from the two main sources (i.e. streambed resuspension vs soil surface washoff); and 3) the main results obtained during the 15 May 2012 storm event (i.e. relative percentage contribution of each process to the total streamflow, values in parentheses).

Environmental Control on Microbial Turnover of Leaf Carbon in Streams – Ecological Function of Phototrophic-Heterotrophic Interactions

PubMed Central

Fabian, Jenny; Zlatanović, Sanja; Mutz, Michael; Grossart, Hans-Peter; van Geldern, Robert; Ulrich, Andreas; Gleixner, Gerd; Premke, Katrin

2018-01-01

In aquatic ecosystems, light availability can significantly influence microbial turnover of terrestrial organic matter through associated metabolic interactions between phototrophic and heterotrophic communities. However, particularly in streams, microbial functions vary significantly with the structure of the streambed, that is the distribution and spatial arrangement of sediment grains in the streambed. It is therefore essential to elucidate how environmental factors synergistically define the microbial turnover of terrestrial organic matter in order to better understand the ecological role of photo-heterotrophic interactions in stream ecosystem processes. In outdoor experimental streams, we examined how the structure of streambeds modifies the influence of light availability on microbial turnover of leaf carbon (C). Furthermore, we investigated whether the studied relationships of microbial leaf C turnover to environmental conditions are affected by flow intermittency commonly occurring in streams. We applied leaves enriched with a 13C-stable isotope tracer and combined quantitative and isotope analyses. We thereby elucidated whether treatment induced changes in C turnover were associated with altered use of leaf C within the microbial food web. Moreover, isotope analyses were combined with measurements of microbial community composition to determine whether changes in community function were associated with a change in community composition. In this study, we present evidence, that environmental factors interactively determine how phototrophs and heterotrophs contribute to leaf C turnover. Light availability promoted the utilization of leaf C within the microbial food web, which was likely associated with a promoted availability of highly bioavailable metabolites of phototrophic origin. However, our results additionally confirm that the structure of the streambed modifies light-related changes in microbial C turnover. From our observations, we conclude that the streambed structure influences the strength of photo-heterotrophic interactions by defining the spatial availability of algal metabolites in the streambed and the composition of microbial communities. Collectively, our multifactorial approach provides valuable insights into environmental controls on the functioning of stream ecosystems.

Evaluating the fate of chlorinated ethenes in streambed sediments by combining stable isotope, geochemical and microbial methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abe, Yumiko; Aravena, Ramon; Zopfi, Jakob; Parker, Beth; Hunkeler, Daniel

2009-06-01

The occurrence of chlorinated ethene transformation in a streambed was investigated using concentration and carbon isotope data from water samples taken at different locations and depths within a 15 × 25 m study area across which a tetrachloroethene (PCE) plume discharges. Furthermore, it was evaluated how the degree of transformation is related to groundwater discharge rates, redox conditions, solid organic matter content (SOM) and microbial factors. Groundwater discharge rates were quantified based on streambed temperatures, and redox conditions using concentrations of dissolved redox-sensitive species. The degree of chlorinated ethene transformation was highly variable in space from no transformation to transformation beyond ethene. Complete reductive dechlorination to ethane and ethene occurred at locations with at least sulfate-reducing conditions and with a residence time in the samples streambed zone (80 cm depth) of at least 10 days. Among these locations, Dehalococcoides was detected using a PCR method where SOM contents were > 2% w/w and where transformation proceeded beyond ethene. However, it was not detected at locations with low SOM, which may cause an insufficient H 2 supply to sustain a detectably dense Dehalococcoides population. Additionally, it is possible that other organisms are responsible for the biodegradation. A microcosm study with streambed sediments demonstrated the potential of VC oxidation throughout the site even at locations without a pre-exposure to VC, consistent with the detection of the epoxyalkane:coenzyme M transferase (EaCoMT) gene involved in the degradation of chlorinated ethenes via epoxidation. In contrast, no aerobic transformation of cDCE in microcosms over a period of 1.5 years was observed. In summary, the study demonstrated that carbon isotope analysis is a sensitive tool to identify the degree of chlorinated ethene transformation even in hydrologically and geochemically complex streambed systems. In addition, it was observed that the degree of transformation is related to redox conditions, which in turn depend on groundwater discharge rates.

Spatio-temporal variability of hyporheic exchange through a pool-riffle-pool sequence

Treesearch

Frank P. Gariglio; Daniele Tonina; Charles H. Luce

2013-01-01

Stream water enters and exits the streambed sediment due to hyporheic fluxes, which stem primarily from the interaction between surface water hydraulics and streambed morphology. These fluxes sustain a rich ecotone, whose habitat quality depends on their direction and magnitude. The spatio-temporal variability of hyporheic fluxes is not well understood over several...

Streambed microstructure predicts evolution of development and life history mode in the plethodontid salamander Eurycea tynerensis

PubMed Central

Bonett, Ronald M; Chippindale, Paul T

2006-01-01

Background Habitat variation strongly influences the evolution of developmentally flexible traits, and may drive speciation and diversification. The plethodontid salamander Eurycea tynerensis is endemic to the geologically diverse Ozark Plateau of south-central North America, and comprises both strictly aquatic paedomorphic populations (achieving reproductive maturity while remaining in the larval form) and more terrestrial metamorphic populations. The switch between developmental modes has occurred many times, but populations typically exhibit a single life history mode. This unique system offers an opportunity to study the specific ecological circumstances under which alternate developmental and life history modes evolve. We use phylogenetic independent contrasts to test for relationships between a key microhabitat feature (streambed sediment) and this major life history polymorphism. Results We find streambed microstructure (sediment particle size, type and degree of sorting) to be highly correlated with life-history mode. Eurycea tynerensis is paedomorphic in streams containing large chert gravel, but metamorphoses in nearby streams containing poorly sorted, clastic material such as sandstone or siltstone. Conclusion Deposits of large chert gravel create loosely associated streambeds, which provide access to subsurface water during dry summer months. Conversely, streambeds composed of more densely packed sandstone and siltstone sediments leave no subterranean refuge when surface water dries, presumably necessitating metamorphosis and use of terrestrial habitats. This represents a clear example of the relationship between microhabitat structure and evolution of a major developmental and life history trait, and has broad implications for the role of localized ecological conditions on larger-scale evolutionary processes. PMID:16512919

Does small-bodied salmon spawning activity enhance streambed mobility?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hassan, Marwan A.; Tonina, Daniele; Buxton, Todd H.

2015-09-01

Female salmonids bury and lay their eggs in streambeds by digging a pit, which is then covered with sediment from a second pit that is dug immediately upstream. The spawning process alters streambed topography, winnows fine sediment, and mixes sediment in the active layer. The resulting egg nests (redds) contain coarser and looser sediments than those of unspawned streambed areas, and display a dune-like shape with an amplitude and length that vary with fish size, substrate conditions, and flow conditions. Redds increase local bed surface roughness (<10-1 channel width, W), but may reduce the size of macro bedforms by eroding reach-scale topography (100-101W). Research has suggested that spawning may increase flow resistance due to redd form drag, resulting in lower grain shear stress and less particle mobility. Spawning, also prevents streambed armoring by mixing surface and subsurface material, potentially increasing particle mobility. Here we use two-dimensional hydraulic modeling with detailed prespawning and postspawning bathymetries and field observations to test the effect of spawning by small-bodied salmonids on sediment transport. Our results show that topographical roughness from small salmon redds has negligible effects on shear stress at the reach-unit scale, and limited effects at the local scale. Conversely, results indicate sediment mixing reduces armoring and enhances sediment mobility, which increases potential bed load transport by subsequent floods. River restoration in fish-bearing streams should take into consideration the effects of redd excavation on channel stability. This is particularly important for streams that historically supported salmonids and are the focus of habitat restoration actions.

Investigating spatial variability of vertical water fluxes through the streambed in distinctive stream morphologies using temperature and head data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Liping; Jiang, Weiwei; Song, Jinxi; Dou, Xinyi; Guo, Hongtao; Xu, Shaofeng; Zhang, Guotao; Wen, Ming; Long, Yongqing; Li, Qi

2017-08-01

Investigating the interaction of groundwater and surface water is key to understanding the hyporheic processes. The vertical water fluxes through a streambed were determined using Darcian flux calculations and vertical sediment temperature profiles to assess the pattern and magnitude of groundwater/surface-water interaction in Beiluo River, China. Field measurements were taken in January 2015 at three different stream morphologies including a meander bend, an anabranching channel and a straight stream channel. Despite the differences of flux direction and magnitude, flux directions based on vertical temperature profiles are in good agreement with results from Darcian flux calculations at the anabranching channel, and the Kruskal-Wallis tests show no significant differences between the estimated upward fluxes based on the two methods at each site. Also, the upward fluxes based on the two methods show similar spatial distributions on the streambed, indicating (1) that higher water fluxes at the meander bend occur from the center of the channel towards the erosional bank, (2) that water fluxes at the anabranching channel are higher near the erosional bank and in the center of the channel, and (3) that in the straight channel, higher water fluxes appear from the center of the channel towards the depositional bank. It is noted that higher fluxes generally occur at certain locations with higher streambed vertical hydraulic conductivity ( K v) or where a higher vertical hydraulic gradient is observed. Moreover, differences of grain size, induced by stream morphology and contrasting erosional and depositional conditions, have significant effects on streambed K v and water fluxes.

Photographic techniques for characterizing streambed particle sizes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Whitman, Matthew S.; Moran, Edward H.; Ourso, Robert T.

2003-01-01

We developed photographic techniques to characterize coarse (>2-mm) and fine (≤2-mm) streambed particle sizes in 12 streams in Anchorage, Alaska. Results were compared with current sampling techniques to assess which provided greater sampling efficiency and accuracy. The streams sampled were wadeable and contained gravel—cobble streambeds. Gradients ranged from about 5% at the upstream sites to about 0.25% at the downstream sites. Mean particle sizes and size-frequency distributions resulting from digitized photographs differed significantly from those resulting from Wolman pebble counts for five sites in the analysis. Wolman counts were biased toward selecting larger particles. Photographic analysis also yielded a greater number of measured particles (mean = 989) than did the Wolman counts (mean = 328). Stream embeddedness ratings assigned from field and photographic observations were significantly different at 5 of the 12 sites, although both types of ratings showed a positive relationship with digitized surface fines. Visual estimates of embeddedness and digitized surface fines may both be useful indicators of benthic conditions, but digitizing surface fines produces quantitative rather than qualitative data. Benefits of the photographic techniques include reduced field time, minimal streambed disturbance, convenience of postfield processing, easy sample archiving, and improved accuracy and replication potential.

Trace elements and organic compounds in sediment and fish tissue from the Great Salt Lake basins, Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming, 1998-99

USGS Publications Warehouse

Waddell, Kidd M.; Giddings, Elise M.

2004-01-01

A study to determine the occurrence and distribution of trace elements, organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and semivolatile organic compounds in sediment and in fish tissue was conducted in the Great Salt Lake Basins study unit of the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program during 1998-99. Streambed-sediment and fish-tissue samples were collected concurrently at 11 sites and analyzed for trace-element concentration. An additional four sites were sampled for streambed sediment only and one site for fish tissue only. Organic compounds were analyzed from streambed-sediment and fish-tissue samples at 15 sites concurrently.Bed-sediment cores from lakes, reservoirs, and Farmington Bay collected by the NAWQA program in 1998 and by other researchers in 1982 were used to examine historical trends in trace-element concentration and to determine anthropogenic sources of contaminants. Cores collected in 1982 from Mirror Lake, a high-mountain reference location, showed an enrichment of arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, tin, and zinc in the surface sediments relative to the deeper sediments, indicating that enrichment likely began after about 1900. This enrichment was attributed to atmospheric deposition during the period of metal-ore mining and smelting. A core from Echo Reservoir, in the Weber River Basin, however, showed a different pattern of trace-element concentration that was attributed to a local source. This site is located downstream from the Park City mining district, which is the most likely historical source of trace elements. Cores collected in 1998 from Farmington Bay show that the concentration of lead began to increase after 1842 and peaked during the mid-1980s and has been in decline since. Recent sediments deposited during 1996-98 indicate a 41- to 62-percent reduction since the peak in the mid-1980s.The concentration of trace elements in streambed sediment was greatest at sites that have been affected by historic mining, including sites on Little Cottonwood Creek in the Jordan River basin, Silver Creek in the Weber River basin, and the Weber River below the confluence with Silver Creek. There was significant correlation of lead concentrations in streambed sediment and fish tissue, but other trace elements did not correlate well. Streambed sediment and fish tissue collected from sites in the Bear River basin, which is predominantly rangeland and agriculture, generally had low concentrations of most elements.Sediment-quality guidelines were used to assess the relative toxicity of streambed-sediment sites to aquatic communities. Sites affected by mining exceeded the Probable Effect Concentration (PEC), the concentration at which it is likely there will be a negative effect on the aquatic community, for arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, silver, mercury, and zinc. Sites that were not affected by mining did not exceed these criteria. Concentrations of trace elements in samples collected from the Great Salt Lake Basins study unit (GRSL) are high compared to those of samples collected nationally with the NAWQA program. Nine of 15 streambed-sediment samples and 11 of 14 fish-tissue samples had concentrations of at least one trace element greater than the concentration of 90 percent of the samples collected nationally during 1993-2000.Organic compounds that were examined in streambed sediment and fish-tissue samples also were examined in bed-sediment cores. A bed-sediment core from Farmington Bay of Great Salt Lake showed an increase in total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations coincident with the increase in population in Salt Lake Valley, which drains into this bay. Analysis of streambed-sediment samples showed that the highest concentrations of PAHs were detected at urban sites, including two sites in the lower Jordan River (the Jordan River flows into Farmington Bay), the Weber River at Ogden Bay, and the Provo River near Provo. Other organic compounds detected in streambed sediment in the lower Jordan River were PCBs, DDT compounds, and chlordane compounds.Organic compounds were detected more frequently in fish tissue than in streambed sediment. Chlordane compounds and PCBs were detected more frequently at urban sites. DDT compounds were detected at 13 of 15 sites including urban and agricultural sites. Concentrations of total DDT in fish tissue exceeded the guideline for protection of fish-eating wildlife at two urban sites. The concentration of organic compounds in the GRSL study unit is low compared with that of samples collected nationally.

Hydraulic, geomorphic, and trout habitat conditions of the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River in Hinsdale County, Lake City, Colorado, Water Years 2010-2011

USGS Publications Warehouse

Williams, Cory A.; Richards, Rodney J.; Schaffrath, Keelin R.

2015-01-01

Sediment mobility is an important process for flushing fine sediments from within the gravel frameworks. Evaluations of channel and flow characteristics at cross-section locations 2–8 show a range of streambed mobility. In general, boundary shear stress and streambed mobility increase with increases in streamflow. Within the cross sections, the greatest boundary shear stress occurs towards the center of the channel. Reach-scale assessment of sediment mobility in the lower reach shows increased streambed mobility. This is due in part to smaller grain sizes in the lower reach, but may also reflect the greater extent of channel alterations, specifically the temporary berms constructed by CDOT in the late 1980s and 1990s, present in this reach.

Measurement of coarse gravel and cobble transport using portable bedload traps

Treesearch

Kristin Bunte; Steven R. Abt; John P. Potyondy; Sandra E. Ryan

2004-01-01

Portable bedload traps (0.3 by 0.2 m opening) were developed for sampling coarse bedload transport in mountain gravel-bed rivers during wadable high flows. The 0.9 m long trailing net can capture about 20 kg of gravel and cobbles. Traps are positioned on ground plates anchored in the streambed to minimize disturbance of the streambed during sampling. This design...

Multi-scale streambed topographic and discharge effects on hyporheic at the stream network scale in confined streams

Treesearch

Alessandra Marzadri; Daniele Tonina; James A. McKean; Matthew G. Tiedemann; Rohan M. Benjankar

2014-01-01

The hyporheic zone is the volume of the streambed sediment mostly saturated with stream water. It is the transitional zone between stream and shallow-ground waters and an important ecotone for benthic species, including macro-invertebrates, microorganisms, and some fish species that dwell in the hyporheic zone for parts of their lives. Most hyporheic analyses are...

Use of streambed substrate as refuge by steelhead or rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss during simulated freshets

Treesearch

F. K. Ligon; Rodney Nakamoto; Bret Harvey; P. F. Baker

2016-01-01

A flume was used to estimate the carrying capacity of streambed substrates for juvenile steelhead or rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss seeking refuge from simulated freshets. The simulated freshets had mean water column velocities of c. 1·1 m s−1. The number of O. mykiss finding cover...

Streambed-material characteristics and surface-water quality, Green Pond Brook and tributaries, Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey, 1983-90

USGS Publications Warehouse

Storck, D.A.; Lacombe, Pierre

1996-01-01

This report presents the results of a study designed to determine whether Green Pond Brook and its tributaries contain contaminated streambed sediments and to characterize the quaity of water in the brook. Results of previous investigations at Picatinny Arsenal, Morris County, New Jersey, indicate that significant contamination of ground water, surface water, and soil is present at the arsenal. Forty-five streambed-material samples were collected for analysis to determine whether contaminants have migrated to the brook from the surrounding area. Samples were analyzed for trace elements, base/neutral- and acid-etractable compounds, insecticides, and other constituents. Results of an electromagnetic-conductivity and natural-gamma-ray survey were used to describe the distribution of particle sizes in streambed and substreambed sediments. Historical results of analyses of streambed-material and surface-water samples also are presented. Samples of streambed material from three areas in Green Pond Brook and its tributaries contained organic and (or) inorganic constituents in concentrations greater than those typically found at the arsenal. These areas are Green Pond Brook, from the area near the outflow of Picatinny Lake downstream to Farley Avenue; Bear Swamp Brook, from the area near building 241 downstream to the confluence with Green Pond Brook; and Green Pond Brook, from the open burning area downstream to the dam near building 1178. Contaminants identified include trace elements, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, and organochlorine insecticides. Surface water in Green Pond Brook contained several volatile organic compounds, including trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene, and 1,2-dichloroethylene, at maximum concen- trations of 3.8, 4.6, and 11 micrograms per liter, respectively. Volatilization is expected to remove volatile organic compounds in the steep, fast- flowing reaches of the brook. No organic or inorganic constituents were detected in surface- water samples in concentrations greater than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency primary drinking-water regulations. Only two constituents, iron and manganese, were detected in concen- trations greater than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency secondary drinking-water regulations.

Trace elements and organic compounds in streambed sediment and aquatic biota from the Sacramento River Basin, California, October and November 1995

USGS Publications Warehouse

MacCoy, Dorene E.; Domagalski, Joseph L.

1999-01-01

Elevated levels of trace elements and hydrophobic organic compounds were detected in streambed sediments and aquatic biota [Asiatic clam (Corbicula fluminea) or bottom-feeding fish] of the Sacramento River Basin, California, during October and November 1995. Trace elements detected included cadmium, copper, mercury, lead, and zinc. Elevated levels of cadmium, copper, and zinc in the upper Sacramento River are attributed to a mining land use, and elevated levels of zinc and lead in an urban stream, and possibly in the lower Sacramento River, are attributed to urban runoff processes. Elevated levels of mercury in streambed sediment are attributed to either past mercury mining or to the use of mercury in past gold mining operations. Mercury mining was an important land use within the Coast Ranges in the past and gold mining was an important land use of the Sierra Nevada in the past. Mercury was the only trace element found in elevated levels in the tissue of aquatic biota, and those levels also could be attributed to either mining or urban runoff. Hydrophobic organic compounds also were detected in streambed sediments and aquatic biota. The most frequently detected compounds were DDT and its breakdown products, dieldrin, oxychlordane, and toxaphene. Differences were found in the types of compounds detected at agricultural sites and the urban site. Although both types of sites had measurable concentrations of DDT or its breakdown products, the urban site also had measurable concentrations of pesticides used for household pest control. Few semivolatile compounds were detected in the streambed sediments of any site. The semivolatile compound p-cresol, a coal-tar derivative associated with road maintenance, was found in the highest concentration.

Mapping of road-salt-contaminated groundwater discharge and estimation of chloride load to a small stream in southern New Hampshire, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harte, P.T.; Trowbridge, P.R.

2010-01-01

Concentrations of chloride in excess of State of New Hampshire water-quality standards (230 mg/l) have been measured in watersheds adjacent to an interstate highway (I-93) in southern New Hampshire. A proposed widening plan for I-93 has raised concerns over further increases in chloride. As part of this effort, road-salt-contaminated groundwater discharge was mapped with terrain electrical conductivity (EC) electromagnetic (EM) methods in the fall of 2006 to identify potential sources of chloride during base-flow conditions to a small stream, Policy Brook. Three different EM meters were used to measure different depths below the streambed (ranging from 0 to 3 m). Results from the three meters showed similar patterns and identified several reaches where high EC groundwater may have been discharging. Based on the delineation of high (up to 350 mmhos/m) apparent terrain EC, seven-streambed piezometers were installed to sample shallow groundwater. Locations with high specific conductance in shallow groundwater (up to 2630 mmhos/m) generally matched locations with high streambed (shallow subsurface) terrain EC. A regression equation was used to convert the terrain EC of the streambed to an equivalent chloride concentration in shallow groundwater unique for this site. Utilizing the regression equation and estimates of onedimensional Darcian flow through the streambed, a maximum potential groundwater chloride load was estimated at 188 Mg of chloride per year. Changes in chloride concentration in stream water during streamflow recessions showed a linear response that indicates the dominant process affecting chloride is advective flow of chloride-enriched groundwater discharge. Published in 2010 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Channel stability of Turkey Creek, Nebraska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rus, David L.; Soenksen, Philip J.

1998-01-01

Channelization on Turkey Creek and its receiving stream, the South Fork Big Nemaha River, has disturbed the equilibrium of Turkey Creek and has led to channel-stability problems, such as degradation and channel widening, which pose a threat to bridges and land adjacent to the stream. As part of a multiagency study, the U.S. Geological Survey assessed channel stability at two bridge sites on upper and middle portions of Turkey Creek by analyzing streambed-elevation data for gradation changes, comparing recent cross-section surveys and historic accounts, identifying bank-failure blocks, and analyzing tree-ring samples. These results were compared to gradation data and trend results for a U.S. Geological Survey streamflow-gaging station near the mouth of Turkey Creek from a previous study. Examination of data on streambed elevations reveals that degradation has occurred. The streambed elevation declined 0.5 m at the upper site from 1967-97. The streambed elevation declined by 3.2 m at the middle site from 1948-97 and exposed 2 m of the pilings of the Nebraska Highway 8 bridge. Channel widening could not be verified at the two sites from 1967-97, but a historic account indicates widening at the middle site to be two to three times that of the 1949 channel width. Small bank failures were evident at the upper site and a 4-m-wide bank failure occurred at the middle site in 1987 according to tree ring analyses. Examination of streambed-elevation data from a previous study at the lower site reveals a statistically significant aggrading trend from 1958-93. Further examination of these data suggests minor degradation occurred until 1975, followed by aggradation.

Biogeochemical environments of streambed-sediment pore waters withand without arsenic enrichment in a sedimentary rock terrain, New Jersey Piedmont, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mumford, Adam C.; Barringer, Julia L.; Reilly, Pamela A.; Eberl, Dennis D.; Blum, Alex E.; Young, Lily Y.

2015-01-01

Release of arsenic (As) from sedimentary rocks has resulted in contamination of groundwater in aquifers of the New Jersey Piedmont Physiographic Province, USA; the contamination also may affect the quality of the region's streamwater to which groundwater discharges. Biogeochemical mechanisms involved in the release process were investigated in the streambeds of Six Mile Run and Pike Run, tributaries to the Millstone River in the Piedmont. At Six Mile Run, streambed pore water and shallow groundwater were low or depleted in oxygen, and contained As at concentrations greater than 20μg/L. At Pike Run, oxidizing conditions were present in the streambed, and the As concentration in pore water was 2.1μg/L. The 16S rRNA gene and the As(V) respiratory reductase gene, arrA, were amplified from DNA extracted from streambed pore water at both sites and analyzed, revealing that distinct bacterial communities that corresponded to the redox conditions were present at each site. Anaerobic enrichment cultures were inoculated with pore water from gaining reaches of the streams with acetate and As(V). As(V) was reduced by microbes to As(III) in enrichments with Six Mile Run pore water and groundwater, whereas no reduction occurred in enrichments with Pike Run pore water. Cloning and sequencing of the arrA gene indicated 8 unique operational taxonomic units (OTUs) at Six Mile Run and 11 unique OTUs at Pike Run, which may be representative of the arsenite oxidase gene arxA. Low-oxygen conditions at Six Mile Run have favored microbial As reduction and release, whereas release was inhibited by oxidizing conditions at Pike Run.

Understanding water column and streambed thermal refugia for endangered mussels in the Delaware River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Briggs, Martin A.; Voytek, Emily B.; Day-Lewis, Frederick D.; Rosenberry, Donald O.; Lane, John W.

2013-01-01

Groundwater discharge locations along the upper Delaware River, both discrete bank seeps and diffuse streambed upwelling, may create thermal niche environments that benefit the endangered dwarf wedgemussel (Alasmidonta heterodon). We seek to identify whether discrete or diffuse groundwater inflow is the dominant control on refugia. Numerous springs and seeps were identified at all locations where dwarf wedgemussels still can be found. Infrared imagery and custom high spatial resolution fiber-optic distributed temperature sensors reveal complex thermal dynamics at one of the seeps with a relatively stable, cold groundwater plume extending along the streambed/water-column interface during mid-summer. This plume, primarily fed by a discrete bank seep, was shown through analytical and numerical heat-transport modeling to dominate temperature dynamics in the region of potential habitation by the adult dwarf wedgemussel.

Selected trace-element and synthetic-organic compound data for streambed sediment from the Clark Fork-Pend Oreille and Spokane River basins, Montana, Idaho, and Washington, 1998

USGS Publications Warehouse

Beckwith, Michael A.

2002-01-01

Most of the analytical results for synthetic organic compounds were reported as either estimated or non-detected values. Phthalates and polycyclic aro­matic hydrocarbons were the most frequently detected classes of synthetic organic compounds in streambed sediment. Organochlorine pesticide residues were detected at two sites. Polychlorinated biphenyls were detected at one site.

Friction angle measurements on a naturally formed gravel streambed: Implications for critical boundary shear stress

Treesearch

John M. Buffington; William E. Dietrich; James W. Kirchner

1992-01-01

We report the first measurements of friction angles for a naturally formed gravel streambed. For a given test grain size placed on a bed surface, friction angles varied from 10º to over 100º; friction angle distributions can be expressed as a function of test grain size, median bed grain size, and bed sorting parameter. Friction angles decrease with increasing grain...

Assessment of Instream Restoration in the Cache River, Illinois: Macroinvertebrate Community Structure on Rock Weirs Compared to Snag and Streambed Habitats

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walther, D. A.; Whiles, M. R.

2005-05-01

Rock weirs were constructed in a degraded section of the Cache River in southern Illinois in 2001 and 2003 to prevent channel incision and protect riparian wetlands. We sampled macroinvertebrates in two older weirs and in two sites downstream of the restored section in April 2003, October 2003, and April 2004 to evaluate differences in community structure between weir, snag, and streambed (scoured clay) habitats. Three recently constructed weirs were also sampled in April 2004. Functional composition differed among sample dates and habitats. Although collector-gatherers consistently dominated streambed habitats, functional composition on weirs and snags was more variable. Filterer and predator biomass was generally higher on weirs, and snags harbored the only shredders collected in the system (Pycnopsyche spp.). Weirs generally supported higher biomass of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera than other habitats. For example, mean EPT biomass on weirs in 2003 (April=187 mgAFDM/m2; October=899 mgAFDM/m2) was 4 to 10-fold higher than EPT biomass in snag or streambed habitats. Late instar Pycnopsyche contributed 41% of snag biomass in April 2004, resulting in EPT biomass similar to rock weirs. Results indicate rock weirs provide suitable stable substrate for macroinvertebrates and may enhance populations of sensitive EPT taxa in degraded systems.

Effects of urbanization and long-term rainfall on the occurrence of organic compounds and trace elements in reservoir sediment cores, streambed sediment, and fish tissue from the Santa Ana River basin, California, 1998

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burton, Carmen A.

2002-01-01

Organcochlorine compounds, semivolatile-organic compounds (SVOC), and trace elements were analyzed in reservoir sediment cores, streambed sediment, and fish tissue in the Santa Ana River Basin as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program. Three reservoirs were sampled in areas that have different degrees of urbanization. Streambed sediment and fish tissue collected at 12 sites were divided into two groups, urban and nonurban. More organochlorine compounds were detected in reservoir sediment cores, streambed sediment and fish tissue, and at higher concentrations at urban sites than at nonurban sites. At all sites, except West Street Basin, concentrations of organochlorine compounds were lower than the probable-effect concentration (PEC). At the highly urbanized West Street Basin, chlordane and p,p'-DDE exceeded the PEC throughout the historical record. The less stringent threshold-effect concentration (TEC) was exceeded for six compounds at eight sites. Most of the organochlorine compounds detected in streambed sediment and fish tissue were at urban sites on the Santa Ana River as opposed to its tributaries, suggesting accumulation and persistence in the river. More SVOCs were detected in reservoir sediment cores and streambed sediment, and at higher concentrations, at urban sites than at nonurban sites. At all the sites, except West Street Basin, concentrations of SVOCs were lower than the PEC. At West Street Basin, chrysene, pyrene, and total polycyclic-aromatic hydrocarbons exceeded the PEC throughout the historical record. The TEC was exceeded for 10 compounds at 3 sites. Most of the SVOCs were detected in streambed sediment at urban sites on tributaries to the Santa Ana River rather than the mainstem itself. The less frequent occurrence and lower concentrations in the Santa Ana River suggest that SVOCs are less persistent than organochlorine compounds, possibly as a result of volatization, gradation, or dilution. Most trace-element detections in reservoir sediment cores and streambed sediment were at urban sites, and the concentrations were generally higher than at nonurban sites. Lead and zinc exceeded their PECs at West Street Basin throughout the historical record; copper exceeded its PEC at Canyon Lake, an area of urban growth. The TEC was exceeded for 10 compounds at 11 sites. Frequency of detection and concentration did not differ between tributary and Santa Ana River sites, which may be attributed to the fact that trace elements occur naturally. Four trace elements (arsenic, copper, mercury, and selenium) had higher concentrations in fish tissue at nonurban sites than at urban sites. Concentrations decreased over time for organochlorine compounds at all three reservoirs, probably a result of the discontinued use of many of the compounds. Decreasing trends in SVOCs and trace elements were observed at West Street Basin, but increasing trends were observed at Canyon Lake. Concentrations of organochlorine compounds, SVOCs, and trace elements were higher during periods of above average rainfall at both West Street Basin and Canyon Lake.

Thermal profiles for reaches of Snee-Oosh and Fornsby Creeks, Swinomish Indian Reservation, northwestern Washington, July 2013

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gendaszek, Andrew S.; Opatz, Chad C.

2013-01-01

Longitudinal profiles of streambed temperatures were measured in approximately 225-m-long reaches of the Snee-Oosh and Fornsby Creeks in the Swinomish Indian Reservation, northwestern Washington, during July 2013, to provide information about areas of groundwater discharge to streams. During summer, groundwater discharge is a source of cold water to streams and typically cools the surface water into which it discharges and buffers diurnal temperature fluctuations. Near-streambed temperatures were averaged over 1-m-long sections of cable during 1-minute periods every 30 minutes for 1-week periods using a fiber-optic distributed temperature sensor positioned on top of the streambed. The position of the fiber-optic cable was surveyed with a Global Positioning System. Stream temperatures and survey data are presented as Microsoft Excel® files consisting of date and time, water temperature, and geographical coordinates.

Method for estimating spatially variable seepage loss and hydraulic conductivity in intermittent and ephemeral streams

USGS Publications Warehouse

Niswonger, R.G.; Prudic, David E.; Fogg, G.E.; Stonestrom, David A.; Buckland, E.M.

2008-01-01

A method is presented for estimating seepage loss and streambed hydraulic conductivity along intermittent and ephemeral streams using streamflow front velocities in initially dry channels. The method uses the kinematic wave equation for routing streamflow in channels coupled to Philip's equation for infiltration. The coupled model considers variations in seepage loss both across and along the channel. Water redistribution in the unsaturated zone is also represented in the model. Sensitivity of the streamflow front velocity to parameters used for calculating seepage loss and for routing streamflow shows that the streambed hydraulic conductivity has the greatest sensitivity for moderate to large seepage loss rates. Channel roughness, geometry, and slope are most important for low seepage loss rates; however, streambed hydraulic conductivity is still important for values greater than 0.008 m/d. Two example applications are presented to demonstrate the utility of the method.

Quantifying consumption rates of dissolved oxygen along bed forms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boano, Fulvio; De Falco, Natalie; Arnon, Shai

2016-04-01

Streambed interfaces represent hotspots for nutrient transformations because they host different microbial species, and the evaluation of these reaction rates is important to assess the fate of nutrients in riverine environments. In this work we analyze a series of flume experiments on oxygen demand in dune-shaped hyporheic sediments under losing and gaining flow conditions. We employ a new modeling code to quantify oxygen consumption rates from observed vertical profiles of oxygen concentration. The code accounts for transport by molecular diffusion and water advection, and automatically determines the reaction rates that provide the best fit between observed and modeled concentration values. The results show that reaction rates are not uniformly distributed across the streambed, in agreement with the expected behavior predicted by hyporheic exchange theory. Oxygen consumption was found to be highly influenced by the presence of gaining or losing flow conditions, which controlled the delivery of labile DOC to streambed microorganisms.

Assessment of Energetic Compounds, Semi-volatile Organic Compounds, and Trace Elements in Streambed Sediment and Stream Water from Streams Draining Munitions Firing Points and Impact Areas, Fort Riley, Kansas, 2007-08

USGS Publications Warehouse

Coiner, R.L.; Pope, L.M.; Mehl, H.E.

2010-01-01

An assessment of energetic compounds (explosive and propellant residues) and associated semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) and trace elements in streambed sediment and stream water from streams draining munitions firing points and impact areas at Fort Riley, northeast Kansas, was performed during 2007-08 by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the U.S. Army. Streambed sediment from 16 sampling sites and stream-water samples from 5 sites were collected at or near Fort Riley and analyzed for as many as 17 energetic compounds, 65 SVOCs, and 27 trace elements. None of the energetic compounds or SVOCs were detected in streambed sediment collected from sites within the Fort Riley Military Reservation. This may indicate that these compounds either are not transported from dispersal areas or that analytical methods are not sensitive enough to detect the small concentrations that may be transported. Concentrations of munitions-associated trace elements did not exceed sediment-quality guidelines recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and are not indicative of contamination of streambed sediment at selected streambed sampling sites, at least in regards to movement from dispersal areas. Analytical results of stream-water samples provided little evidence of contamination by energetic compounds, SVOCs, or associated trace elements. Perchlorate was detected in 19 of 20 stream-water samples at concentrations ranging from an estimated 0.057 to an estimated 0.236 ug/L (micrograms per liter) with a median concentration of an estimated 0.114 ug/L, substantially less than the USEPA Interim Health Advisory criterion (15 ug/L), and is in the range of documented background concentrations. Because of these small concentrations and possible natural sources (precipitation and groundwater), it is likely that the occurrence of perchlorate in stream water is naturally occurring, although a definitive identification of the source of perchlorate in stream water at Fort Riley is difficult. The only SVOCs detected in stream-water samples were bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and di-n-butyl phthalate but at concentrations substantially less than the most stringent aquatic-life criteria established by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. All trace element concentrations in stream-water samples were less than the most stringent aquatic-life criteria. The implication of these stream-water results is that contamination arising from firing-range activities, if it exists, is so small as to be nondetectable with current analytical methods or is not distinguishable from background concentrations for constituents that also are naturally occurring. Overall, the munitions-related constituents analyzed in streambed sediment and stream water, when detected, were at concentrations that were less than regulatory criteria

Use of a ground-penetrating radar system to detect pre-and post-flood scour at selected bridge sites in New Hampshire, 1996-98

USGS Publications Warehouse

Olimpio, Joseph R.

2000-01-01

Ground-penetrating radar was used to measure the depth and extent of existing and infilled scour holes and previous scour surfaces at seven bridges in New Hampshire from April 1996 to November 1998. Ground-penetrating-radar survey techniques initially were used by the U.S. Geological Survey to study streambed scour at 30 bridges. Sixteen of the 30 bridges were re-surveyed where floods exceeded a 2-year recurrence interval. A 300-megahertz signal was used in the ground-penetrating radar system that penetrated through depths as great as 20 feet of water and as great as 32 feet of streambed materials. Existing scour-hole dimensions, infilled thickness, previous scour surfaces, and streambed materials were detected using ground-penetrating radar. Depths to riprap materials and pier footings were identified and verified with bridge plans. Post data-collection-processing techniques were applied to assist in the interpretation of the data, and the processed data were displayed and printed as line plots. Processing included distance normalization, migration, and filtering but processing was kept to a minimum and some interference from multiple reflections was left in the record. Of the 16 post-flood bridges, 22 ground-penetrating-radar cross sections at 7 bridges were compared and presented in this report. Existing scour holes were detected during 1996 (pre-flood) data collection in nine cross sections where scour depths ranged from 1 to 3 feet. New scour holes were detected during 1998 (post-flood) data collection in four cross sections where scour depths were as great as 4 feet deep. Infilled scour holes were detected in seven cross sections, where depths of infilling ranged from less than 1 to 4 feet. Depth of infilling by means of steel rod and hammer was difficult to verify in the field because of cobble and boulder streambeds or deep water. Previous scour surfaces in streambed materials were identified in 15 cross sections and the depths to these surfaces ranged from 1 to 10 feet below the streambed. Riprap materials or pier footings were identified in all cross sections. Calculated record depths generally agree with bridge plans. Pier footings were exposed at two bridges and steel pile was exposed at one bridge. Exposures were verified by field observations.

Interactions Between Suspended Kaolinite Deposition and Hyporheic Exchange Flux Under Losing and Gaining Flow Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fox, Aryeh; Packman, Aaron I.; Boano, Fulvio; Phillips, Colin B.; Arnon, Shai

2018-05-01

Fine particle deposition and streambed clogging affect many ecological and biogeochemical processes, but little is known about the effects of groundwater flow into and out of rivers on clogging. We evaluated the effects of losing and gaining flow on the deposition of suspended kaolinite clay particles in a sand streambed and the resulting changes in rates and patterns of hyporheic exchange flux (HEF). Observations of clay deposition from the water column, clay accumulation in the streambed sediments, and water exchange with the bed demonstrated that clay deposition in the bed substantially reduced both HEF and the size of the hyporheic zone. Clay deposition and HEF were strongly coupled, leading to rapid clogging in areas of water and clay influx into the bed. Local clogging diverted exchanged water laterally, producing clay deposit layers that reduced vertical hyporheic flow and favored horizontal flow. Under gaining conditions, HEF was spatially constrained by upwelling water, which focused clay deposition in a small region on the upstream side of each bed form. Because the area of inflow into the bed was smallest under gaining conditions, local clogging required less clay mass under gaining conditions than neutral or losing conditions. These results indicate that losing and gaining flow conditions need to be considered in assessments of hyporheic exchange, fine particle dynamics in streams, and streambed clogging and restoration.

Monitoring Streambed Scour/Deposition Under Nonideal Temperature Signal and Flood Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeWeese, Timothy; Tonina, Daniele; Luce, Charles

2017-12-01

Streambed erosion and deposition are fundamental geomorphic processes in riverbeds, and monitoring their evolution is important for ecological system management and in-stream infrastructure stability. Previous research showed proof of concept that analysis of paired temperature signals of stream and pore waters can simultaneously provide monitoring scour and deposition, stream sediment thermal regime, and seepage velocity information. However, it did not address challenges often associated with natural systems, including nonideal temperature variations (low-amplitude, nonsinusoidal signal, and vertical thermal gradients) and natural flooding conditions on monitoring scour and deposition processes over time. Here we addressed this knowledge gap by testing the proposed thermal scour-deposition chain (TSDC) methodology, with laboratory experiments to test the impact of nonideal temperature signals under a range of seepage velocities and with a field application during a pulse flood. Both analyses showed excellent match between surveyed and temperature-derived bed elevation changes even under very low temperature signal amplitudes (less than 1°C), nonideal signal shape (sawtooth shape), and strong and changing vertical thermal gradients (4°C/m). Root-mean-square errors on predicting the change in streambed elevations were comparable with the median grain size of the streambed sediment. Future research should focus on improved techniques for temperature signal phase and amplitude extractions, as well as TSDC applications over long periods spanning entire hydrographs.

Surface-water-quality assessment of the upper Illinois River basin in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin; spatial distribution of geochemicals in the fine fraction of streambed sediment, 1987

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fitzpatrick, Faith A.; Arnold, Terri L.; Colman, John A.

1998-01-01

Geochemical data for the upper Illinois River Basin are presented for concentrations of 39 elements in streambed sediment collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in the fall of 1987. These data were collected as part of the pilot phase of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program. A total of 372 sites were sampled, with 238 sites located on first- and second-order streams, and 134 sites located on main stems. Spatial distribution maps and exceedance probability plots are presented for aluminum, antimony, arsenic, barium, beryllium, boron, cadmium, calcium, carbon (total, inorganic, and organic), cerium, chromium, cobalt, copper, gallium, iron, lanthanum, lead, lithium, magnesium, manganese, mercury, molybdenum, neodymium, nickel, niobium, phosphorus, potassium, scandium, selenium, silver, sodium, strontium, sulfur, thorium, titanium, uranium, vanadium, yttrium, and zinc. For spatial distribution maps, concentrations of the elements are grouped into four ranges bounded by the minimum concentration, the 10th, 50th, and 90th percentiles, and the maximum concentrations. These ranges were selected to highlight streambed sediment with very low or very high element concentrations relative to the rest of the streambed sediment in the upper Illinois River Basin. Exceedance probability plots for each element display the differences, if any, in distributions between high- and low-order streams and may be helpful in determining differences between background and elevated concentrations.

Water temperature profiles for reaches of the Raging River during summer baseflow, King County, western Washington, July 2015

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gendaszek, Andrew S.; Opatz, Chad C.

2016-03-22

Re-introducing wood into rivers where it was historically removed is one approach to improving habitat conditions in rivers of the Pacific Northwest. The Raging River drainage basin, which flows into the Snoqualmie River at Fall City, western Washington, was largely logged during the 20th century and wood was removed from its channel. To improve habitat conditions for several species of anadromous salmonids that spawn and rear in the Raging River, King County Department of Transportation placed untethered log jams in a 250-meter reach where wood was historically removed. The U.S. Geological Survey measured longitudinal profiles of near-streambed temperature during summer baseflow along 1,026 meters of channel upstream, downstream, and within the area of wood placements. These measurements were part of an effort by King County to monitor the geomorphic and biological responses to these wood placements. Near-streambed temperatures averaged over about 1-meter intervals were measured with a fiber‑optic distributed temperature sensor every 30 minutes for 7 days between July 7 and 13, 2015. Vertical temperature profiles were measured coincident with the longitudinal temperature profile at four locations at 0 centimeters (cm) (at the streambed), and 35 and 70 cm beneath the streambed to document thermal dynamics of the hyporheic zone and surface water in the study reach.

Macroinvertebrate Responses to Constructed Riffles in the Cache River, Illinois, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walther, Denise A.; Whiles, Matt R.

2008-04-01

Stream restoration practices are becoming increasingly common, but biological assessments of these improvements are still limited. Rock weirs, a type of constructed riffle, were implemented in the upper Cache River in southern Illinois, USA, in 2001 and 2003-2004 to control channel incision and protect high quality riparian wetlands as part of an extensive watershed-level restoration. Construction of the rock weirs provided an opportunity to examine biological responses to a common in-stream restoration technique. We compared macroinvertebrate assemblages on previously constructed rock weirs and newly constructed weirs to those on snags and scoured clay streambed, the two dominant substrates in the unrestored reaches of the river. We quantitatively sampled macroinvertebrates on these substrates on seven occasions during 2003 and 2004. Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) biomass and aquatic insect biomass were significantly higher on rock weirs than the streambed for most sample periods. Snags supported intermediate EPT and aquatic insect biomass compared to rock weirs and the streambed. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) ordinations for 2003 and 2004 revealed distinct assemblage groups for rock weirs, snags, and the streambed. Analysis of similarity supported visual interpretation of NMDS plots. All pair-wise substrate comparisons differed significantly, except recently constructed weirs versus older weirs. Results indicate positive responses by macroinvertebrate assemblages to in-stream restoration in the Cache River. Moreover, these responses were not evident with more common measures of total density, biomass, and diversity.

Relations of benthic macroinvertebrates to concentrations of trace elements in water, streambed sediments, and transplanted bryophytes and stream habitat conditions in nonmining and mining areas of the upper Colorado River basin, Colorado, 1995-98

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mize, Scott V.; Deacon, Jeffrey R.

2002-01-01

Intensive mining activity and highly mineralized rock formations have had significant impacts on surface-water and streambed-sediment quality and aquatic life within the upper reaches of the Uncompahgre River in western Colorado. A synoptic study by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment Program was completed in the upper Uncompahgre River Basin in 1998 to better understand the relations of trace elements (with emphasis on aluminum, arsenic, copper, iron, lead, and zinc concentrations) in water, streambed sediment, and aquatic life. Water-chemistry, streambed-sediment, and benthic macroinvertebrate samples were collected during low-flow conditions between October 1995 and July 1998 at five sites on the upper Uncompahgre River, all downstream from historical mining, and at three sites in drainage basins of the Upper Colorado River where mining has not occurred. Aquatic bryophytes were transplanted to all sites for 15 days of exposure to the water column during which time field parameters were measured and chemical water-quality and benthic macroinvertebrate samples were collected. Stream habitat characteristics also were documented at each site. Certain attributes of surface-water chemistry among streams were significantly different. Concentrations of total aluminum, copper, iron, lead, and zinc in the water column and concentrations of dissolved aluminum, copper, and zinc were significantly different between nonmining and mining sites. Some sites associated with mining exceeded Colorado acute aquatic-life standards for aluminum, copper, and zinc and exceeded Colorado chronic aquatic-life standards for aluminum, copper, iron, lead, and zinc. Concentrations of copper, lead, and zinc in streambed sediments were significantly different between nonmining and mining sites. Generally, concentrations of arsenic, copper, lead, and zinc in streambed sediments at mining sites exceeded the Canadian Sediment Quality Guidelines probable effect level (PEL), except at two mining sites where concentrations of copper and zinc were below the PEL. Concentrations of arsenic, copper, iron, and lead in transplanted bryophytes were significantly different between nonmining and mining sites. Bioconcentration factors calculated for 15-day exposure using one-half of the minimum reporting level were significantly different between nonmining and mining sites. In general, concentrations of trace elements in streambed sediment and transplanted bryophytes were more closely correlated than were the concentrations of trace elements in the water column with streambed sediments or concentrations in the water column with transplanted bryophytes. Stream habitat was rated as optimal to suboptimal using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Rapid Bioassessment Protocols for all sites in the study area. Generally, stream habitat conditions were similar at nonmining compared to mining sites and were suitable for diverse macroinvertebrate communities. All study sites had optimal instream habitat except two mining sites with suboptimal instream habitat because of disturbances in stream habitat. The benthic macroinvertebrate community composition at nonmining sites and mining sites differed. Mining sites had significantly lower total abundance of macroinvertebrates, fewer numbers of taxa, and lower dominance of Ephemeroptera (mayflies), Plecoptera (stoneflies), and Trichoptera (caddisflies), and a larger percentage of tolerant species than did nonmining sites. The predominance of Baetis sp. (mayflies), Hydropsychidae (caddisflies), and large percentage of Orthocladiinae chironomids (midges) at mining sites indicated that these species may be tolerant to elevated trace-element concentrations. The absence of Heptageniidae (mayflies), Chloroperlidae (stoneflies), and Rhyacophila sp. (caddisflies) at mining sites indicated that these species may be sensitive to elevated trace-element concentrations. Comparison of field parameters and

Presence and distribution of chlorinated organic compounds in streambed sediments, new jersey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stackelberg, P.E.

1997-01-01

Concentrations of 18 hydrophobic chlorinated organic compounds in streambed sediments from 100 sites throughout New Jersey were examined to determine (1) which compounds were detected most frequently, (2) whether detection frequencies differed among selected drainage basins, and (3) whether concentrations differed significantly among selected drainage basins. Twelve drainage basins across New Jersey that contain a range of land-use patterns and population densities were selected to represent various types and degrees of development. To ensure an adequate number of samples for statistical comparison among drainage basins, the 12 selected basins were consolidated into seven drainage areas on the basis of similarities in land- use patterns and population densities. Additionally, data for three classes of chlorinated organic compounds in streambed sediments from 255 sites throughout New Jersey were examined to determine whether the presence of these compounds in streambed sediments is related to the type and degree of development within the drainage area of each sampling site. Chlorinated organic compounds detected most frequently within the seven representative drainage areas were DDT, DDE, DDD, chlordane, dieldrin, and PCBs. DDT, DDE, and DDD, which were the most widely distributed organic compounds, were detected in about 60 to 100 percent of the samples from all drainage areas hut one (where the detection rate for these compounds was about 20 to 40 percent). Chlordane and dieldrin were detected in about 80 to 100 percent of samples from highly urbanized and populated drainage areas; detection frequencies for these compounds tended to be smaller in less developed and populated areas. PCBs were detected in about 40 to 85 percent of samples from all drainage areas; detection frequencies were highest in the most heavily developed and populated areas. Analysis of variance on rank-transformed organic compound concentrations normalized to sediment organic carbon content was used to evaluate differences in concentrations among the seven representative drainage areas. Chlordane and PCBs were the chlorinated organic compounds with the most highly elevated concentrations in streambed sediments across the State. Median normalized COncentrations of all six of the most frequently detected chlorinated organic compounds were highest in the most heavily urbanized and populated drainage area and lowest in the less populated, predominantly agricultural or forested areas. Concentrations of DDT and DDE, however, did not differ significantly among most of the drainage areas. Concentrations of DDD, chlordane, dieldrin, and PCBs differed significantly among drainage areas. The highest median normalized concentrations were found in samples from the most heavily urbanized and populated areas, and the lowest were in samples from the least developed, most heavily forested area. Logistic regression was used to examine relations between the presence of hydrophobic chlorinated organic compounds in streambed sediments at specified concentrations and variables that characterize the type and degree of development within the drainage areas of 255 sites across New Jersey. The explanatory variables found most useful for predicting the presence of chlorinated organic compounds in streambed sediments include total population and amounts (in square kilometers) of various land-use categories. Logistic regression equations were developed to identify significant relations between population and amounts of specific land-use categories within drainage areas and the probability of detecting chlorinated organic contaminants in streambed sediments. These relations can be used to assist in the identification of geographic regions of primary concern for contamination of bed sediments by chlorinated organic compounds across the State.

Practical limitations on the use of diurnal temperature signals to quantify groundwater upwelling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Briggs, Martin A.; Lautz, Laura K.; Buckley, Sean F.; Lane, John W.

2014-01-01

Groundwater upwelling to streams creates unique habitat by influencing stream water quality and temperature; upwelling zones also serve as vectors for contamination when groundwater is degraded. Temperature time series data acquired along vertical profiles in the streambed have been applied to simple analytical models to determine rates of vertical fluid flux. These models are based on the downward propagation characteristics (amplitude attenuation and phase-lag) of the surface diurnal signal. Despite the popularity of these models, there are few published characterizations of moderate-to-strong upwelling. We attribute this limitation to the thermodynamics of upwelling, under which the downward conductive signal transport from the streambed interface occurs opposite the upward advective fluid flux. Governing equations describing the advection–diffusion of heat within the streambed predict that under upwelling conditions, signal amplitude attenuation will increase, but, counterintuitively, phase-lag will decrease. Therefore the extinction (measurable) depth of the diurnal signal is very shallow, but phase lag is also short, yielding low signal to noise ratio and poor model sensitivity. Conversely, amplitude attenuation over similar sensor spacing is strong, yielding greater potential model sensitivity. Here we present streambed thermal time series over a range of moderate to strong upwelling sites in the Quashnet River, Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The predicted inverse relationship between phase-lag and rate of upwelling was observed in the field data over a range of conditions, but the observed phase-lags were consistently shorter than predicted. Analytical solutions for fluid flux based on signal amplitude attenuation return results consistent with numerical models and physical seepage meters, but the phase-lag analytical model results are generally unreasonable. Through numerical modeling we explore reasons why phase-lag may have been over-predicted by the analytical models, and develop guiding relations of diurnal temperature signal extinction depth based on stream diurnal signal amplitude, upwelling magnitude, and streambed thermal properties that will be useful in designing future experiments.

Quantifying Nitrogen Transport from Riparian Groundwater Seeps to a Headwater Stream in an Agricultural Watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Redder, B.; Buda, A. R.; Kennedy, C. D.; Folmar, G.; DeWalle, D. R.; Boyer, E. W.

2017-12-01

Headwater streams in the Northeast region of the United States typically receive more than 50% of their base flow from groundwater, either by diffuse discharge through the streambed or by localized discharge through riparian seeps. It is very difficult to separate the individual contributions of these two groundwater fluxes to streamflow. Furthermore, riparian seeps show significant variability in discharge and nutrient concentration, adding uncertainty to estimates of groundwater-based nitrogen inputs to streams. In this study, we combined stream measurements at two different scales to quantify groundwater discharge by matrix flow through the streambed and by macropore flow through the riparian zone. The study site was a 175-m stream reach located in a heavily cultivated 45-hectare watershed in east-central Pennsylvania. Differential streamflow gauging and streambed measurements of hydraulic head gradient, hydraulic conductivity, and groundwater chemistry were used to solve for the riparian groundwater flux in a reach mass balance equation. Adopting a mass balance approach, riparian groundwater fluxes ranged from 115-205 m3 d-1, transporting 2-4 kg N d-1 of nitrate from the fractured bedrock aquifer to the stream. Air-water manometer readings from short-screened piezometers installed in the shallow streambed (30 cm) indicated slightly losing head gradients between the stream and groundwater, despite substantial (36-66%) increases in stream flow along the stream reach. Preliminary chemical data for the stream, streambed, and shallow ground water suggest that the stream is partially disconnected from the underlying aquifer and that riparian groundwater seeps supply essentially all water and nitrogen to the system. These results, along with the comparison of shallow and deep aquifer water with seep chemistry, provide insight into sources of water to riparian groundwater seeps and allow us to determine the transport and fate of nitrogen in a fractured aquifer system. The use of water isotopes and hydrometric data will be used to further test the hypothesis that this is a perched system disconnected from the aquifer below.

Streambed scour of salmon spawning habitat in a regulated river influenced by management of peak discharge

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gendaszek, Andrew S.; Burton, Karl D.; Magirl, Christopher S.; Konrad, Christopher P.

2017-01-01

In the Pacific Northwest of the United States, salmon eggs incubating within streambed gravels are susceptible to scour during floods. The threat to egg-to-fry survival by streambed scour is mitigated, in part, by the adaptation of salmon to bury their eggs below the typical depth of scour. In regulated rivers globally, we suggest that water managers consider the effect of dam operations on scour and its impacts on species dependent on benthic habitats.We instrumented salmon-spawning habitat with accelerometer scour monitors (ASMs) at 73 locations in 11 reaches of the Cedar River in western Washington State of the United States from Autumn 2013 through the Spring of 2014. The timing of scour was related to the discharge measured at a nearby gage and compared to previously published ASM data at 26 locations in two reaches of the Cedar River collected between Autumn 2010 and Spring 2011.Thirteen percent of the recovered ASMs recorded scour during a peak-discharge event in March 2014 (2-to 3-year recurrence interval) compared to 71% of the recovered ASMs during a higher peak-discharge event in January 2011 (10-year recurrence interval). Of the 23 locations where ASMs recorded scour during the 2011 and 2014 deployments, 35% had scour when the discharge was ≤87.3 m3/s (3,082 ft3/s) (2-year recurrence interval discharge) with 13% recording scour at or below the 62.3 m3/s (2,200 ft3/s) operational threshold for peak-discharge management during the incubation of salmon eggs.Scour to the depth of salmon egg pockets was limited during peak discharges with frequent (1.25-year or less) recurrence intervals, which managers can regulate through dam operations on the Cedar River. Pairing novel measurements of the timing of streambed scour with discharge data allows the development of peak-discharge management strategies that protect salmon eggs incubating within streambed gravels during floods.

The footprint of salmonids on river morphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hassan, M. A.; Tonina, D.

2012-12-01

Female salmonids dig a pit in the streambed where they lay their eggs, which then cover with sediment from a second pit forming an egg nest call redd. This formation results in a shape resembling a dune with an amplitude, which is the vertical difference between bottom of the pit and crest of the hump, varying from few centimetres (for small fish, chum or sockeye salmon) to tenths of a meter (for large fish, Chinook salmon). During redd construction, salmonids alter streambed topography, winnow away fine sediment and mix streambed material within a layer as thick as 50 cm, for the large chinook salmon. The spawning activities may result in additional roughness at the local scale due to redds. However, redd construction may smooth large-scale topography reducing roughness due the macro-bedform. These topographical changes vary streambed roughness, which in turn may affect shear stress distribution. Redds have been suggested to increase the overall flow resistance due to form drag resulting in lower grain shear stress and less particle mobility. However, the mixing of the sediment could prevent armouring of the streambed surface allowing higher than with armouring sediment transport. Here, we use detailed pre- and post-spawning bathymetries coupled with accurate 2-dimensional hydraulic numerical modelling to test which of these two effects has potentially more impact on sediment transport. Our results show that topographical roughness added by sockeye salmons, which build small redds with 15cm amplitude and 1 meter wavelength (longitudinal length of a redd), has negligible effect on shear stress at the reach-scale and limited at the local scale. Conversely, sediment mixing has an important effect on reducing armouring, increasing sediment mobility, which results in potentially more sediment transport in reaches with than without redds. Consequently, salmonid bioturbation due to mass-spawning fish can be a dominant element for sediment transport in mountain drainage basins

Solutions for the diurnally forced advection-diffusion equation to estimate bulk fluid velocity and diffusivity in streambeds from temperature time series

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luce, C.; Tonina, D.; Gariglio, F. P.; Applebee, R.

2012-12-01

Differences in the diurnal variations of temperature at different depths in streambed sediments are commonly used for estimating vertical fluxes of water in the streambed. We applied spatial and temporal rescaling of the advection-diffusion equation to derive two new relationships that greatly extend the kinds of information that can be derived from streambed temperature measurements. The first equation provides a direct estimate of the Peclet number from the amplitude decay and phase delay information. The analytical equation is explicit (e.g. no numerical root-finding is necessary), and invertable. The thermal front velocity can be estimated from the Peclet number when the thermal diffusivity is known. The second equation allows for an independent estimate of the thermal diffusivity directly from the amplitude decay and phase delay information. Several improvements are available with the new information. The first equation uses a ratio of the amplitude decay and phase delay information; thus Peclet number calculations are independent of depth. The explicit form also makes it somewhat faster and easier to calculate estimates from a large number of sensors or multiple positions along one sensor. Where current practice requires a priori estimation of streambed thermal diffusivity, the new approach allows an independent calculation, improving precision of estimates. Furthermore, when many measurements are made over space and time, expectations of the spatial correlation and temporal invariance of thermal diffusivity are valuable for validation of measurements. Finally, the closed-form explicit solution allows for direct calculation of propagation of uncertainties in error measurements and parameter estimates, providing insight about error expectations for sensors placed at different depths in different environments as a function of surface temperature variation amplitudes. The improvements are expected to increase the utility of temperature measurement methods for studying groundwater-surface water interactions across space and time scales. We discuss the theoretical implications of the new solutions supported by examples with data for illustration and validation.

The Effect of Suspended Sediment Transport and Deposition on Streambed Clogging Under Losing and Gaining Flow Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fox, A.; Packman, A. I.; Preziosi-Ribero, A.; Li, A.; Arnon, S.

2017-12-01

Sediment transport and deposition in streams can affect streambed hydraulic characteristics due to clogging, reduce water fluxes through the hyporheic zone, and thus expected to affect biogeochemical processes. Processes affecting deposition of suspended particles were systematically studied under various overlying velocities but without taking into account the interactions with groundwater. This is despite the fact that the interaction with groundwater were shown to play an important role in deposition patterns of fine sediments in field studies. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of losing and gaining fluxes on suspended sediment depositional patterns and on hyporheic exchange fluxes. Experiments were conducted in a laboratory flume system (640 cm long and 30 cm wide) that has a capacity to enforce losing or gaining flow conditions. The flume was packed with homogenous sand, while suspended sediment deposition was evaluated by adding kaolinite particles to the water and following the deposition rate by particle disappearance from the bulk water. Consecutive additions of kaolinite were done, while hyporheic exchange fluxes were evaluated by conducting NaCl tracer experiments between each kaolinite additions. Furthermore, dye injections were used to visualize the flow patterns in the streambed using time-lapse photography through the transparent sidewalls of the flume. Hyporheic exchange and particle tracking simulations were done to assess the results of particle deposition and feedbacks between hyporheic flow, particle transport, and streambed clogging. Experimental results showed that the deposition of clay decreases with increasing amount of clay concentration in the sediment. Hyporheic exchange flux decreases linearly with increasing amount of clay added to the system and the region of active hyporheic exchange was confined to the upper part of the sediment. Understanding the particle deposition mechanisms under losing and gaining flow condition are expected to improve our predictive ability to capture the dynamics of streambed characteristics, which has implications to sediment transport, biogeochemical processes and hyporheic ecology.

Trace-metal concentrations in sediment and water and health of aquatic macroinvertebrate communities of streams near Park City, Summit County, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Giddings, Elis M.P.; Hornberger, Michelle I.; Hadley, Heidi K.

2001-01-01

The spatial distribution of metals in streambed sediment and surface water of Silver Creek, McLeod Creek, Kimball Creek, Spring Creek, and part of the Weber River, near Park City, Utah, was examined. From the mid-1800s through the 1970s, this region was extensively mined for silver and lead ores. Although some remediation has occurred, residual deposits of tailing wastes remain in place along large sections of Silver Creek. These tailings are the most likely source of metals to this system. Bed sediment samples were collected in 1998, 1999, and 2000 and analyzed using two extraction techniques: a total extraction that completely dissolves all forms of metals in minerals and trace elements associated with the sediment; and a weak-acid extraction that extracts the metals and trace elements that are only weakly adsorbed onto the sediment surface. This latter method is used to determine the more biologically relevant fraction of metal complexed onto the sediment. Water samples were collected in March and August 2000 and were analyzed for total and dissolved trace metals.Concentrations of silver, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, and zinc in the streambed sediment of Silver Creek greatly exceeded background concentrations. These metals also exceeded established aquatic life criteria at most sites. In the Weber River, downstream of the confluence with Silver Creek, concentrations of cadmium, lead, zinc, and total mercury in streambed sediment also exceeded aquatic life guidelines, however, concentrations of metals in streambed sediment of McLeod and Kimball Creeks were lower than Silver Creek. Water-column concentrations of zinc, total mercury, and methylmercury in Silver Creek were high relative to unimpacted sites, and exceeded water quality criteria for the protection of aquatic organisms. Qualitative measurements of the macroinvertebrate community in Silver Creek were compared to the spatial distribution of metals in streambed sediment. The data indicate that impairment related to metal concentration exists in Silver Creek.

Occurrence, distribution, and concentrations of selected contaminants in streambed- and suspended-sediment samples collected in Bexar County, Texas, 2007-09

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, Jennifer T.

2011-01-01

High concentrations of sediment-associated contaminants are typically associated with urban areas such as San Antonio, Texas, in Bexar County, the seventh most populous city in the United States. U.S. Geological Survey personnel periodically collected surficial streambed-sediment samples during 2007-09 and collected suspended-sediment samples from selected streams after storms during 2008 and 2009. All sediment samples were analyzed for major and trace elements, pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Mystery solved: White deposit on streambeds proves to be diatoms

USGS Publications Warehouse

Webb, Rick; Rice, Karen C.

2007-01-01

In the late winter and early spring of 2006 an unusual white deposit was observed on rocks and margins of streambeds in a number of park streams. Inquiries were made to park staff and scientists studying water resources in the park as to what the deposit was and did it pose any type of risk. A number of explanations were proposed, but it was not until samples were collected and examined with a scanning electron microscope that the identity of the deposit was definitively determined.

Studying of tritium content in snowpack of Degelen mountain range.

PubMed

Turchenko, D V; Lukashenko, S N; Aidarkhanov, A O; Lyakhova, O N

2014-06-01

The paper presents the results of investigation of tritium content in the layers of snow located in the streambeds of the "Degelen" massif contaminated with tritium. The objects of investigation were selected watercourses Karabulak, Uzynbulak, Aktybai located beyond the "Degelen" site. We studied the spatial distribution of tritium relative to the streambed of watercourses and defined the borders of the snow cover contamination. In the centre of the creek watercourses the snow contamination in the surface layer is as high as 40 000 Bq/L. The values of the background levels of tritium in areas not related to the streambed, which range from 40 to 50 Bq/L. The results of snow cover measurements in different seasonal periods were compared. The main mechanisms causing tritium transfer in snow were examined and identified. The most important mechanism of tritium transfer in the streams is tritium emanation from ice or soil surface. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Design of Remediation Actions for Nutrient Mitigation in the Hyporheic Zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morén, I.; Wörman, A.; Riml, J.

2017-11-01

Although hyporheic exchange has been shown to be of great importance for the overall water quality of streams, it is rarely considered quantitatively in stream remediation projects. A main driver of hyporheic exchange is the hydraulic head fluctuation along the streambed, which can be enhanced by modifications of the streambed topography. Here we present an analytical 2-D spectral subsurface flow model to estimate the hyporheic exchange associated with streambed topographies over a wide range of spatial scales; a model that was validated using tracer-test-results and measurements of hydraulic conductivity. Specifically, engineered steps in the stream were shown to induce a larger hyporheic exchange velocity and shorter hyporheic residence times compared to the observed topography in Tullstorps Brook, Sweden. Hyporheic properties were used to parameterize a longitudinal transport model that accounted for reactions in terms of first-order decay and instantaneous adsorption. Theoretical analyses of the mitigation effect for nitrate due to denitrification in the hyporheic zone show that there is a Damköhler number of the hyporheic zone, associated with several different stream geomorphologies, that optimizes nitrate mass removal on stream reach scale. This optimum can be limited by the available hydraulic head gradient given by the slope of the stream and the geological constraints of the streambed. The model illustrates the complex interactions between design strategies for nutrient mitigation, hyporheic flow patterns, and stream biogeochemistry and highlights the importance to diagnose a stream prior remediation, specifically to evaluate if remediation targets are transport or reaction controlled.

Results of soil, ground-water, surface-water, and streambed-sediment sampling at Air Force Plane 85, Columbus, Ohio, 1996

USGS Publications Warehouse

Parnell, J.M.

1997-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with Aeronautical Systems Center, Environmental Management Directorate, Restoration Division, prepared the Surface- and Ground- Water Monitoring Work Plan for Air Force Plant 85 (AFP 85 or Plant), Columbus, Ohio, under the Air Force Installation Restoration Program to characterize any ground-water, surface-water, and soil contamination that may exist at AFP 85. The USGS began the study in November 1996. The Plant was divided into nine sampling areas, which included some previously investi gated study sites. The investigation activities included the collection and presentation of data taken during drilling and water-quality sampling. Data collection focused on the saturated and unsatur ated zones and surface water. Twenty-three soil borings were completed. Ten monitoring wells (six existing wells and four newly constructed monitoring wells) were selected for water-quality sam pling. Surface-water and streambed-sediment sampling locations were chosen to monitor flow onto and off of the Plant. Seven sites were sampled for both surface-water and streambed-sediment quality. This report presents data on the selected inorganic and organic constituents in soil, ground water, surface water, and streambed sediments at AFP 85. The methods of data collection and anal ysis also are included. Knowledge of the geologic and hydrologic setting could aid Aeronautical Systems Center, Environmental Management Directorate, Restoration Division, and its governing regulatory agencies in future remediation studies.

Exchange of TiO2 nanoparticles between streams and streambeds.

PubMed

Boncagni, Natalia Ticiana; Otaegui, Justo Manuel; Warner, Evelyn; Curran, Trisha; Ren, Jianhong; de Cortalezzi, Maria Marta Fidalgo

2009-10-15

The expanding use of manufactured nanoparticles has increased the potential for their release into the natural environment. Particularly, TiO2 nanoparticles pose significant exposure risk to humans and other living species due to their extensive use in a wide range of fields. To better understand the environmental and health risks associated with the release of TiO2 nanoparticles, knowledge on their fate and transport is needed. This study evaluates the transport of two different TiO2 nanoparticles: one commercially available (P25 TiO2 and the other synthesized at a lab scale (synthesized TiO2). Laboratory flume, column, and batch experiments were conducted to investigate the processes dominating the transport of TiO2 nanoparticles between streams and streambeds and to characterize the properties of these nanoparticles under different physicochemical conditions. Results show that the synthesized TiO2 was more stable compared to the P25 TiO2, which underwent significant aggregation under the same experimental conditions. As a result, P25 TiO2 deposited at a faster rate than the synthesized TiO2 in the streambed. Both types of TiO2 nanoparticles deposited in the streambed were easily released when the stream velocity was increased. The aggregation and deposition of P25 TiO2 were highly dependent on pH. A process-based colloid exchange model was applied to interpret the observed transport behavior of the TiO2 nanoparticles.

Spatial patterns of streambed morphology around woody debris: flume experiments and field observations on the effects of woody debris on streambed morphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leung, V.; Montgomery, D. R.

2010-12-01

The interactions between woody debris, fluid flow and sediment transport in rivers play a fundamental role in ecogeomorphology, affecting channel roughness, streambed morphology, and sediment transport and storage. In particular, woody debris increases the hydraulic and topographic complexity in rivers, leading to a greater diversity of aquatic habitats and an increase in the number of large pools that are important fish habitat and breeding grounds. In the past decade, engineered logjams have become an increasingly used tool in river management for simultaneously decreasing the rate of riverbank migration and improving aquatic habitat. Sediment deposits around woody debris build up riverbanks and counteract bank migration caused by erosion. Previous experiments of flow visualization around model woody debris suggest the amount of sediment scour and deposition are primarily related to the presence of roots and the obstructional area of the woody debris. We present the results of field surveys and sediment transport experiments of streambed morphology around stationary woody debris on a mobile bed. These experiments test the effects of root presence, root geometry and log orientation of individual stationary trees on streambed morphology. The flume contains a deformable sediment bed of medium sand, and has subcritical and turbulent flow, corresponding to flow conditions found in nature. Field surveys on the Hoh River, WA, measure the local streambed morphology around woody debris (e.g. pool and gravel-bar length, width and depth), as well as woody debris characteristics (e.g. tree diameter, tree length, root diameter and root depth). We quantified the amount of local sediment scour and deposition around woody debris of varying sizes, geometries and orientations relative to flow. We find that: 1) the presence of roots on woody debris leads to greater areas of both sediment scour and deposition; and 2) the amount of sediment scour and deposition are related to the root cross-sectional area, oriented orthogonal to flow. Sediment transport around woody debris is episodic and occurs during flood events, making it difficult to take active measurements. A combined methodology of flume experiments and fieldwork allows for a general understanding of sediment transport around woody debris that includes the complexities of natural systems. A better understanding of the underlying sediment physics and hydraulics around naturally occurring woody debris in rivers can provide guidance and criteria for use in river restoration and engineering as well as scientific insights into a complex interdisciplinary problem.

Assimilation of temperature and hydraulic gradients for quantifying the spatial variability of streambed hydraulics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Xiang; Andrews, Charles B.; Liu, Jie; Yao, Yingying; Liu, Chuankun; Tyler, Scott W.; Selker, John S.; Zheng, Chunmiao

2016-08-01

Understanding the spatial and temporal characteristics of water flux into or out of shallow aquifers is imperative for water resources management and eco-environmental conservation. In this study, the spatial variability in the vertical specific fluxes and hydraulic conductivities in a streambed were evaluated by integrating distributed temperature sensing (DTS) data and vertical hydraulic gradients into an ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) and smoother (EnKS) and an empirical thermal-mixing model. The formulation of the EnKF/EnKS assimilation scheme is based on a discretized 1D advection-conduction equation of heat transfer in the streambed. We first systematically tested a synthetic case and performed quantitative and statistical analyses to evaluate the performance of the assimilation schemes. Then a real-world case was evaluated to calculate assimilated specific flux. An initial estimate of the spatial distributions of the vertical hydraulic gradients was obtained from an empirical thermal-mixing model under steady-state conditions using a constant vertical hydraulic conductivity. Then, this initial estimate was updated by repeatedly dividing the assimilated specific flux by estimates of the vertical hydraulic gradients to obtain a refined spatial distribution of vertical hydraulic gradients and vertical hydraulic conductivities. Our results indicate that optimal parameters can be derived with fewer iterations but greater simulation effort using the EnKS compared with the EnKF. For the field application in a stream segment of the Heihe River Basin in northwest China, the average vertical hydraulic conductivities in the streambed varied over three orders of magnitude (5 × 10-1 to 5 × 102 m/d). The specific fluxes ranged from near zero (qz < ±0.05 m/d) to ±1.0 m/d, while the vertical hydraulic gradients were within the range of -0.2 to 0.15 m/m. The highest and most variable fluxes occurred adjacent to a debris-dam and bridge pier. This phenomenon is very likely the result of heterogeneous streambed hydraulic characteristics in these areas. Our results have significant implications for hyporheic micro-habitats, fish spawning and other wildlife incubation, regional flow and hyporheic solute transport models in the Heihe River Basin, as well as in other similar hydrologic settings.

Field and flume investigations of the effects of logjams and woody debris on streambed morphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leung, V.; Montgomery, D. R.; McHenry, M. L.

2014-12-01

Interactions among wood debris, fluid flow and sediment transport in rivers are first-order controls on channel morphodynamics, affecting streambed morphology, sediment transport, sediment storage and aquatic habitat. Woody debris increases the hydraulic and topographic complexity in rivers, leading to a greater diversity of aquatic habitats and an increase in the number of large pools that are important fish habitat and breeding grounds. In the past decade, engineered logjams have become an increasingly used tool in river management for simultaneously decreasing the rate of riverbank migration and improving aquatic habitat. Sediment deposits around woody debris build up riverbanks and counteract bank migration caused by erosion. Previous experiments on flow visualization around model woody debris suggest the amount of sediment scour and deposition are primarily related to the presence of roots and the obstructional area of the woody debris. We present the results of fieldwork and sediment transport experiments of streambed morphology around stationary woody debris. Field surveys on the Hoh River and the Elwha River, WA, measure the local streambed morphology around logjams and individual pieces of woody debris. We quantified the amount of local scour and dam-removal related fine sediment deposition around natural and engineered logjams of varying sizes and construction styles, located in different geomorphic settings. We also quantified the amount of local scour around individual pieces of woody debris of varying sizes, geometries and orientations relative to flow. The flume experiments tested the effects of root geometry and log orientation of individual stationary trees on streambed morphology. The flume contained a deformable sediment bed of medium sand. We find that: 1) the presence of roots on woody debris leads to greater areas of both sediment scour and deposition; and 2) the amount of sediment scour and deposition are related to the wood debris cross-sectional area, oriented orthogonal to flow. A better understanding of the underlying sediment physics and hydraulics around naturally occurring woody debris in rivers can provide guidance and criteria for use in river restoration and engineering as well as scientific insights into a complex interdisciplinary problem.

Combined point and distributed techniques for multidimensional estimation of spatial groundwater-stream water exchange in a heterogeneous sand bed-stream.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaona Garcia, J.; Lewandowski, J.; Bellin, A.

2017-12-01

Groundwater-stream water interactions in rivers determine water balances, but also chemical and biological processes in the streambed at different spatial and temporal scales. Due to the difficult identification and quantification of gaining, neutral and losing conditions, it is necessary to combine techniques with complementary capabilities and scale ranges. We applied this concept to a study site at the River Schlaube, East Brandenburg-Germany, a sand bed stream with intense sediment heterogeneity and complex environmental conditions. In our approach, point techniques such as temperature profiles of the streambed together with vertical hydraulic gradients provide data for the estimation of fluxes between groundwater and surface water with the numerical model 1DTempPro. On behalf of distributed techniques, fiber optic distributed temperature sensing identifies the spatial patterns of neutral, down- and up-welling areas by analysis of the changes in the thermal patterns at the streambed interface under certain flow. The study finally links point and surface temperatures to provide a method for upscaling of fluxes. Point techniques provide point flux estimates with essential depth detail to infer streambed structures while the results hardly represent the spatial distribution of fluxes caused by the heterogeneity of streambed properties. Fiber optics proved capable of providing spatial thermal patterns with enough resolution to observe distinct hyporheic thermal footprints at multiple scales. The relation of thermal footprint patterns and temporal behavior with flux results from point techniques enabled the use of methods for spatial flux estimates. The lack of detailed information of the physical driver's spatial distribution restricts the spatial flux estimation to the application of the T-proxy method, whose highly uncertain results mainly provide coarse spatial flux estimates. The study concludes that the upscaling of groundwater-stream water interactions using thermal measurements with combined point and distributed techniques requires the integration of physical drivers because of the heterogeneity of the flux patterns. Combined experimental and modeling approaches may help to obtain more reliable understanding of groundwater-surface water interactions at multiple scales.

Mining-Related Sediment and Soil Contamination in a Large Superfund Site: Characterization, Habitat Implications, and Remediation.

PubMed

Juracek, K E; Drake, K D

2016-10-01

Historical mining activity (1850-1970) in the now inactive Tri-State Mining District provided an ongoing source of lead and zinc to the environment including the US Environmental Protection Agency Superfund site located in Cherokee County, southeast Kansas, USA. The resultant contamination adversely affected biota and caused human health problems and risks. Remediation in the Superfund site requires an understanding of the magnitude and extent of contamination. To provide some of the required information, a series of sediment and soil investigations were conducted in and near the Superfund site to characterize lead and zinc contamination in the aquatic and floodplain environments along the main-stem Spring River and its major tributaries. In the Superfund site, the most pronounced lead and zinc contamination, with concentrations that far exceed sediment quality guidelines associated with potential adverse biological effects, was measured for streambed sediments and floodplain soils located within or downstream from the most intensive mining-affected areas. Tributary streambeds and floodplains in affected areas are heavily contaminated with some sites having lead and zinc concentrations that are an order of magnitude (or more) greater than the sediment quality guidelines. For the main-stem Spring River, the streambed is contaminated but the floodplain is mostly uncontaminated. Measured lead and zinc concentrations in streambed sediments, lakebed sediments, and floodplain soils documented a persistence of the post-mining contamination on a decadal timescale. These results provide a basis for the prioritization, development, and implementation of plans to remediate contamination in the affected aquatic and floodplain environments within the Superfund site.

Mining-Related Sediment and Soil Contamination in a Large Superfund Site: Characterization, Habitat Implications, and Remediation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juracek, K. E.; Drake, K. D.

2016-10-01

Historical mining activity (1850-1970) in the now inactive Tri-State Mining District provided an ongoing source of lead and zinc to the environment including the US Environmental Protection Agency Superfund site located in Cherokee County, southeast Kansas, USA. The resultant contamination adversely affected biota and caused human health problems and risks. Remediation in the Superfund site requires an understanding of the magnitude and extent of contamination. To provide some of the required information, a series of sediment and soil investigations were conducted in and near the Superfund site to characterize lead and zinc contamination in the aquatic and floodplain environments along the main-stem Spring River and its major tributaries. In the Superfund site, the most pronounced lead and zinc contamination, with concentrations that far exceed sediment quality guidelines associated with potential adverse biological effects, was measured for streambed sediments and floodplain soils located within or downstream from the most intensive mining-affected areas. Tributary streambeds and floodplains in affected areas are heavily contaminated with some sites having lead and zinc concentrations that are an order of magnitude (or more) greater than the sediment quality guidelines. For the main-stem Spring River, the streambed is contaminated but the floodplain is mostly uncontaminated. Measured lead and zinc concentrations in streambed sediments, lakebed sediments, and floodplain soils documented a persistence of the post-mining contamination on a decadal timescale. These results provide a basis for the prioritization, development, and implementation of plans to remediate contamination in the affected aquatic and floodplain environments within the Superfund site.

Characterising the dynamics of surface water-groundwater interactions in intermittent and ephemeral streams using streambed thermal signatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rau, Gabriel C.; Halloran, Landon J. S.; Cuthbert, Mark O.; Andersen, Martin S.; Acworth, R. Ian; Tellam, John H.

2017-09-01

Ephemeral and intermittent flow in dryland stream channels infiltrates into sediments, replenishes groundwater resources and underpins riparian ecosystems. However, the spatiotemporal complexity of the transitory flow processes that occur beneath such stream channels are poorly observed and understood. We develop a new approach to characterise the dynamics of surface water-groundwater interactions in dryland streams using pairs of temperature records measured at different depths within the streambed. The approach exploits the fact that the downward propagation of the diel temperature fluctuation from the surface depends on the sediment thermal diffusivity. This is controlled by time-varying fractions of air and water contained in streambed sediments causing a contrast in thermal properties. We demonstrate the usefulness of this method with multi-level temperature and pressure records of a flow event acquired using 12 streambed arrays deployed along a ∼ 12 km dryland channel section. Thermal signatures clearly indicate the presence of water and characterise the vertical flow component as well as the occurrence of horizontal hyporheic flow. We jointly interpret thermal signatures as well as surface and groundwater levels to distinguish four different hydrological regimes: [A] dry channel, [B] surface run-off, [C] pool-riffle sequence, and [D] isolated pools. The occurrence and duration of the regimes depends on the rate at which the infiltrated water redistributes in the subsurface which, in turn, is controlled by the hydraulic properties of the variably saturated sediment. Our results have significant implications for understanding how transitory flows recharge alluvial sediments, influence water quality and underpin dryland ecosystems.

Heat tracing to determine spatial patterns of hyporheic exchange across a river transect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Chengpeng; Chen, Shuai; Zhang, Ying; Su, Xiaoru; Chen, Guohao

2017-09-01

Significant spatial variability of water fluxes may exist at the water-sediment interface in river channels and has great influence on a variety of water issues. Understanding the complicated flow systems controlling the flux exchanges along an entire river is often limited due to averaging of parameters or the small number of discrete point measurements usually used. This study investigated the spatial pattern of the hyporheic flux exchange across a river transect in China, using the heat tracing approach. This was done with measurements of temperature at high spatial resolution during a 64-h monitoring period and using the data to identify the spatial pattern of the hyporheic exchange flux with the aid of a one-dimensional conduction-advection-dispersion model (VFLUX). The threshold of neutral exchange was considered as 126 L m-2 d-1 in this study and the heat tracing results showed that the change patterns of vertical hyporheic flux varied with buried depth along the river transect; however, the hyporheic flux was not simply controlled by the streambed hydraulic conductivity and water depth in the river transect. Also, lateral flow dominated the hyporheic process within the shallow high-permeability streambed, while the vertical flow was dominant in the deep low-permeability streambed. The spatial pattern of hyporheic exchange across the river transect was naturally controlled by the heterogeneity of the streambed and the bedform of the stream cross-section. Consequently, a two-dimensional conceptual illustration of the hyporheic process across the river transect is proposed, which could be applicable to river transects of similar conditions.

Inorganic chemistry of water and bed sediment in selected tributaries of the south Umpqua River, Oregon, 1998

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hinkle, Stephen R.

1999-01-01

Ten sites on small South Umpqua River tributaries were sampled for inorganic constituents in water and streambed sediment. In aqueous samples, high concentrations (concentrations exceeding U.S. Environmental Protection Agency criterion continuous concentration for the protection of aquatic life) of zinc, copper, and cadmium were detected in Middle Creek at Silver Butte, and the concentration of zinc was high at Middle Creek near Riddle. Similar patterns of trace-element occurrence were observed in streambed-sediment samples.The dissolved aqueous load of zinc carried by Middle Creek along the stretch between the upper site (Middle Creek at Silver Butte) and the lower site (Middle Creek near Riddle) decreased by about 0.3 pounds per day. Removal of zinc from solution between the upper and lower sites on Middle Creek evidently was occurring at the time of sampling. However, zinc that leaves the aqueous phase is not necessarily permanently lost from solution. For example, zinc solubility is pH-dependent, and a shift between solid and aqueous phases towards release of zinc to solution in Middle Creek could occur with a perturbation in stream-water pH. Thus, at least two potentially significant sources of zinc may exist in Middle Creek: (1) the upstream source(s) producing the observed high aqueous zinc concentrations and (2) the streambed sediment itself (zinc-bearing solid phases and/or adsorbed zinc). Similar behavior may be exhibited by copper and cadmium because these trace elements also were present at high concentrations in streambed sediment in the Middle Creek Basin.

Response of benthic invertebrate assemblages to metal exposure and bioaccumulation associated with hard-rock mining in northwestern streams, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Maret, T.R.; Cain, D.J.; MacCoy, D.E.; Short, T.M.

2003-01-01

Benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages, environmental variables, and associated mine density were evaluated during the summer of 2000 at 18 reference and test sites in the Coeur d'Alene and St. Regis River basins, northwestern USA as part of the US Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program. Concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Zn in water and (or) streambed sediment at test sites in basins where production mine density was ???0.2 mines/km2 (in a 500-m stream buffer) were significantly higher than concentrations at reference sites. Zn and Pb were identified as the primary contaminants in water and streambed sediment, respectively. These metal concentrations often exceeded acute Ambient Water Quality Criteria for aquatic life and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Probable Effect Level for streambed sediment. Regression analysis identified significant correlations between production mine density in each basin and Zn concentrations in water and Pb in streambed sediment (r2 = 0.69 and 0.65, p < 0.01). Metal concentrations in caddisfly tissue, used to verify site-specific exposures of benthos, also were highest at sites downstream from intensive mining. Benthic invertebrate taxa richness and densities were lower at sites downstream than upstream of areas of intensive hard-rock mining and associated metal enrichment. Benthic invertebrate metrics that were most effective in discriminating changes in assemblage structure between reference and mining sites were total number of taxa, number of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) taxa, and densities of total individuals, EPT individuals, and metal-sensitive Ephemeroptera individuals.

Temporal dynamics of groundwater-dissolved inorganic carbon beneath a drought-affected braided stream: Platte River case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boerner, Audrey R.; Gates, John B.

2015-05-01

Impacts of environmental changes on groundwater carbon cycling are poorly understood despite their potentially high relevance to terrestrial carbon budgets. This study focuses on streambed groundwater chemistry during a period of drought-induced river drying and consequent disconnection between surface water and groundwater. Shallow groundwater underlying vegetated and bare portions of a braided streambed in the Platte River (Nebraska, USA) was monitored during drought conditions in summer 2012. Water temperature and dissolved inorganic carbon (dominated by HCO3-) in streambed groundwater were correlated over a 3 month period coinciding with a decline in river discharge from 35 to 0 m3 s-1. Physical, chemical, and isotopic parameters were monitored to investigate mechanisms affecting the HCO3- trend. Equilibrium thermodynamic modeling suggests that an increase of pCO2 near the water table, coupled with carbonate mineral weathering, can explain the trend. Stronger temporal trends in Ca2+ and Mg2+ compared to Cl- are consistent with carbonate mineral reequilibria rather than evaporative concentration as the primary mechanism of the increased HCO3-. Stable isotope trends are not apparent, providing further evidence of thermodynamic controls rather than evaporation from the water table. A combination of increased temperature and O2 in the dewatered portion of the streambed is the most likely driver of increased pCO2 near the water table. Results of this study highlight potential linkages between surface environmental changes and groundwater chemistry and underscore the need for high-resolution chemical monitoring of alluvial groundwater in order to identify environmental change impacts.

Arsenic in sediments, groundwater, and streamwater of a glauconitic Coastal Plain terrain, New Jersey, USA-Chemical " fingerprints" for geogenic and anthropogenic sources

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barringer, J.L.; Reilly, P.A.; Eberl, D.D.; Blum, A.E.; Bonin, J.L.; Rosman, R.; Hirst, B.; Alebus, M.; Cenno, K.; Gorska, M.

2011-01-01

Glauconite-bearing deposits are found worldwide, but As levels have been determined for relatively few. The As content of glauconites in sediments of the Inner Coastal Plain of New Jersey can exceed 100mg/kg, and total As concentrations (up to 5.95??g/L) found historically and recently in streamwaters exceed the State standard. In a major watershed of the Inner Coastal Plain, chemical " fingerprints" were developed for streambed sediments and groundwater to identify contributions of As to the watershed from geologic and anthropogenic sources. The fingerprint for streambed sediments, which included Be, Cr, Fe and V, indicated that As was predominantly of geologic origin. High concentrations of dissolved organic C, nutrients (and Cl-) in shallow groundwater indicated anthropogenic inputs that provided an environment where microbial activity released As from minerals to groundwater discharging to the stream. Particulates in streamwater during high flow constituted most of the As load; the chemical patterns for these particulates resembled the geologic fingerprint of the streambed sediments. The As/Cr ratio of these suspended particles likely indicates they derived not only from runoff, but from groundwater inputs, because As contributed by groundwater is sequestered on streambed sediments. Agricultural inputs of As were not clearly identified, although chemical characteristics of some sediments indicated vehicle-related inputs of metals. Sediment sampling during dry and wet years showed that, under differing hydrologic conditions, local anthropogenic fingerprints could be obscured but the geologic fingerprint, indicating glauconitic sediments as an As source, was robust. ?? 2011.

Mining-related sediment and soil contamination in a large Superfund site: Characterization, habitat implications, and remediation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Juracek, Kyle E.; Drake, K. D.

2016-01-01

Historical mining activity (1850–1970) in the now inactive Tri-State Mining District provided an ongoing source of lead and zinc to the environment including the US Environmental Protection Agency Superfund site located in Cherokee County, southeast Kansas, USA. The resultant contamination adversely affected biota and caused human health problems and risks. Remediation in the Superfund site requires an understanding of the magnitude and extent of contamination. To provide some of the required information, a series of sediment and soil investigations were conducted in and near the Superfund site to characterize lead and zinc contamination in the aquatic and floodplain environments along the main-stem Spring River and its major tributaries. In the Superfund site, the most pronounced lead and zinc contamination, with concentrations that far exceed sediment quality guidelines associated with potential adverse biological effects, was measured for streambed sediments and floodplain soils located within or downstream from the most intensive mining-affected areas. Tributary streambeds and floodplains in affected areas are heavily contaminated with some sites having lead and zinc concentrations that are an order of magnitude (or more) greater than the sediment quality guidelines. For the main-stem Spring River, the streambed is contaminated but the floodplain is mostly uncontaminated. Measured lead and zinc concentrations in streambed sediments, lakebed sediments, and floodplain soils documented a persistence of the post-mining contamination on a decadal timescale. These results provide a basis for the prioritization, development, and implementation of plans to remediate contamination in the affected aquatic and floodplain environments within the Superfund site.

Application of new point measurement device to quantify groundwater-surface water interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cremeans, M. M.; Devlin, J. F.; McKnight, U. S.; Bjerg, P. L.

2018-04-01

The streambed point velocity probe (SBPVP) measures in situ groundwater velocities at the groundwater-surface water interface without reliance on hydraulic conductivity, porosity, or hydraulic gradient information. The tool operates on the basis of a mini-tracer test that occurs on the probe surface. The SBPVP was used in a meander of the Grindsted Å (stream), Denmark, to determine the distribution of flow through the streambed. These data were used to calculate the contaminant mass discharge of chlorinated ethenes into the stream. SBPVP data were compared with velocities estimated from hydraulic head and temperature gradient data collected at similar scales. Spatial relationships of water flow through the streambed were found to be similar by all three methods, and indicated a heterogeneous pattern of groundwater-surface water exchange. The magnitudes of estimated flow varied to a greater degree. It was found that pollutants enter the stream in localized regions of high flow which do not always correspond to the locations of highest pollutant concentration. The results show the combined influence of flow and concentration on contaminant discharge and illustrate the advantages of adopting a flux-based approach to risk assessment at the groundwater-surface water interface. Chlorinated ethene mass discharges, expressed in PCE equivalents, were determined to be up to 444 kg/yr (with SBPVP data) which compared well with independent estimates of mass discharge up to 438 kg/yr (with mini-piezometer data from the streambed) and up to 372 kg/yr crossing a control plane on the streambank (as determined in a previous, independent study).

Analysis of temperature profiles for investigating stream losses beneath ephemeral channels

USGS Publications Warehouse

Constantz, Jim; Stewart, Amy E.; Niswonger, Richard G.; Sarma, Lisa

2002-01-01

Continuous estimates of streamflow are challenging in ephemeral channels. The extremely transient nature of ephemeral streamflows results in shifting channel geometry and degradation in the calibration of streamflow stations. Earlier work suggests that analysis of streambed temperature profiles is a promising technique for estimating streamflow patterns in ephemeral channels. The present work provides a detailed examination of the basis for using heat as a tracer of stream/groundwater exchanges, followed by a description of an appropriate heat and water transport simulation code for ephemeral channels, as well as discussion of several types of temperature analysis techniques to determine streambed percolation rates. Temperature‐based percolation rates for three ephemeral stream sites are compared with available surface water estimates of channel loss for these sites. These results are combined with published results to develop conclusions regarding the accuracy of using vertical temperature profiles in estimating channel losses. Comparisons of temperature‐based streambed percolation rates with surface water‐based channel losses indicate that percolation rates represented 30% to 50% of the total channel loss. The difference is reasonable since channel losses include both vertical and nonvertical component of channel loss as well as potential evapotranspiration losses. The most significant advantage of the use of sediment‐temperature profiles is their robust and continuous nature, leading to a long‐term record of the timing and duration of channel losses and continuous estimates of streambed percolation. The primary disadvantage is that temperature profiles represent the continuous percolation rate at a single point in an ephemeral channel rather than an average seepage loss from the entire channel.

Chemical data and lead isotopic compositions of geochemical baseline samples from streambed sediments and smelter slag, lead isotopic compositions in fluvial tailings, and dendrochronology results from the Boulder River watershed, Jefferson County, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Unruh, Daniel M.; Fey, David L.; Church, Stan E.

2000-01-01

IntroductionAs a part of the U.S. Geological Survey Abandoned Mine Lands Initiative, metal-mining related wastes in the Boulder River study area in northern Jefferson County, Montana, have been evaluated for their environmental effects. The study area includes a 24-km segment of the Boulder River in and around Basin, Montana and three principal tributaries to the Boulder River: Basin Creek, Cataract Creek, and High Ore Creek. Mine and prospect waste dumps and mill wastes are located throughout the drainage basins of these tributaries and in the Boulder River. Mine-waste material has been transported into and down streams, where it has mixed with and become incorporated into the streambed sediments. In some localities, mine waste material was placed directly in stream channels and was transported downstream forming fluvial tailings deposits along the stream banks. Water quality and aquatic habitat have been affected by trace-element-contaminated sediment that moves from mine wastes into and down streams during snowmelt and storm runoff events within the Boulder River watershed.Present-day trace element concentrations in the streambed sediments and fluvial tailings have been extensively studied. However, in order to accurately evaluate the impact of mining on the stream environments, it is also necessary to evaluate the pre-mining trace-element concentrations in the streambed sediments. Three types of samples have been collected for estimation of pre-mining concentrations: 1) streambed sediment samples from the Boulder River and its tributaries located upstream from historical mining activity, 2) stream terrace deposits located both upstream and downstream of the major tributaries along the Boulder River, and 3) cores through sediment in overbank deposits, in abandoned stream channels, or beneath fluvial tailings deposits. In this report, we present geochemical data for six stream-terrace samples and twelve sediment-core samples and lead isotopic data for six terrace and thirteen core samples. Sample localities are in table 1 and figures 1 and 2, and site and sample descriptions are in table 2.Geochemical data have been presented for cores through fluvial tailings on High Ore Creek, on upper Basin Creek, and on Jack Creek and Uncle Sam Gulch. Geochemical and lead isotopic data for modern streambed-sediment samples have been presented by Fey and others.Lead isotopic determinations in bed sediments have been shown to be an effective tool for evaluating the contributions from various sources to the metals in bed sediments. However, in order to make these calculations, the lead isotopic compositions of the contaminant sources must also be known. Consequently, we have determined the lead isotopic compositions of five streambed-sediment samples heavily contaminated with fluvial mine waste immediately downstream from large mines in the Boulder River watershed in order to determine the lead isotopic signatures of the contaminants. Summary geochemical data for the contaminants are presented here and geochemical data for the streambed-sediment samples are given by Fey and others.Downstream from the Katie mill site and Jib tailings, fluvial deposits of mill tailings are present on a 10-m by 50-m bar in the Boulder River below the confluence with Basin Creek. The source of these tailings is not known, but fluvial tailings are also present immediately downstream from the Katie mill site, which is immediately upstream from the confluence with Basin Creek. Nine cores of fluvial tailings from this bar were analyzed.Dendrochronology samples were taken at several stream terrace localities to provide age control on the stream terrace deposits. Trees growing on the surfaces of stream terraces provide a minimum age for the terrace deposits, although floods subsequent to the trees' growth could have deposited post-mining overbank deposits around the trees. Historical data were also used to provide estimates of minimum ages of cultural features and to bracket the age of events.

Fluvial sediments a summary of source, transportation, deposition, and measurement of sediment discharge

USGS Publications Warehouse

Colby, B.R.

1963-01-01

This paper presents a broad but undetailed picture of fluvial sediments in streams, reservoirs, and lakes and includes a discussion of the processes involved in the movement of sediment by flowing water. Sediment is fragmental material that originates from the chemical or physical disintegration of rocks. The disintegration products may have many different shapes and may range in size from large boulders to colloidal particles. In general, they retain about the same mineral composition as the parent rocks. Rock fragments become fluvial sediment when they are entrained in a stream of water. The entrainment may occur as sheet erosion from land surfaces, particularly for the fine particles, or as channel erosion after the surface runoff has accumulated in streams. Fluvial sediments move in streams as bedload (particles moving within a few particle diameters of the streambed) or as suspended sediment in the turbulent flow. The discharge of bedload varies with several factors, which may include particle size and a type of effective shear on the surface of the streambed. The discharge of suspended sediment depends partly on concentration of moving sediment near the streambed and hence on discharge of bedload. However, the concentration of fine sediment near the streambed varies widely, even for equal flows, and, therefore, the discharge of fine sediment normally cannot be computed theoretically. The discharge of suspended sediment also depends on velocity, turbulence, depth of flow, and fall velocity of the particles. In general, the coarse sediment transported by a stream moves intermittently and is discharged at a rate that depends on properties of the flow and of the sediment. If an ample supply of coarse sediment is available at the surface of the streambed, the discharge of the coarse sediment, such as sand, can be roughly computed from properties of the available sediment and of the flow. On the other hand, much of the fine sediment in a stream usually moves nearly continuously at about the velocity of the flow, and even low flows can transport large amounts of fine sediment. Hence, the discharge of fine sediments, being largely dependent on the availability of fine sediment upstream rather than on the properties of the sediment and of the flow at a cross section, can seldom be computed from properties, other than concentrations based directly on samples, that can be observed at the cross section. Sediment particles continually change their positions in the flow; some fall to the streambed, and others are removed from the bed. Sediment deposits form locally or over large areas if the volume rate at which particles settle to the bed exceeds the volume rate at which particles are removed from the bed. In general, large particles are deposited more readily than small particles, whether the point of deposition is behind a rock, on a flood plain, within a stream channel, or at the entrance to a reservoir, a lake, or the ocean. Most samplers used for sediment observations collect a water-sediment mixture from the water surface to within a few tenths of a foot of the streambed. They thus sample most of the suspended sediment, especially if the flow is deep or if the sediment is mostly fine; but they exclude the bedload and some of the suspended sediment in a layer near the streambed where the suspended-sediment concentrations are highest. Measured sediment discharges are usually based on concentrations that are averages of several individual sediment samples for a cross section. If enough average concentrations for a cross section have been determined, the measured sediment discharge can be computed by interpolating sediment concentrations between sampling times. If only occasional samples were collected, an average relation between sediment discharge and flow can be used with a flow-duration curve to compute roughly the average or the total sediment discharges for any periods of time for which the flow-duration c

Occurrence of Selected Nutrients, Trace Elements, and Organic Compounds in Streambed Sediment in the Lower Chena River Watershed near Fairbanks, Alaska, 2002-03

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kennedy, Ben W.; Hall, Cassidee C.

2009-01-01

In 2002-03, the U.S. Geological Survey collected samples of streambed sediment at 18 sites in the lower Chena River watershed for analysis of selected nutrients, traces elements, and organic compounds. The purpose of the project was to provide Federal, State, and local agencies as well as neighborhood committees, with information for consideration in plans to improve environmental conditions in the watershed. The exploratory sampling program included analysis of streambed sediment from the Chena River and Chena Slough, a tributary to the Chena River. Results were compared to streambed-sediment guidelines for the protection of aquatic life and to 2001-02 sediment data from Noyes Slough, a side channel of the lower Chena River. The median total phosphorus concentration in Chena Slough sediment samples, 680 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg), was two orders of magnitude greater than median total phosphorus concentration in Chena River sediment samples of 5.2 mg/kg. Median concentrations of chloride and sulfate also were greater in Chena Slough samples. Low concentrations of nitrate were detected in most of the Chena Slough samples; nitrate concentrations were below method reporting limits or not detected in Chena River sediment samples. Streambed-sediment samples were analyzed for 24 trace elements. Arsenic, nickel, and zinc were the only trace elements detected in concentrations that exceeded probable-effect levels for the protection of aquatic life. Concentrations of arsenic in Chena Slough samples ranged from 11 to 70 mg/kg and concentrations in most of the samples exceeded the probable-effect guideline for arsenic of 17 mg/kg. Arsenic concentrations in samples from the Chena River ranged from 9 to 12 mg/kg. The background level for arsenic in the lower Chena River watershed is naturally elevated because of significant concentrations of arsenic in local bedrock and ground water. Sources of elevated concentrations of zinc in one sample, and of nickel in two samples, are unknown. With the exception of elevated arsenic levels in samples from Chena Slough, the occurrence and concentration of trace elements in the streambed sediments of Chena Slough and Chena River were similar to those in Noyes Slough sediment. Sediment samples were analyzed for 78 semivolatile organic compounds and 32 organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Low concentrations of dimethylnaphthalene and p-Cresol were detected in most Chena Slough and Chena River sediment samples. The number of semivolatile organic compounds detected ranged from 5 to 21 in most Chena Slough sediment samples. In contrast, three or fewer semivolatile organic compounds were detected in Chena River sediment samples, most likely because chemical-matrix interference resulted in elevated reporting limits for organochlorine compounds in the Chena River samples. Low concentrations of fluoranthene, pyrene, and phenanthrene were detected in Chena Slough sediment. Relatively low concentrations of DDT or its degradation products, DDD and DDE, were detected in all Chena Slough samples. Concentrations of total DDT (DDT+DDD+DDE) in two Chena Slough sediment samples exceeded the effectsrange median aquatic-life criteria of 46.1 micrograms per kilogram (ug/kg). DDT concentrations in Chena River streambed-sediment samples were less than 20 ug/kg. Low concentrations of PCB were detected in two Chena Slough streambed-sediment samples. None of the concentrations of the polychlorinated biphenyls or semivolatile organic compounds for which the samples were analyzed exceeded available guidelines for the protection of aquatic life. With the exception of elevated total DDT in two Chena Slough samples, the occurrence and concentration of organochlorine compounds in Chena Slough and Chena River sediment were similar to those in samples collected from Noyes Slough in 2001-02.

Bed-material entrainment potential, Roaring Fork River at Basalt, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Elliott, John G.

2002-01-01

The Roaring Fork River at Basalt, Colorado, has a frequently mobile streambed composed of gravel, cobbles, and boulders. Recent urban and highway development on the flood plain, earlier attempts to realign and confine the channel, and flow obstructions such as bridge openings and piers have altered the hydrology, hydraulics, sediment transport, and sediment deposition areas of the Roaring Fork. Entrainment and deposition of coarse sediment on the streambed and in large alluvial bars have reduced the flood-conveying capacity of the river. Previous engineering studies have identified flood-prone areas and hazards related to inundation and high streamflow velocity, but those studies have not evaluated the potential response of the channel to discharges that entrain the coarse streambed. This study builds upon the results of earlier flood studies and identifies some potential areas of concern associated with bed-material entrainment. Cross-section surveys and simulated water-surface elevations from a previously run HEC?RAS model were used to calculate the boundary shear stress on the mean streambed, in the thalweg, and on the tops of adjacent alluvial bars for four reference streamflows. Sediment-size characteristics were determined for surficial material on the streambed, on large alluvial bars, and on a streambank. The median particle size (d50) for the streambed samples was 165 millimeters and for the alluvial bars and bank samples was 107 millimeters. Shear stresses generated by the 10-, 50-, and 100-year floods, and by a more common flow that just inundated most of the alluvial bars in the study reach were calculated at 14 of the cross sections used in the Roaring Fork River HEC?RAS model. The Shields equation was used with a Shields parameter of 0.030 to estimate the critical shear stress for entrainment of the median sediment particle size on the mean streambed, in the thalweg, and on adjacent alluvial bar surfaces at the 14 cross sections. Sediment-entrainment potential for a specific geomorphic surface was expressed as the ratio of the flood-generated boundary shear stress to the critical shear stress (to/tc) with respect to two threshold conditions. The partial entrainment threshold (to/tc=1) is the condition where the mean boundary shear stress (to) equals the critical shear stress for the median particle size (tc) at that cross section. At this threshold discharge, the d50 particle size becomes entrained, but movement of d50-size particles may be limited to a few individual particles or in a small area of the streambed surface. The complete entrainment threshold (to/tc=2) is the condition where to is twice the critical shear stress for the median particle size, the condition where complete or widespread mobilization of the d50 particle-size fraction is anticipated. Entrainment potential for a specific reference streamflow varied greatly in the downstream direction. At some cross sections, the bed or bar material was mobile, whereas at other cross sections, the bed or bar material was immobile for the same discharge. The significance of downstream variability is that sediment entrained at one cross section may be transported into, but not through, a cross section farther downstream, a situation resulting in sediment deposition and possibly progressive aggradation and loss of channel conveyance. Little or no sediment in the d50-size range is likely to be entrained or transported through much of the study reach by the bar-inundating streamflow. However, the entrainment potential at this discharge increases abruptly to more than twice the critical value, then decreases abruptly, at a series of cross sections located downstream from the Emma and Midland Avenue Bridges. Median particle-size sediment is mobile at most cross sections in the study reach during the 10-year flood; however, the bed material is immobile at cross sections just upstream from the Upper Bypass and Midland Avenue Bridges. A similar s

Water-quality assessment of part of the Upper Mississippi River Basin, Minnesota and Wisconsin: Trace elements in streambed sediment and fish livers, 1995-96

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kroening, Sharon E.; Fallon, James D.; Lee, Kathy E.

2000-01-01

In fish livers, all of the trace elements analyzed were detected except antimony, beryllium, cobalt, and uranium. Trace element concentrations in fish livers generally did not show any pronounced patterns. Ranges for concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, selenium, and zinc were similar to those measured in 20 other NAWQA studies across the United States. Cadmium concentrations in fish livers were moderately correlated to fish length and weight. There were no relations between trace element concentrations in fish livers and streambed sediment.

Streambed infiltration and ground-water flow from the trout creek drainage, an intermittent tributary to the Humboldt River, north-central Nevada: Chapter K in Ground-water recharge in the arid and semiarid southwestern United States (Professional Paper 1703)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Prudic, David E.; Niswonger, Richard G.; Harrill, James R.; Wood, James L.; Stonestrom, David A.; Constantz, Jim; Ferré, Ty P.A.; Leake, Stanley A.

2007-01-01

Ground water is abundant in many alluvial basins of the Basin and Range Physiographic Province of the western United States. Water enters these basins by infiltration along intermittent and ephemeral channels, which originate in the mountainous regions before crossing alluvial fans and piedmont alluvial plains. Water also enters the basins as subsurface ground-water flow directly from the mountains, where infiltrated precipitation recharges water-bearing rocks and sediments at these higher elevations. Trout Creek, a typical intermittent stream in the Middle Humboldt River Basin in north-central Nevada, was chosen to develop methods of estimating and characterizing streambed infiltration and ground-water recharge in mountainous terrains. Trout Creek has a drainage area of about 4.8 × 107 square meters. Stream gradients range from more than 1 × 10–1 meter per meter in the mountains to 5 × 10–3 meter per meter at the foot of the piedmont alluvial plain. Trout Creek is perennial in short reaches upstream of a northeast-southwest trending normal fault, where perennial springs discharge to the channel. Downstream from the fault, the water table drops below the base of the channel and the stream becomes intermittent.Snowmelt generates streamflow during March and April, when streamflow extends onto the piedmont alluvial plain for several weeks in most years. Rates of streambed infiltration become highest in the lowest reaches, at the foot of the piedmont alluvial plain. The marked increases in infiltration are attributed to increases in streambed permeability together with decreases in channel-bed armoring, the latter which increases the effective area of the channel. Large quartzite cobbles cover the streambed in the upper reaches of the stream and are absent in the lowest reach. Such changes in channel deposits are common where alluvial fans join piedmont alluvial plains. Poorly sorted coarse and fine sediments are deposited near the head of the fan, while finer-grained but better sorted gravels and sands are deposited near the foot.All flow in Trout Creek is lost to infiltration in the upper and middle reaches of the channel during years of normal to below-normal precipitation. During years of above-normal precipitation, streamflow extends beyond the piedmont alluvial plain to the lower reaches of the channel, where high rates of infiltration result in rapid stream loss. The frequency and duration of streambed infiltration is sufficient to maintain high water contents and low chloride concentrations, compared with interchannel areas, to depths of at least 6 m beneath the channel. Streamflow, streambed infiltration, and unsaturated-zone thickness are all highly variable along intermittent streams, resulting in recharge that is highly variable as well.Average annual ground-water recharge in the mountainous part of the Trout Creek drainage upstream of Marigold Mine was estimated on the basis of chloride balance to be 5.2 × 105 cubic meters. Combined with an average annual surface runoff exiting the mountains of 3.4 × 105cubic meters, the total annual volume of inflow to alluvial-basin sediments from the mountainous part of the Trout Creek is 8.6 × 105 cubic meters, assuming that all runoff infiltrates the stream channel. This equates to about 7 percent of average annual precipitation, which is about the same percentage estimated for ground-water recharge using the original Maxey-Eakin method.

Assessment of pathogen levels in stream water column and bed sediment of Merced River Watershed in California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaddella, V. K.; Pandey, P.; Biswas, S.; Lewis, D. J.

2014-12-01

Mitigating pathogen levels in surface water is crucial for protecting public health. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), approximately 480,000 km of rivers/streams are contaminated in the U.S., and a major cause of contamination is elevated levels of pathogen/pathogen indicator. Many of past studies showed considerably higher pathogen levels in sediment bed than that of the stream water column in rivers. In order to improve the understanding of pathogen levels in rivers in California, we carried out an extensive pathogen monitoring study in four different watersheds (Bear Creek, Ingalsbe, Maxwell, and Yosemite watersheds) of Merced River. Stream water and streambed sediment samples were collected from 17 locations. Pathogen levels (E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp., and Listeria monocytogenes) were enumerated in streambed sediment and water column. In addition, the impacts of heat stress on pathogen survival were assessed by inoculating pathogens into the water and sediment samples for understanding the pathogen survival in stream water column and streambed sediment. The pathogen enumeration (in water column and sediment bed) results indicated that the E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes levels were non-detectable in the water column and streambed sediment. The results of heat stress (50◦ C for 180 minutes) test indicated a pathogen decay at one order of magnitude (108 cfu/ml to 107 cfu/ml). Nonetheless, higher pathogen levels (1.13 × 107 cfu/ml) after the heat stress study showed potential pathogen survival at higher temperature. Preliminary results of this study would help in understanding the impacts of elevated temperature on pathogen in stream environment. Further studies are required to test the long-term heat-stress impacts on pathogen survival.

The relationship between land use and organochlorine compounds in streambed sediment and fish in the Central Columbia Plateau, Washington and Idaho, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Munn, M.D.; Gruber, S.J.

1997-01-01

We analyzeds streambed sediment and fish in the Central Columbia Plateau in eastern Washington and Idaho for or ganochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (ΣPCB). Our objective was to assess the effects of land use on the occurrence and distribution of these compounds; land uses in the study area included forest, dryland and irrigated farming, and urban. We detected 16 organochlorine compounds in streambed sediment and fish tissue; fish usually had more compounds and a greater frequency of detection. The most frequently detected compound was ΣDDT (sum of six isomers), which was found in 52% of bed sediment samples and 94% of whole fish composite samples. The other commonly detected compounds were dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate (DCPA), dieldrin, hexachlorobenzene, and Σchlordane (sum of cis- and trans-chlordane, cis- and trans-nonachlor oxychlordane, heptachlor, and heptachlor epoxide). Forest was the only land use with no detections of organochlorine compounds in either fish or bed sediment. Hexachlorobenzene was the only organochlorine pesticide detected at concentrations that differed significantly among land uses: concentrations were higher in the dryland farming areas than in the irrigated farming or urban areas. In agricultural areas irrigated by surface water, ΣDDT concentrations in both streambed sediment and fish tissue were related to the percentage of land irrigated by water delivered via furrows (gravity irrigation), although ΣDDT was not detectable in bed sediments until gravity irrigation exceeded 30%. Because of the relation between gravity irrigation and soil erosion, our study supports the importance of controlling soil erosion in order to reduce the overall loading of organochlorine compounds to surface waters.

Application of new point measurement device to quantify groundwater-surface water interactions.

PubMed

Cremeans, M M; Devlin, J F; McKnight, U S; Bjerg, P L

2018-04-01

The streambed point velocity probe (SBPVP) measures in situ groundwater velocities at the groundwater-surface water interface without reliance on hydraulic conductivity, porosity, or hydraulic gradient information. The tool operates on the basis of a mini-tracer test that occurs on the probe surface. The SBPVP was used in a meander of the Grindsted Å (stream), Denmark, to determine the distribution of flow through the streambed. These data were used to calculate the contaminant mass discharge of chlorinated ethenes into the stream. SBPVP data were compared with velocities estimated from hydraulic head and temperature gradient data collected at similar scales. Spatial relationships of water flow through the streambed were found to be similar by all three methods, and indicated a heterogeneous pattern of groundwater-surface water exchange. The magnitudes of estimated flow varied to a greater degree. It was found that pollutants enter the stream in localized regions of high flow which do not always correspond to the locations of highest pollutant concentration. The results show the combined influence of flow and concentration on contaminant discharge and illustrate the advantages of adopting a flux-based approach to risk assessment at the groundwater-surface water interface. Chlorinated ethene mass discharges, expressed in PCE equivalents, were determined to be up to 444 kg/yr (with SBPVP data) which compared well with independent estimates of mass discharge up to 438 kg/yr (with mini-piezometer data from the streambed) and up to 372 kg/yr crossing a control plane on the streambank (as determined in a previous, independent study). Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Combined use of thermal methods and seepage meters to efficiently locate, quantify, and monitor focused groundwater discharge to a sand-bed stream

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rosenberry, Donald O.; Briggs, Martin A.; Delin, Geoffrey N.; Hare, Danielle K.

2016-01-01

Quantifying flow of groundwater through streambeds often is difficult due to the complexity of aquifer-scale heterogeneity combined with local-scale hyporheic exchange. We used fiber-optic distributed temperature sensing (FO-DTS), seepage meters, and vertical temperature profiling to locate, quantify, and monitor areas of focused groundwater discharge in a geomorphically simple sand-bed stream. This combined approach allowed us to rapidly focus efforts at locations where prodigious amounts of groundwater discharged to the Quashnet River on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, northeastern USA. FO-DTS detected numerous anomalously cold reaches one to several m long that persisted over two summers. Seepage meters positioned upstream, within, and downstream of 7 anomalously cold reaches indicated that rapid groundwater discharge occurred precisely where the bed was cold; median upward seepage was nearly 5 times faster than seepage measured in streambed areas not identified as cold. Vertical temperature profilers deployed next to 8 seepage meters provided diurnal-signal-based seepage estimates that compared remarkably well with seepage-meter values. Regression slope and R2 values both were near 1 for seepage ranging from 0.05 to 3.0 m d−1. Temperature-based seepage model accuracy was improved with thermal diffusivity determined locally from diurnal signals. Similar calculations provided values for streambed sediment scour and deposition at subdaily resolution. Seepage was strongly heterogeneous even along a sand-bed river that flows over a relatively uniform sand and fine-gravel aquifer. FO-DTS was an efficient method for detecting areas of rapid groundwater discharge, even in a strongly gaining river, that can then be quantified over time with inexpensive streambed thermal methods.

A mini drivepoint sampler for measuring pore water solute concentrations in the hyporheic zone of sand-bottom streams

USGS Publications Warehouse

Duff, J.H.; Murphy, F.; Fuller, C.C.; Triska, F.J.

1998-01-01

A new method for collecting pore-water samples in sand and gravel streambeds is presented. We developed a mini drivepoint solution sampling (MINIPOINT) technique to collect pore-water samples at 2.5-cm vertical resolution. The sampler consisted of six small-diameter stainless steel drivepoints arranged in a 10-cm-diameter circular array. In a simple procedure, the sampler was installed in the streambed to preset drivepoint depths of 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, 10.0, 12.5, and 15.0 cm. Sampler performance was evaluated in the Shingobee River, Minnesota, and Pinal Creek, Arizona, by measuring the vertical gradient of chloride concentration in pore water beneath the streambed that was established by the uninterrupted injection to the stream for 3 d. Pore-water samples were withdrawn from all drivepoints simultaneously. In the first evaluation, the vertical chloride gradient was unchanged at withdrawal rates between 0.3 and 4.0 ml min-1 but was disturbed at higher rates. In the second evaluation, up to 70 ml of pore water was withdrawn from each drivepoint at a withdrawal rate of 2.5 ml min-1 without disturbing the vertical chloride gradient. Background concentrations of other solutes were also determined with MINIPOINT sampling. Steep vertical gradients were present for biologically reactive solutes such as DO, NH4/+, NO3/-, and dissolved organic C in the top 20 cm of the streambed. These detailed solute profiles in the hyporheic zone could not have been determined without a method for close interval vertical sampling that does not disturb natural hydrologic mixing between stream water and groundwater.

3D Electrical resistivity tomography monitoring of an artificial tracer injected within the hyporheic zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Houzé, Clémence; Pessel, Marc; Durand, Veronique

2016-04-01

Due to the high complexity level of hyporheic flow paths, hydrological and biogeochemical processes which occur in this mixing place are not fully understood yet. Some previous studies made in flumes show that hyporheic flow is strongly connected to the streambed morphology and sediment heterogeneity . There is still a lack of practical field experiment considering a natural environment and representation of natural streambed heterogeneities will be always limited in laboratories. The purpose of this project is to propose an innovative method using 3D Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) monitoring of an artificial tracer injection directly within the streambed sediments in order to visualize the water pathways within the hyporheic zone. Field experiment on a small stream was conducted using a plastic tube as an injection piezometer and home-made electrodes strips arranged in a rectangular form made of 180 electrodes (15 strips of 12 electrodes each). The injection of tracer (NaCl) lasted approximatively 90 minutes, and 24h monitoring with increasing step times was performed. The physical properties of the water are controlled by CTD probes installed upstream and downstream within the river. Inverse time-lapse tomographs show development and persistence of a conductive water plume around the injection point. Due to the low hydraulic conductivity of streambed sediments (clay and overlying loess), the tracer movement is barely visible, as it dilutes gradually in the pore water. Impact of boundary conditions on inversion results can lead to significant differences on images, especially in the shallow part of the profiles. Preferential paths of transport are not highlighted here, but this experiment allows to follow spatially and temporarily the evolution of the tracer in a complex natural environment .

Preferential Flow Paths and Recirculation-Disrupting Jets in the Leeside of Self-Forming Coarse-Grained Laboratory Bedforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lichtner, D.; Christensen, K. T.; Best, J.; Blois, G.

2014-12-01

Exchange of fluid in the near-subsurface of a streambed is influenced by turbulence in the free flow, as well as by bed topography and permeability. Macro-roughness elements such as bedforms are known to produce pressure gradients that drive fluid into the streambed on their stoss sides and out of the bed on their lee sides. To study the modification of the near-bed flow field by self-forming permeable bedforms, laboratory experiments were conducted in a 5 mm wide flume filled with 1.3 mm glass beads. The narrow width of the flume permitted detailed examination of the fluid exiting the bed immediately downstream of a bedform. Dense 2-D velocity field measurements were gathered using particle image velocimetry (PIV). In up to 8% of instantaneous PIV realizations, the flow at the near-bed presented a component perpendicular to the streambed, indicating flow across the interface. At the downstream side of the bedform, such flow disrupted the mean recirculation pattern that is typically observed in finer sediment beds. It is hypothesized that the coarse grain size and the resulting high bed permeability promote such near-surface jet events. A qualitative analysis of raw image frames indicated that an in-place jostling of sediment is associated with these jets thus suggesting that subsurface flow may be characterized by impulsive events. These observations are relevant to hyporheic exchange rates in coarse sediments and can have strong morphodynamic implications as they can explain the lack of ripples and characteristics of dunes in high permeability gravels. Overall, further study of the flow structure over highly permeable streambeds is needed to understand subsurface exchange and bedform initiation.

Automated atomic absorption spectrometric determination of total arsenic in water and streambed materials

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fishman, M.

1977-01-01

An automated method to determine both inorganic and organic forms of arsenic In water, water-suspended mixtures, and streambed materials Is described. Organic arsenic-containing compounds are decomposed by either ultraviolet radiation or by suHurlc acid-potassium persulfate digestion. The arsenic liberated, with Inorganic arsenic originally present, is reduced to arsine with sodium borohydrlde. The arable Is stripped from the solution with the aid of nitrogen and Is then decomposed In a tube furnace heated to 800 ??C which Is placed in the optical path of an atomic absorption spectrometer. Thirty samples per hour can be analyzed to levels of 1 ??g arsenic per liter.

Robust optode-based method for measuring in situ oxygen profiles in gravelly streambeds.

PubMed

Vieweg, Michael; Trauth, Nico; Fleckenstein, Jan H; Schmidt, Christian

2013-09-03

One of the key environmental conditions controlling biogeochemical reactions in aquatic sediments like streambeds is the distribution of dissolved oxygen. We present a novel approach for the in situ measurement of vertical oxygen profiles using a planar luminescence-based optical sensor. The instrument consists of a transparent acrylic tube with the oxygen-sensitive layer mounted on the outside. The luminescence is excited and detected by a moveable piston inside the acrylic tube. Since no moving parts are in contact with the streambed, the disturbance of the subsurface flow field is minimized. The precision of the distributed oxygen sensor (DOS) was assessed by a comparison with spot optodes. Although the precision of the DOS, expressed as standard deviation of calculated oxygen air saturation, is lower (0.2-6.2%) compared to spot optodes (<0.1-0.6%), variations of the oxygen content along the profile can be resolved. The uncertainty of the calculated oxygen is assessed with a Monte Carlo uncertainty assessment. The obtained vertical oxygen profiles of 40 cm in length reveal variations of the oxygen content reaching from 90% to 0% air saturation and are characterized by patches of low oxygen rather than a continuous decrease with depth.

Benthic invertebrates and quality of streambed sediments in the White River and selected tributaries in and near Indianapolis, Indiana, 1994-96

USGS Publications Warehouse

Voelker, David C.; Renn, Danny E.

2000-01-01

During this study, 369 benthic-invertebrate samples were collected at 21 sites and 33 streambed-sediment samples were collected at 14 sites to help develop and evaluate control strategies to mediate the impact of point and nonpoint sources of pollution on the White River and selected tributaries in and near Indianapolis, Indiana. Data analyses show that 124 taxa were identified and that most of the benthic invertebrates found belong to one of three taxa: the pollution-tolerant Diptera and the pollution-intolerant Ephemeroptera and Trichoptera. The Hilsenhoff Biotic Index, which was calculated from the number of arthropods and their tolerance to pollution, ranged from 4.4 (very good) to 9.4 (very poor) on the White River, and from 4.9 (good) to 9.1 (very poor) on the tributaries. The Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) Richness Index, which was calculated from the number of taxa in pollution-intolerant species, ranged from 0 to 9 for the White River and from 0 to 9 for the tributaries. A high EPT Richness Index value reflects a great diversity of pollution-intolerant invertebrates at a site and generally indicates good water quality. A comparison of data collected during the 1994 through 1996 study to data collected during a 1981 through 1987 study indicates that the proportion of pollution-tolerant taxa increased in the immediate vicinity of Indianapolis. This increase may be an indicator that the water quality in the immediate vicinity of Indianapolis has declined since the earlier study. Comparison of the Hilsenhoff Biotic Index values, however, indicates there has been no change since the previous study. In the analysis of streambed sediments, small amounts of 12 metals were detected. Of those, only lead exceeded sediment-quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic life in three samples from two sites. Thirteen insecticides were detected in the streambed sediments, and of those only chlordane exceeded sediment-quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic life. Seventeen semivolatile organic compounds also were detected in streambed sediments at nine sites: four on the White River and five on the tributaries. Six of these compounds exceeded sedimentquality guidelines for the protection of aquatic life.

Assessment of attenuation processes in a chlorinated ethene plume by use of stream bed Passive Flux Meters, streambed Point Velocity Probes and contaminant mass balances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rønde, V.; McKnight, U. S.; Annable, M. D.; Devlin, J. F.; Cremeans, M.; Sonne, A. T.; Bjerg, P. L.

2017-12-01

Chlorinated ethenes (CE) are abundant groundwater contaminants and pose risk to both groundwater and surface water bodies, as plumes can migrate through aquifers to streams. After release to the environment, CE may undergo attenuation. The hyporheic zone is believed to enhance CE attenuation, however studies contradicting this have also been reported. Since dilution commonly reduces contaminant concentrations in streams to below quantification limits, use of mass balances along the pathway from groundwater to stream is unusual. Our study is conducted at the low-land Grindsted stream, Denmark, which is impacted by a contaminant plume. CE have been observed in the stream water; hence our study site provides an unusual opportunity to study attenuation processes in a CE plume as it migrates through the groundwater at the stream bank, through the stream bed and further to the point of fully mixed conditions in the stream. The study undertook the determination of redox conditions and CE distribution from bank to stream; streambed contaminant flux estimation using streambed Passive Flux Meters (sPFM); and quantification of streambed water fluxes using temperature profiling and streambed Point Velocity Probes (SBPVP). The advantage of the sPFM is that it directly measures the contaminant flux without the need for water samples, while the advantage of the SBPVP is its ability to measure the vertical seepage velocity without the need for additional geological parameters. Finally, a mass balance assessment along the plume pathway was conducted to account for any losses or accumulations. The results show consistencies in spatial patterns between redox conditions and extent of dechlorination; between contaminant fluxes from sPFM and concentrations from water samples; and between seepage velocities from SBPVP and temperature-based water fluxes. Mass balances and parent-metabolite compound ratios indicate limited degradation between the bank and the point of fully mixed stream water. Since the plume at the bank mainly consists of cis-DCE and vinyl chloride, this implies high and persistent stream water concentrations of these compounds. Finally, this study demonstrates the usefulness and complementary nature of sPFM and SBPVP measurements for assessing the attenuation processes through mass balance calculations.

Effect of contaminant concentration on aerobic microbial mineralization of DCE and VC in stream-bed sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bradley, P.M.; Chapelle, F.H.

1998-01-01

Discharge of DCE and VC to an aerobic surface water system simultaneously represents a significant environmental concern and, potentially, a non-engineered opportunity for efficient contaminant bioremediation. The potential for bioremediation, however, depends on the ability of the stream-bed microbial community to efficiently and completely degrade DCE and VC over a range of contaminant concentrations. The purposes of the studies reported here were to assess the potential for aerobic DCE and VC mineralization by stream-bed microorganisms and to evaluate the effects of DCE and VC concentrations on the apparent rates of aerobic mineralization. Bed-sediment microorganisms indigenous to a creek, where DCE-contaminated groundwater continuously discharges, demonstrated rapid mineralization of DCE and VC under aerobic conditions. Over 8 days, the recovery of [1,2-14C]DCE radioactivity as 14CO2 ranged from 17% to 100%, and the recovery of [1,2- 14C]VC radioactivity as 14CO2 ranged from 45% to 100%. Rates of DCE and VC mineralization increased significantly with increasing contaminant concentration, and the response of apparent mineralization rates to changes in DCE and VC concentrations was adequately described by Michaelis-Menten kinetics.Discharge of DCE and VC to an aerobic surface water system simultaneously represents a significant environmental concern and, potentially, a non-engineered opportunity for efficient contaminant bioremediation. The potential for bioremediation, however, depends on the ability of the stream-bed microbial community to efficiently and completely degrade DCE and VC over a range of contaminant concentrations. The purposes of the studies reported here were to assess the potential for aerobic DCE and VC mineralization by stream-bed microorganisms and to evaluate the effects of DCE and VC concentrations on the apparent rates of aerobic mineralization. Bed-sediment microorganisms indigenous to a creek, where DCE-contaminated groundwater continuously discharges, demonstrated rapid mineralization of DCE and VC under aerobic conditions. Over 8 days, the recovery of [1,2-14C]DCE radioactivity as 14CO2 ranged from 17% to 100%, and the recovery of [1,2-14C]VC radioactivity as 14CO2 ranged from 45% to 100%. Rates of DCE and VC mineralization increased significantly with increasing contaminant concentration, and the response of apparent mineralization rates to changes in DCE and VC concentrations was adequately described by Michaelis-Menten kinetics.

Thermal Profiles for Selected River Reaches in the Yakima River Basin, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vaccaro, J.J.; Keys, M.E.; Julich, R.J.; Welch, W.B.

2008-01-01

Thermal profiles (data sets of longitudinal near-streambed temperature) that provide information on areas of potential ground-water discharge and salmonid habitat for 11 river reaches in the Yakima River basin, Washington, are available as Microsoft Excel? files that can be downloaded from the Internet. Two reaches were profiled twice resulting in 13 profiles. Data were collected for all but one thermal profile during 2001. Data consist of date and time (Pacific Daylight), near-streambed water temperature, and latitude and longitude collected concurrently using a temperature probe and a Global Positioning System. The data were collected from a watercraft towing the probe with an internal datalogger while moving downstream in a Lagrangian framework.

Stream simulation in an analog model of the ground-water system on Long Island, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harbaugh, Arlen W.; Getzen, Rufus T.

1977-01-01

The stream circuits of an electric analog model of the ground-water system of Long Island were modified to more accurately represent the relationahip between streamflow and ground-water levels. Assumptions for use of the revised circuits are (1) that streams are strictly gaining, and (2) that ground-water seepage into the streams is proportional to the difference between streambed elevation and the average water-table elevation near the stream. No seepage into streams occurs when ground-water levels drop below the streambed elevation. Regional simulation of the 1962-68 drought on Long Island was significantly improved by use of the revised stream circuits.

Active heat pulse sensing of 3-D-flow fields in streambeds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banks, Eddie W.; Shanafield, Margaret A.; Noorduijn, Saskia; McCallum, James; Lewandowski, Jörg; Batelaan, Okke

2018-03-01

Profiles of temperature time series are commonly used to determine hyporheic flow patterns and hydraulic dynamics in the streambed sediments. Although hyporheic flows are 3-D, past research has focused on determining the magnitude of the vertical flow component and how this varies spatially. This study used a portable 56-sensor, 3-D temperature array with three heat pulse sources to measure the flow direction and magnitude up to 200 mm below the water-sediment interface. Short, 1 min heat pulses were injected at one of the three heat sources and the temperature response was monitored over a period of 30 min. Breakthrough curves from each of the sensors were analysed using a heat transport equation. Parameter estimation and uncertainty analysis was undertaken using the differential evolution adaptive metropolis (DREAM) algorithm, an adaption of the Markov chain Monte Carlo method, to estimate the flux and its orientation. Measurements were conducted in the field and in a sand tank under an extensive range of controlled hydraulic conditions to validate the method. The use of short-duration heat pulses provided a rapid, accurate assessment technique for determining dynamic and multi-directional flow patterns in the hyporheic zone and is a basis for improved understanding of biogeochemical processes at the water-streambed interface.

Was That Assumption Necessary? Reconsidering Boundary Conditions for Analytical Solutions to Estimate Streambed Fluxes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luce, Charles H.; Tonina, Daniele; Applebee, Ralph; DeWeese, Timothy

2017-11-01

Two common refrains about using the one-dimensional advection diffusion equation to estimate fluid fluxes and thermal conductivity from temperature time series in streambeds are that the solution assumes that (1) the surface boundary condition is a sine wave or nearly so, and (2) there is no gradient in mean temperature with depth. Although the mathematical posing of the problem in the original solution to the problem might lead one to believe these constraints exist, the perception that they are a source of error is a fallacy. Here we develop a mathematical proof demonstrating the equivalence of the solution as developed based on an arbitrary (Fourier integral) surface temperature forcing when evaluated at a single given frequency versus that derived considering a single frequency from the beginning. The implication is that any single frequency can be used in the frequency-domain solutions to estimate thermal diffusivity and 1-D fluid flux in streambeds, even if the forcing has multiple frequencies. This means that diurnal variations with asymmetric shapes or gradients in the mean temperature with depth are not actually assumptions, and deviations from them should not cause errors in estimates. Given this clarification, we further explore the potential for using information at multiple frequencies to augment the information derived from time series of temperature.

Effects of Low-Permeability Layers in the Hyporheic Zone on Oxygen Consumption Under Losing and Gaining Groundwater Flow Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arnon, S.; Krause, S.; Gomez-Velez, J. D.; De Falco, N.

2017-12-01

Recent studies at the watershed scale have demonstrated the dominant role that river bedforms play in driving hyporheic exchange and constraining biogeochemical processes along river corridors. At the reach and bedform scales, modeling studies have shown that sediment heterogeneity significantly modifies hyporheic flow patterns within bedforms, resulting in spatially heterogeneous biogeochemical processes. In this work, we summarize a series of flume experiments to evaluate the effect that low-permeability layers, representative of structural heterogeneity, have on hyporheic exchange and oxygen consumption in sandy streambeds. In this case, we systematically changed the geometry of the heterogeneities, the surface channel flow driving the exchange, and groundwater fluxes (gaining/losing) modulating the exchange. The flume was packed with natural sediments, which were amended with compost to minimize carbon limitations. Structural heterogeneities were represented by continuous and discontinuous layers of clay material. Flow patterns were studied using dye imaging through the side walls. Oxygen distribution in the streambed was measured using planar optodes. The experimental observations revealed that the clay layer had a significant effect on flow patterns and oxygen distribution in the streambed under neutral and losing conditions. Under gaining conditions, the aerobic zone was limited to the upper sections of the bedform and thus was less influenced by the clay layers that were located at a depth of 1-3 cm below the water-sediment interface. We are currently analyzing the results with a numerical flow and transport model to quantify the reactions rates under the different flow conditions and spatial sediment structures. Our preliminary results enable us to show the importance of the coupling between flow conditions, local heterogeneity within the streambed and oxygen consumption along bed forms and are expected to improve our ability to model the effect of stream-groundwater interactions on nutrient cycling.

Salmon Spawning Effects on Streambed Stability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buxton, T. H.; Buffington, J. M.; Yager, E.; Fremier, A. K.; Hassan, M. A.

2014-12-01

Female salmon build nests ("redds") in streambeds to protect their eggs from predation and damage by bed scour. During spawning, streambed material is mixed, fine sediment is winnowed downstream, and sediment is moved into a tailspill mound resembling the shape of a dune. Redd surfaces are coarser and better sorted than unspawned beds, which is thought to increase redd stability because larger grains are heavier and harder to move and sorting leads to higher friction angles for grain mobility. However, spawning also loosens sediment and creates topography that accelerates flow, both of which may increase particle mobility. We address factors controlling the relative stability of redds and unspawned beds using simulated salmon redds and water worked ("unspawned") beds composed of mixed-grain surfaces in a laboratory flume. Results show that simulated spawning lowered packing resistance to particle mobility on redds by an average of 32-39% compared to unspawned beds. Reductions in packing were sufficient to counter the higher inherent stability of relatively coarse, well sorted grains on redds, overall reducing critical shear stress by 8-20% relative to unspawned beds. In addition, boundary shear stress was 13-41% higher on redds due to flow convergence over the tailspill structure. Finally, redd instability relative to unspawned beds was observed in visual measurements of grain mobility, where bed-averaged shear stress was 22% lower at incipient motion and 29% lower at the discharge that mobilized all grain sizes on redds. Results of these complementary observations, along with sediment mass transport rates being nearly five times higher on a redd than an unspawned bed, indicate that redds are unstable compared to unspawned beds. Given these findings, further research is needed to investigate linkages between spawning disturbance and streambed mobility that may affect salmon reproduction in streams, and to assess whether a certain level of bed disturbance from spawning is required to restore ecosystem functions in streams with threatened populations of salmon.

Fish assemblages and environmental variables associated with hard-rock mining in the Coeur d'Alene River basin, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Maret, Terry R.; MacCoy, Dorene E.

2002-01-01

As part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water Quality Assessment Program, fish assemblages, environmental variables, and associated mine densities were evaluated at 18 test and reference sites during the summer of 2000 in the Coeur d'Alene and St. Regis river basins in Idaho and Montana. Multimetric and multivariate analyses were used to examine patterns in fish assemblages and the associated environmental variables representing a gradient of mining intensity. The concentrations of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) in water and streambed sediment found at test sites in watersheds where production mine densities were at least 0.2 mines/km2 (in a 500-m stream buffer) were significantly higher than the concentrations found at reference sites. Many of these metal concentrations exceeded Ambient Water Quality Criteria (AWQC) and the Canadian Probable Effect Level guidelines for streambed sediment. Regression analysis identified significant relationships between the production mine densities and the sum of Cd, Pb, and Zn concentrations in water and streambed sediment (r2 = 0.69 and 0.66, respectively; P < 0.01). Zinc was identified as the primary metal contaminant in both water and streambed sediment. Eighteen fish species in the families Salmonidae, Cottidae, Cyprinidae, Catostomidae, Centrarchidae, and Ictaluridae were collected. Principal components analysis of 11 fish metrics identified two distinct groups of sites corresponding to the reference and test sites, predominantly on the basis of the inverse relationship between percent cottids and percent salmonids (r = -0.64; P < 0.05). Streams located downstream from the areas of intensive hard-rock mining in the Coeur d'Alene River basin contained fewer native fish and lower abundances as a result of metal enrichment, not physical habitat degradation. Typically, salmonids were the predominant species at test sites where Zn concentrations exceeded the acute AWQC. Cottids were absent at these sites, which suggests that they are more severely affected by elevated metals than are salmonids.

Stream-sediment geochemistry in mining-impacted streams: Prichard, Eagle, and Beaver creeks, northern Coeur d'Alene Mining District, northern Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Box, Stephen E.; Wallis, John C.; Briggs, Paul H.; Brown, Zoe Ann

2005-01-01

This report presents the results of one aspect of an integrated watershed-characterization study that was undertaken to assess the impacts of historical mining and milling of silver-lead-zinc ores on water and sediment composition and on aquatic biota in streams draining the northern part of the Coeur d?Alene Mining District in northern Idaho. We present the results of chemical analyses of 62 samples of streambed sediment, 19 samples of suspended sediment, 23 samples of streambank soil, and 29 samples of mine- and mill-related artificial- fill material collected from the drainages of Prichard, Eagle, and Beaver Creeks, all tributaries to the North Fork of the Coeur d?Alene River. All samples were sieved into three grain-size fractions (<0.063, 0.063?0.25, and 0.25?1.0 mm) and analyzed for 40 elements after four-acid digestion by inductively coupled plasma atomic-emission spectrometry and for mercury by continuous- flow cold-vapor atomic-absorption spectrometry in the U.S. Geological Survey laboratory in Denver, Colo. Historical mining of silver-lead-zinc ores in the headwater reaches of the Prichard Creek, Eagle Creek, and Beaver Creek drainages has resulted in enrichments of lead, zinc, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, silver, copper, cobalt, and, to a lesser extent, iron and manganese in streambed sediment. Using samples collected from the relatively unimpacted West Fork of Eagle Creek as representative of background compositions, streambed sediment in the vicinity of the mines and millsites has Pb and Zn contents of 20 to 100 times background values, decreasing to 2 to 5 times background values at the mouth of the each stream, 15 to 20 km downstream. Lesser enrichments (<10 times background values) of mercury and arsenic also are generally associated with, and decrease downstream from, historical silver-lead-zinc mining in the drainages. However, enrichments of arsenic and, to a lesser extent, mercury also are areally associated with the lode gold deposits along Prichard Creek near Murray, which were not studied here. Metal contents in samples of unfractionated suspended sediment collected during a high-flow event in April 2000 are generally similar to, but slightly higher than, those in the fine (<0.063- mm grain size) fraction of streambed sediment from the same sampling site. Although metal enrichment in streambed sediment typically begins adjacent to the mine portals and their associated mine-waste rock dumps, volumetrically larger inputs of metal-enriched materials were contributed by the ore-concentration millsites and their associated, more finely ground, more metal rich mill-tailings impoundments.

Potential for Microbial Degradation of cis-Dichloroethene and Vinyl Chloride in Streambed Sediment at the U.S. Department of Energy, Kansas City Plant, Missouri, 2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bradley, Paul M.

2009-01-01

A series of carbon-14 (14C) radiotracer-based microcosm experiments was conducted to assess the mechanisms and products of degradation of cis-dichloroethene (cis-DCE) and vinyl chloride (VC) in streambed sediments at the U.S. Department of Energy, Kansas City Plant in Kansas City, Missouri. The focus of the investigation was the potential for biotic and abiotic cis-DCE and VC degradation in surficial and underlying hyporheic sediment from the Blue River and its tributaries, Indian Creek and Boone Creek. Substantial degradation of [1,2-14C] cis-DCE and [1,2-14C] VC to 14C-carbon dioxide (14CO2) was observed in all viable surficial sediment microcosms prepared under oxic conditions. No significant accumulation of reductive dechlorination products was observed under these oxic incubation conditions. The results indicate that microbial mineralization processes involving direct oxidation or co-metabolic oxidation are the primary mechanisms of cis-DCE and VC biodegradation in oxic stream sediment at the Kansas City Plant. Substantial mineralization of [1,2-14C] VC also was observed in all viable surficial sediment microcosms incubated in the absence of detectable oxygen (dissolved oxygen concentrations less than 25 micrograms per liter). In general, the accumulation of mineralization products (14CO2 and 14C-methane [14CH4]) predominated with only trace-level detection of the reductive dechlorination product, 14C-ethene. In contrast, microbial degradation of [1,2-14C] cis-DCE by reductive dechlorination or mineralization was not significant in the absence of detectable oxygen. The potential for [1,2-14C] VC biodegradation also was significant in sediments from the deeper hyporheic zones under oxic conditions and in the absence of detectable oxygen. In this study, microbial degradation of [1,2-14C] cis-DCE was not significant in hyporheic sediment treatments under either oxygen condition. Taken together, the results indicate that microbial mineralization processes in streambed sediments at the Kansas City Plant can be an important component of cis-DCE and VC degradation under oxic conditions and of VC degradation even in the absence of detectable oxygen. These results demonstrate that an evaluation of the efficiency of in situ cis-DCE and VC biodegradation in streambed sediments, based solely on observed accumulations of reduced daughter products, may underestimate substantially the total extent of contaminant biodegradation and, thus, the potential importance of the hyporheic zone and streambed sediments as barriers to the discharge of contaminated groundwater.

Water and Streambed Sediment Quality, and Ecotoxicology of a Stream along the Blue Ridge Parkway, Adjacent to a Closed Landfill, near Roanoke, Virginia: 1999

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ebner, Donna Belval; Cherry, Donald S.; Currie, Rebecca J.

2004-01-01

A study was done of the effects of a closed landfill on the quality of water and streambed sediment and the benthic macroinvertebrate community of an unnamed stream and its tributary that flow through Blue Ridge Parkway lands in west-central Virginia. The primary water source for the tributary is a 4-inch polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe that protrudes from the slope at the base of the embankment bordering the landfill. An unusual expanse of precipitate was observed in the stream near the PVC pipe. Stream discharge was measured and water and streambed sediment samples were collected at a nearby reference site and at three sites downstream of the landfill in April and September 1999. Water samples were analyzed for major ions, nitrate, total and dissolved metals, total dissolved solids, total organic carbon, and volatile and semivolatile organic compounds, including organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Streambed sediment samples were analyzed for total metals, total organic carbon, percent moisture, and volatile and semivolatile organic compounds, including organochlorine pesticides and PCBs. The benthic macroinvertebrate community within the stream channel also was sampled at the four chemical sampling sites and at one additional site in April and September. Each of the five sites was assessed for physical habitat quality. Water collected periodically at the PVC pipe discharge between November 1998 and November 1999 was used to conduct 48-hour acute and 7-day chronic toxicity tests using selected laboratory test organisms. Two 10-day chronic toxicity tests of streambed sediments collected near the discharge pipe also were conducted. Analyses showed that organic and inorganic constituents in water from beneath the landfill were discharged into the sampled tributary. In April, 79 percent of inorganic constituents detected in water had their highest concentrations at the site closest to the landfill; at the same site, 59 percent of inorganic constituents detected in streambed sediments were at their lowest concentration. The low dissolved-oxygen concentration and relatively low pH in ground water from beneath the landfill probably had a direct effect on the solubility of metals and other constituents, resulting in the high concentration of inorganic constituents in water, low concentration in sediment, and the development of the precipitate. Most constituents in water in April were progressively lower in concentration from the landfill site downstream. The highest concentrations for 59 percent of constituents detected in sediment were at the farthest downstream site, suggesting that the inorganic constituents came out of solution as the stream water was exposed to the atmosphere. In September, 52 percent of inorganic constituents detected in water were at their highest concentrations at the site nearest the landfill. Of inorganic constituents detected in streambed sediments in September, 60 percent were at their highest concentrations near the landfill. A storm that occurred a few days prior to the September sampling probably affected the preceding steady-state conditions and the distribution of constituents in sediment along the stream. Concentrations of many inorganic constituents in water remained elevated at the farthest downstream site in comparison to the reference site in April and September, indicating that concentrations did not return to background concentrations. In April and September, most of the 17 organic compounds detected in water, including volatile organic and semivolatile organic compounds, were collected in samples near the landfill, and most concentrations were below their respective reporting limits. Probably because of their volatility, few organic compounds were detected at sites downstream of that site. A total of 17 discrete organic compounds were detected in sediment samples in either April or September, including trichloroethene and tetrachloroethene along with their degrad

Water-quality assessment of the Kentucky River Basin, Kentucky; distribution of metals and other trace elements in sediment and water, 1987-90

USGS Publications Warehouse

Porter, Stephen D.; White, Kevin D.; Clark, J.R.

1995-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program is designed to provide a nationally consistent description of the current status of water quality, to define water-quality trends, and to relate past and present water-quality conditions to natural features, uses of land and water, and other water-quality effects from human activities. The Kentucky River Basin is one of four NAWQA pilot projects that focused primarily on the quality of surface water. Water, sediment, and bedrock samples were collected in the Kentucky River Basin during 1987-90 for the purpose of (1) describing the spatial distribution, transport, and temporal variability of metals and other trace elements in streams of the basin; (2) estimating mean annual loads, yields, and trends of constituent concentrations and identifying potential causes (or sources) of spatial patterns; (3) providing baseline information for concentrations of metals in streambed and suspended sediments; (4) identifying stream reaches in the Kentucky River Basin with chronic water-quality problems; and (5) evaluating the merits of the NAWQA pilot study-approach for the assessment of metals and other trace elements in a river system. The spatial distribution of metals and other trace elements in streambed sediments of the Kentucky River Basin is associated with regional differences of geology, land use and cover, and the results of human activities. Median concentrations of constituents differed significantly among physiographic regions of the basin because of relations to bedrock geochemistry and land disturbance. Concentrations of potentially toxic metals were large in urban and industrial areas of the basin. Elevated concentrations of certain metals were also found in streambed sediments of the Knobs Region because of the presence of Devonian shale bedrock. Elevated concentrations of lead and zinc found in streambed sediments of the Bluegrass Region are likely associated with urban stormwater runoff, point-source discharges, and waste-management practices. Concentrations of cadmium, chromium, copper, mercury, and silver were elevated in streambed sediments downstream from wastewater-treatment plant discharges. Streambed-sediment concentrations of barium, chromium, and lithium were elevated in streams that receive brine discharges from oil production. Elevated concentrations of antimony, arsenic, molybdenum, selenium, strontium, uranium, and vanadium in streambed sediments of the Kentucky River Basin were generally associated with natural sources. Concentrations of metals and other trace elements in water samples from fixed stations (stations where water-quality samples were collected for 3.5 years) in the Kentucky River Basin were generally related to stream discharge and the concentration of suspended sediment, whereas constituent concentrations in the suspended-sediment matrix were indicative of natural and human sources. Estimated mean annual loads and yields for most metals and other trace elements were associated with the transport of suspended sediment. Land disturbance, such as surface mining and agriculture, contribute to increased transport of sediment in streams, thereby increasing concentrations of metals in water samples during periods of intense or prolonged rainfall and increased stream discharge. Concentrations of many metals and trace elements were reduced during low streamflow. Although total-recoverable and dissolved concentrations of certain metals and trace elements were large in streams affected by land disturbance, concentrations of constituents in the suspendedsediment matrix were commonly large in streams in the Knobs and Eastern Coal Field Regions (because of relations with bedrock geochemistry) and in streams that receive wastewater or oil-well-brine discharges. Concentrations and mean annual load estimates for aluminum, chromium, copper, iron, lead, manganese, and mercury were larger than those obtained from data collected by a State agency, probably because of differences in sample-collection methodology, the range of discharge associated with water-quality samples, and laboratory analytical procedures. However, concentrations, loads, and yields of arsenic, barium, and zinc were similar to those determined from the State data. Significant upward trends in the concentrations of aluminum, iron, magnesium, manganese, and zinc were indicated at one or more fixed stations in the Kentucky River Basin during the past 10 to 15 years. Upward trends for concentrations of aluminum, iron, and manganese were found at sites that receive drainage from coal mines in the upper Kentucky River Basin, whereas upward trends for zinc may be associated with urban sources. Water-quality criteria established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) or the State of Kentucky for concentrations of aluminum, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, nickel, silver, and zinc were exceeded at one or more fixed stations in the Kentucky River Basin. On a qualitative basis, dissolved concentrations of certain metals and trace elements were large during low streamflow at sites where (1) concentrations of these constituents in underlying streambed sediments were large, or (2) dissolvedoxygen concentrations were small. Concentrations of barium, lithium, and strontium were large during low streamflow, which indicates the influence of ground-water baseflows on the quality of surface water during low flow. The effects of point-source discharges, landfills, and other wastemanagement practices are somewhat localized in the Kentucky River Basin and are best indicated by the spatial distribution of metals and other trace elements in streambed sediments and in the suspended-sediment fraction of water samples at stream locations near the source. It was not possible to quantify the contribution of point sources to the total transport of metals and other trace elements at fixed stations because data were not available for wastewater effluents. Quantification of baseline concentrations of metals and other trace elements in streambed sediments provides a basis for the detection of water-quality changes that may result from improvements in wastewater treatment or the implementation of best-management practices for controlling contamination from nonpoint sources in the Kentucky River Basin.

Environmental survey in the Tuul and Orkhon River basins of north-central Mongolia, 2010: metals and other elements in streambed sediment and floodplain soi

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brumbaugh, William G.; Tillitt, Donald E.; May, Thomas W.; Choijil, J.; Komov, T.V.

2013-01-01

Streambed sediment and subsurface floodplain soil were sampled for elemental analyses from 15 locations in river basins of north-central Mongolia during August 2010. Our primary objective was to conduct a reconnaissance-level assessment of potential inputs of toxicologically important metals and metalloids to Lake Baikal, Russia, that might originate from mining and urban activities within tributaries of the Selenga River in Mongolia. Samples were collected in triplicate from all sites, then dried, and sieved to <2 mm for analysis by portable X-ray florescence spectroscopy and by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry after digestion with concentrated nitric and hydrochloric acids. Arsenic, copper, and mercury were greatly elevated in sediment and floodplain soil collected from tributary streams located near two major mining operations. Lead and zinc were moderately elevated in streambed sediment and in floodplain soil obtained from a small tributary in the capital city of Ulaanbaatar, but those concentrations were considerably less than probable effects benchmarks. Historical and possibly present mining activities have led to considerable metal contamination in certain tributaries of the Orkhon River in north-central Mongolia; however, metals originating from those sources did not appear to be accumulating in sediments at our downstream-most sampling sites located near the border between Mongolia and Russia.

Surface-water-quality assessment of the lower Kansas River basin, Kansas and Nebraska; distribution of trace-element concentrations in dissolved and suspended phases, streambed sediment, and fish samples, May 1987 through April 1990

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tanner, D.Q.

1995-01-01

The distribution of trace elements in dissolved and suspended phases, streambed sediment, and fish samples is described for principal streams in the lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska, from May 1987 through April 1990. Large median concentrations of dissolved lithium and strontium in the Kansas River were related to saline ground-water discharge, and large median concentrations of dissolved strontium in Mill Creek near Paxico, Kansas were related to Permian limestone and shale. Large concentrations of arsenic, chromium, and lead in water were identified downstream from three reservoirs, which may be attributed to resuspension of bed sediment in turbulent flow near the dams or release of water from near the bottom of the reservoirs. Trace elements in streambed sediments greater than background concentrations were identified downstream from the Aurora, Nebraska, wastewater-treatment plant, from industrial or urban areas near Kansas City, Kansas, and from the dam at Perry Lake, Kansas. Median and 90th-percentile concentrations of mercury in fish-tissue samples approximately doubled from 1979-86 to 1987-90. However, concentrations in samples collected during the latter period were less than the National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Engineering 1972 criterion of 500 micrograms per kilogram for mercury in fish tissue.

Hydraulic characteristics of the New River in the New River Gorge National River, West Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wiley, J.B.; Appel, David H.

1989-01-01

Traveltime, dispersion, water-surface and streambed profiles, and cross-section data were collected for use in application of flow and solute-transport models to the New River in the New River Gorge National River, West Virginia. Dye clouds subjected to increasing and decreasing flow rates (unsteady flow) showed that increasing flows shorten the cloud and decreasing flows lengthen the cloud. After the flow rate was changed and the flow was again steady, traveltime and dispersion characteristics were determined by the new rate of flow. Seven stage/streamflow relations identified the general changes of stream geometry throughout the study reach. Channel cross sections were estimated for model input. Low water and streambed profiles were developed from surveyed water surface elevations and water depths. (USGS)

Bridge scour monitoring methods at three sites in Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Walker, John F.; Hughes, Peter E.

2005-01-01

Of the nearly 11,500 bridges in Wisconsin, 89 have been assessed with critical scour conditions. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, the Marathon County Highway Department, and the Jefferson County Highway Department, performed routine monitoring of streambed elevations for three bridges. Two monitoring approaches were employed: (1) manual monitoring using moderately simple equipment, and (2) automated monitoring, using moderately sophisticated electronic equipment. The results from all three sites demonstrate that both techniques can produce reasonable measurements of streambed elevation. The manual technique has a lower annual operating cost, and is useful for cases where documentation of long-term trends is desired. The automated technique has a higher annual operating cost and is useful for real-time monitoring of episodic events with short time durations. 

Comment on ''Sensitivity Analysis and Determination of Streambed Leakance and Aquifer Hydraulic Properties'' by Xunhong Chen and Xi Chen, Journal of Hydrology, 2003, v.284, 270-284

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

Kollet, S

2004-05-17

Recently, studies of the Platte River watershed have gained significant attention from federal and Nebraska, USA, state agencies due to the importance of groundwater/surface-water interactions under drought conditions. Using archive data from a 1983 pumping test, Chen and Chen (2003) interpret the hydraulic properties of the alluvium and a streambed of the Platte River near Kearney, Nebraska, and compare their data with results of other studies performed over the past several years. Three important inconsistencies of this article will be highlighted here: (1) misuse of the analytical model of Hunt (1999), (2) departure of their results from previously published data,more » and (3) unsatisfactory explanation of these anomalous results.« less

Scales and Patterns of Nitrate Transport and Transformation in the Hyporheic Zone of a Lowland River

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naden, E.; Krause, S.; Tecklenburg, C.; Munz, M.

2009-04-01

The Hyporheic Zone (HZ) represents the spatially and temporally variable part of the streambed that is affected by the mixture of groundwater and surface water and often characterised by strong redox gradients and high turnover rates of redox reactive substances. The HZ has often been understood as a complex bioreactor with a high potential to affect groundwater-surface water exchange as well control the chemical signature of waters along the hyporheic passage. Currently, 73% of groundwater and 28% of UK rivers sampled exhibit either high nitrate levels or rising trends (Defra, 2008) Because of the high metabolic rates that have often be observed, the HZ is by many expected to potentially ameliorate groundwater nitrate fluxes and thus to reduce nitrate pollution and benefit freshwater ecosystems. The objective of this pilot study was to set up a monitoring program on a typical lowland river within glacio-fluvial deposits and well connected to the shallow groundwater aquifer. This study aims to derive a conceptual model of hyporheic exchange and nutrient metabolism in an agriculturally used lowland system including the development of upscaling strategies that allow for the assessment of hyporheic uptake or contribution on a subcatchment scale. The research area covers a 250 metre stream reach of the River Tern (Shropshire, UK), a lowland groundwater dependent surface water body at risk of failing to achieve ‘good water' status under the WFD, primarily due to diffuse agricultural pollution. In two horizontal arrays 42 multi piezometers have been installed in the river bed offering sampling from between three and eight sampling points ranging from 5 cm to 200 cm depth. These allow the sampling of streambed porewater from more than 150 locations. Additionally, ten shallow groundwater boreholes (up to 3m depth) have been installed within the riparian floodplain. From June to September 2008 head measurements were taken at the streambed piezometers, riparian groundwater boreholes and the river in order to determine the groundwater flowfield and exchange with the surface water. At the same time interval streambed pore water and riparian groundwater were sampled from piezometers and boreholes alongside surface water samples from the river. The samples were analysed for dissolved oxygen and major anion concentrations. Initial results confirm indicate that the water sources mixing in the HZ are statistically distinctive. In contrast to the many observed head water streams the exchange between groundwater and surface water is not just determined by gradually changing hydraulic conductivities of the sediment material but strongly controlled by the spatial pattern of a discontinuous impermeable regional peat layer located in 50 cm depth on average. The peat layer is separating the fluxes within the streambed into two (partially connected) flow systems, with semi-confined conditions underneath and pattern of surface water mixing above the peat. Areas where the peat layer is disrupted are characterised by strong connection of both flow systems. Dependent on flow paths and residence times redox conditions and nitrate concentrations are showing substantial changes along the hyporheic flow path. The spatial very heterogeneous patterns of nitrate concentrations in the streambed were found controlled by complex flow processes at multiple scales covering small scale hyporheic exchange in pools, riffles and sand bars as well as large scale pattern of groundwater - surface water connectivity and riparian influences.

Low-pass filtered continuum streambed and bedload sediment mass balance laws for an alluvial, gravel-bed stream

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeTemple, B.; Wilcock, P.

2011-12-01

In an alluvial, gravel-bed stream governed by a plane-bed bedload transport regime, the physicochemical properties, size distribution, and granular architecture of the sediment grains that constitute the streambed surface influence many hydrodynamic, geomorphic, chemical, and ecological processes. Consequently, the abilities to accurately characterize the morphology and model the morphodynamics of the streambed surface and its interaction with the bedload above and subsurface below are necessary for a more complete understanding of how sediment, flow, organisms, and biogeochemistry interact. We report on our progress in the bottom-up development of low-pass filtered continuum streambed and bedload sediment mass balance laws for an alluvial, gravel-bed stream. These balance laws are assembled in a four stage process. First, the stream sediment-water system is conceptually abstracted as a nested, multi-phase, multi-species, structured continuum. Second, the granular surface of an aggregate of sediment grains is mathematically defined. Third, an integral approach to mass balance, founded in the continuum theory of multiphase flow, is used to formulate primordial, differential, instantaneous, local, continuum, mass balance laws applicable at any material point within a gravel-bed stream. Fourth, area averaging and time-after-area averaging, employing planform, low-pass filtering expressed as correlation or convolution integrals and based on the spatial and temporal filtering techniques found in the fields of multiphase flow, porous media flow, and large eddy simulation of turbulent fluid flow, are applied to smooth the primordial equations while maximizing stratigraphic resolution and preserving the definitions of relevant morphodynamic surfaces. Our approach unifies, corrects, contextualizes, and generalizes prior efforts at developing stream sediment continuity equations, including the top-down derivations of the surface layer (or "active layer") approach of Hirano [1971a,b] and probabilistic approach of Parker et al. [2000], as well as the bottom-up, low-pass filtered continuum approach of Coleman & Nikora [2009] which employed volume and volume-after-time averaging. It accommodates partial transport (e.g., Wilcock & McArdell [1997], Wilcock [1997a,b]). Additionally, it provides: (1) precise definitions of the geometry and kinematics of sediment in a gravel-bed stream required to collect and analyze the high resolution spatial and temporal datasets that are becoming ever more present in both laboratory and field investigations, (2) a mathematical framework for the use of tracer grains in gravel-bed streams, including the fate of streambed-emplaced tracers as well as the dispersion of tracers in the bedload, (3) spatial and temporal averaging uncompromised by the Reynolds rules necessary to assess the nature of scale separation, and (4) a kinematic foundation for hybrid Langrangian-Eulerian models of sediment morphodynamics.

Geochemistry of Mine Waste and Mill Tailings, Meadow Deposits, Streambed Sediment, and General Hydrology and Water Quality for the Frohner Meadows Area, Upper Lump Gulch, Jefferson County, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Klein, Terry L.; Cannon, Michael R.; Fey, David L.

2004-01-01

Frohner Meadows, an area of low-topographic gradient subalpine ponds and wetlands in glaciated terrane near the headwaters of Lump Gulch (a tributary of Prickly Pear Creek), is located about 15 miles west of the town of Clancy, Montana, in the Helena National Forest. Mining and ore treatment of lead-zinc-silver veins in granitic rocks of the Boulder batholith over the last 120 years from two sites (Frohner mine and the Nellie Grant mine) has resulted in accumulations of mine waste and mill tailings that have been distributed downslope and downstream by anthropogenic and natural processes. This report presents the results of an investigation of the geochemistry of the wetlands, streams, and unconsolidated-sediment deposits and the hydrology, hydrogeology, and water quality of the area affected by these sources of ore-related metals. Ground water sampled from most shallow wells in the meadow system contained high concentrations of arsenic, exceeding the Montana numeric water-quality standard for human health. Transport of cadmium and zinc in ground water is indicated at one site near Nellie Grant Creek based on water-quality data from one well near the creek. Mill tailings deposited in upper Frohner Meadow contribute large arsenic loads to Frohner Meadows Creek; Nellie Grant Creek contributes large arsenic, cadmium, and zinc loads to upper Frohner Meadows. Concentrations of total-recoverable cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc in most surface-water sites downstream from the Nellie Grant mine area exceeded Montana aquatic-life standards. Nearly all samples of surface water and ground water had neutral to slightly alkaline pH values. Concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, lead, and zinc in streambed sediment in the entire meadow below the mine waste and mill tailings accumulations are highly enriched relative to regional watershed-background concentrations and exceed consensus-based, probable-effects concentrations for streambed sediment at most sites. Cadmium, copper, and zinc typically are adsorbed to the surface coatings of streambed-sediment grains. Mine waste and mill tailings contain high concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc in a quartz-rich matrix. Most of the waste sites that were sampled had low acid-generating capacity, although one site (fine-grained mill tailings from the Nellie Grant mine deposited in the upper part of lower Frohner Meadows) had extremely high acid-generating potential because of abundant fine-grained pyrite. Two distinct sites were identified as metal sources based on streambed-sediment samples, cores in the meadow substrate, and mine and mill-tailings samples. The Frohner mine and mill site contribute material rich in arsenic and lead; similar material from the Nellie Grant mine and mill site is rich in cadmium and zinc.

Interaction between stream temperature, streamflow, and groundwater exchanges in alpine streams

USGS Publications Warehouse

Constantz, James E.

1998-01-01

Four alpine streams were monitored to continuously collect stream temperature and streamflow for periods ranging from a week to a year. In a small stream in the Colorado Rockies, diurnal variations in both stream temperature and streamflow were significantly greater in losing reaches than in gaining reaches, with minimum streamflow losses occurring early in the day and maximum losses occurring early in the evening. Using measured stream temperature changes, diurnal streambed infiltration rates were predicted to increase as much as 35% during the day (based on a heat and water transport groundwater model), while the measured increase in streamflow loss was 40%. For two large streams in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, annual stream temperature variations ranged from 0° to 25°C. In summer months, diurnal stream temperature variations were 30–40% of annual stream temperature variations, owing to reduced streamflows and increased atmospheric heating. Previous reports document that one Sierra stream site generally gains groundwater during low flows, while the second Sierra stream site may lose water during low flows. For August the diurnal streamflow variation was 11% at the gaining stream site and 30% at the losing stream site. On the basis of measured diurnal stream temperature variations, streambed infiltration rates were predicted to vary diurnally as much as 20% at the losing stream site. Analysis of results suggests that evapotranspiration losses determined diurnal streamflow variations in the gaining reaches, while in the losing reaches, evapotranspiration losses were compounded by diurnal variations in streambed infiltration. Diurnal variations in stream temperature were reduced in the gaining reaches as a result of discharging groundwater of relatively constant temperature. For the Sierra sites, comparison of results with those from a small tributary demonstrated that stream temperature patterns were useful in delineating discharges of bank storage following dam releases. Direct coupling may have occurred between streamflow and stream temperature for losing stream reaches, such that reduced streamflows facilitated increased afternoon stream temperatures and increased afternoon stream temperatures induced increased streambed losses, leading to even greater increases in both stream temperature and streamflow losses.

Water and sediment study of the Snake River watershed, Colorado, Oct. 9-12, 2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fey, D.L.; Church, S.E.; Unruh, D.M.; Bove, D.J.

2002-01-01

The Snake River watershed, located upstream from Dillon Reservoir in the central mountains of Colorado, has been affected by historical base-metal mining. Trout stocked in the Snake River for recreational purposes do not survive through the winter. Sediment cores analyzed by previous investigators from the reservoir revealed elevated concentrations of base metals and mercury. We collected 36 surface water samples (filtered and unfiltered) and 38 streambed-sediment samples from streams in the Snake River watershed. Analyses of the sediment and water samples show that concentrations of several metals exceed aquatic life standards in one or both media. Ribbon maps showing dissolved concentrations of zinc, cadmium, copper, and manganese in water (0.45-micron filtered and corrected for the ameliorating effect of hardness), and copper, cadmium, and zinc in sediment indicate reaches where toxic effects on trout would be expected and stream reaches where toxicity standards for rainbow, brown, and brook trout are exceeded. Instantaneous loads for sulfate, strontium, iron, cadmium, copper, and zinc were calculated from 0.45-micron-filtered water concentrations and discharge measurements were made at each site. Sulfate and strontium behave conservatively, whereas copper, cadmium, and zinc are reactive. The dissolved copper load entering the reservoir is less than 20 percent of the value calculated from some upper reaches; copper is transferred to suspended and or streambed sediment by sorption to iron oxyhydroxides. Higher percentages of zinc and cadmium reach the reservoir in dissolved form; however, load calculations indicate that some of these metals are also precipitated out of solution. The most effective remediation activities should be concentrated on reducing the dissolved loads of zinc, cadmium, and copper in two reaches of lower Peru Creek between the confluence with the Snake River and Cinnamon Gulch. We analyzed all streambed sediment for mercury and selected streambed-sediment and reservoir core samples for lead isotope signatures. Results indicate that the mercury anomaly in the reservoir sediment was not from any known source in the Snake River, Blue River, or Tenmile Creek watersheds. Its source remains an enigma.

Influence of diurnal variations in stream temperature on streamflow loss and groundwater recharge

USGS Publications Warehouse

Constantz, Jim; Thomas, Carole L.; Zellweger, Gary W.

1994-01-01

We demonstrate that for losing reaches with significant diurnal variations in stream temperature, the effect of stream temperature on streambed seepage is a major factor contributing to reduced afternoon streamflows. An explanation is based on the effect of stream temperature on the hydraulic conductivity of the streambed, which can be expected to double in the 0° to 25°C temperature range. Results are presented for field experiments in which stream discharge and temperature were continuously measured for several days over losing reaches at St. Kevin Gulch, Colorado, and Tijeras Arroyo, New Mexico. At St. Kevin Gulch in July 1991, the diurnal stream temperature in the 160-m study reach ranged from about 4° to 18°C, discharges ranged from 10 to 18 L/s, and streamflow loss in the study reach ranged from 2.7 to 3.7 L/s. On the basis of measured stream temperature variations, the predicted change in conductivity was about 38%; the measured change in stream loss was about 26%, suggesting that streambed temperature varied less than the stream temperature. At Tijeras Arroyo in May 1992, diurnal stream temperature in the 655-m study reach ranged from about 10° to 25°C and discharge ranged from 25 to 55 L/s. Streamflow loss was converted to infiltration rates by factoring in the changing stream reach surface area and streamflow losses due to evaporation rates as measured in a hemispherical evaporation chamber. Infiltration rates ranged from about 0.7 to 2.0 m/d, depending on time and location. Based on measured stream temperature variations, the predicted change in conductivity was 29%; the measured change in infiltration was also about 27%. This suggests that high infiltration rates cause rapid convection of heat to the streambed. Evapotranspiration losses were estimated for the reach and adjacent flood plain within the arroyo. On the basis of these estimates, only about 5% of flow loss was consumed via stream evaporation and stream-side evapotranspiration, indicating that 95% of the loss within the study reach represented groundwater recharge.

Sediment transport and resulting deposition in spawning gravels, north coastal California

Treesearch

Thomas E. Lisle

1989-01-01

Incubating salmonid eggs in streambeds are often threatened by deposition of fine sediment within the gravel. To relate sedimentation of spawning gravel beds to sediment transport, infiltration of fine sediment (

Thermal profiles for selected river reaches of the Methow and Chewuch Rivers, Washington, August 2011

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gendaszek, Andrew S.

2012-01-01

Longitudinal profiles of near-streambed and near-surface temperatures were collected for selected reaches of the Methow and Chewuch Rivers, Washington, during August 2011 to facilitate development of a stream temperature model near the confluence of the Methow and Chewuch Rivers. Temperature was measured using a probe with an internal datalogger towed behind a watercraft moving downstream at ambient river velocity. For the Methow River, an additional temperature survey was completed using near-streambed and near-surface probes towed behind a second watercraft that traversed the channel to measure vertical and lateral temperature variability. All data were referenced to location that was concurrently measured with a Global Positioning System. Data are presented as Microsoft Excel® files consisting of date and time, water temperature, and Washington State Plane North easting and northing.

Sediment oxygen demand in eastern Kansas streams, 2014 and 2015

USGS Publications Warehouse

Foster, Guy M.; King, Lindsey R.; Graham, Jennifer L.

2016-08-29

Dissolved oxygen concentrations in streams are affected by physical, chemical, and biological factors in the water column and streambed, and are an important factor for the survival of aquatic organisms. Sediment oxygen demand (SOD) rates in Kansas streams are not well understood. During 2014 and 2015, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, measured SOD at eight stream sites in eastern Kansas to quantify SOD rates and variability with respect to season, land use, and bottom-sediment characteristics. Sediment oxygen demand rates (SODT) ranged from 0.01 to 3.15 grams per square meter per day at the ambient temperature of the measurements. The summer mean SOD rate was 3.0-times larger than the late fall mean rate, likely because of increased biological activity at warm water temperatures. Given the substantial amount of variability in SOD rates possible within sites, heterogeneity of substrate type is an important consideration when designing SOD studies and interpreting the results. Sediment oxygen demand in eastern Kansas streams was correlated with land use and streambed-sediment characteristics, though the strength of relations varied seasonally. The small number of study sites precluded a more detailed analysis. The effect of basin land use and streambed sediment characteristics on SOD is currently (2016) not well understood, and there may be many contributing factors including basin influences on water quality that affect biogeochemical cycles and the biological communities supported by the stream.

Data and statistical summaries of background concentrations of metals in soils and streambed sediments in part of Big Soos Creek drainage basin, King County, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Prych, E.A.; Kresch, D.L.; Ebbert, J.C.; Turney, G.L.

1995-01-01

Twenty-nine soil samples from 14 holes at 9 sites in part of the Big Soos Creek drainage basin in southwest King County, Washington, were collected and analyzed to obtain data on the magnitude and variability of background concentrations of metals in soils. Seven streambed-sediment samples and three streamwater samples from three sites also were collected and analyzed. These data are needed by regulating government agencies to determine if soils at sites of suspected contamination have elevated concentrations of metals, and to evaluate the effectiveness of remediation at sites with known contamination. Concentrations of 43 metals were determined by a total method, and concentrations of 17 metals were determined by a total-recoverable method and two different leaching methods. Metals analyzed for by all methods included most of those on the U.S. Environmental Protection agency list of priority pollutants, plus alluminum, iron, and manganese. Ranges of concentrations of metals determined by the total method are within ranges found by others for the conterminous United States. Concentrations of mercury, manganese, phosphorus, lead, selenium, antimony, and zinc as determined by the total method, and of some of these plus other metals as determined by the other methods were larger in shallow soil (less than 12 inches deep) than in deep soil (greater than 12 inches). Concentrations of metals in streambed sediments were more typical of shallow than deep soils.

Rainfall-induced runoff from exposed streambed sediments: an important source of water pollution.

PubMed

Frey, S K; Gottschall, N; Wilkes, G; Grégoire, D S; Topp, E; Pintar, K D M; Sunohara, M; Marti, R; Lapen, D R

2015-01-01

When surface water levels decline, exposed streambed sediments can be mobilized and washed into the water course when subjected to erosive rainfall. In this study, rainfall simulations were conducted over exposed sediments along stream banks at four distinct locations in an agriculturally dominated river basin with the objective of quantifying the potential for contaminant loading from these often overlooked runoff source areas. At each location, simulations were performed at three different sites. Nitrogen, phosphorus, sediment, fecal indicator bacteria, pathogenic bacteria, and microbial source tracking (MST) markers were examined in both prerainfall sediments and rainfall-induced runoff water. Runoff generation and sediment mobilization occurred quickly (10-150 s) after rainfall initiation. Temporal trends in runoff concentrations were highly variable within and between locations. Total runoff event loads were considered large for many pollutants considered. For instance, the maximum observed total phosphorus runoff load was on the order of 1.5 kg ha. Results also demonstrate that runoff from exposed sediments can be a source of pathogenic bacteria. spp. and spp. were present in runoff from one and three locations, respectively. Ruminant MST markers were also present in runoff from two locations, one of which hosted pasturing cattle with stream access. Overall, this study demonstrated that rainfall-induced runoff from exposed streambed sediments can be an important source of surface water pollution. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Groundwater Discharge of Legacy Nitrogen to River Networks: Linking Regional Groundwater Models to Streambed Groundwater-Surface Water Exchange and Nitrogen Processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barclay, J. R.; Helton, A. M.; Briggs, M. A.; Starn, J. J.; Hunt, A.

2017-12-01

Despite years of management, excess nitrogen (N) is a pervasive problem in many aquatic ecosystems. More than half of surface water in the United States is derived from groundwater, and widespread N contamination in aquifers from decades of watershed N inputs suggest legacy N discharging from groundwater may contribute to contemporary N pollution problems in surface waters. Legacy N loads to streams and rivers are controlled by both regional scale flow paths and fine-scale processes that drive N transformations, such as groundwater-surface water exchange across steep redox gradients that occur at stream bed interfaces. Adequately incorporating these disparate scales is a challenge, but it is essential to understanding legacy N transport and making informed management decisions. We developed a regional groundwater flow model for the Farmington River, a HUC-8 basin that drains to the Long Island Sound, a coastal estuary that suffers from elevated N loads despite decades of management, to understand broad patterns of regional transport. To evaluate and refine the regional model, we used thermal infrared imagery paired with vertical temperature profiling to estimate groundwater discharge at the streambed interface. We also analyzed discharging groundwater for multiple N species to quantify fine scale patterns of N loading and transformation via denitrification at the streambed interface. Integrating regional and local estimates of groundwater discharge of legacy N to river networks should improve our ability to predict spatiotemporal patterns of legacy N loading to and transformation within surface waters.

Estimating bridge scour in New York from historical U.S. geological survey streamflow measurements

USGS Publications Warehouse

Butch, Gerard K.; ,

1993-01-01

Historical streamflow measurements by the U.S. Geological Survey an bridge-inspection reports by the New York State Department of Transportation are being used to estimate scour at 31 bridges in New York State. Streamflow measurements that were made before, during, or after high flows are used to estimate scour and to define hydraulic properties associated with floods. Clear-water scour is common at most sites; local scour holes that formed during high flows did not refill after subsequent high flows. The 31 streambeds are armored by gravel; median particle size ranges form 22 to 68 millimeters. Streambed elevations measured after a high flow are assumed to represent the elevations during peak flow. Measurements at several bridges indicate scour by multiple high flows, severe floods, and debris. Three high flows at State Route 23 over the Otselic River in Cortland County produced 6.1 feet of local scour and partly exposed concrete pilings below the footing. Although the recurrence interval of each flow was less than 10 years, a 30-degree angle between the flow and the pier increased the tendency of the streambed to scour. State Route 427 over the Chemung River in Chemung County survived the 1972 flood ( recurrence interval greater than 100 years) because pilings supported the undermined piers. The maximum local scour during the 1972 flood was estimated to be 5.4 feet. A local-scour hole, 2.4 feet deep before the flood, was deepened to 7.8 feet.

Fate and transport of TNT, RDX, and HMX in streambed sediments: Implications for riverbank filtration.

PubMed

Zheng, Weixi; Lichwa, Joseph; D'Alessio, Matteo; Ray, Chittaranjan

2009-08-01

Riverbank filtration (RBF) refers to the process of capturing surface water passing through the river-sediment-aquifer system by using a collection technique such as a well or an infiltration gallery. RBF removes nearly all suspended and a large number of dissolved contaminants from the surface water. Therefore, it can function as an effective pretreatment process in drinking-water production. TNT (2,4,6-trinitrotoluene), RDX (1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazacyclohexane), and HMX (1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocane) are three military explosive chemicals that are considered of concern to human health when present in source waters. This study is to evaluate the ability of the filtration media in RBF systems to remove these chemicals. The results from an anoxic batch test showed that all three chemicals will degrade while passing through streambed sediments. The pseudo first-order degradation-rate constants for TNT, RDX, and HMX were measured to be 0.33, 0.055, and 0.033d(-1), respectively. Under aerobic conditions only TNT showed significant degradation. Results from a model RBF system showed that the mobility of the three chemical contaminants in streambed sediments was in the order: HMX>RDX>TNT. The results suggest that RBF is capable of removing TNT and RDX but HMX levels may continue to be of concern-especially when collector wells use laterals running directly beneath the stream or riverbed.

75 FR 74740 - Measure M2 Natural Community Conservation Plan/Habitat Conservation Plan/Master Streambed...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-01

... significant direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts on biological resources, land use, air quality, water quality, water resources, socioeconomics, and other environmental issues that could occur with the...

Factors for improved fish passage waterway construction.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-06-01

Streambeds are important fish passageways in Oregon; they provide for the necessary habitats and spawning cycles of a healthy fish population. Oregon state law requires that hydraulic structures located in water properly provide fish passage. Increas...

Groundwater contributions of flow, nitrate, and dissolved organic carbon to the lower San Joaquin River, California, 2006-08

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zamora, Celia; Dahlgren, Randy A.; Kratzer, Charles R.; Downing, Bryan D.; Russell, Ann D.; Dileanis, Peter D.; Bergamaschi, Brian A.; Phillips, Steven P.

2013-01-01

The influence of groundwater on surface-water quality in the San Joaquin River, California, was examined for a 59-mile reach from the confluence with Salt Slough to Vernalis. The primary objective of this study was to quantify the rate of groundwater discharged to the lower San Joaquin River and the contribution of nitrate and dissolved organic carbon concentrations to the river. Multiple lines of evidence from four independent approaches were used to characterize groundwater contributions of nitrogen and dissolved organic carbon. Monitoring wells (in-stream and bank wells), streambed synoptic surveys (stream water and shallow groundwater), longitudinal profile surveys by boat (continuous water-quality parameters in the stream), and modeling (MODFLOW and VS2DH) provided a combination of temporal, spatial, quantitative, and qualitative evidence of groundwater contributions to the river and the associated quality. Monitoring wells in nested clusters in the streambed (in-stream wells) and on both banks (bank wells) along the river were monitored monthly from September 2006 to January 2009. Nitrate concentrations in the bank wells ranged from less than detection—that is, less than 0.01 milligrams per liter (mg/L) as nitrogen (N)—to approximately 13 mg/L as N. Nitrate was not detected at 17 of 26 monitoring wells during the study period. Dissolved organic carbon concentrations among monitoring wells were highly variable, but they generally ranged from 1 to 4 mg/L. In a previous study, 14 bank wells were sampled once in 1988 following their original installation. With few exceptions, specific conductivity and nitrate concentrations measured in this study were virtually identical to those measured 20 years ago. Streambed synoptic measurements were made by using a temporarily installed drive-point piezometer at 113 distinct transects across the stream during 4 sampling events. Nitrate concentrations exceeded the detection limit of 0.01 mg/L as N in 5 percent of groundwater samples collected from the in-stream wells as part of the synoptic surveys. Only 7 of the 113 cross-sectional transects had nitrate concentrations greater than 1 mg/L as N. In contrast, surface waters in the San Joaquin River tended to have nitrate concentrations in the 1–3 mg/L as N range. A zone of lower oxygen (less than 2 mg/L) in the streambed could limit nitrate contributions from regional groundwater flow because nitrate can be converted to nitrogen gas within this zone. Appreciable concentrations of ammonium (average concentration was 1.92 mg/L as N, and 95th percentile was 10.34 mg/L as N) in the shallow groundwater, believed to originate from anoxic mineralization of streambed sediments, could contribute nitrogen to the overlying stream as nitrate following in-stream nitrification, however. Dissolved organic carbon concentrations were highly variable in the shallow groundwater below the river (1 to 6 ft below streambed) and generally ranged between 1 and 5 mg/L, but had maximum concentrations in the 15–25 mg/L range. The longitudinal profile surveys were not particularly useful in identifying groundwater discharge areas. However, the longitudinal approach described in this report was useful as a baseline survey of measured water-quality parameters and for identifying tributary inflows that affect surface-water concentrations of nitrate. Results of the calibrated MODFLOW model indicated that the simulated groundwater discharge rate was approximately 1.0 cubic foot per second per mile (cfs/mi), and the predominant horizontal groundwater flow direction between the deep bank wells was westward beneath the river. The modeled (VS2DH) flux values (river gain versus river loss) were calculated for the irrigation and non-irrigation season, and these fluxes were an order of magnitude less than those from MODFLOW. During the irrigation season, the average river gain was 0.11 cfs/mi, and the average river loss was −0.05 cfs/mi. During the non-irrigation season, the average river gain was 0.10 cfs/mi, and the average river loss was -0.08 cfs/mi. Information on groundwater interactions and water quality collected for this study was used to estimate loads of nitrate and dissolved organic carbon from the groundwater to the San Joaquin River. Estimated loads of dissolved inorganic nitrogen and dissolved organic carbon were calculated by using concentrations measured during four streambed synoptic surveys and the estimated groundwater discharge rate to the San Joaquin River from MODFLOW of 1 cfs/mi. The estimated groundwater loads to the San Joaquin River for dissolved inorganic nitrogen and dissolved organic carbon were 300 and 350 kilograms per day, respectively. These loads represent 9 and 7 percent, respectively, of the estimated instantaneous surface-water loads for dissolved inorganic nitrogen and dissolved organic carbon at the most downstream site, Vernalis, measured during the four streambed synoptic surveys.

Hot Moments in Cold Spots - Investigating Reactive Transport Patterns at Aquifer-River Interfaces by Heat Tracers and Distributed Sensor Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krause, Stefan; Angermann, Lisa; Naden, Emma; Cassidy, Nigel; Blume, Theresa

2010-05-01

The mixing of groundwater and surface water in hyporheic zones often coincides with high redox reactivity and chemical transformation potential. Depending on redox conditions and reaction types, hyporheic mixing of groundwater and surface water can lead to either attenuation or enrichment of pollutants or nutrients with diametrical implications for stream and aquifer hydro-ecological conditions. This study investigates the reactive transport of nitrate and a chlorinated solvent (Trichloroethylene - TCE) at the aquifer-river interface of a UK lowland river. In this study, distributed temperature sensor networks and hydro-geophysical methods, which have been applied for identifying structural streambed heterogeneity and tracing aquifer river exchange, were combined with hydro-chemical analyses of hyporheic multi-component reactive transport. In stream Electric Resistivity Tomography has been applied to map the complex spatial distribution of highly conductive sandy and gravely sediments in contrast to semi-confining, low conductivity peat lenses. Reach scale (1km) spatial patterns and temporal dynamics of aquifer-river exchange have been identified by heat tracer experiments based on fibre-optic Distributed Temperature Sensing in combination with 2D thermocouple-arrays and small scale heat pulse injection methods for tracing shallow (25 cm) hyporheic flow paths. Spatial patterns of hyporheic redox conditions, dissolved oxygen and organic carbon (DOC) content as well as concentrations of major anions, TCE and its decay products have been observed in 48 nested multi-level piezometers and passive DET (Diffusive Equilibrium in Thin film) gel probes. Our results indicate that patterns of cold spots in streambed sediments can be attributed to fast groundwater up-welling in sandy and gravely sediments resulting in low hyporheic residence times. Contrasting conditions were found at warmer areas at the streambed surface where groundwater - surface water exchange was inhibited by the existence of peat or clay lenses within the streambed. These flow-inhibiting structures have been shown to cause semi-confined conditions in the up-welling groundwater, resulting in long residence times and increased redox-reactivity. Anoxic conditions and high DOC contents combined with long residence times underneath peat layers cause highly efficient denitrification rates, reducing nitrate concentrations from > 50mg/l to below the level of detection. In contrast, sandy and gravely areas of fast groundwater up-welling where characterized by only marginal changes in nitrate concentrations. Observation of the reactive transport of the chlorinated solvent groundwater plume into the river suggest that natural attenuation of TCE, which competes with nitrate for DOC as reductive agent, is limited to the semi-confined, anoxic, low nitrate - high DOC groundwater pockets underneath streambed peat lenses. The investigations supported the development of a conceptual model of aquifer - river exchange and hyporheic reactivity in lowland rivers including temperature traceable "hyporheic super-reactors" of great importance for river restoration, water quality and ecology status.

Hot Moments in Cold Spots - Using Heat Tracers and Distributed Sensor Networks to Investigate Reactive Transport Patterns at Aquifer-River Interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krause, S.; Angermann, L.; Naden, E.; Cassidy, N. J.

2009-12-01

The mixing of groundwater and surface water in hyporheic zones often coincides high redox reactivity and chemical transformation potential. Depending on redox conditions and reaction types, hyporheic mixing of groundwater and surface water can lead to either attenuation or enrichment of pollutants or nutrients with diametrical implications for stream and aquifer hydro-ecology. This study investigates the reactive transport of nitrate and the chlorinated solvent Trichloroethylene (TCE) at the aquifer-river interface of a UK lowland river. The investigations are based on novel distributed sensor networks and hydro-geophysical methods for the identification of structural streambed heterogeneity and the tracing of aquifer river exchange combined with hydro-chemical analyses of hyporheic multi-component reactive transport. In stream Electric Resistivity Tomography and Ground Penetrating Radar have been applied to map the complex spatial distribution of highly conductive sandy and gravely sediments in contrast to semi-confining, low conductivity peat lenses. Reach scale (1km) spatial patterns and temporal dynamics of aquifer-river exchange have been identified by heat tracer experiments based on fibre-optic Distributed Temperature Sensing in combination with 2D thermocouple-arrays and small scale heat pulse injection methods for tracing shallow (25 cm) hyporheic flow paths. Spatial patterns of hyporheic redox conditions, dissolved oxygen and organic carbon (DOC) content as well as concentrations of major anions, TCE and its decay products have been observed in 48 nested multi-level piezometers and passive DET (Diffusive Equilibrium in Thin film) gel probes. Our results indicate that patterns of cold spots in streambed sediments can be attributed to fast groundwater up-welling in sandy and gravely sediments resulting in low hyporheic residence times. Contrasting conditions were found at warmer areas at the streambed surface where groundwater - surface water exchange was inhibited by the existence of peat or clay lenses within the streambed. These flow-inhibiting structures have been shown to cause semi-confined conditions in the up-welling groundwater, resulting in long residence times and increased redox-reactivity. Anoxic conditions and high DOC contents combined with long residence times underneath peat layers cause highly efficient denitrification rates, reducing nitrate concentrations from > 50mg/l to below the level of detection. In contrast, sandy and gravely areas of fast groundwater up-welling where characterized by only marginal changes in nitrate concentrations. Observation of the reactive transport of the chlorinated solvent groundwater plume into the river suggest that natural attenuation of TCE, which competes with nitrate for DOC as reductive agent, is limited to the semi-confined, anoxic, low nitrate - high DOC groundwater pockets underneath streambed peat lenses. The investigations supported the development of a conceptual model of aquifer - river exchange and hyporheic reactivity in lowland rivers including temperature traceable “hyporheic super-reactors” of great importance for river restoration, water quality and ecology status.

Degree of contamination and sources of polychlorinated biphenyls in Meandering Road Creek and Woods Inlet of Lake Worth, Fort Worth, Texas, 2004 and 2006-07

USGS Publications Warehouse

Braun, Christopher L.; Wilson, Jennifer T.; Van Metre, Peter C.

2008-01-01

Lake Worth is a reservoir on the West Fork Trinity River on the western edge of Fort Worth, Texas. Air Force Plant 4 (AFP4) is on the eastern shore of Woods Inlet, an arm of Lake Worth that extends south from the main body of the lake. Two previous reports documented ele-vated polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations in surficial sediment in Woods Inlet relative to those in surficial sediment in other parts of Lake Worth. This report presents the results of another USGS study, done in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force, to indicate the degree of PCB contamination of Meandering Road Creek and Woods Inlet and to identify possible sources of PCBs in Meandering Road Creek and Woods Inlet on the basis of suspended, streambed, and lake-bottom sediment samples collected there in 2004 and 2006-07. About 40 to 80 percent of total PCB concentrations (depending on how total PCB concentration is computed) in suspended sediment exceed the threshold effect concentration, a concentration below which adverse effects to benthic biota rarely occur. About 20 percent of total PCB concentrations (computed as sum of three Aroclors) in suspended sediment exceed the probable effect concentration, a concentration above which adverse effects to benthic biota are expected to occur frequently. About 20 to 30 percent of total PCB concentrations in streambed sediment exceed the threshold effect concentration; and about 6 to 20 percent of total PCB concentrations in lake-bottom (Woods Inlet) sediment exceed the threshold effect concentration. No streambed or lake-bottom sediment concentrations exceed the probable effect concentration. The sources of PCBs to Meandering Road Creek and Woods Inlet were investigated by comparing the relative distributions of PCB congeners of suspended sediment to those of streambed and lake-bottom sediment. The sources of PCBs were identified using graphical analysis of normalized concentrations (congener ratios) of 11 congeners. For graphical analysis, the sampling sites were divided into three groups with each group associated with one of the three outfalls sampled: SSO, OF4, and OF5. The variations of normalized PCB congener concentrations from Woods Inlet, from outfalls along Meandering Road Creek, and from streambed sediment sampling sites along Meandering Road Creek generally form similar patterns within sample groups, which is indicative of a common source of PCBs to each group. Overall, the variations in congener ratios indicate that PCBs in surficial lake-bottom sediment of Woods Inlet probably entered Woods Inlet primarily from Meandering Road Creek, and that runoff from AFP4 is a prominent source of PCBs in Meandering Road Creek. Sixteen of the 20 box core sites in Woods Inlet had lower PCB concentrations in the 2006 cores compared to those in the 2003 cores.

CADDIS Volume 2. Sources, Stressors and Responses: Urbanization - Physical Habitat

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Introduction to physical habitat changes associated with urbanization, overview of how urbanization can lead to channel enlargement, summary of how road crossings can affect stream ecosystems, summary of how urbanization can alter streambed substrates.

Identifying spatial variability of groundwater discharge in a wetland stream using a distributed temperature sensor

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lowry, Christopher S.; Walker, John F.; Hunt, Randall J.; Anderson, Mary P.

2007-01-01

Discrete zones of groundwater discharge in a stream within a peat‐dominated wetland were identified on the basis of variations in streambed temperature using a distributed temperature sensor (DTS). The DTS gives measurements of the spatial (±1 m) and temporal (15 min) variation of streambed temperature over a much larger reach of stream (>800 m) than previous methods. Isolated temperature anomalies observed along the stream correspond to focused groundwater discharge zones likely caused by soil pipes within the peat. The DTS also recorded variations in the number of temperature anomalies, where higher numbers correlated well with a gaining reach identified by stream gauging. Focused zones of groundwater discharge showed essentially no change in position over successive measurement periods. Results suggest DTS measurements will complement other techniques (e.g., seepage meters and stream gauging) and help further improve our understanding of groundwater–surface water dynamics in wetland streams.

Numerical-simulation and conjunctive-management models of the Hunt-Annaquatucket-Pettaquamscutt stream-aquifer system, Rhode Island

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barlow, Paul M.; Dickerman, David C.

2001-01-01

This report describes the development, application, and evaluation of numerical-simulation and conjunctive-management models of the Hunt-Annaquatucket-Pettaquamscutt stream-aquifer system in central Rhode Island. Steady-state transient numerical models were developed to improve the understanding of the hydrologic budget of the system, the interaction of ground-water and surface-water components of the system, and the contributing areas and sources of water to supply wells in the system. The numerical models were developed and calibrated on the basis of hydrologic data collected during this and previous investigations. These data include lithologic information for the aquifer; hydraulic properties of aquifer and streambed materials; recharge to the aquifer; water levels measured in wells, ponds, and streambed piezometers; streamflow measurements for various streams within the system; and ground-water withdrawal rates from, and wastewater discharge to, the aquifer.

Impacts on water quality and biota from natural acid rock drainage in Colorado's Lake Creek watershed

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bird, D.A.; Sares, Matthew A.; Policky, Greg A.; Schmidt, Travis S.; Church, Stan E.

2006-01-01

Colorado's Lake Creek watershed hosts natural acid rock drainage that significantly impacts surface water, streambed sediment, and aquatic life. The source of the ARD is a group of iron-rich springs that emerge from intensely hydrothermally altered, unexploited, low-grade porphyry copper mineralization in the Grizzly Peak Caldera. Source water chemistry includes pH of 2.5 and dissolved metal concentrations of up to 277 mg/L aluminum, 498 mg/L iron, and 10 mg/L copper. From the hydrothermally altered area downstream for 27 kilometers to Twin Lakes Reservoir, metal concentrations in streambed sediment are elevated and the watershed experiences locally severe adverse impacts to aquatic life due to the acidic, metal-laden water. The water and sediment quality of Twin Lakes Reservoir is sufficiently improved that the reservoir supports a trout fishery, and remnants of upstream ARD are negligible.

Surface water quality assessment of the Upper Illinois River basin in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin : geochemical data for fine-fraction streambed sediment from high- and low-order streams, 1987

USGS Publications Warehouse

Colman, John A.; Sanzolone, R.F.

1991-01-01

Geochemical data are presented from a synoptic survey of 46 elements in fine-fraction streambed sediments of the Upper Illinois River Basin during the fall of 1987. The survey was a component study of the Illinois pilot project of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment program. Most of the sampling sites were randomly chosen--135 on main stems of rivers and 238 on first- and second-order streams. In addition, 196 samples were collected for quality-assurance and special-study purposes. The report includes element concentration data and summary-statistics tables of percentiles, nested analysis of variance, and correlation coefficients. All concentration data are included in tabular form and can be selected by map reference number, latitude and longitude, or remark code indicating purpose for collecting sample.

Variations of streambed vertical hydraulic conductivity before and after a flood season

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Guangdong; Shu, Longcang; Lu, Chengpeng; Chen, Xunhong; Zhang, Xiao; Appiah-Adjei, Emmanuel K.; Zhu, Jingsi

2015-11-01

The change of vertical hydraulic conductivity ( K v) before and after a flood season is crucial in understanding the long-term temporal variation of streambed permeability. Therefore, in this study, a detailed K v field investigation was conducted at an in-channel site within the Dawen River, China, before and after a flood season. In-situ falling-head permeameter tests were performed for the determination of K v. The tests were conducted using a 10 × 10 grid, at five different depths. In total, 871 valid K v values from layers 1-5 were obtained. The Kruskal-Wallis test on these K v values before and after the flood season shows they belonged to different populations. The sediments before the flood season primarily consisted of sand and gravel, whereas after the flood season, patchy distribution of silt/clay occurred in the sandy streambed and silt/clay content increased with the increasing depth; under the losing condition during flooding, downward movement of water brought fine particles into the coarse sediments, partially silting the pores. Accordingly, the K v values after the flood season had a smaller mean and median, and a higher level of heterogeneity, compared to those before the flood season. Additionally, the distribution pattern in K v across the stream differed before and after flood season; after the flood season, there was an increasing trend in K v from the south bank to the north bank. Overall, the contrasts of K v before and after the flood season were predominantly subject to the infiltration of fine particles.

Validation of a new device to quantify groundwater-surface water exchange

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cremeans, Mackenzie M.; Devlin, J. F.

2017-11-01

Distributions of flow across the groundwater-surface water interface should be expected to be as complex as the geologic deposits associated with stream or lake beds and their underlying aquifers. In these environments, the conventional Darcy-based method of characterizing flow systems (near streams) has significant limitations, including reliance on parameters with high uncertainties (e.g., hydraulic conductivity), the common use of drilled wells in the case of streambank investigations, and potentially lengthy measurement times for aquifer characterization and water level measurements. Less logistically demanding tools for quantifying exchanges across streambeds have been developed and include drive-point mini-piezometers, seepage meters, and temperature profiling tools. This project adds to that toolbox by introducing the Streambed Point Velocity Probe (SBPVP), a reusable tool designed to quantify groundwater-surface water interactions (GWSWI) at the interface with high density sampling, which can effectively, rapidly, and accurately complement conventional methods. The SBPVP is a direct push device that measures in situ water velocities at the GWSWI with a small-scale tracer test on the probe surface. Tracer tests do not rely on hydraulic conductivity or gradient information, nor do they require long equilibration times. Laboratory testing indicated that the SBPVP has an average accuracy of ± 3% and an average precision of ± 2%. Preliminary field testing, conducted in the Grindsted Å in Jutland, Denmark, yielded promising agreement between groundwater fluxes determined by conventional methods and those estimated from the SBPVP tests executed at similar scales. These results suggest the SBPVP is a viable tool to quantify groundwater-surface water interactions in high definition in sandy streambeds.

Characterizing spatial structure of sediment E. coli populations to inform sampling design.

PubMed

Piorkowski, Gregory S; Jamieson, Rob C; Hansen, Lisbeth Truelstrup; Bezanson, Greg S; Yost, Chris K

2014-01-01

Escherichia coli can persist in streambed sediments and influence water quality monitoring programs through their resuspension into overlying waters. This study examined the spatial patterns in E. coli concentration and population structure within streambed morphological features during baseflow and following stormflow to inform sampling strategies for representative characterization of E. coli populations within a stream reach. E. coli concentrations in bed sediments were significantly different (p = 0.002) among monitoring sites during baseflow, and significant interactive effects (p = 0.002) occurred among monitoring sites and morphological features following stormflow. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression revealed that water velocity and effective particle size (D 10) explained E. coli concentration during baseflow, whereas sediment organic carbon, water velocity and median particle diameter (D 50) were important explanatory variables following stormflow. Principle Coordinate Analysis illustrated the site-scale differences in sediment E. coli populations between disconnected stream segments. Also, E. coli populations were similar among depositional features within a reach, but differed in relation to high velocity features (e.g., riffles). Canonical correspondence analysis resolved that E. coli population structure was primarily explained by spatial (26.9–31.7 %) over environmental variables (9.2–13.1 %). Spatial autocorrelation existed among monitoring sites and morphological features for both sampling events, and gradients in mean particle diameter and water velocity influenced E. coli population structure for the baseflow and stormflow sampling events, respectively. Representative characterization of streambed E. coli requires sampling of depositional and high velocity environments to accommodate strain selectivity among these features owing to sediment and water velocity heterogeneity.

Data on surface-water, streambed-interstitial water, and bed-sediment quality for selected locations in the small arms impact area of central Fort Gordon, Georgia, September 4-6, 2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Priest, Sheryln; Stamey, Timothy C.; Lawrence, Stephen J.

2002-01-01

In September 2001, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Environmental and Natural Resources Management Office of the U.S. Army Signal Center and Fort Gordon (U.S. Department of the Army), conducted a chemical assessment of surface water, streambed-interstitial water, and bed sediments within the small arms impact area of Fort Gordon Military Installation. The study was conducted in support of the development of an Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP) for Fort Gordon, Georgia. An effective INRMP ensures that natural resources conservation measures and U.S. Army activities on the military base are integrated and consistent with Federal requirements to manage military installations on an ecosystem basis. Filtered water samples were collected from five sites along South Prong Creek and three sites along Marcum Branch Creek for chemical analyses of major ions, nutrients, and selected trace elements. On-site measurements of pH, temperature, specific conductance, and dissolved oxygen were made at the eight sites. Filtered water collected showed varying concentrations in both surface- and streambed-interstitial water. Bed-sediment samples collected from South Prong Creek contain elevated levels of arsenic, barium, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, lead, manganese, nickel, selenium, vanadium, and total organic carbon relative to previous concentrations (McConnell and others, 2000). Bed-sediment samples collected from Marcum Branch Creek contain elevated levels of beryllium, copper, lead, manganese, mercury, selenium, and total organic carbon relative to previous concentrations (McConnell and others, 2000).

Effects of land disposal of municipal sewage sludge on fate of nitrates in soil, streambed sediment, and water quality

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tindall, James A.; Lull, Kenneth J.; Gaggiani, Neville G.

1994-01-01

This study was undertaken to determine the effects of sewage-sludge disposal at the Lowry sewage-sludge-disposal area, near Denver, Colorado, on ground- and surface-water quality, to determine the fate of nitrates from sludge leachate, and to determine the source areas of leachate and the potential for additional leaching from the disposal area.Sewage-sludge disposal began in 1969. Two methods were used to apply the sludge: burial and plowing. Also, the sludge was applied both in liquid and cake forms. Data in this report represent the chemical composition of soil and streambed sediment from seven soil- and four streambed-sampling sites in 1986, chemical and bacterial composition of ground water from 28 wells from 1981 to 1987, and surface-water runoff from seven water-sampling sites from 1984 to 1987. Ground water samples were obtained from alluvial and bedrock aquifers. Samples of soil, streambed sediment, ground water and surface water were obtained for onsite measurement and chemical analysis. Measurements included determination of nitrogen compounds and major cations and anions, fecal-coliform and -streptococcus bacteria, specific conductance, and pH.Thirteen wells in the alluvial aquifer in Region 3 of the study area contain water that was probably affected by sewage-sludge leachate. The plots of concentration of nitrate with time show seasonal trends and trends caused by precipitation. In addition to yearly fluctuation, there were noticeable increases in ground-water concentrations of nitrate that coincided with increased precipitation. After 3 years of annual ground-water-quality monitoring and 4 years of a quarterly sampling program, it has been determined that leachate from the sewage-sludge-disposal area caused increased nitrite plus nitrate (as nitrogen) concentration in the alluvial ground water at the site. Soil analyses from the disposal area indicate that organic nitrogen was the dominant form of nitrogen in the soil.As a result of investigations at the research site, it has been determined that a potentially large source of contamination exists in the soils of the study area owing to increased concentrations of nitrogen, sodium, calcium, magnesium, sulfate, bicarbonate, and chloride because of sewage disposal. Continued monitoring of surface and ground water for nitrogen and the other ions previously mentioned is required to assess long-term effects of municipal sludge disposal on water quality.

Water-quality data for the Talkeetna River and four streams in National Parks, Cook Inlet basin, Alaska, 1998

USGS Publications Warehouse

Frenzel, Steven A.; Dorava, Joseph M.

1999-01-01

Five streams in the Cook Inlet Basin, Alaska, were sampled in 1998 to provide the National Park Service with baseline information on water quality. Four of these streams drain National Park Service land: Costello and Colorado Creeks in Denali National Park and Preserve, Johnson River in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, and Kamishak River in Katmai National Park and Preserve. The fifth site was on the Talkeetna River, outside of national park boundaries. Samples of stream water, streambed sediments, and fish tissues were collected for chemical analyses. Biological and geomorphic information was also collected at each site. Nutrient concentrations in stream water were low and commonly were less than analytical detection limits. Analyses of fish tissues for 28 organochlorine compounds at Talkeetna River and Costello Creek produced just one detection. Hexachlorobenzene was detected at a concentration of 5.70 micrograms per kilogram in slimy sculpin from the Talkeetna River. Streambed sediment samples from the Talkeetna River had three organochlorine compounds at detectable levels; hexachlorobenzene was measured at 13 micrograms per kilogram and two other compounds were below the minimum reporting levels. At Colorado Creek, Johnson River, and Kamishak River, where fish samples were not collected, no organochlorine compounds were detected in streambed sediment samples. Several semivolatile organic compounds were detected at Colorado Creek and Costello Creek. Only one compound, dibenzothiophene, detected at Costello Creek at a concentration of 85 micrograms per kilogram was above the minimum reporting limit. No semivolatile organic compounds were detected at the Talkeetna, Kamishak, or Johnson Rivers. Trace elements were detected in both fish tissues and streambed sediments. Macroinvertebrate and fish samples contained few taxa at all sites. Total numbers of macroinvertebrate taxa ranged from 19 at the Johnson River to 38 at the Talkeetna River. Diptera were the most abundant and diverse order of macroinvertebrates at all sites. Total numbers of diptera taxa ranged from 8 at the Kamishak River to 19 at the Talkeetna River. Fish communities were represented by a maximum of nine taxa at the Talkeetna River and were absent at Colorado Creek. The Johnson River sampling site produced small numbers of juvenile Dolly Varden, and Costello Creek produced small numbers of both juvenile Dolly Varden and slimy sculpin.

Characteristics of suspended and streambed sediment within constructed chutes and the main channel at Upper Hamburg and Glovers Point Bends, Missouri River, Nebraska, 2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Woodward, Brenda K.; Rus, David L.

2011-01-01

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District, as part of the Missouri River Bank Stabilization and Navigation Mitigation Project, has constructed 17 off-channel chutes along the channelized Missouri River, downstream from Sioux City, Iowa, to increase habitat diversity. To better understand characteristics of suspended and streambed sediment within these constructed chutes, the U.S. Geological Survey investigated specific aspects of chute design and function in relation to sediment characteristics including: (1) effects of inlet structures; (2) changes occurring between the inlet and the outlet of a chute; (3) effects of chutes on sediment characteristics in the main channel; and (4) differences in chute dynamics between sampled chutes. Two chutes differing in design, location, and dynamics were studied, Upper Hamburg Bend near Nebraska City, Nebr., and Glovers Point Bend near Winnebago, Nebr. Each site was characterized using five or more sampling transects (two in the chute and three to four in the main channel) designed to bracket sediment exchanges between chutes and the main channel. A sixth transect was included at the Upper Hamburg Bend study site to account for the effects of a nontarget chute having its inlet midway between the inlet and outlet of the primary chute. Representative samples of suspended and streambed sediment were collected at each transect, along with measurements of turbidity and streamflow, between June and November 2008. Four sets of samples were collected at the Glovers Point Bend study site and five sample sets were collected from the Upper Hamburg Bend study site. Results from paired t-tests and standard t-tests indicated that the inlet structure design, passing inflow only from the top of the main-channel water column, reduced the supply of coarse-grained suspended sediment entering the chutes. Statistical comparisons did not indicate differences between the inlet and outlet of either chute; however, anecdotal evidence of recent bank erosion and in-channel deposition was observed in both chutes during the study period. Chutes had little effect on Missouri River main-channel sediment characteristics, which could be explained by the much greater streamflow of the main channel. Between-chute comparisons showed no significant differences in the suspended-sediment characteristics; however, the Upper Hamburg Bend chute had a coarser streambed, wider channel, and much greater streamflow than did the Glovers Point Bend chute.

Observing temporal patterns of vertical flux through streambed sediments using time-series analysis of temperature records

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lautz, Laura K.

2012-09-01

SummaryRates of water exchange between surface water and groundwater (SW-GW) can be highly variable over time due to temporal changes in streambed hydraulic conductivity, storm events, and oscillation of stage due to natural and regulated river flow. There are few effective field methods available to make continuous measurements of SW-GW exchange rates with the temporal resolution required in many field applications. Here, controlled laboratory experiments were used to explore the accuracy of analytical solutions to the one-dimensional heat transport model for capturing temporal variability of flux through porous media from propagation of a periodic temperature signal to depth. Column experiments were used to generate one-dimensional flow of water and heat through saturated sand with a quasi-sinusoidal temperature oscillation at the upstream boundary. Measured flux rates through the column were compared to modeled flux rates derived using the computer model VFLUX and the amplitude ratio between filtered temperature records from two depths in the column. Imposed temporal changes in water flux through the column were designed to replicate observed patterns of flux in the field, derived using the same methodology. Field observations of temporal changes in flux were made over multiple days during a large-scale storm event and diurnally during seasonal baseflow recession. Temporal changes in flux that occur gradually over days, sub-daily, and instantaneously in time can be accurately measured using the one-dimensional heat transport model, although those temporal changes may be slightly smoothed over time. Filtering methods effectively isolate the time-variable amplitude and phase of the periodic temperature signal, effectively eliminating artificial temporal flux patterns otherwise imposed by perturbations of the temperature signal, which result from typical weather patterns during field investigations. Although previous studies have indicated that sub-cycle information from the heat transport model is not reliable, this laboratory experiment shows that the sub-cycle information is real and sub-cycle changes in flux can be observed using heat transport modeling. One-dimensional heat transport modeling provides an easy-to-implement, cost effective, reliable field tool for making continuous observations of SW-GW exchange through time, which may be particularly useful for monitoring exchange rates during storms and other conditions that create temporal change in hydraulic gradient across the streambed interface or change in streambed hydraulic conductivity.

Effects of land disposal of municipal sewage sludge on fate of nitrates in soil, streambed sediment, and water quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tindall, James A.; Lull, Kenneth J.; Gaggiani, Neville G.

1994-12-01

This study was undertaken to determine the effects of sewage-sludge disposal at the Lowry sewage-sludge-disposal area, near Denver, Colorado, on ground- and surface-water quality, to determine the fate of nitrates from sludge leachate, and to determine the source areas of leachate and the potential for additional leaching from the disposal area. Sewage-sludge disposal began in 1969. Two methods were used to apply the sludge: burial and plowing. Also, the sludge was applied both in liquid and cake forms. Data in this report represent the chemical composition of soil and streambed sediment from seven soil- and four streambed-sampling sites in 1986, chemical and bacterial composition of ground water from 28 wells from 1981 to 1987, and surface-water runoff from seven water-sampling sites from 1984 to 1987. Ground water samples were obtained from alluvial and bedrock aquifers. Samples of soil, streambed sediment, ground water and surface water were obtained for onsite measurement and chemical analysis. Measurements included determination of nitrogen compounds and major cations and anions, fecal-coliform and -streptococcus bacteria, specific conductance, and pH. Thirteen wells in the alluvial aquifer in Region 3 of the study area contain water that was probably affected by sewage-sludge leachate. The plots of concentration of nitrate with time show seasonal trends and trends caused by precipitation. In addition to yearly fluctuation, there were noticeable increases in ground-water concentrations of nitrate that coincided with increased precipitation. After 3 years of annual ground-water-quality monitoring and 4 years of a quarterly sampling program, it has been determined that leachate from the sewage-sludge-disposal area caused increased nitrite plus nitrate (as nitrogen) concentration in the alluvial ground water at the site. Soil analyses from the disposal area indicate that organic nitrogen was the dominant form of nitrogen in the soil. As a result of investigations at the research site, it has been determined that a potentially large source of contamination exists in the soils of the study area owing to increased concentrations of nitrogen, sodium, calcium, magnesium, sulfate, bicarbonate, and chloride because of sewage disposal. Continued monitoring of surface and ground water for nitrogen and the other ions previously mentioned is required to assess long-term effects of municipal sludge disposal on water quality.

Evaluation of Metal Toxicity in Streams Affected by Abandoned Mine Lands, Upper Animas River Watershed, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Besser, John M.; Allert, Ann L.; Hardesty, Douglas K.; Ingersoll, Christopher G.; May, Thomas W.; Wang, Ning; Leib, Kenneth J.

2001-01-01

Acid drainage from abandoned mines and from naturally-acidic rocks and soil in the upper Animas River watershed of Colorado generates elevated concentrations of acidity and dissolved metals in stream waters and deposition of metal-contaminated particulates in streambed sediments, resulting in both toxicity and habitat degradation for stream biota. High concentrations of iron (Fe), aluminum (Al), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) occur in acid streams draining headwaters of the upper Animas River watershed, and high concentrations of some metals, especially Zn, persist in circumneutral reaches of the Animas River and Mineral Creek, downstream of mixing zones of acid tributaries. Seasonal variation of metal concentrations is reflected in variation in toxicity of stream water. Loadings of dissolved metals to the upper Animas River and tributaries are greatest during summer, during periods of high stream discharge from snowmelt and monsoonal rains, but adverse effects on stream biota may be greater during winter low-flow periods, when stream flows are dominated by inputs of groundwater and contain greatest concentrations of dissolved metals. Fine stream-bed sediments of the upper Animas River watershed also contain elevated concentrations of potentially toxic metals. Greatest sediment metal concentrations occur in the Animas River upstream from Silverton, where there are extensive deposits of mine and mill tailings, and in mixing zones in the Animas River and lower Mineral Creek, where precipitates of Fe and Al oxides also contain high concentrations of other metals. This report summarizes the findings of a series of toxicity studies in streams of the upper Animas River watershed, conducted on-site and in the laboratory between 1998 and 2000. The objectives of these studies were: (1) to determine the relative toxicity of stream water and fine stream-bed sediments to fish and invertebrates; (2) to determine the seasonal range of toxicity in stream water; (3) to develop site-specific thresholds for toxicity of Zn and Cu in stream water; and (4) to develop models of the contributions of Cu and Zn to toxicity of stream water, which may be used to characterize toxicity before and after planned remediation efforts. We evaluated the toxicity of metal-contaminated sediments by conducting sediment toxicity tests with two species of benthic invertebrates, the midge, Chironomus tentans. and the amphipod, Hyalella azteca. Laboratory toxicity tests with both taxa, exposed to fine stream-bed sediments collected in September 1997, showed some evidence of sediment toxicity, as survival of midge larvae in sediments from Cement Creek (C48) and lower Mineral Creek (M34), and growth of amphipods in sediments from these sites and three Animas River sites (A68, Animas at Silverton; A72, Animas below Silverton, and A73, Animas at Elk Park) were significantly reduced compared to a reference site, South Mineral Creek (SMC) . Amphipods were also exposed to site water and fine stream-bed sediment, separately and in combination, during the late summer low flow period (August-September) of 1998. In these studies, stream water, with no sediment present, from all five sites tested (same sites as above, except C48) caused 90% to 100% mortality of amphipods. In contrast, significant reductions in survival of amphipods occurred at two sites (A72 and SMC) in exposures with field-collected sediment plus stream water, and at only one site (A72) in exposures with sediments and clean overlying water. Concentrations of Zn, Pb, Cu, and Cd were high in both sediment and pore water (interstitial water) from most sites tested, but greatest sediment toxicity was apparently associated with greater concentrations of Fe and/or Al in sediments. These results suggest that fine stream-bed sediments of the more contaminated stream reaches of the upper Animas River watershed are toxic to benthic invertebrates, but that these impacts are less serious than tox

A roughness-corrected index of relative bed stability for regional stream surveys

EPA Science Inventory

Quantitative regional assessments of streambed sedimentation and its likely causes are hampered because field investigations typically lack the requisite sample size, measurements, or precision for sound geomorphic and statistical interpretation. We adapted an index of relative b...

Analysis of the transport of sediment by the Suncook River in Epsom, Pembroke, and Allenstown, New Hampshire, after the May 2006 flood

USGS Publications Warehouse

Flynn, Robert H.

2011-01-01

During May 13-16, 2006, rainfall in excess of 8.8 inches flooded central and southern New Hampshire. On May 15, 2006, a breach in a bank of the Suncook River in Epsom, New Hampshire, caused the river to follow a new path. In order to assess and predict the effect of the sediment in, and the subsequent flooding on, the river and flood plain, a study by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) characterizing sediment transport in the Suncook River was undertaken in cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES). The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Hydrologic Engineering Center-River Analysis System (HEC-RAS) model was used to simulate flow and the transport of noncohesive sediments in the Suncook River from the upstream corporate limit of Epsom to the river's confluence with the Merrimack River in the Village of Suncook (Allenstown and Pembroke, N.H.), a distance of approximately 16 miles. In addition to determining total sediment loads, analyses in this study reflect flooding potentials for selected recurrence intervals that are based on the Suncook River streamgage flow data (streamgage 01089500) and on streambed elevations predicted by HEC-RAS for the end of water year 2010 (September 30, 2010) in the communities of Epsom, Pembroke, and Allenstown. This report presents changes in streambed and water-surface elevations predicted by the HEC-RAS model using data through the end of water year 2010 for the 50-, 10-, 2-, 1-, 0.2-percent annual exceedence probabilities (2-, 10-, 50-, 100-, and 500-year recurrence-interval floods, respectively), calculated daily and annual total sediment loads, and a determination of aggrading and degrading stream reaches. The model was calibrated and evaluated for a 400-day span from May 8, 2008 through June 11, 2009; these two dates coincided with field collection of stream cross-sectional elevation data. Seven sediment-transport functions were evaluated in the model with the Laursen (Copeland) sediment-transport function best describing the sediment load, transport behavior, and changes in streambed elevation for the specified spatial and temporal conditions of the 400-day calibration period. Simulation results from the model and field-collected sediment data indicate that, downstream of the avulsion channel, for the average daily mean flow during the study period, approximately 100 to 400 tons per day of sediment (varying with daily mean flow) was moving past the Short Falls Road Bridge over the Suncook River in Epsom, while approximately 0.05 to 0.5 tons per day of sediment was moving past the Route 28 bridge in Pembroke and Allenstown, and approximately 1 to 10 tons per day was moving past the Route 3 bridge in Pembroke and Allenstown. Changes in water-surface elevation that the model predicted for the end of water year 2010 to be a result of changes in streambed elevation ranged from a mean increase of 0.20 feet (ft) for the 50-percent annual exceedence-probability flood (2-year recurrence-interval flood) due to an average thalweg increase of 0.88 ft between the Short Falls Road Bridge and the Buck Street Dams in Pembroke and Allenstown to a mean decrease of 0.41 ft for the 50-percent annual exceedence-probability flood due to an average thalweg decrease of 0.49 ft above the avulsion in Epsom. An analysis of shear stress (force created by a fluid acting on sediment particles) was undertaken to determine potential areas of erosion and deposition. Based on the median grain size (d50) and shear stress analysis, the study found that in general, for floods greater than the 50-percent annual exceedence probability flood, the shear stress in the streambed is greater than the critical shear stress in much of the river study reach. The result is an expectation of streambed-sediment movement and erosion even at high exceedence-probability events, pending although the stream ultimately attains equilibrium through stream-stabilization measures or the adjustment of the river over time. The potential for aggradation in the Suncook River is greatest in the reach downstream of the avulsion. Specifically, these reaches are (1) downstream of the former sand pit from adjacent to Round Pond to downstream of the flood chute at the large meander bends, and (2) downstream of the Short Falls Road Bridge to approximately 3,800 ft upstream of the Route 28 bridge. The potential for degradation-net lowering of the streambed-is greatest for the reach upstream of the avulsion to the Route 4 bridge.

Distributed Temperature Sensing of hyporheic flux patterns in varied space and time around beaver dams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Briggs, M.; Lautz, L. K.; McKenzie, J. M.

2010-12-01

Small dams enhance hyporheic interaction by creating punctuated head differentials along streams, thereby affecting redox conditions and nutrient cycling in the streambed. As beaver populations return, they create dams that alter hyporheic flowpaths locally, an effect which may integrate at the reach scale to produce a net hydrological and ecological functional change. Streambed heterogeneity around beaver dams combines with varied morphology, head differentials and stream velocities to create patterns of hyporheic seepage flux that vary in both space and time. Heat has been used as a groundwater tracer for many years, but it’s dependence on spatially disperse point measurements has only recently been resolved by the development of Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) fiber-optic technology. Modified applications of DTS include wrapping the fiber around a mandrel to increase spatial resolution dramatically. Wrapped configurations can be installed vertically in the streambed to provide data for heat transport modeling of vertical hyporheic flux. The vertically continuous dataset generated with DTS may be more informative regarding subsurface heterogeneity than more commonly used spatially discrete thermocouples. We installed a total of nine wrapped DTS rods with 1.4 cm vertical spatial resolution above two beaver dams in Cherry Creek, a tributary of the Little Popo Agie River in Lander, Wyoming, USA. Data was collected over 20 min periods in dual-ended mode continuously for one month (10-Jul to 10-Aug 2010) during baseflow recession, as discharge dropped from 384 Ls-1 to 211 Ls-1. The temperature rods were installed to at least 0.75 m depth within bed sediments at varied distances upstream of the dams in diverse stream morphological units, which ranged from gravel bars to clay lined pools. Diurnal fluctuations in stream temperature were generally between 4.5 and 5.5 oC in amplitude, imparting a strong potential signal for propagation into the bed due to advective hyporheic flux. In many locations monthly temperature standard deviations at the 10 cm depth were larger than that of the overlying stream water, indicating direct heating of the streambed by solar radiation was an important process, even in that high velocity system. The high-resolution temperature records revealed local heterogeneity in the streambed at each rod and indicated the largest hyporheic flux was within gravel bars close to the dams. The smallest flux was through a gravel bar farther upstream of the dam, and through the deepest portions of pools closer to the dam. High flux regions had monthly temperature standard deviations close to that of the stream (1.5 oC) at shallow depths, while shallow sediments in pools had much more muted temperature oscillations. At 0.5 m depth, all rods had similar, smaller temperature standard deviations, ranging from 0.64-0.80 oC. The extensive and spatially continuous data set generated using DTS allowed us to determine hyporheic flux patterns for virtually any depth and time along the high-resolution temperature rods, a crucial step for understanding transient patterns in biogeochemical processing around beaver dams.

Stream channel degradation and aggradation : causes and consequences to highways.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1980-06-01

Aggradation and degradation are long term changes in stream channel elevation. The effects of gradation changes are not the same as local scour or erosion because they extend greater distances along the stream-bed. Degradation is a more common proble...

Stream channel degradation and aggradation : analysis of impacts to highway crossings.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1981-03-01

"Aggradation and degradation are long-term changes in stream channel elevation. The effects of gradation changes are not the same as local scour or erosion because they extend greater distances along the stream-bed. Degradation is a more common probl...

36 CFR 292.16 - Standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

..., improvement and use of the property will not materially detract from the scenic, natural, historic, pastoral... underground. (5) No structures or other improvements will be constructed in or encroaching upon streambeds..., roads, and similar facilities or improvements. Any such necessary encroachment will avoid impeding water...

Background and comparison of water-quality, streambed-sediment, and biological characteristics of streams in the Viburnum Trend and the exploration study areas, southern Missouri, 1995 and 2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Femmer, Suzanne R.

2004-01-01

Missouri has a long history of lead mining in the Park Hills and Viburnum Trend areas. Lead ore production has been a significant economic presence since the settlement of Missouri in the 1700?s. As lead sources are depleted in active mining areas, new areas are being explored for economical ore bodies. The exploration area south of Winona, a possible extension of the Viburnum Trend lead-producing area, lies in an area of intense interest because of its scenic beauty and sensitive environment. Water-quality, streambed-sediment, fish tissue, instream and riparian habitat, and invertebrate-community samples were collected from three sites in the Viburnum Trend for the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program Black River synoptic study in 1995 and from four sites in the exploration study area in 2001. The samples, which were collected using NAWQA protocols, were analyzed and compared to establish background conditions and similarities between sites. Bacteria, lead, and zinc concentrations were substantially different between the study areas. Habitat characteristics, such as streambed substrate size and embeddedness were similar. The Eleven Point River at Turner?s Mill is substantially larger in size than the other six surveyed sites. Trace element concentrations in fish tissue samples collected in the two study areas are similar. Samples from both areas had elevated mercury levels. Invertebrate community data indicated similarity among the Viburnum Trend study area sites, but these sites had little in common with the exploration study area sites. The invertebrate community structure in the exploration study area were not similar.

Prediction of fish and sediment mercury in streams using landscape variables and historical mining.

PubMed

Alpers, Charles N; Yee, Julie L; Ackerman, Joshua T; Orlando, James L; Slotton, Darrel G; Marvin-DiPasquale, Mark C

2016-11-15

Widespread mercury (Hg) contamination of aquatic systems in the Sierra Nevada of California, U.S., is associated with historical use to enhance gold (Au) recovery by amalgamation. In areas affected by historical Au mining operations, including the western slope of the Sierra Nevada and downstream areas in northern California, such as San Francisco Bay and the Sacramento River-San Joaquin River Delta, microbial conversion of Hg to methylmercury (MeHg) leads to bioaccumulation of MeHg in food webs, and increased risks to humans and wildlife. This study focused on developing a predictive model for THg in stream fish tissue based on geospatial data, including land use/land cover data, and the distribution of legacy Au mines. Data on total mercury (THg) and MeHg concentrations in fish tissue and streambed sediment collected during 1980-2012 from stream sites in the Sierra Nevada, California were combined with geospatial data to estimate fish THg concentrations across the landscape. THg concentrations of five fish species (Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Sacramento Pikeminnow, Sacramento Sucker, and Smallmouth Bass) within stream sections were predicted using multi-model inference based on Akaike Information Criteria, using geospatial data for mining history and landscape characteristics as well as fish species and length (r(2)=0.61, p<0.001). Including THg concentrations in streambed sediment did not improve the model's fit, however including MeHg concentrations in streambed sediment, organic content (loss on ignition), and sediment grain size resulted in an improved fit (r(2)=0.63, p<0.001). These models can be used to estimate THg concentrations in stream fish based on landscape variables in the Sierra Nevada in areas where direct measurements of THg concentration in fish are unavailable. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Actively heated high-resolution fiber-optic-distributed temperature sensing to quantify streambed flow dynamics in zones of strong groundwater upwelling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Briggs, Martin A.; Buckley, Sean F.; Bagtzoglou, Amvrossios C.; Werkema, Dale D.; Lane, John W.

2016-01-01

Zones of strong groundwater upwelling to streams enhance thermal stability and moderate thermal extremes, which is particularly important to aquatic ecosystems in a warming climate. Passive thermal tracer methods used to quantify vertical upwelling rates rely on downward conduction of surface temperature signals. However, moderate to high groundwater flux rates (>−1.5 m d−1) restrict downward propagation of diurnal temperature signals, and therefore the applicability of several passive thermal methods. Active streambed heating from within high-resolution fiber-optic temperature sensors (A-HRTS) has the potential to define multidimensional fluid-flux patterns below the extinction depth of surface thermal signals, allowing better quantification and separation of local and regional groundwater discharge. To demonstrate this concept, nine A-HRTS were emplaced vertically into the streambed in a grid with ∼0.40 m lateral spacing at a stream with strong upward vertical flux in Mashpee, Massachusetts, USA. Long-term (8–9 h) heating events were performed to confirm the dominance of vertical flow to the 0.6 m depth, well below the extinction of ambient diurnal signals. To quantify vertical flux, short-term heating events (28 min) were performed at each A-HRTS, and heat-pulse decay over vertical profiles was numerically modeled in radial two dimension (2-D) using SUTRA. Modeled flux values are similar to those obtained with seepage meters, Darcy methods, and analytical modeling of shallow diurnal signals. We also observed repeatable differential heating patterns along the length of vertically oriented sensors that may indicate sediment layering and hyporheic exchange superimposed on regional groundwater discharge.

Streamflow and streambed scour in 2010 at bridge 339, Copper River, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Conaway, Jeffrey S.; Brabets, Timothy P.

2011-01-01

The distribution of the Copper River's discharge through the bridges was relatively stable until sometime between 1969-70 and 1982-85. The majority of the total Copper River discharge in 1969-70 passed through three bridges on the western side of the delta, but by 1982-1985, 25 to 62 percent of the flow passed through bridge 342 on the eastern side of the Copper River Delta. In 2004, only 8 percent of the flow passed through the western bridges, while 90 percent of the discharge flowed through two bridges on the eastern side of the delta. Migration of the river across the delta and redistribution of discharge has resulted in streambed scour at some bridges, overtopping of the road during high flows, prolonged highway closures, and formation of new channels through forests. Scour monitoring at the eastern bridges has recorded as much as 44 feet of fill at one pier and 33 feet of scour at another. In 2009, flow distribution began to shift from the larger bridge 342 to bridge 339. In 2010, flow in excess of four times the design discharge scoured the streambed at bridge 339 to a level such that constant on-site monitoring was required to evaluate the potential need for bridge closure. In 2010, instantaneous flow through bridge 339 was never less than 30 percent and was as high as 49 percent of the total Copper River discharge. The percentage of flow through bridge 339 decreased when the overall Copper River discharge increased. The increased discharge through bridge 339 is attributed to a shift in the approach channel 3,500 feet upstream. Bridge channel alignment and analysis of flow distribution as of October 2010 indicate these hydrologic hazards will persist in 2011.

Prediction of fish and sediment mercury in streams using landscape variables and historical mining

USGS Publications Warehouse

Alpers, Charles N.; Yee, Julie L.; Ackerman, Joshua T.; Orlando, James L.; Slotton, Darrell G.; Marvin-DiPasquale, Mark C.

2016-01-01

Widespread mercury (Hg) contamination of aquatic systems in the Sierra Nevada of California, U.S., is associated with historical use to enhance gold (Au) recovery by amalgamation. In areas affected by historical Au mining operations, including the western slope of the Sierra Nevada and downstream areas in northern California, such as San Francisco Bay and the Sacramento River–San Joaquin River Delta, microbial conversion of Hg to methylmercury (MeHg) leads to bioaccumulation of MeHg in food webs, and increased risks to humans and wildlife. This study focused on developing a predictive model for THg in stream fish tissue based on geospatial data, including land use/land cover data, and the distribution of legacy Au mines. Data on total mercury (THg) and MeHg concentrations in fish tissue and streambed sediment collected during 1980–2012 from stream sites in the Sierra Nevada, California were combined with geospatial data to estimate fish THg concentrations across the landscape. THg concentrations of five fish species (Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Sacramento Pikeminnow, Sacramento Sucker, and Smallmouth Bass) within stream sections were predicted using multi-model inference based on Akaike Information Criteria, using geospatial data for mining history and landscape characteristics as well as fish species and length (r2 = 0.61, p < 0.001). Including THg concentrations in streambed sediment did not improve the model's fit, however including MeHg concentrations in streambed sediment, organic content (loss on ignition), and sediment grain size resulted in an improved fit (r2 = 0.63, p < 0.001). These models can be used to estimate THg concentrations in stream fish based on landscape variables in the Sierra Nevada in areas where direct measurements of THg concentration in fish are unavailable.

Using air/water/sediment temperature contrasts to identify groundwater seepage locations in small streams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karan, S.; Sebok, E.; Engesgaard, P. K.

2016-12-01

For identifying groundwater seepage locations in small streams within a headwater catchment, we present a method expanding on the linear regression of air and stream temperatures. Thus, by measuring the temperatures in dual-depth; in the stream column and at the streambed-water interface (SWI), we apply metrics from linear regression analysis of temperatures between air/stream and air/SWI (linear regression slope, intercept and coefficient of determination), and the daily mean temperatures (temperature variance and the average difference between the minimum and maximum daily temperatures). Our study show that using metrics from single-depth stream temperature measurements only are not sufficient to identify substantial groundwater seepage locations within a headwater stream. Conversely, comparing the metrics from dual-depth temperatures show significant differences so that at groundwater seepage locations, temperatures at the SWI, merely explain 43-75 % of the variation opposed to ≥91 % at the corresponding stream column temperatures. The figure showing a box-plot of the variation in daily mean temperature depict that at several locations there is great variation in the range the upper and lower loggers due to groundwater seepage. In general, the linear regression show that at these locations at the SWI, the slopes (<0.25) and intercepts (>6.5oC) are substantially lower and higher, while the mean diel amplitudes (<0.98oC) are decreased compared to remaining locations. The dual-depth approach was applied in a post-glacial fluvial setting, where metrics analyses overall corresponded to field measurements of groundwater fluxes deduced from vertical streambed temperatures and stream flow accretions. Thus, we propose a method reliably identifying groundwater seepage locations along streambed in such settings.

Quantifying the fate of agricultural nitrogen in an unconfined aquifer: Stream-based observations at three measurement scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilmore, Troy E.; Genereux, David P.; Solomon, D. Kip; Solder, John E.; Kimball, Briant A.; Mitasova, Helena; Birgand, François

2016-03-01

We compared three stream-based sampling methods to study the fate of nitrate in groundwater in a coastal plain watershed: point measurements beneath the streambed, seepage blankets (novel seepage-meter design), and reach mass-balance. The methods gave similar mean groundwater seepage rates into the stream (0.3-0.6 m/d) during two 3-4 day field campaigns despite an order of magnitude difference in stream discharge between the campaigns. At low flow, estimates of flow-weighted mean nitrate concentrations in groundwater discharge ([NO3-]FWM) and nitrate flux from groundwater to the stream decreased with increasing degree of channel influence and measurement scale, i.e., [NO3-]FWM was 654, 561, and 451 µM for point, blanket, and reach mass-balance sampling, respectively. At high flow the trend was reversed, likely because reach mass-balance captured inputs from shallow transient high-nitrate flow paths while point and blanket measurements did not. Point sampling may be better suited to estimating aquifer discharge of nitrate, while reach mass-balance reflects full nitrate inputs into the channel (which at high flow may be more than aquifer discharge due to transient flow paths, and at low flow may be less than aquifer discharge due to channel-based nitrate removal). Modeling dissolved N2 from streambed samples suggested (1) about half of groundwater nitrate was denitrified prior to discharge from the aquifer, and (2) both extent of denitrification and initial nitrate concentration in groundwater (700-1300 µM) were related to land use, suggesting these forms of streambed sampling for groundwater can reveal watershed spatial relations relevant to nitrate contamination and fate in the aquifer.

Pyrethroid insecticide concentrations and toxicity in streambed sediments and loads in surface waters of the San Joaquin Valley, California, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Domagalski, Joseph L.; Weston, Donald P.; Zhang, Minghua; Hladik, Michelle L.

2010-01-01

Pyrethroid insecticide use in California, USA, is growing, and there is a need to understand the fate of these compounds in the environment. Concentrations and toxicity were assessed in streambed sediment of the San Joaquin Valley of California, one of the most productive agricultural regions of the United States. Concentrations were also measured in the suspended sediment associated with irrigation or storm‐water runoff, and mass loads during storms were calculated. Western valley streambed sediments were frequently toxic to the amphipod, Hyalella azteca, with most of the toxicity attributable to bifenthrin and cyhalothrin. Up to 100% mortality was observed in some locations with concentrations of some pyrethroids up to 20 ng/g. The western San Joaquin Valley streams are mostly small watersheds with clay soils, and sediment‐laden irrigation runoff transports pyrethroid insecticides throughout the growing season. In contrast, eastern tributaries and the San Joaquin River had low bed sediment concentrations (<1 ng/g) and little or no toxicity because of the preponderance of sandy soils and sediments. Bifenthrin, cyhalothrin, and permethrin were the most frequently detected pyrethroids in irrigation and storm water runoff. Esfenvalerate, fenpropathrin, and resmethrin were also detected. All sampled streams contributed to the insecticide load of the San Joaquin River during storms, but some compounds detected in the smaller creeks were not detected in the San Joaquin River. The two smallest streams, Ingram and Hospital Creeks, which had high sediment toxicity during the irrigation season, accounted for less than 5% of the total discharge of the San Joaquin River during storm conditions, and as a result their contribution to the pyrethroid mass load of the larger river was minimal. 

Do We Really Need Sinusoidal Surface Temperatures to Apply Heat Tracing Techniques to Estimate Streambed Fluid Fluxes?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luce, C. H.; Tonina, D.; Applebee, R.; DeWeese, T.

2017-12-01

Two common refrains about using the one-dimensional advection diffusion equation to estimate fluid fluxes, thermal conductivity, or bed surface elevation from temperature time series in streambeds are that the solution assumes that 1) the surface boundary condition is a sine wave or nearly so, and 2) there is no gradient in mean temperature with depth. Concerns on these subjects are phrased in various ways, including non-stationarity in frequency, amplitude, or phase. Although the mathematical posing of the original solution to the problem might lead one to believe these constraints exist, the perception that they are a source of error is a fallacy. Here we re-derive the inverse solution of the 1-D advection-diffusion equation starting with an arbitrary surface boundary condition for temperature. In doing so, we demonstrate the frequency-independence of the solution, meaning any single frequency can be used in the frequency-domain solutions to estimate thermal diffusivity and 1-D fluid flux in streambeds, even if the forcing has multiple frequencies. This means that diurnal variations with asymmetric shapes, gradients in the mean temperature with depth, or `non-stationary' amplitude and frequency (or phase) do not actually represent violations of assumptions, and they should not cause errors in estimates when using one of the suite of existing solution methods derived based on a single frequency. Misattribution of errors to these issues constrains progress on solving real sources of error. Numerical and physical experiments are used to verify this conclusion and consider the utility of information at `non-standard' frequencies and multiple frequencies to augment the information derived from time series of temperature.

Residence times of transient riverbank exchanges traced by dissolved gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popp, A. L.; Brennwald, M. S.; Kipfer, R.

2016-12-01

Ecosystem functioning of streams heavily depends on nutrient and pollutant fluxes between the stream and the adjacent groundwater. To study potential reactions, we have to estimate the residence time of water exchanges through the streambed and bank sediment. These exchanges within the hyporheic zone have already been thoroughly investigated. However, most previous studies assumed steady-state conditions, despite the fact that the magnitude and timing of riverbank exchanges are highly dynamic. In this study, we estimate residence times of riverbank exchange under transient conditions at a restored river reach in Switzerland. In the stream and in two adjacent observation wells (in 1 m distance to the stream), we continuously analyzed dissolved gas concentrations (O2, N2, O2, Ar, He, Kr, Ne) with a portable mass spectrometer for five months on a 30 m river reach. Additionally, we continuously measured electric conductivity, water tables, and water and air temperatures at all sampling points. At the observation wells we also employed slug tests to estimate the hydraulic conductivity of the investigated stream reach. The obtained time series of tracer data reveals how residence times depend on changes in the hydraulic connectivity of the stream and the adjacent groundwater. Changes in the hydraulic state are induced by (i) different groundwater pumping rates of nearby groundwater abstraction wells, (ii) increased river discharge and (iii) subsequent changes in the hydraulic conductivity of the streambed as a result of unclogging the streambed after floods. Our results contribute to existing knowledge in this research area by identifying non-stationary processes such as the unclogging of the riverbed after flood events. In order to test our hypotheses, our next step is to use our experimental data to constrain a numerical model.

Physical Heterogeneity Increases Biofilm Resource Use and Its Molecular Diversity in Stream Mesocosms

PubMed Central

Singer, Gabriel; Besemer, Katharina; Schmitt-Kopplin, Philippe; Hödl, Iris; Battin, Tom J.

2010-01-01

Background Evidence increasingly shows that stream ecosystems greatly contribute to global carbon fluxes. This involves a tight coupling between biofilms, the dominant form of microbial life in streams, and dissolved organic carbon (DOC), a very significant pool of organic carbon on Earth. Yet, the interactions between microbial biodiversity and the molecular diversity of resource use are poorly understood. Methodology/Principal Findings Using six 40-m-long streamside flumes, we created a gradient of streambed landscapes with increasing spatial flow heterogeneity to assess how physical heterogeneity, inherent to streams, affects biofilm diversity and DOC use. We determined bacterial biodiversity in all six landscapes using 16S-rRNA fingerprinting and measured carbon uptake from glucose and DOC experimentally injected to all six flumes. The diversity of DOC molecules removed from the water was determined from ultrahigh-resolution Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS). Bacterial beta diversity, glucose and DOC uptake, and the molecular diversity of DOC use all increased with increasing flow heterogeneity. Causal modeling and path analyses of the experimental data revealed that the uptake of glucose was largely driven by physical processes related to flow heterogeneity, whereas biodiversity effects, such as complementarity, most likely contributed to the enhanced uptake of putatively recalcitrant DOC compounds in the streambeds with higher flow heterogeneity. Conclusions/Significance Our results suggest biophysical mechanisms, including hydrodynamics and microbial complementarity effects, through which physical heterogeneity induces changes of resource use and carbon fluxes in streams. These findings highlight the importance of fine-scale streambed heterogeneity for microbial biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in streams, where homogenization and loss of habitats increasingly reduce biodiversity. PMID:20376323

Quantifying an aquifer nitrate budget and future nitrate discharge using field data from streambeds and well nests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilmore, Troy E.; Genereux, David P.; Solomon, D. Kip; Farrell, Kathleen M.; Mitasova, Helena

2016-11-01

Novel groundwater sampling (age, flux, and nitrate) carried out beneath a streambed and in wells was used to estimate (1) the current rate of change of nitrate storage, dSNO3/dt, in a contaminated unconfined aquifer, and (2) future [NO3-]FWM (the flow-weighted mean nitrate concentration in groundwater discharge) and fNO3 (the nitrate flux from aquifer to stream). Estimates of dSNO3/dt suggested that at the time of sampling (2013) the nitrate storage in the aquifer was decreasing at an annual rate (mean = -9 mmol/m2yr) equal to about one-tenth the rate of nitrate input by recharge. This is consistent with data showing a slow decrease in the [NO3-] of groundwater recharge in recent years. Regarding future [NO3-]FWM and fNO3, predictions based on well data show an immediate decrease that becomes more rapid after ˜5 years before leveling out in the early 2040s. Predictions based on streambed data generally show an increase in future [NO3-]FWM and fNO3 until the late 2020s, followed by a decrease before leveling out in the 2040s. Differences show the potential value of using information directly from the groundwater—surface water interface to quantify the future impact of groundwater nitrate on surface water quality. The choice of denitrification kinetics was similarly important; compared to zero-order kinetics, a first-order rate law levels out estimates of future [NO3-]FWM and fNO3 (lower peak, higher minimum) as legacy nitrate is flushed from the aquifer. Major fundamental questions about nonpoint-source aquifer contamination can be answered without a complex numerical model or long-term monitoring program.

A Temperature-Based Monitoring System for Scour and Deposition at Bridge Piers

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-05-01

Stream flows around a bridge pier can be fast and highly turbulent causing large shear stresses that may mobilize streambed sediment resulting in scour around bridge foundations. Scour is the leading cause of bridge failure in the USA because it comp...

Primer on Water Quality

MedlinePlus

... the existing standards and guidelines established to protect human health. Some pesticides have not been used for 20 to 30 years, but they are still detected in fish and streambed sediment at levels that pose a potential risk to human health, aquatic life, and fish-eating wildlife. There are ...

Evidence for Interactions between Surface Water and Periphyton Biofilms in Artificial Streams

EPA Science Inventory

Studies suggest that periphyton in streambeds can harbor fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) and, under certain circumstances, can be transferred from the periphyton biofilm into the surface water. An indoor mesocosm study was conducted at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Expe...

Total Mercury, Methylmercury, Methylmercury Production Potential, and Ancillary Streambed-Sediment and Pore-Water Data for Selected Streams in Oregon, Wisconsin, and Florida, 2003-04

USGS Publications Warehouse

Marvin-DiPasquale, Mark C.; Lutz, Michelle A.; Krabbenhoft, David P.; Aiken, George R.; Orem, William H.; Hall, Britt D.; DeWild, John F.; Brigham, Mark E.

2008-01-01

Mercury contamination of aquatic ecosystems is an issue of national concern, affecting both wildlife and human health. Detailed information on mercury cycling and food-web bioaccumulation in stream settings and the factors that control these processes is currently limited. In response, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA) conducted detailed studies from 2002 to 2006 on various media to enhance process-level understanding of mercury contamination, biogeochemical cycling, and trophic transfer. Eight streams were sampled for this study: two streams in Oregon, and three streams each in Wisconsin and Florida. Streambed-sediment and pore-water samples were collected between February 2003 and September 2004. This report summarizes the suite of geochemical and microbial constituents measured, the analytical methods used, and provides the raw data in electronic form for both bed-sediment and pore-water media associated with this study.

Measuring flood discharge in unstable stream channels using ground-penetrating radar

USGS Publications Warehouse

Spicer, K.R.; Costa, J.E.; Placzek, G.

1997-01-01

Field experiments were conducted to test the ability of ground-penetrating radar (GPR) to measure stream-channel cross sections at high flows without the necessity of placing instruments in the water. Experiments were conducted at four U.S. Geological Survey gaging stations in southwest Washington State. With the GPR antenna suspended above the water surface from a bridge or cableway, traverses were made across stream channels to collect radar profile plots of the streambed. Subsequent measurements of water depth were made using conventional depth-measuring equipment (weight and tape) and were used to calculate radar signal velocities. Other streamflow-parameter data were collected to examine their relation to radar signal velocity and to claritv of streambed definition. These initial tests indicate that GPR is capable of producing a reasonably accurate (??20%) stream-channel profile and discharge far more quickly than conventional stream-gaging procedures, while avoiding the problems and hazards associated with placing instruments in the water.

A Tube Seepage Meter for In Situ Measurement of Seepage Rate and Groundwater Sampling.

PubMed

Solder, John E; Gilmore, Troy E; Genereux, David P; Solomon, D Kip

2016-07-01

We designed and evaluated a "tube seepage meter" for point measurements of vertical seepage rates (q), collecting groundwater samples, and estimating vertical hydraulic conductivity (K) in streambeds. Laboratory testing in artificial streambeds show that seepage rates from the tube seepage meter agreed well with expected values. Results of field testing of the tube seepage meter in a sandy-bottom stream with a mean seepage rate of about 0.5 m/day agreed well with Darcian estimates (vertical hydraulic conductivity times head gradient) when averaged over multiple measurements. The uncertainties in q and K were evaluated with a Monte Carlo method and are typically 20% and 60%, respectively, for field data, and depend on the magnitude of the hydraulic gradient and the uncertainty in head measurements. The primary advantages of the tube seepage meter are its small footprint, concurrent and colocated assessments of q and K, and that it can also be configured as a self-purging groundwater-sampling device. © 2015, National Ground Water Association.

A tube seepage meter for in situ measurement of seepage rate and groundwater sampling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Solder, John; Gilmore, Troy E.; Genereux, David P.; Solomon, D. Kip

2016-01-01

We designed and evaluated a “tube seepage meter” for point measurements of vertical seepage rates (q), collecting groundwater samples, and estimating vertical hydraulic conductivity (K) in streambeds. Laboratory testing in artificial streambeds show that seepage rates from the tube seepage meter agreed well with expected values. Results of field testing of the tube seepage meter in a sandy-bottom stream with a mean seepage rate of about 0.5 m/day agreed well with Darcian estimates (vertical hydraulic conductivity times head gradient) when averaged over multiple measurements. The uncertainties in q and K were evaluated with a Monte Carlo method and are typically 20% and 60%, respectively, for field data, and depend on the magnitude of the hydraulic gradient and the uncertainty in head measurements. The primary advantages of the tube seepage meter are its small footprint, concurrent and colocated assessments of q and K, and that it can also be configured as a self-purging groundwater-sampling device.

Interaction of fine sediment with alluvial streambeds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jobson, Harvey E.; Carey, William P.

1989-01-01

More knowledge is needed about the physical processes that control the transport of fine sediment moving over an alluvial bed. The knowledge is needed to design rational sampling and monitoring programs that assess the transport and fate of toxic substances in surface waters because the toxics are often associated with silt- and clay-sized particles. This technical note reviews some of the past research in areas that may contribute to an increased understanding of the processes involved. An alluvial streambed can have a large capacity to store fine sediments that are extracted from the flow when instream concentrations are high and it can gradually release fine sediment to the flow when the instream concentrations are low. Several types of storage mechanisms are available depending on the relative size distribution of the suspended load and bed material, as well as the flow hydraulics. Alluvial flow tends to segregate the deposited material according to size and density. Some of the storage locations are temporary, but some can store the fine sediment for very long periods of time.

Reactive solute transport in streams: 1. Development of an equilibrium- based model

USGS Publications Warehouse

Runkel, Robert L.; Bencala, Kenneth E.; Broshears, Robert E.; Chapra, Steven C.

1996-01-01

An equilibrium-based solute transport model is developed for the simulation of trace metal fate and transport in streams. The model is formed by coupling a solute transport model with a chemical equilibrium submodel based on MINTEQ. The solute transport model considers the physical processes of advection, dispersion, lateral inflow, and transient storage, while the equilibrium submodel considers the speciation and complexation of aqueous species, precipitation/dissolution and sorption. Within the model, reactions in the water column may result in the formation of solid phases (precipitates and sorbed species) that are subject to downstream transport and settling processes. Solid phases on the streambed may also interact with the water column through dissolution and sorption/desorption reactions. Consideration of both mobile (water-borne) and immobile (streambed) solid phases requires a unique set of governing differential equations and solution techniques that are developed herein. The partial differential equations describing physical transport and the algebraic equations describing chemical equilibria are coupled using the sequential iteration approach.

Using remote data collection to identify bridges and culverts susceptible to blockage during flooding events : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-12-14

The objectives of this project were to pilot test the use of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to gather stereo imagery of streambeds upstream of crossing structures, and develop a process of rapidly transmitting actionable information about potential...

Effect Of Imposed Anaerobic Conditions On Metals Release From Acid-Mine Drainage Contaminated Streambed Sediments

EPA Science Inventory

Remediation of streams influenced by mine-drainage may require removal and burial of metal-containing bed sediments. Burial of aerobic sediments into an anaerobic environment may release metals, such as through reductive dissolution of metal oxyhydroxides. Mining-impacted aerob...

Streambed peat lenses as redox-reactivity hotspots in lowland river hyporheic zones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naden, Emma; Krause, Stefan; Cassidy, Nigel

2010-05-01

Hyporheic zones, as the direct interfaces between aquifers and rivers, are often characterised by increased redox reactivity and chemical transformation capacity. Depending on redox conditions and reaction types, hyporheic mixing of groundwater and surface water can lead to either attenuation or enrichment of pollutants or nutrients with diametrical implications for in-stream and aquifer hydro-ecological status. This study combines geophysical methods with distributed temperature sensor networks and nested multi-level sampling and analysis of hyporheic redox conditions and nutrient concentrations to investigate the reactive transport of nitrate at the aquifer-river interface of a UK lowland river. In stream Electric Resistivity Tomography and Ground Penetrating Radar (including core based ground truthing) have been applied to map the complex spatial patterns of highly conductive sandy and gravely sediments in contrast to semi-confining, low conductivity peat lenses which have been found to be characteristic for most lowland rivers. Reach scale (1km) spatial patterns and temporal dynamics of aquifer-river exchange have been identified by heat tracer experiments based on fibre-optical Distributed Temperature Sensing techniques combined with vertical thermocouple-arrays for tracing hyporheic flow paths. Spatial patterns of hyporheic redox conditions, dissolved oxygen (DO) and organic carbon (DOC) content as well as concentrations of major anions have been monitored in 48 nested multi-level mini-piezometers. Our investigations indicate that streambed temperature patterns were dominantly controlled by groundwater up-welling, causing cold spots in sandy and gravely sediments with high up-welling rates and low hyporheic residence times and warmer areas at the streambed surface where groundwater - surface water exchange was inhibited by streambed peat lenses. The flow-inhibiting peat structures have been found to cause semi-confined conditions in the up-welling groundwater, resulting in long residence times and increased redox-reactivity. Anoxic conditions and high DOC contents combined with long residence times underneath peat layers cause highly efficient denitrification rates, reducing nitrate concentrations from > 50mg/l to below the level of detection. In contrast, sandy and gravely areas of fast groundwater up-welling where characterized by only marginal changes in nitrate concentrations. The investigations lead to the development of a conceptual model of aquifer - river exchange and hyporheic reactivity in lowland rivers including temperature traceable hyporheic reactivity hotspots with high denitrification potential. The results for this exemplary field site highlight the substantial nutrient attenuation capacity of hyporheic zones at lowland rivers and emphasize the great importance of their consideration for river restoration programs and the assessment of water quality and ecological status.

Persistence of Salmonid Redds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buffington, J. M.; Buxton, T.; Fremier, A. K.; Hassan, M. A.; Yager, E.

2013-12-01

The construction of redds by spawning salmonids modifies fluvial processes in ways that are beneficial to egg and embryo survival. Redd topography induces hyporheic flow that oxygenates embryos incubating within the streambed and creates form drag that reduces bed mobility and scour of salmonid eggs. Winnowing of fine material during redd construction also coarsens the streambed, increasing bed porosity and hyporheic flow and reducing bed mobility. In addition to the biological benefits, redds may influence channel morphology by altering channel hydraulics and bed load transport rates depending on the size and extent of redds relative to the size of the channel. A key question is how long do the physical and biological effects of redds last? Field observations indicate that in some basins redds are ephemeral, with redd topography rapidly erased by subsequent floods, while in other basins, redds can persist for years. We hypothesize that redd persistence is a function of basin hydrology, sediment supply, and characteristics of the spawning fish. Hydrology controls the frequency and magnitude of bed mobilizing flows following spawning, while bed load supply (volume and caliber) controls the degree of textural fining and consequent bed mobility after spawning, as well as the potential for burial of redd features. The effectiveness of flows in terms of their magnitude and duration depend on hydroclimate (i.e., snowmelt, rainfall, or transitional hydrographs), while bed load supply depends on basin geology, land use, and natural disturbance regimes (e.g., wildfire). Location within the stream network may also influence redd persistence. In particular, lakes effectively trap sediment and regulate downstream flow, which may promote long-lived redds in stream reaches below lakes. These geomorphic controls are modulated by biological factors: fish species (size of fish controls size of redds and magnitude of streambed coarsening); life history (timing of spawning and incubation relative to high flows); and population size (density of redds and extent of streambed alteration within a given reach). Species and life history also control the location of spawning within the basin, dictating the flow and sediment supply regimes. A theoretical framework is developed for predicting redd persistence as a function of the above physical and biological factors. We expect that long-lived redds will indicate either that the river is not competent to re-work the effects of spawning or that spawning occurs after peak flow events that are capable of modifying redd features. The longevity of redds and their associated effects on fluvial processes also provides a measure of the degree of potential ecological conditioning for future generations of fish. Future work will test the framework in field and laboratory settings.

Assessment of Fish Habitat, Water Quality, and Selected Contaminants in Streambed Sediments in Noyes Slough, Fairbanks, Alaska, 2001-2002

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kennedy, Ben W.; Whitman, Matthew S.; Burrows, Robert L.; Richmond, Sharon A.

2004-01-01

During 2001-2002, the U.S. Geological Survey sampled streambed sediment at 23 sites, measured water quality at 26 sites, and assessed fish habitat for the entire length of Noyes Slough, a 5.5-mile slough of the Chena River in Fairbanks, Alaska. These studies were undertaken to document the environmental condition of the slough and to provide information to the public for consideration in plans to improve environmental conditions of the waterway. The availability of physical habitat for fish in the slough does not appear to be limited, although some beaver dams and shallow water may restrict movement, particularly during low flow. Elevated water temperatures in summer and low dissolved-oxygen concentrations are the principle factors adversely affecting water quality in Noyes Slough. Increased flow mitigated poor water-quality conditions and reduced the number of possible fish barriers. Flow appears to be the most prominent mechanism shaping water quality and fish habitat in Noyes Slough. Streambed sediment samples collected at 23 sites in 2001 were analyzed for 24 trace elements. Arsenic, lead, and zinc were the only trace elements detected in concentrations that exceed probable effect levels for the protection of aquatic life. The background concentration for arsenic in Noyes Slough is naturally elevated because of significant concentrations of arsenic in local bedrock and ground water. Sources of the zinc and lead contamination are uncertain, however both lead and zinc are common urban contaminants. Streambed-sediment samples from 12 sites in 2002 were analyzed for organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs). The concentration of bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate of 2,600 micrograms per kilogram (?g/kg) for one sample from the site above Aurora Drive approached the aquatic-life criterion of 2,650 ?g/kg. Low concentrations of p-cresol, chrysene, and fluoranthene were detected in most of the sediment samples. The presence of these compounds in Noyes Slough sediment was expected because cresols are emitted to the atmosphere in the exhaust from motor vehicles and chrysene and fluoranthene are formed during the incomplete burning of coal, oil, gas, wood, garbage, or other organic substances. Low-level concentrations of DDT or its degradation products DDD and DDE were detected in all samples collected during 2002. However, total DDT (DDT+DDD+DDE) concentrations are less than the effects range median aquatic-life criterion of 46.1 ?g/kg. In general, total DDT concentrations were less than 10 ?g/kg, except for samples from two sites that have estimated concentrations of about 14 and 20 ?g/kg.

Streamflow, infiltration, and ground-water recharge at Abo Arroyo, New Mexico: Chapter D in Ground-water recharge in the arid and semiarid southwestern United States (Professional Paper 1703)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stewart-Deaker, Amy E.; Stonestrom, David A.; Moore, Stephanie J.; Stonestrom, David A.; Constantz, Jim; Ferré, Ty P.A.; Leake, Stanley A.

2007-01-01

Abo Arroyo, an ephemeral tributary to the Rio Grande, rises in the largest upland catchment on the eastern side of the Middle Rio Grande Basin (MRGB). The 30-kilometer reach of channel between the mountain front and its confluence with the Rio Grande is incised into basin-fill sediments and separated from the regional water table by an unsaturated zone that reaches 120 meters thick. The MRGB portion of the arroyo is dry except for brief flows generated by runoff from the upland catchment. Though brief, ephemeral flows provide a substantial fraction of ground-water recharge in the southeastern portion of the MRGB. Previous estimates of average annual recharge from Abo Arroyo range from 1.3 to 21 million cubic meters. The current study examined the timing, location, and amount of channel infiltration using streamflow data and environmental tracers during a four-year period (water years 1997–2000). A streamflow-gaging station (“gage”) was installed in a bedrock-controlled reach near the catchment outlet to provide high-frequency data on runoff entering the basin. Streamflow at the gage, an approximate bound on potential tributary recharge to the basin, ranged from 0.8 to 15 million cubic meters per year. Storm-generated runoff produced about 98 percent of the flow in the wettest year and 80 percent of the flow in the driest year. Nearly all flows that enter the MRGB arise from monsoonal storms in July through October. A newly developed streambed temperature method indicated the presence and duration of ephemeral flows downstream of the gage. During the monsoon season, abrupt downward shifts in streambed temperatures and suppressed diurnal ranges provided generally clear indications of flow. Streambed temperatures during winter showed that snowmelt is also effective in generating channel infiltration. Controlled infiltration experiments in dry arroyo sediments indicated that most ephemeral flow is lost to seepage before reaching the Rio Grande. Streambed temperature records confirmed this, providing evidence of only two flows reaching the Rio Grande during a three-year period (water years 1998–2000). Sub-channel chloride concentrations indicate that approximately half of the seepage loss eventually becomes ground-water recharge. Vertical profiles of pore-water chloride in transects adjacent to the channel indicate that basin-floor recharge outside the arroyo is negligible under current climatic conditions.

The response of streambed nitrogen cycling to spatial and temporal hyporheic vertical flux patterns and associated residence times

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Briggs, M. A.; Lautz, L. K.; Hare, D. K.

2011-12-01

Small beaver dams enhance the development of patchy micro-environments along the stream corridor by trapping sediment and creating complex streambed morphologies. This generates intricate hyporheic flux patterns that govern the exchange of oxygen and redox sensitive solutes between the water column and the streambed, and exert control on the biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen. Specifically, flowpaths from the stream into the subsurface with low residence times create oxic conditions that favor nitrification, while flowpaths with longer residence times become anoxic and favor denitrification. To investigate these processes we collected vertical profiles of pore water upstream of two beaver dams in Wyoming, USA at nine locations with varied morphology. We sampled pore water to the 0.55 m depth every week for five weeks as stream discharge dropped by 45% and subsequently measured concentrations of dissolved oxygen and several redox sensitive solutes, including nitrate. Additionally, estimates of hyporheic flux along these nine vertical profiles through time were made using high-resolution heat data combined with 1-D heat transport modeling. The data show that areas of rapid, deep hyporheic flux at the glides immediately upstream of the dams were oxygen rich, and were generally sites of moderate net nitrification to at least the 0.35 m depth. These conditions were relatively steady over the study period. Hyporheic zones at sediment bars closest to the dams were hotspots of nitrate production to a depth of 0.35 m, with nitrate concentrations increasing by as much as 400% as vertical flux fell sharply and residence times increased over the study period. In contrast, shallow bars farther upstream from the dams showed increasing fluxes and decreased residence times, which caused a shift from net denitrification to net nitrification over the period at shallow depths. These results support previous work indicating threshold behavior of nitrogen cycling in response to flowpath residence time. Furthermore the threshold between oxic and anoxic conditions, and subsequently the zone of peak net nitrification, can be approached from either end of the redox spectrum simultaneously within the same system in response to complex temporal changes in vertical flux. Finally, pools were sites of weak hyporheic flux, overall anoxic conditions and net denitrification. These patterns offer more evidence of the complicated spatial and temporal patterns of nitrogen cycling in the hyporheic zone, but also show that flux patterns measured with 1-D heat transport models may be used to develop predictive relationships regarding streambed biogeochemical conditions and hot spots of nitrogen cycling.

Pharmaceuticals in the environment--exposure, effects and risks to humans and ecosystems: what we think we know, and what we need to know

EPA Science Inventory

U.S., European and Korean environmental monitoring and research programs have confirmed the occurrence of low levels of pharmaceuticals in stream waters, in soils and streambed sediments, in ground water, in estuaries, and in drinking water.

ASSESSING RELATIVE BED STABILITY AND EXCESS FINE SEDIMENTS IN STREAMS

EPA Science Inventory

Excess fine sedimentation is recognized as a leading cause of water quality impairment in surface waters in the United States. We developed an index of Relative Bed Stability (RBS) that factors out natural controls on streambed particle size to allow evaluation of the role of hu...

Bedded Sediment Conditions and Macroinvertebrate Responses in New Mexico Streams: A First Step in Establishing Sediment Criteria

EPA Science Inventory

Aquatic life protection was the impetus for a New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) effort to define bedded sediment conditions in streams that were natural and tolerable, especially to benthic macroinvertebrates. Sediments were measured using surveys of streambed particles to...

30 CFR 816.150 - Roads: general.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... altering the normal flow of water in streambeds or drainage channels; (6) Prevent or control damage to... part of any road shall be located in the channel of an intermittent or perennial stream unless... 816.57 of this chapter. (2) Roads shall be located to minimize downstream sedimentation and flooding...

30 CFR 817.150 - Roads: General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... altering the normal flow of water in streambeds or drainage channels; (6) Prevent or control damage to... part of any road shall be located in the channel of an intermittent or perennial stream unless... 817.57 of this chapter. (2) Roads shall be located to minimize downstream sedimentation and flooding...

Hyporheic exchange in mountain rivers I: Mechanics and environmental effects

Treesearch

Daniele Tonina; John M. Buffington

2009-01-01

Hyporheic exchange is the mixing of surface and shallow subsurface water through porous sediment surrounding a river and is driven by spatial and temporal variations in channel characteristics (streambed pressure, bed mobility, alluvial volume and hydraulic conductivity). The significance of hyporheic exchange in linking fluvial geomorphology, groundwater, and riverine...

A permeability study on salmonid spawning areas in northern Humboldt County, California

Treesearch

Claire Knopf

2012-01-01

This research was conducted to determine if local salmonid, specifically coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha), and the steelhead trout (O. mykiss), redd location is dependent upon the permeability of the streambed. The study took place at four study sites in two coastal...

Comparison of Cultural and Molecular Fecal Indicator Measurements in Surface Water and Periphyton Biofilms in Artificial Streams

EPA Science Inventory

Studies suggest that periphyton in streambeds can harbor fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) and, under certain circumstances, can be transferred from the periphyton biofilm into the surface water. An indoor mesocosm study was conducted at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Expe...

WATERSHED CHARACTERISTICS AND PRE-RESTORATION SURFACE-WATER HYDROLOGY OF MINEBANK RUN, BALTIMORE COUNTY, MARYLAND, WATER YEARS 2002-04

EPA Science Inventory

Stream restoration efforts have been ongoing in Maryland since the early 1990s. Physical stream restoration often involves replacement of lost sediments to elevate degraded streambeds, re-establishment of riffle-pool sequences along the channel profile, planting vegetation in rip...

Determination of infiltration and percolation rates along a reach of the Santa Fe River near La Bajada, New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thomas, Carole L.; Stewart, Amy E.; Constantz, Jim E.

2000-01-01

Two methods, one a surface-water method and the second a ground-water method, were used to determine infiltration and percolation rates along a 2.5-kilometer reach of the Santa Fe River near La Bajada, New Mexico. The surface-water method uses streamflow measurements and their differences along a stream reach, streamflow-loss rates, stream surface area, and evaporation rates to determine infiltration rates. The ground-water method uses heat as a tracer to monitor percolation through shallow streambed sediments. Data collection began in October 1996 and continued through December 1997. During that period the stream reach was instrumented with three streamflow gages, and temperature profiles were monitored from the stream-sediment interface to about 3 meters below the streambed at four sites along the reach. Infiltration is the downward flow of water through the stream- sediment interface. Infiltration rates ranged from 92 to 267 millimeters per day for an intense measurement period during June 26- 28, 1997, and from 69 to 256 millimeters per day during September 27-October 6, 1997. Investigators calculated infiltration rates from streamflow loss, stream surface-area measurements, and evaporation-rate estimates. Infiltration rates may be affected by unmeasured irrigation-return flow in the study reach. Although the amount of irrigation-return flow was none to very small, it may result in underestimation of infiltration rates. The infiltration portion of streamflow loss was much greater than the evaporation portion. Infiltration accounted for about 92 to 98 percent of streamflow loss. Evaporation-rate estimates ranged from 3.4 to 7.6 millimeters per day based on pan-evaporation data collected at Cochiti Dam, New Mexico, and accounted for about 2 to 8 percent of streamflow loss. Percolation is the movement of water through saturated or unsaturated sediments below the stream-sediment interface. Percolation rates ranged from 40 to 109 millimeters per day during June 26-28, 1997. Percolation rates were not calculated for the September 27-October 6, 1997, period because a late summer flood removed the temperature sensors from the streambed. Investigators used a heat-and-water flow model, VS2DH (variably saturated, two- dimensional heat), to calculate near-surface streambed infiltration and percolation rates from temperatures measured in the stream and streambed. Near the stream-sediment interface, infiltration and percolation rates are comparable. Comparison of infiltration and percolation rates showed that infiltration rates were greater than percolation rates. The method used to calculate infiltration rates accounted for net loss or gain over the entire stream reach, whereas the method used to calculate percolation was dependent on point measurements and, as applied in this study, neglected the nonvertical component of heat and water fluxes. In general, using the ground-water method was less labor intensive than making a series of streamflow measurements and relied on temperature, an easily measured property. The ground-water method also eliminated the difficulty of measuring or estimating evaporation from the water surface and was therefore more direct. Both methods are difficult to use during periods of flood flow. The ground-water method has problems with the thermocouple-wire temperature sensors washing out during flood events. The surface- water method often cannot be used because of safety concerns for personnel making wading streamflow measurements.

Summary of Surface-Water Quality Data from the Illinois River Basin in Northeast Oklahoma, 1970-2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Andrews, William J.; Becker, Mark F.; Smith, S. Jerrod; Tortorelli, Robert L.

2009-01-01

The quality of streams in the Illinois River Basin of northeastern Oklahoma is potentially threatened by increased quantities of wastes discharged from increasing human populations, grazing of about 160,000 cattle, and confined animal feeding operations raising about 20 million chickens. Increasing numbers of humans and livestock in the basin contribute nutrients and bacteria to surface water and groundwater, causing greater than the typical concentrations of those constituents for this region. Consequences of increasing contributions of these substances can include increased algal growth (eutrophication) in streams and lakes; impairment of habitat for native aquatic animals, including desirable game fish species; impairment of drinking-water quality by sediments, turbidity, taste-and-odor causing chemicals, toxic algal compounds, and bacteria; and reduction in the aesthetic quality of the streams. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Oklahoma Scenic Rivers Commission, prepared this report to summarize the surface-water-quality data collected by the U.S. Geological Survey at five long-term surface-water-quality monitoring sites. The data summarized include major ions, nutrients, sediment, and fecal-indicator bacteria from the Illinois River Basin in Oklahoma for 1970 through 2007. General water chemistry, concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus compounds, chlorophyll-a (an indicator of algal biomass), fecal-indicator bacteria counts, and sediment concentrations were similar among the five long-term monitoring sites in the Illinois River Basin in northeast Oklahoma. Most water samples were phosphorus-limited, meaning that they contained a smaller proportion of phosphorus, relative to nitrogen, than typically occurs in algal tissues. Greater degrees of nitrogen limitation occurred at three of the five sites which were sampled back to the 1970s, probably due to use of detergents containing greater concentrations of phosphorus than in subsequent periods. Concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment, and counts of bacteria generally increased with streamflow at the five sites, probably due to runoff from the land surface and re-suspension of streambed sediments. Phosphorus concentrations typically exceeded the Oklahoma standard of 0.037 milligrams per liter for Scenic Rivers. Concentrations of chlorophyll-a in phytoplankton in water samples collected at the five sites were not well correlated with streamflow, nor to concentrations of the nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus, probably because much of the algae growing in these streams are periphyton attached to streambed cobbles and other debris, rather than phytoplankton in the water column. Sediment concentrations correlated with phosphorus concentrations in water samples collected at the sites, probably due to sorption of phosphorus to soil particles and streambed sediments and runoff of soils and animal wastes at the land surface and resuspension of streambed sediments and phosphorus during wet, high-flow periods. Fecal coliform bacteria counts at the five sites sometimes exceeded the Oklahoma Primary Body Contact Standard of 400 colonies per 100 milliliters when streamflows were greater than 1000 cubic feet per second. Ultimately, Lake Tenkiller, an important ecological and economic resource for the region, receives the compounds that runoff the land surface or seep to local streams from groundwater in the basin. Because of eutrophication from increased nutrient loading, Lake Tenkiller is listed for impairment by diminished dissolved oxygen concentrations, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a by the State of Oklahoma in evaluation of surface-water quality required by section 303d of the Clean Water Act. Stored phosphorus in soils and streambed and lakebed sediments may continue to provide phosphorus to local streams and lakes for decades to come. Steps are being made to reduce local sources of phosphorus, including upgrades in capacity and effective

Quality of Streams in Johnson County, Kansas, and Relations to Environmental Variables, 2003-07

USGS Publications Warehouse

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

2009-01-01

The quality of streams and relations to environmental variables in Johnson County, northeastern Kansas, were evaluated using water, streambed sediment, land use, streamflow, habitat, algal periphyton (benthic algae), and benthic macroinvertebrate data. Water, streambed sediment, and macroinvertebrate samples were collected in March 2007 during base flow at 20 stream sites that represent 11 different watersheds in the county. In addition, algal periphyton samples were collected twice (spring and summer 2007) at one-half of the sites. Environmental data including water and streambed-sediment chemistry data (primarily nutrients, fecal-indicator bacteria, and organic wastewater compounds), land use, streamflow, and habitat data were used in statistical analyses to evaluate relations between biological conditions and variables that may affect them. This report includes an evaluation of water and streambed-sediment chemistry, assessment of habitat conditions, comparison of biological community attributes (such as composition, diversity, and abundance) among sampling sites, placement of sampling sites into impairment categories, evaluation of biological data relative to environmental variables, and evaluation of changes in biological communities and effects of urbanization. This evaluation is useful for understanding factors that affect stream quality, for improving water-quality management programs, and for documenting changing conditions over time. The information will become increasingly important for protecting streams in the future as urbanization continues. Results of this study indicate that the biological quality at nearly all biological sampling sites in Johnson County has some level of impairment. Periphyton taxa generally were indicative of somewhat degraded conditions with small to moderate amounts of organic enrichment. Camp Branch in the Blue River watershed was the only site that met State criteria for full support of aquatic life in 2007. Since 2003, biological quality improved at one rural sampling site, possibly because of changes in wastewater affecting the site, and declined at three urban sites possibly because of the combined effects of ongoing development. Rural streams in the western and southern parts of the county, with land-use conditions similar to those found at the State reference site (Captain Creek), continue to support some organisms normally associated with healthy streams. Several environmental factors contribute to biological indicators of stream quality. The primary factor explaining biological quality at sites in Johnson County was the amount of urbanization upstream in the watershed. Specific conductance of stream water, which is a measure of dissolved solids in water and is determined primarily by the amount of groundwater contributing to streamflow, the amount of urbanization, and discharges from wastewater and industrial sites, was strongly negatively correlated with biological stream quality as indicated by macroinvertebrate metrics. Concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in streambed sediment also was negatively correlated with biological stream quality. Individual habitat variables that most commonly were positively correlated with biological indicators included stream sinuosity, buffer length, and substrate cover diversity. Riffle substrate embeddedness and sediment deposition commonly were negatively correlated with favorable metric scores. Statistical analysis indicated that specific conductance, impervious surface area (a measure of urbanization), and stream sinuosity explained 85 percent of the variance in macroinvertebrate communities. Management practices affecting environmental variables that appear to be most important for Johnson County streams include protection of stream corridors, measures that reduce the effects of impervious surfaces associated with urbanization, reduction of dissolved solids in stream water, reduction of PAHs entering streams and

Two-dimensional hydrologic modeling to evaluate aquatic habitat conditions

Treesearch

Pamela Edwards; Frederica Wood; Michael Little; Peter Vila; Peter Vila

2006-01-01

We describe the modeling and mapping procedures used to examine aquatic habitat conditions and habitat suitability of a small river in north- central West Virginia where fish survival and reproduction in specific reaches are poor. The study includes: (1) surveying cross sections of streambed reaches and measuring discharges and corresponding water-surface elevations,...

Some effects of logging and associated road construction on northern California streams

Treesearch

James W. Burns

1972-01-01

Abstract - The effects of logging and associated road construction on four California trout and salmon streams were investigated from 1966 through 1969. This study included measurements of streambed sedimentation, water quality, fish food abundance, and stream nursery capacity. Logging was found to be compatible with anadromous fish production when adequate attention...

Channel recovery from recent large floods in north coastal California: rates and processes

Treesearch

Thomas E. Lisle

1981-01-01

Abstract - Stream channel recovery from recent large floods in northern California involves a sequence of processes, including degradation of streambeds to stable levels, narrowing of channels, and accentuation of riffle-pool sequences. Most channels have degraded but remain widened because hillslope encroachment and establishment of riparian groves conducive to...

Physical consequences of large organic debris in Pacific Northwest streams.

Treesearch

Frederick J. Swanson; George W. Lienkaemper

1978-01-01

Large organic debris in streams controls the distribution of aquatic habitats, the routing of sediment through stream systems, and the stability of streambed and banks. Management activities directly alter debris loading by addition or removal of material and indirectly by increasing the probability of debris torrents and removing standing streamside trees. We propose...

Impact of stream geomorphology on greenhouse gas concentration in a New York mountain stream

Treesearch

Philippe Vidon; Satish Serchan

2016-01-01

As increased greenhouse gas concentrations (GHG: N2O, CO2, CH4) in our atmosphere remain a major concern, better quantifying GHG fluxes from natural systems is essential. In this study, we investigate GHG concentrations in saturated riparian sediments (dry, wet, mucky), streambed hyporheic zone...

Preliminary Results: Release Of Metals From Acid-Mine Drainage Contaminated Streambed Sediments Under Anaerobic Conditions (Presentation)

EPA Science Inventory

Many miles of streams in the western U.S. are contaminated with acid-mine drainage (AMD) from abandoned metal mines. Treatment of these streams may include removal of the existing sediments, with subsequent burial (e.g., in a repository). Burial of previously aerobic sediments ma...

PRELIMINARY RESULTS: RELEASE OF METALS FROM ACID-MINE DRAINAGE CONTAMINATED STREAMBED SEDIMENTS UNDER ANOXIC CONDITIONS

EPA Science Inventory

Many miles of streams are contaminated with acid-mine drainage (AMD) from abandoned metal mines in the western U.S. Treatment of these streams may include dredging of the existing sediments, with subsequent burial. Burial of previously toxic sediments may result in release of met...

Hyporheic exchange along a river below a dam

Treesearch

Alessandra Marzadri; Daniele Tonina; James A. McKean; Matt Tiedemann

2012-01-01

Hyporheic exchange is an important mechanism for solute mixing between river waters and shallow groundwater in streambed sediment. The hyporheic zone also provides an important ecotone for benthic species, including macro-invertebrates, microorganisms, and parts of some fish life stages. Most hyporheic analyses are limited in scope and performed at the reach scale....

REGIONAL, BASIN, AND LOCAL FACTORS INFLUENCING THE USE OF SYNOPTIC SURVEY DATA TO ASSESS ANTHROPOGENIC CHANGES IN STREAMBED STABILITY AND FINE SEDIMENT

EPA Science Inventory

To evaluate anthropogenic changes in stream bed stability or texture from synoptic stream surveys, we calculated relative bed stability RBS* as the ratio of the geometric mean bed surface substrate diameter to the estimated bankfull critical diameter. RBS* decreased with increas...

Metals Release From Mining-Impacted Streambed Sediments In The North Fork Of Clear Creek, Colorado

EPA Science Inventory

Many miles of streams in the US (and worldwide) are contaminated by metals originating from both active and abandoned mine sites. Streams affected by mine drainage are often toxic to aquatic life. Thus, it is desirable to remediate these sites through removal or treatment of th...

Preliminary Results: Release Of Metals From Acid-Mine Drainage Contaminated Streambed Sediments Under Anaerobic Conditions

EPA Science Inventory

Many miles of streams in the western U.S. are contaminated with acid-mine drainage (AMD) from abandoned metal mines. Treatment of these streams may include removal of the existing sediments, with subsequent burial (e.g., in a repository). Burial of previously aerobic sediments ma...

Temperature Effect on the Sorption of Radionuclides by Freshwater Algae

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

Harvey, R.S.

2003-01-06

The heavy waters of the reactor effluent streams within the Savannah River Plant area transport very low concentrations of fission and activation products through miles of natural streambeds and swamps to the Savannah River. This study emphasizes the effects of environmental factors on the sorption of radionuclides by representative species.

Development a fluvial detachment rate model to predict the erodibility of cohesive soils under the influence of seepage

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Seepage influences the erodibility of streambanks, streambeds, dams, and embankments. Usually the erosion rate of cohesive soils due to fluvial forces is computed using an excess shear stress model, dependent on two major soil parameters: the critical shear stress (tc) and the erodibility coefficie...

Streambanks: A net source of sediment and phosphorus to streams and rivers

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Sediment and phosphorus (P) are two primary pollutants of surface waters. Many studies have investigated loadings from upland sources or even streambed sediment, but in many cases, limited to no data exist to determine sediment and P loading from streambanks on a watershed scale. The objectives of t...

Use of survey data to develop sediment criteria for protecting aquatic vertebrates in mountain streams

EPA Science Inventory

We examined the relationship of aquatic vertebrate taxa abundances and an index of biotic integrity (IBI) to reachwide measures of areal percent streambed surficial fines (≤ 0.06 mm) and sand and fines (≤ 2 mm), based on data collected from 557 wadeable streams in the Western Mou...

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

Leathe, Stephen A.; Enk, Michael D.

This study was designed to develop and apply methods to evaluate the cumulative effects of 20 proposed small hydro projects on the fisheries resources of the Swan River drainage located in northwestern Montana. Fish population and reach classification information was used to estimate total populations of 107,000 brook trout, 65,000 cut-throat trout and 31,000 juvenile bull trout within the tributary system. Distribution, abundance, and life history of fish species in the drainage and their contribution to the sport fishery were considered in the cumulative impact analysis. Bull trout were chosen as the primary species of concern because of their extensivemore » use of project areas, sensitivity to streambed sedimentation, and their importance to the lake and river sport fisheries. Dewatering of hydroelectric diversion zones and streambed sedimentation (resulting from forest and small hydro development) were the major impacts considered. The developer proposed to divert up to the entire streamflow during low flow months because maintenance of recommended minimum bypass flows would not allow profitable project operation. Dewatering was assumed to result in a total loss of fish production in these areas. 105 refs., 19 figs., 38 tabs.« less

Transmission losses, infiltration and groundwater recharge through ephemeral and intermittent streambeds: A review of applied methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shanafield, Margaret; Cook, Peter G.

2014-04-01

Aquifer recharge through ephemeral streambeds is believed to be a major source of groundwater recharge in arid areas; however, comparatively few studies quantify this streamflow recharge. This review synthesizes the available field-based aquifer recharge literature from arid regions around the world. Seven methods for quantifying ephemeral and intermittent stream infiltration and aquifer recharge are reviewed; controlled infiltration experiments, monitoring changes in water content, heat as a tracer of infiltration, reach length water balances, floodwave front tracking, groundwater mounding, and groundwater dating. The pertinent temporal and spatial scales, as well as the advantages and limitations of each method are illustrated with examples from the literature. Comparisons between the methods are used to highlight appropriate uses of each field method, with emphasis on the advantages of using multiple methods within a study in order to avoid the potential drawbacks inherent in any single method. Research needs are identified, including: quantitative uncertainty analysis, long-term data collection and analysis, understanding of the role of riparian vegetation, and reconciliation of transmission losses and infiltration estimates with actual aquifer recharge.

Quantification of mine-drainage inflows to Little Cottonwood Creek, Utah, using a tracer-injection and synoptic-sampling study

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kimball, B.; Runkel, R.; Gerner, L.

2001-01-01

Historic mining in Little Cottonwood Canyon in Utah has left behind many mine drainage tunnels that discharge water to Little Cottonwood Creek. To quantify the major sources of mine drainage to the stream, synoptic sampling was conducted during a tracer injection under low flow conditions (September 1998). There were distinct increases in discharge downstream from mine drainage and major tributary inflows that represented the total surface and subsurface contributions. The chemistry of stream water determined from synoptic sampling was controlled by the weathering of carbonate rocks and mine drainage inflows. Buffering by carbonate rocks maintained a high pH throughout the study reach. Most of the metal loading was from four surface-water inflows and three subsurface inflows. The main subsurface inflow was from a mine pool in the Wasatch Tunnel. Natural attenuation of all the metals resulted in the formation of colloidal solids, sorption of some metals, and accumulation onto the streambed. The deposition on the streambed could contribute to chronic toxicity for aquatic organisms. Information from the study will help to make decisions about environmental restoration.

Air Compressibility Effect on Bouwer and Rice Seepage Meter.

PubMed

Peng, Xin; Zhan, Hongbin

2017-11-01

Measuring a disconnected streambed seepage flux using a seepage meter can give important streambed information and help understanding groundwater-surface water interaction. In this study, we provide a correction for calculating the seepage flux rate with the consideration of air compressibility inside the manometer of the Bouwer and Rice seepage meter. We notice that the effect of air compressibility in the manometer is considerably larger when more air is included in the manometer. We find that the relative error from neglecting air compressibility can be constrained within 5% if the manometer of the Bouwer and Rice seepage meter is shorter than 0.8 m and the experiment is done in a suction mode in which air is pumped out from the manometer before the start of measurement. For manometers longer than 0.8 m, the relative error will be larger than 5%. It may be over 10% if the manometer height is longer than 1.5 m and the experiment is done in a no-suction mode, in which air is not pumped out from the manometer before the start of measurement. © 2017, National Ground Water Association.

Evaluating Groundwater-Surface Water Exchange With A New Point Measurement Device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cremeans, M.; Devlin, J. F.; McKnight, U. S.; Bjerg, P. L.; Nairn, R.

2017-12-01

Estimating exchange at the groundwater-surface water interface (GWSWI) could be crucial to designing effective remediation measures. The StreamBed Point Velocity Probe (SBPVP), a new point measurement device, measures in situ groundwater velocities at the GWSWI without reliance on estimations of hydraulic conductivity, porosity, or gradient information. The SBPVP has been applied to natural and engineered interfaces at contaminated sites, a stream and vertical flow bioreactor, respectively. Velocity data ( 18 cm/day to 2600 cm/day in the stream, and 54 cm/day to 161 cm/day in the bioreactor) were used to determine water and solute fluxes (as well as potential contaminant attenuation rates) at these sites. Analysis of the spatial distribution of velocity values in a streambed illustrated the extremely heterogeneous nature of that environment, while the engineered system was found to be relatively homogeneous by comparison. Combining SBPVP velocity data with geochemical data supports the calculation of mass discharges and mass removal rates. The wide range of exchange rate variability (within and between these sites) suggests that detailed characterization of the GWSWI interface is useful information for remediation in both cases.

Arsenic in groundwater in the North Carolina Eastern slate belt (Esb): Nash and halifax counties, north carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reid, J.C.; Haven, W.T.; Eudy, D.D.; Milosh, R.M.; Stafford, E.G.

2010-01-01

Naturally occurring arsenic-contaminated groundwater is present within the Eastern Slate Belt (ESB) of North Carolina. Long-term, integrated geologic and geo-chemical investigations havedetermined the presence of arsenic by analyzing precipitates from first and second order streams under base flow conditions. When groundwater discharges into streams, arsenic and other metals are precipitated from solution, due to redox changes between the subsurface and surface environments. Analyses (As, base metals, Fe and Mn) were determined following chemical extraction ofnaturally occurring manganese-iron oxide-coatings, which had precipitated from solution onto stream-bed cobbles. Additionally, artificial redox fronts were produced by placing ceramic tilesin streambeds to collect and analyze oxide precipitates. Thermochemical plots from these data, as well as information from respective stream water measurements (pH and Eh), water sampling, and rock chemical analyses indicate mobile arsenic in predicted stability fields. Initial results show that naturally occurring arsenic-contaminated groundwater is present within the study area. However, the resulting oxidation and pre-cipitation within streams appreciably removes thiscontaminant from surface water solution.

Qcritical as a Geomorphically and Biologically Relevant Flow Threshold for Stormwater Management and Catchment-scale Stream Restoration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hawley, R. J.; Vietz, G. J.; Wooten, M. S.

2016-12-01

The threshold discharge that initiates streambed mobilization (Qcritical) is one of the most mechanistically-important flows for geomorphic function and biological integrity in stream ecosystems. Increased frequency and duration of flows that exceed Qcritical are a dominant driver of geomorphic instability and excess benthic disturbance in urban/suburban streams (i.e. the urban disturbance regime). Qcritical frequency also corresponds to measures of stream integrity in reference streams, with both geomorphic stability and biological indices significantly correlated to time since a Qcritical event in one 7-y study. Indeed, reference site macroinvertebrate communities during years with atypically frequent Qcritical events were more similar to sites draining watersheds with 30% imperviousness than to reference site communities of more typical rainfall years. Despite its biophysical relevance to stream ecosystems, Qcritical is one of the most overlooked and misunderstood flows in the stormwater management and stream restoration fields. Regional stormwater policies and stream restoration design guidance are often based on the misplaced assumption that streambed erosion does not occur at sub-bankfull events (often assumed to correspond to the 1-y recurrence discharge). Using an international database of nearly 200 sites we show that Qcritical varies by several orders of magnitude as a function of streambed particle size. Qcritical in sand-dominated streams is likely to be orders of magnitude less than the 1-yr discharge, whereas Qcritical in cobble/boulder dominated streams could be much larger than the 1-yr discharge, implying that stormwater/restoration policies focused on the 1-yr event could lack efficacy in many stream settings. Qcritical is a geomorphically- and biologically-relevant discharge threshold when developing stormwater management policies intended to protect streams from excess erosion, designing watershed-scale restoration efforts to restore a more natural disturbance regime, or reconstructing stream reaches designed to restore sediment continuity. Incorporation of Qcritical into such restoration and management efforts ensures that designs are actually tailored to the mechanisms that drive channel erosion and disturbance to the benthos.

Application of acoustic doppler current profilers for measuring three-dimensional flow fields and as a surrogate measurement of bedload transport

USGS Publications Warehouse

Conaway, Jeffrey S.

2005-01-01

Acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCPs) have been in use in the riverine environment for nearly 20 years. Their application primarily has been focused on the measurement of streamflow discharge. ADCPs emit high-frequency sound pulses and receive reflected sound echoes from sediment particles in the water column. The Doppler shift between transmitted and return signals is resolved into a velocity component that is measured in three dimensions by simultaneously transmitting four independent acoustical pulses. To measure the absolute velocity magnitude and direction in the water column, the velocity magnitude and direction of the instrument must also be computed. Typically this is accomplished by ensonifying the streambed with an acoustical pulse that also provides a depth measurement for each of the four acoustic beams. Sediment transport on or near the streambed will bias these measurements and requires external positioning such as a differentially corrected Global Positioning Systems (GPS). Although the influence of hydraulic structures such as spur dikes and bridge piers is typically only measured and described in one or two dimensions, the use of differentially corrected GPS with ADCPs provides a fully three-dimensional measurement of the magnitude and direction of the water column at such structures. The measurement of these flow disturbances in a field setting also captures the natural pulsations of river flow that cannot be easily quantified or modeled by numerical simulations or flumes. Several examples of measured three-dimensional flow conditions at bridge sites throughout Alaska are presented. The bias introduced to the bottom-track measurement is being investigated as a surrogate measurement of bedload transport. By fixing the position of the ADCP for a known period of time the apparent velocity of the streambed at that position can be determined. Initial results and comparison to traditionally measured bedload values are presented. These initial results and those by other researchers are helping to determine a direction for further research of noncontact measurements of sediment transport. Copyright ASCE 2005.

Evaluating the reliability of the stream tracer approach to characterize stream-subsurface water exchange

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harvey, Judson W.; Wagner, Brian J.; Bencala, Kenneth E.

1996-01-01

Stream water was locally recharged into shallow groundwater flow paths that returned to the stream (hyporheic exchange) in St. Kevin Gulch, a Rocky Mountain stream in Colorado contaminated by acid mine drainage. Two approaches were used to characterize hyporheic exchange: sub-reach-scale measurement of hydraulic heads and hydraulic conductivity to compute streambed fluxes (hydrometric approach) and reachscale modeling of in-stream solute tracer injections to determine characteristic length and timescales of exchange with storage zones (stream tracer approach). Subsurface data were the standard of comparison used to evaluate the reliability of the stream tracer approach to characterize hyporheic exchange. The reach-averaged hyporheic exchange flux (1.5 mL s−1 m−1), determined by hydrometric methods, was largest when stream base flow was low (10 L s−1); hyporheic exchange persisted when base flow was 10-fold higher, decreasing by approximately 30%. Reliability of the stream tracer approach to detect hyporheic exchange was assessed using first-order uncertainty analysis that considered model parameter sensitivity. The stream tracer approach did not reliably characterize hyporheic exchange at high base flow: the model was apparently more sensitive to exchange with surface water storage zones than with the hyporheic zone. At low base flow the stream tracer approach reliably characterized exchange between the stream and gravel streambed (timescale of hours) but was relatively insensitive to slower exchange with deeper alluvium (timescale of tens of hours) that was detected by subsurface measurements. The stream tracer approach was therefore not equally sensitive to all timescales of hyporheic exchange. We conclude that while the stream tracer approach is an efficient means to characterize surface-subsurface exchange, future studies will need to more routinely consider decreasing sensitivities of tracer methods at higher base flow and a potential bias toward characterizing only a fast component of hyporheic exchange. Stream tracer models with multiple rate constants to consider both fast exchange with streambed gravel and slower exchange with deeper alluvium appear to be warranted.

Selected streambed sediment compounds and water toxicity results for Westside Creeks, San Antonio, Texas, 2014

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crow, Cassi L.; Wilson, Jennifer T.; Kunz, James L.

2016-12-01

IntroductionThe Alazán, Apache, Martínez, and San Pedro Creeks in San Antonio, Texas, are part of a network of urban tributaries to the San Antonio River, known locally as the Westside Creeks. The Westside Creeks flow through some of the oldest neighborhoods in San Antonio. The disruption of streambed sediment is anticipated during a planned restoration to improve and restore the environmental condition of 14 miles of channelized sections of the Westside Creeks in San Antonio. These construction activities can create the potential to reintroduce chemicals found in the sediments into the ecosystem where, depending on hydrologic and environmental conditions, they could become bioavailable and toxic to aquatic life. Elevated concentrations of sediment-associated contaminants often are measured in urban areas such as San Antonio, Tex. Contaminants found in sediment can affect the health of aquatic organisms that ingest sediment. The gradual accumulation of trace elements and organic compounds in aquatic organisms can cause various physiological issues and can ultimately result in death of the aquatic organisms; in addition, subsequent ingestion of aquatic organisms can transfer the accumulated contaminants upward through the food chain (a process called biomagnification).The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the San Antonio River Authority, collected sediment samples and water samples for toxicity testing from sites on the Westside Creeks as part of an initial characterization of selected contaminants in the study area. Samples were collected in January 2014 during base-flow conditions and again in May 2104 after a period of stormwater runoff (poststorm conditions). Sediment samples were analyzed for selected constituents, including trace elements and organic contaminants such as pesticides, brominated flame retardants, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). In addition, as an indicator of ecological health (and possibly bioavailability of contaminants in disturbed streambed sediments), the toxicity of water samples to the indicator species Pimephales promelas (fathead minnow) was evaluated by using standard 7-day water-toxicity testing.

In‐stream sorption of fulvic acid in an acidic stream: A stream‐scale transport experiment

USGS Publications Warehouse

McKnight, Diane M.; Hornberger, George M.; Bencala, Kenneth E.; Boyer, Elizabeth W.

2002-01-01

The variation of concentration and composition of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in stream waters cannot be explained solely on the basis of soil processes in contributing subcatchments. To investigate in‐stream processes that control DOC, we injected DOC‐enriched water into a reach of the Snake River (Summit County, Colorado) that has abundant iron oxyhydroxides coating the streambed. The injected water was obtained from the Suwannee River (Georgia), which is highly enriched in fulvic acid. The fulvic acid from this water is the standard reference for aquatic fulvic acid for the International Humic Substances Society and has been well characterized. During the experimental injection, significant removal of sorbable fulvic acid occurred within the first 141 m of stream reach. We coinjected a conservative tracer (lithium chloride) and analyzed the results with the one‐dimensional transport with inflow and storage (OTIS) stream solute transport model to quantify the physical transport mechanisms. The downstream transport of fulvic acid as indicated by absorbance was then simulated using OTIS with a first‐order kinetic sorption rate constant applied to the sorbable fulvic acid. The “sorbable” fraction of injected fulvic acid was irreversibly sorbed by streambed sediments at rates (kinetic rate constants) of the order of 10−4–10−3 s−1. In the injected Suwannee River water, sorbable and nonsorbable fulvic acid had distinct chemical characteristics identified in 13C‐NMR spectra. The 13C‐NMR spectra indicate that during the experiment, the sorbable “signal” of greater aromaticity and carboxyl content decreased downstream; that is, these components were preferentially removed. This study illustrates that interactions between the water and the reactive surfaces will modify significantly the concentration and composition of DOC observed in streams with abundant chemically reactive surfaces on the streambed and in the hyporheic zone.

The advantages, and challenges, in using multiple techniques in the estimation of surface water-groundwater fluxes.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shanafield, M.; Cook, P. G.

2014-12-01

When estimating surface water-groundwater fluxes, the use of complimentary techniques helps to fill in uncertainties in any individual method, and to potentially gain a better understanding of spatial and temporal variability in a system. It can also be a way of preventing the loss of data during infrequent and unpredictable flow events. For example, much of arid Australia relies on groundwater, which is recharged by streamflow through ephemeral streams during flood events. Three recent surface water/groundwater investigations from arid Australian systems provide good examples of how using multiple field and analysis techniques can help to more fully characterize surface water-groundwater fluxes, but can also result in conflicting values over varying spatial and temporal scales. In the Pilbara region of Western Australia, combining streambed radon measurements, vertical heat transport modeling, and a tracer test helped constrain very low streambed residence times, which are on the order of minutes. Spatial and temporal variability between the methods yielded hyporheic exchange estimates between 10-4 m2 s-1 and 4.2 x 10-2 m2 s-1. In South Australia, three-dimensional heat transport modeling captured heterogeneity within 20 square meters of streambed, identifying areas of sandy soil (flux rates of up to 3 m d-1) and clay (flux rates too slow to be accurately characterized). Streamflow front modeling showed similar flux rates, but averaged over 100 m long stream segments for a 1.6 km reach. Finally, in central Australia, several methods are used to decipher whether any of the flow down a highly ephemeral river contributes to regional groundwater recharge, showing that evaporation and evapotranspiration likely accounts for all of the infiltration into the perched aquifer. Lessons learned from these examples demonstrate the influences of the spatial and temporal variability between techniques on estimated fluxes.

Streamflow, infiltration, and recharge in Arroyo Hondo, New Mexico: Chapter F in Ground-water recharge in the arid and semiarid southwestern United States (Professional Paper 1703)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moore, Stephanie J.; Stonestrom, David A.; Constantz, Jim; Ferré, Ty P.A.; Leake, Stanley A.

2007-01-01

Infiltration events in channels that flow only sporadically produce focused recharge to the Tesuque aquifer in the Española Basin. The current study examined the quantity and timing of streamflow and associated infiltration in Arroyo Hondo, an unregulated mountain-front stream that enters the basin from the western slope of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Traditional methods of stream gaging were combined with environmental-tracer based methods to provide the estimates. The study was conducted during a three-year period, October 1999–October 2002. The period was characterized by generally low precipitation and runoff. Summer monsoonal rains produced four brief periods of streamflow in water year 2000, only three of which extended beyond the mountain front, and negligible runoff in subsequent years. The largest peak flow during summer monsoon events was 0.59 cubic meters per second. Snowmelt was the main contributor to annual streamflow. Snowmelt produced more cumulative flow downstream from the mountain front during the study period than summer monsoonal rains.The presence or absence of streamflow downstream of the mountain front was determined by interpretation of streambed thermographs. Infiltration rates were estimated by numerical modeling of transient vertical streambed temperature profiles. Snowmelt extended throughout the instrumented reach during the spring of 2001. Flow was recorded at a station two kilometers downstream from the mountain front for six consecutive days in March. Inverse modeling of this event indicated an average infiltration rate of 1.4 meters per day at this location. For the entire study reach, the estimated total annual volume of infiltration ranged from 17,100 to 246,000 m3 during water years 2000 and 2001. During water year 2002, due to severe drought, streamflow and streambed infiltration in the study reach were both zero.

Field study and simulation of diurnal temperature effects on infiltration and variably saturated flow beneath an ephemeral stream

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dudek Ronan, Anne; Prudic, David E.; Thodal, Carl E.; Constantz, Jim

1998-01-01

Two experiments were performed to investigate flow beneath an ephemeral stream and to estimate streambed infiltration rates. Discharge and stream-area measurements were used to determine infiltration rates. Stream and subsurface temperatures were used to interpret subsurface flow through variably saturated sediments beneath the stream. Spatial variations in subsurface temperatures suggest that flow beneath the streambed is dependent on the orientation of the stream in the canyon and the layering of the sediments. Streamflow and infiltration rates vary diurnally: Streamflow is lowest in late afternoon when stream temperature is greatest and highest in early morning when stream temperature is least. The lower afternoon Streamflow is attributed to increased infiltration rates; evapotranspiration is insufficient to account for the decreased Streamflow. The increased infiltration rates are attributed to viscosity effects on hydraulic conductivity from increased stream temperatures. The first set of field data was used to calibrate a two-dimensional variably saturated flow model that includes heat transport. The model was calibrated to (1) temperature fluctuations in the subsurface and (2) infiltration rates determined from measured Streamflow losses. The second set of field data was to evaluate the ability to predict infiltration rates on the basis of temperature measurements alone. Results indicate that the variably saturated subsurface flow depends on downcanyon layering of the sediments. They also support the field observations in indicating that diurnal changes in infiltration can be explained by temperature dependence of hydraulic conductivity. Over the range of temperatures and flows monitored, diurnal stream temperature changes can be used to estimate streambed infiltration rates. It is often impractical to maintain equipment for determining infiltration rates by traditional means; however, once a model is calibrated using both infiltration and temperature data, only relatively inexpensive temperature monitoring can later yield infiltration rates that are within the correct order of magnitude.

Benthic invertebrate communities and their responses to selected environmental factors in the Kanawha River basin, West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chambers, Douglas B.; Messinger, Terence

2001-01-01

The effects of selected environmental factors on the composition and structure of benthic invertebrate communities in the Kanawha River Basin of West Virginia, Virginia and North Carolina were investigated in 1997 and 1998. Environmental factors investigated include physiography, land-use pattern, streamwater chemistry, streambed- sediment chemistry, and habitat characteristics. Land-use patterns investigated include coal mining, agriculture, and low intensity rural-residential patterns, at four main stem and seven tributary sites throughout the basin. Of the 37 sites sampled, basin size and physiography most strongly affected benthic invertebrate-community structure. Land-use practices also affected invertebrate community structure in these basins. The basins that differed most from the minimally affected reference condition were those basins in which coal mining was the dominant nonforest land use, as determined by comparing invertebrate- community metric values among sites. Basins in which agriculture was important were more similar to the reference condition. The effect of coal mining upon benthic invertebrate communities was further studied at 29 sites and the relations among invertebrate communities and the selected environmental factors of land use, streamwater chemistry, streambed- sediment chemistry, and habitat characteristics analyzed. Division of coal-mining synoptic-survey sites based on invertebrate-community composition resulted in two groups?one with more than an average production of 9,000 tons of coal per square mile per year since 1980, and one with lesser or no recent coal production. The group with significant recent coal production showed higher levels of community impairment than the group with little or no recent coal production. Median particle size of streambed sediment, and specific conductance and sulfate concentration of streamwater were most strongly correlated with effects on invertebrate communities. These characteristics were related to mining intensity, as measured by thousands of tons of coal produced per square mile of drainage area.

4. View southeast at culvert outlet with part of the ...

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

4. View southeast at culvert outlet with part of the canal bank removed. Right to left: dewatered streambed and coffer dam; tops of culvert barrels and curved wingwalls exposed; horizontal masonry cutoff wall partially up the canal bank. - Delaware & Raritan Canal, Six Mile Run Culvert, .2 mile South of Blackwells Mills Road, East Millstone, Somerset County, NJ

An improved bedload sampler

Treesearch

Jack Lewis

1991-01-01

Abstract - Improvements upon the Birkbeck bedload sampler (Reid et al., 1980) were implemented in the North Fork of Caspar Creek, a gravel-bedded stream draining 383 ha in northern coastal California. Bedload sediment falls through a slotted plate covering a .125-m3 steel box set within a formed concrete pit in the streambed. In the original Birkbeck design, a water-...

The development of alum rates to enhance the remediation of phosphorus in fluvial systems following manure spills

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Following the remediation of animal manure spills that reach surface waters, contaminated streambed sediments are often left in place and become a source for internal P loading within the stream in subsequent flow. The objective of this study was to develop treatment rates and combinations of alum a...

Incorporating a Watershed-Based Summary Field Exercise into an Introductory Hydrogeology Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fryar, Alan E.; Thompson, Karen E.; Hendricks, Susan P.; White, David S.

2010-01-01

We have developed and implemented a summary field exercise for an introductory hydrogeology course without a laboratory section. This exercise builds on lectures and problem sets that use pre-existing field data. During one day in April, students measure hydraulic heads, stream and spring flow, and stream-bed seepage within the rural watershed of…

Occurrence of pharmaceuticals, hormones, and organic wastewater compounds in Pennsylvania waters, 2006-09

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reif, Andrew G.; Crawford, J. Kent; Loper, Connie A.; Proctor, Arianne; Manning, Rhonda; Titler, Robert

2012-01-01

Concern over the presence of contaminants of emerging concern, such as pharmaceutical compounds, hormones, and organic wastewater compounds (OWCs), in waters of the United States and elsewhere is growing. Laboratory techniques developed within the last decade or new techniques currently under development within the U.S. Geological Survey now allow these compounds to be measured at concentrations in nanograms per liter. These new laboratory techniques were used in a reconnaissance study conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, to determine the occurrence of contaminants of emerging concern in streams, streambed sediment, and groundwater of Pennsylvania. Compounds analyzed for in the study are pharmaceuticals (human and veterinary drugs), hormones (natural and synthetic), and OWCs (detergents, fragrances, pesticides, industrial compounds, disinfectants, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, fire retardants and plasticizers). Reconnaissance sampling was conducted from 2006 to 2009 to identify contaminants of emerging concern in (1) groundwater from wells used to supply livestock, (2) streamwater upstream and downstream from animal feeding operations, (3) streamwater upstream from and streamwater and streambed sediment downstream from municipal wastewater effluent discharges, (4) streamwater from sites within 5 miles of drinking-water intakes, and (5) streamwater and streambed sediment where fish health assessments were conducted. Of the 44 pharmaceutical compounds analyzed in groundwater samples collected in 2006 from six wells used to supply livestock, only cotinine (a nicotine metabolite) and the antibiotics tylosin and sulfamethoxazole were detected. The maximum concentration of any contaminant of emerging concern was 24 nanograms per liter (ng/L) for cotinine, and was detected in a groundwater sample from a Lebanon County, Pa., well. Seven pharmaceutical compounds including acetaminophen, caffeine, carbamazepine, and the four antibiotics tylosin, sulfadimethoxine, sulfamethoxazole, and oxytetracycline were detected in streamwater samples collected in 2006 from six paired stream sampling sites located upstream and downstream from animal-feeding operations. The highest reported concentration of these seven compounds was for the antibiotic sulfamethoxazole (157 ng/L), in a sample from the downstream site on Snitz Creek in Lancaster County, Pa. Twenty-one pharmaceutical compounds were detected in streamwater samples collected in 2006 from five paired stream sampling sites located upstream or downstream from a municipal wastewater-effluent-discharge site. The most commonly detected compounds and maximum concentrations were the anticonvulsant carbamazepine, 276 ng/L; the antihistamine diphenhydramine, 135 ng/L; and the antibiotics ofloxacin, 329 ng/L; sulfamethoxazole, 1,340 ng/L; and trimethoprim, 256 ng/L. A total of 51 different contaminants of emerging concern were detected in streamwater samples collected from 2007 through 2009 at 13 stream sampling sites located downstream from a wastewater-effluent-discharge site. The concentrations and numbers of compounds detected were higher in stream sites downstream from a wastewater-effluent-discharge site than in stream sites upstream from a wastewater-effluent-discharge site. This finding indicates that wastewater-effluent discharges are a source of contaminants of emerging concern; these contaminants were present more frequently in the streambed-sediment samples than in streamwater samples. Antibiotic compounds were often present in both the streamwater and streambed-sediment samples, but many OWCs were present exclusively in the streambed-sediment samples. Compounds with endocrine disrupting potential including detergent metabolites, pesticides, and flame retardants, were present in the streamwater and streambed-sediment samples. Killinger Creek, a stream where wastewater-effluent discharges contribute a large percentage of the total flow, stands out as a stream with particularly high numbers of compounds detected and detected at the highest concentrations measured in the reconnaissance sampling. Nineteen contaminants of emerging concern were detected in streamwater samples collected quarterly from 2007 through 2009 at 27 stream sites within 5 miles of a drinking-water intake. The number of contaminants and the concentrations detected at the stream sites within 5 miles of drinking-water intakes were generally very low (concentrations less than 50 ng/L), much lower than those at sites downstream from a wastewater-effluent discharge. The most commonly detected compounds and maximum concentrations were caffeine, 517 ng/L; carbamazepine, 95 ng/L; sulfamethoxazole, 146 ng/L; and estrone, 3.15 ng/L. The concentrations and frequencies of detection of some of the contaminants of emerging concern appear to vary by season, which could be explained by compound use, flow regime, or differences in degradation rates. Concentrations of some contaminants were associated with lower flows as a result of decreased in-stream dilution of wastewater effluents or other contamination sources. Twenty-two contaminants of emerging concern were detected once each in streamwater samples collected in 2007 and 2008 from 16 fish-health stream sites located statewide. The highest concentrations were for the OWCs, including flame retardants tri(2-butoxyethyl)phosphate (604 ng/L) and tri(2-chloroethyl)phosphate (272 ng/L) and the fragrance isoquinoline (330 ng/L). Far fewer numbers of contaminants of emerging concern were detected at the fish-health sites than at the wastewater-effluent-discharge sites. Most of the fish-health sites were not located directly downstream from a wastewater-effluent discharge, but there were multiple wastewater-effluent discharges in the drainage basins upstream from the sampling sites. No distinct pattern of contaminant occurrence could be discerned for the fish-health stream sites

EFFECT OF pH, IONIC STRENGTH, DISSOLVED ORGANIC CARBON, TIME, AND PARTICLE SIZE ON METALS RELEASE FROM MINE DRAINAGE IMPACTED STREAMBED SEDIMENTS

EPA Science Inventory

Acid-mine drainage (AMD) input to a stream typically results in the stream having a reduced pH, increased concentrations of metals and salts, and decreased biological productivity. Removal and/or treatment of these AMD sources is desired to return the impacted stream(s) to initi...

Biomass and decay rates of roots and detritus in sediments of intermittent coastal plain streams

Treesearch

Ken M. Fritz; Jack W. Feminella; Chris Colson; B. Graeme Lockaby; Robin Governo; Robert B. Rummer

2006-01-01

Biomass and breakdown of tree roots within streambed sediments were compared with leaf and wood detritus in three Coastal Plain headwater intermittent streams. Three separate riparian forest treatments were applied: thinned, clearcut, and reference. Biomass of roots (live and dead) and leaf/wood was significantly higher in stream banks than in the channel and declined...

Hydrologic effects from urbanization of forested watersheds in the northeast

Treesearch

Howard W. Lull; William E. Sopper; William E. Sopper

1969-01-01

Urbanization, particularly in the crowded Northeast, has created a new environment. Asphalt and concrete have replaced hundreds of square miles of soil, buildings have replaced trees on much of the land, and sewers have replaced streambeds in many areas. As a result, the hydrology of this land is changing rapidly. To determine the effects of this expanding urbanization...

Following a river wherever it goes: beneath the surface of mountain streams.

Treesearch

Jonathan Thompson; Sally Duncan

2004-01-01

The flow of a mountain stream is difficult to follow, especially when it weaves in and out of the channel, flowing through streambanks and seeping through the streambed. Flowing belowground, the stream water mixes with ground water in the riparian aquifer before reemerging in the channel, sometime later and somewhere further downstream. Underground, the water undergoes...

Tailed frogs: distribution, ecology, and association with timber harvest in northeastern Oregon.

Treesearch

Evelyn L. Bull; Bernie E. Carter

1996-01-01

Tailed frogs (Ascaphus truei) were found in 42 of 80 streams surveyed in Union, Umatilla, Wallowa, and Baker Counties in 1992. At least three size classes of larvae were identified in seven of the streams, thereby suggesting that larvae transform after spending 3 or more years in the streams. The amount of cobble and fines in the streambed best...

Statistical Analysis of Streambed Sediment Grain Size Distributions: Implications for Environmental Management and Regulatory Policy

Treesearch

Brenda Rosser; Matt O' Connor

2007-01-01

Fish habitat in cold water streams in many northwestern California watersheds has been declared degraded under provisions of the Federal Clean Water Act, contributing to listings of anadromous fish species under the Endangered Species Act. It is believed that past and present land management activities induce erosion that contributes excess sand-size and finer sediment...

Protocols for collection of streamflow, water-quality, streambed-sediment, periphyton, macroinvertebrate, fish, and habitat data to describe stream quality for the Hydrobiological Monitoring Program, Equus Beds Aquifer Storage and Recovery Program, city of Wichita, Kansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stone, Mandy L.; Rasmussen, Teresa J.; Bennett, Trudy J.; Poulton, Barry C.; Ziegler, Andrew C.

2012-01-01

The city of Wichita, Kansas uses the Equus Beds aquifer, one of two sources, for municipal water supply. To meet future water needs, plans for artificial recharge of the aquifer have been implemented in several phases. Phase I of the Equus Beds Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) Program began with injection of water from the Little Arkansas River into the aquifer for storage and subsequent recovery in 2006. Construction of a river intake structure and surface-water treatment plant began as implementation of Phase II of the Equus Beds ASR Program in 2010. An important aspect of the ASR Program is the monitoring of water quality and the effects of recharge activities on stream conditions. Physical, chemical, and biological data provide the basis for an integrated assessment of stream quality. This report describes protocols for collecting streamflow, water-quality, streambed-sediment, periphyton, macroinvertebrate, fish, and habitat data as part of the city of Wichita's hydrobiological monitoring program (HBMP). Following consistent and reliable methods for data collection and processing is imperative for the long-term success of the monitoring program.

Laboratory data on coarse-sediment transport for bedload-sampler calibrations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hubbell, David Wellington; Stevens, H.H.; Skinner, J.V.; Beverage, J.P.

1987-01-01

A unique facility capable of recirculating and continuously measuring the transport rates of sediment particles ranging in size from about 1 to 75 millimeters in diameter was designed and used in an extensive program involving the calibration of bedload samplers. The facility consisted of a 9-footwide by 6-foot-deep by 272-foot-long rectangular channel that incorporated seven automated collection pans and a sedimentreturn system. The collection pans accumulated, weighed, and periodically dumped bedload falling through a slot in the channel floor. Variations of the Helley-Smith bedload sampler, an Arnhem sampler, and two VUV-type samplers were used to obtain transport rates for comparison with rates measured at the bedload slot (trap). Tests were conducted under 20 different hydraulic and sedimentologic conditions (runs) with 3 uniform-size bed materials and a bed-material mixture. Hydraulic and sedimentologic data collected concurrently with the calibration measurements are described and, in part, summarized in tabular and graphic form. Tables indicate the extent of the data, which are available on magnetic media. The information includes sediment-transport rates; particle-size distributions; water discharges, depths, and slopes; longitudinal profiles of streambed-surface elevations; and temporal records of streambed-surface elevations at fixed locations.

Measurement of the temporal progression of scour in a pool-riffle sequence in a gravel bed stream using an electronic scour monitor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Devries, Paul; Burges, Stephen J.; Daigneau, Julie; Stearns, Daniel

2001-11-01

A relatively inexpensive prototype monitor was designed and developed to record temporal variation in scour depth and was field-tested in a gravel bed stream. The device consists of plastic practice golf balls that are fitted internally with ring magnets and strung on a two-conductor cable enclosing a small reed switch. The balls are installed and oriented near-vertically in the streambed. As each ball is disturbed and released, it slides along the cable past the reed switch, and the time of circuit closure caused by passage of the magnet is recorded by a data logger. The device can be applied in arrays that span large areas of the streambed, including in wide channels that are inaccessible during a flood. Data obtained from 19 devices installed in an aggrading site described scouring processes in a pool-riffle interface during a bed load transport event. Substantial bed excavation occurred in the region of the pool edge during the rising stage, indicating existence of a local, temporally varying imbalance in bed load transport rate. Bed disturbance in the rest of the site prior to aggradation was limited to the surface and immediate subpavement layer.

Macro- and microscale investigation of selenium speciation in Blackfoot river, Idaho sediments.

PubMed

Oram, Libbie L; Strawn, Daniel G; Marcus, Matthew A; Fakra, Sirine C; Möller, Gregory

2008-09-15

The transport and bioavailability of selenium in the environment is controlled by its chemical speciation. However, knowledge of the biogeochemistry and speciation of Se in streambed sediment is limited. We investigated the speciation of Se in sediment cores from the Blackfoot River (BFR), Idaho using sequential extractions and synchrotron-based micro-X-ray fluorescence (micro-SXRF). We collected micro-SXRF oxidation state maps of Se in sediments, which had not been done on natural sediment samples. Selective extractions showed that most Se in the sediments is present as either (1) nonextractable Se or (2) base extractable Se. Results from micro-SXRF showed three defined species of Se were present in all four samples: Se(-II,O), Se(IV), and Se(VI). Se(-II,O) was the predominant species in samples from one location, and Se(IV) was the predominant species in samples from a second location. Results from both techniques were consistent, and suggested that the predominant species were Se(-II) species associated with recalcitrant organic matter, and Se(IV) species tightly bound to organic materials. This information can be used to predict the biogeochemical cycling and bioavailability of Se in streambed sediment environments.

A quantitative analysis of hydraulic interaction processes in stream-aquifer systems

PubMed Central

Wang, Wenke; Dai, Zhenxue; Zhao, Yaqian; Li, Junting; Duan, Lei; Wang, Zhoufeng; Zhu, Lin

2016-01-01

The hydraulic relationship between the stream and aquifer can be altered from hydraulic connection to disconnection when the pumping rate exceeds the maximum seepage flux of the streambed. This study proposes to quantitatively analyze the physical processes of stream-aquifer systems from connection to disconnection. A free water table equation is adopted to clarify under what conditions a stream starts to separate hydraulically from an aquifer. Both the theoretical analysis and laboratory tests have demonstrated that the hydraulic connectedness of the stream-aquifer system can reach a critical disconnection state when the horizontal hydraulic gradient at the free water surface is equal to zero and the vertical is equal to 1. A boundary-value problem for movement of the critical point of disconnection is established for an analytical solution of the inverted water table movement beneath the stream. The result indicates that the maximum distance or thickness of the inverted water table is equal to the water depth in the stream, and at a steady state of disconnection, the maximum hydraulic gradient at the streambed center is 2. This study helps us to understand the hydraulic phenomena of water flow near streams and accurately assess surface water and groundwater resources. PMID:26818442

Impact on the Columbia River of an outburst of Spirit Lake

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sikonia, W.G.

1985-01-01

A one-dimensional sediment-transport computer model was used to study the effects of an outburst of Spirit Lake on the Columbia River. According to the model, flood sediment discharge to the Columbia from the Cowlitz would form a blockage to a height of 44 feet above the current streambed of the Columbia River, corresponding to a new streambed elevation of -3 feet, that would impound the waters of the Columbia River. For an average flow of 233,000 cubic feet in that river, water surface elevations would continue to increase for 16 days after the blockage had been formed. The river elevation at the Trojan nuclear power plant, 5 miles upstream of the Cowlitz River, would rise to 32 feet, compared to a critical elevation of 45 feet, above which the plant would be flooded. For comparison, the Columbia River at average flow without the blockage has an elevation at this location of 6 feet. Correspondingly high water surface elevations would occur along the river to Bonneville Dam , with that at Portland, Oregon, for example, rising also to 32 feet, compared to 10 feet without the blockage. (USGS)

Groundwater and surface water exchange and resulting Nitrate dynamics in the Bogue Phalia Basin in northwestern Mississippi

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barlow, Jeannie R.; Coupe, Richard H.

2012-01-01

During April 2007 through September 2008, the USGS collected hydrogeologic and water-quality data from a site on the Bogue Phalia to evaluate the role of groundwater and surface-water interaction on the transport of nitrate to the shallow sand and gravel aquifer underlying the Mississippi Alluvial Plain in northwestern Mississippi. A two-dimensional groundwater/surface-water exchange model was developed using temperature and head data and VS2DH, a variably saturated flow and energy transport model. Results from this model showed that groundwater/surface-water exchange at the site occurred regularly and recharge was laterally extensive into the alluvial aquifer. Nitrate was consistently reported in surface-water samples (n = 52, median concentration = 39.8 μmol/L) although never detected in samples collected from in-stream piezometers or shallow monitoring wells adjacent to the stream (n = 46). These two facts, consistent detections of nitrate in surface water and no detections of nitrate in groundwater, coupled with model results that indicate large amounts of surface water moving through an anoxic streambed, support the case for denitrification and nitrate loss through the streambed.

Trace-element concentrations in streambed sediment across the conterminous United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rice, Karen C.

1999-01-01

Trace-element concentrations in 541 streambed-sediment samples collected from 20 study areas across the conterminous United States were examined as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program of the U.S. Geological Survey. Sediment samples were sieved and the <63-μm fraction was retained for determination of total concentrations of trace elements. Aluminum, iron, titanium, and organic carbon were weakly or not at all correlated with the nine trace elements examined:  arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, selenium, and zinc. Four different methods of accounting for background/baseline concentrations were examined; however, normalization was not required because field sieving removed most of the background differences between samples. The sum of concentrations of trace elements characteristic of urban settings - copper, mercury, lead, and zinc - was well correlated with population density, nationwide. Median concentrations of seven trace elements (all nine examined except arsenic and selenium) were enriched in samples collected from urban settings relative to agricultural or forested settings. Forty-nine percent of the sites sampled in urban settings had concentrations of one or more trace elements that exceeded levels at which adverse biological effects could occur in aquatic biota.

Evaluation of simplified stream-aquifer depletion models for water rights administration

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sophocleous, Marios; Koussis, Antonis; Martin, J.L.; Perkins, S.P.

1995-01-01

We assess the predictive accuracy of Glover's (1974) stream-aquifer analytical solutions, which are commonly used in administering water rights, and evaluate the impact of the assumed idealizations on administrative and management decisions. To achieve these objectives, we evaluate the predictive capabilities of the Glover stream-aquifer depletion model against the MODFLOW numerical standard, which, unlike the analytical model, can handle increasing hydrogeologic complexity. We rank-order and quantify the relative importance of the various assumptions on which the analytical model is based, the three most important being: (1) streambed clogging as quantified by streambed-aquifer hydraulic conductivity contrast; (2) degree of stream partial penetration; and (3) aquifer heterogeneity. These three factors relate directly to the multidimensional nature of the aquifer flow conditions. From these considerations, future efforts to reduce the uncertainty in stream depletion-related administrative decisions should primarily address these three factors in characterizing the stream-aquifer process. We also investigate the impact of progressively coarser model grid size on numerically estimating stream leakage and conclude that grid size effects are relatively minor. Therefore, when modeling is required, coarser model grids could be used thus minimizing the input data requirements.

Direct and indirect influence of parental bedrock on streambed microbial community structure in forested streams.

PubMed

Mosher, Jennifer J; Findlay, Robert H

2011-11-01

A correlative study was performed to determine if variation in streambed microbial community structure in low-order forested streams can be directly or indirectly linked to the chemical nature of the parental bedrock of the environments through which the streams flow. Total microbial and photosynthetic biomass (phospholipid phosphate [PLP] and chlorophyll a), community structure (phospholipid fatty acid analysis), and physical and chemical parameters were measured in six streams, three located in sandstone and three in limestone regions of the Bankhead National Forest in northern Alabama. Although stream water flowing through the two different bedrock types differed significantly in chemical composition, there were no significant differences in total microbial and photosynthetic biomass in the sediments. In contrast, sedimentary microbial community structure differed between the bedrock types and was significantly correlated with stream water ion concentrations. A pattern of seasonal variation in microbial community structure was also observed. Further statistical analysis indicated dissolved organic matter (DOM) quality, which was previously shown to be influenced by geological variation, correlated with variation in bacterial community structure. These results indicate that the geology of underlying bedrock influences benthic microbial communities directly via changes in water chemistry and also indirectly via stream water DOM quality.

Flume experiments elucidate relationships between microbial genetics, nitrogen species and hydraulics in controlling nitrous oxide production in the hyporheic zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quick, A. M.; Farrell, T. B.; Reeder, W. J.; Feris, K. P.; Tonina, D.; Benner, S. G.

2014-12-01

The hyporheic zone is a potentially important producer of nitrous oxide, a powerful greenhouse gas. The location and magnitude of nitrous oxide generation within the hyporheic zone involves complex interactions between multiple nitrogen species, redox conditions, microbial communities, and hydraulics. To better understand nitrous oxide generation and emissions from streams, we conducted large-scale flume experiments in which we monitored pore waters along hyporheic flow paths within stream dune structures. Measured dissolved oxygen, ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, and dissolved nitrous oxide showed distinct spatial relationships reflecting redox changes along flow paths. Denitrifying genes (nosZ, nirS, and nirK), determined using qPCR, were spatially associated with abundances of nitrogen species. Using residence times along a flow path, clear trends in oxygen conditions, genes encoding for microbial catalysis, and nitrogen species were observed. Hotspots of targeted genes correlated with hotspots for conversion of nitrogen species, including nitrous oxide production and conversion to dinitrogen. Trends were apparent regardless of dune size, allowing for the possibility to apply observed relationships to multiple streambed morphologies. Relating streambed morphology and loading of nitrogen species allows for prediction of nitrous oxide production in the hyporheic zone.

Improved vertical streambed flux estimation using multiple diurnal temperature methods in series

USGS Publications Warehouse

Irvine, Dylan J.; Briggs, Martin A.; Cartwright, Ian; Scruggs, Courtney; Lautz, Laura K.

2017-01-01

Analytical solutions that use diurnal temperature signals to estimate vertical fluxes between groundwater and surface water based on either amplitude ratios (Ar) or phase shifts (Δϕ) produce results that rarely agree. Analytical solutions that simultaneously utilize Ar and Δϕ within a single solution have more recently been derived, decreasing uncertainty in flux estimates in some applications. Benefits of combined (ArΔϕ) methods also include that thermal diffusivity and sensor spacing can be calculated. However, poor identification of either Ar or Δϕ from raw temperature signals can lead to erratic parameter estimates from ArΔϕ methods. An add-on program for VFLUX 2 is presented to address this issue. Using thermal diffusivity selected from an ArΔϕ method during a reliable time period, fluxes are recalculated using an Ar method. This approach maximizes the benefits of the Ar and ArΔϕ methods. Additionally, sensor spacing calculations can be used to identify periods with unreliable flux estimates, or to assess streambed scour. Using synthetic and field examples, the use of these solutions in series was particularly useful for gaining conditions where fluxes exceeded 1 m/d.

Surface-water-quality assessment of the lower Kansas River basin, Kansas and Nebraska; project data November 1986 through April 1990

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fallon, J.D.; McChesney, J.A.

1993-01-01

Surface-water-quality data were collected from the lower Kansas River Basin in Kansas and Nebraska. The data are presented in 17 tables consisting of physical properties, concentrations of dissolved solids and major ions, dissolved and total nutrients, dissolved and total major metals and trace elements, radioactivity, organic carbon, pesticides and other synthetic-organic compounds, bacteria and chlorophyll-a, in water; particle-size distributions and concentrations of major metals and trace elements in suspended and streambed sediment; and concentrations of synthetic-organic compounds in streambed sediment. The data are grouped within each table by sampling sites, arranged in downstream order. Ninety-one sites were sampled in the study area. These sampling sites are classified in three, non-exclusive categories (fixed, synoptic, and miscellaneous sites) on the basis of sampling frequency and location. Sampling sites are presented on a plate and in 3 tables, cross-referenced by downstream order, alphabetical order, U.S. Geological Survey identification number, sampling-site classification category, and types of analyses performed at each site. The methods used to collect, analyze, and verify the accuracy of the data also are presented. (USGS)

Particle-associated contaminants in street dust, parking lot dust, soil, lake-bottom sediment, and suspended and streambed sediment, Lake Como and Fosdic Lake watersheds, Fort Worth, Texas, 2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, Jennifer T.; Van Metre, Peter C.; Werth, Charles J.; Yang, Yanning

2006-01-01

A previous study by the U.S. Geological Survey of impaired water bodies in Fort Worth, Texas, reported elevated but variable concentrations of particle-associated contaminants (PACs) comprising chlorinated hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and trace elements in suspended and bed sediment of lakes and streams affected by urban land use. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the City of Fort Worth, collected additional samples during October 2004 to investigate sources of PACs in the watersheds of two impaired lakes: Lake Como and Fosdic Lake. Source materials and aquatic sediment were sampled and analyzed for PACs. Source materials sampled consisted of street dust and soil from areas with residential and commercial land use and parking lot dust from sealed and unsealed parking lots. Aquatic sediment sampled consisted of bottom-sediment cores from the two lakes and suspended and streambed sediment from the influent stream of each lake. Samples were analyzed for chlorinated hydrocarbons (organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, major and trace elements, organic carbon, grain size, and radionuclides.

Characterization of selected biological, chemical, and physical conditions at fixed sites in the Upper Colorado River basin, Colorado, 1995-98

USGS Publications Warehouse

Deacon, Jeffrey R.; Mize, Scott V.; Spahr, Norman E.

1999-01-01

Biological community samples were collected at 15 sites in the Upper Colorado River Basin (UCOL) in Colorado as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. Sites sampled in two physiographic provinces, the Southern Rocky Mountains and the Colorado Plateau, represented agriculture, mining, urban and recreation, and mixed land uses and background conditions. Nine measures of water quality, which include information on nutrients, specific conductance (a surrogate for salinity), trace elements in streambed sediment, pesticides in fish tissue, fish communities, and macroinvertebrate richness and composition and stream habitat were used for comparisons among sites within the two physiographic provinces. Sampling sites from three other NAWQA study units?the Rio Grande Valley, the South Platte River Basin, and the Upper Snake River Basin study units?were categorized on the basis of land use and stream size in order to develop a larger data set for comparison to sites in the UCOL. Three categories of land use?forested (includes mining, urban and recreation, and background), agriculture, and mixed?were used for comparison to the UCOL fixed sites. Results indicated that all sites other than the Colorado River below Baker Gulch (a background site) showed some water-quality characteristics to be significantly affected. Results indicated that the concentrations of cadmium and zinc in streambed sediment at mining land-use sites in the Southern Rocky Mountains physiographic province generally were orders of magnitude higher than streambed-sediment concentrations at the background site. Streambed-sediment concentrations at mining land-use sites in the UCOL were greater than the 75th percentile of concentrations from sites in the three other NAWQA study units. Fish communities and habitat conditions were degraded at mining land-use sites compared to the background site. Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) richness and the percentage of EPT were lower at mining land-use sites than at the background site and were less than the 50th percentile of those for sites from the three other NAWQA study units. Nutrient concentrations at urban and recreation sites in the Southern Rocky Mountain physiographic province generally were greater than concentrations at the background site and generally were between the 25th and 90th percentile of concentrations for sites from the three other NAWQA study units. Habitat conditions and fish communities at urban and recreation sites were slightly degraded compared to the background site. EPT richness and the percentage of EPT were lower at urban and recreation sites than at the background site and were between the 25th and 75th percentile of those for sites from the three other NAWQA study units. The percentage of Chironomidae, which may be indicative of pollutant-tolerant organisms, was higher at urban and recreation sites than at the background site. Mixed land-use sites in the Southern Rocky Mountains physiographic province had similar nutrient concentrations and similar cadmium and zinc streambed-sediment concentrations. Fish-community degradation index values were very different among the three mixed land-use sites in the Southern Rocky Mountains physiographic province. Larger percentages of omnivores and anomalies such as lesions and deformities at two mixed land-use sites resulted in higher degradation values of the fish community. Agriculture land-use sites had higher concentrations of nutrients and selenium than the background site in the Colorado Plateau physiographic province. Concentrations of p,p'-DDE in fish tissue at agriculture sites were higher than the 75th percentile of concentrations for sites from the three other NAWQA study units. Fish communities had degradation values near the 75th percentile for agriculture sites. The percentage of EPT was low at agriculture sites when compared to the background site. Two mixed land-use sites in the Colorado Plateau physiographi

Evaluation of bridge-scour data at selected sites in Ohio

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jackson, K.S.

1997-01-01

Scour data collected during 1989-94 were evaluated to determine whether pier scour and contraction scour occurred at 22 bridge sites in Ohio. Pier-scour depths computed from selected pier-scour prediction equations were compared with measured pier-scour depths, and the accuracy of the prediction equations were evaluated. Observed pier-scour relations were compared to relations developed through laboratory research. Mean streambed elevations were evaluated to determine the depth of contraction scour. Channel stability was assessed by use of mean streambed elevations at the approach section. Ground-penetrating radar was used at all sites to investigate the presence of historical scour. Pier scour was observed in 45 of 47 scour measurements made during floods; 84 cases of pier scour were documented, 83 at solid-wall piers and 1 at a capped-pile type pier. Estimated recurrence intervals for 27 of the 35 measured streamflows, all on unregulated streams, were less than 2 years. Seventeen pier-scour prediction equations were evaluated. The Froehlich Design equation was found to most closely meet the 'best design equation' criteria for all 84 cases of the observed data. The Larras equation was found to be the best design equation for the observed data where approach-flow attack angles were 10 degrees or less. Observed pier-scour depths and flow depths ranged from 0.5 to 6.1 feet and 3.0 to 19.8 feet, respectively. All pier-scour depths were less than 2.4 times the corresponding pier width. Selected factors were normalized by dividing by effective pier width. LOWESS curves were developed using the 84 cases of observed pier scour. Normalized scour depth increased with normalized flow depth; however, the rate of increase appeared to lessen as normalized flow depth exceeded 2.5. Normalized scour depths increased rapidly as flow intensity approached the threshold value of 1 and then decreased as flow intensities exceeded this threshold. Normalized scour depth was found to increase with Froude number, and a steeper slope was evident for Froude numbers exceeding 0.2. Normalized scour depth was found to increase with median grain size up to about 10 millimeters for bed material near the pier, then decrease for median grain sizes greater than 10 millimeters. Normalized scour depth was also found to decrease as sediment gradation of bed material near the pier increased. The observed pier-scour relations determined from the field measurements tend to support conclusions by previous researchers of streambed scour, except for the previous finding that normalized scour depth decreases consistently with increasing median grain size. Possible factors that may have influenced the observed trends in the relation between normalized scour depth and median grain size in this study are cohesion and scour measurements made at nonequilibrium conditions. LOWESS curves were developed for 45 of 84 cases of observed pier scour where approach-flow attack angles were less than or equal to 10 degrees. These curves were visually compared to LOWESS curves developed from all observations of pier scour. For three relations, differences in the trends of the LOWESS curves were of sufficient magnitude to warrant discussion. Contraction scour was observed in 4 of the 47 scour measurements and ranged from 0.8 to2.3 feet in depth. Analysis of annual mean streambed approach-section elevations indicated that approach sections were generally stable at 18 of the 22 sites. Ground-penetrating radar, a geophysical method that enables subsurface exploration of the streambed when conditions are favorable, was used at all sites to determine whether historical scour had occurred. Results of the ground-penetrating radar surveys at 20 sites in 1990 indicated the presence of historical scour surfaces at 5 sites. At four of the five sites showing evidence of possible historical scour, differences between the estimated depth of historical scour and the maximum observed scour were w

Assessment of selected contaminants in streambed- and suspended-sediment samples collected in Bexar County, Texas, 2007-09

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, Jennifer T.

2011-01-01

Elevated concentrations of sediment-associated contaminants are typically associated with urban areas such as San Antonio, Texas, in Bexar County, the seventh most populous city in the United States. This report describes an assessment of selected sediment-associated contaminants in samples collected in Bexar County from sites on the following streams: Medio Creek, Medina River, Elm Creek, Martinez Creek, Chupaderas Creek, Leon Creek, Salado Creek, and San Antonio River. During 2007-09, the U.S. Geological Survey periodically collected surficial streambed-sediment samples during base flow and suspended-sediment (large-volume suspended-sediment) samples from selected streams during stormwater runoff. All sediment samples were analyzed for major and trace elements and for organic compounds including halogenated organic compounds and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Selected contaminants in streambed and suspended sediments in watersheds of the eight major streams in Bexar County were assessed by using a variety of methods—observations of occurrence and distribution, comparison to sediment-quality guidelines and data from previous studies, statistical analyses, and source indicators. Trace elements concentrations were low compared to the consensus-based sediment-quality guidelines threshold effect concentration (TEC) and probable effect concentration (PEC). Trace element concentrations were greater than the TEC in 28 percent of the samples and greater than the PEC in 1.5 percent of the samples. Chromium concentrations exceeded sediment-quality guidelines more frequently than concentrations of any other constituents analyzed in this study (greater than the TEC in 69 percent of samples and greater than the PEC in 8 percent of samples). Mean trace element concentrations generally are lower in Bexar County samples compared to concentrations in samples collected during previous studies in the Austin and Fort Worth, Texas, areas, but considering the relatively large ranges and standard deviations associated with the concentrations measured in all three areas, the trace element concentrations are similar. On the basis of Mann-Whitney U test results, the presence of a military installation in a watershed was associated with statistically significant higher chromium, mercury, and zinc concentrations in streambed sediments compared to concentrations of the same elements in a watershed without a military installation. Halogenated organic compounds analyzed in sediment samples included pesticides (chlordane, dieldrin, DDT, DDD, and DDE), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and brominated flame retardants. Three or more halogenated organic compounds were detected in each sediment sample, and 66 percent of all concentrations were less than the respective interim reporting levels. Halogenated organic compound concentrations were mostly low compared to consensus-based sediment quality guidelines-;TECs were exceeded in 11 percent of the analyses and PECs were exceeded in 1 percent of the analyses. Chlordane compounds were the most frequently detected halogenated organic compounds with one or more detections of chlordane compounds in every watershed; concentrations were greater than the TEC in 6 percent of the samples. Dieldrin was detected in 50 percent of all samples, however all concentrations were much less than the TEC. The DDT compounds (p,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDD, and p,p'-DDE) were detected less frequently than some other halogenated organic compounds, however most detections exceeded the TECs. p,p'-DDT was detected in 13 percent of the samples (TEC exceeded in 67 percent); p,p'-DDD was detected in 19 percent of the samples (TEC exceeded in 78 percent); and p,p'-DDE was detected in 35 percent of the samples (TEC exceeded in 53 percent). p,p'-DDE concentrations in streambed-sediment samples correlate positively with population density and residential, commercial, and transportation land use. One or more PCB congeners were detected in

Assessment of possible sources of microbiological contamination and water-quality characteristics of the Jacks Fork, Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Missouri; phase II

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Jerri V.; Richards, Joseph M.

2002-01-01

In 1998, an 8-mile reach of the Jacks Fork was included on Missouri?s list of impaired waters as required by Section 303(d) of the Federal Clean Water Act. The identified pollutant on the Jacks Fork was fecal coliform bacteria. Potential sources of fecal contamination to the Jacks Fork include a wastewater treatment plant; campground pit-toilet or septic-system effluent; a large commercial, cross-country horseback trail riding facility; canoeists, boaters, and tubers; and cows.The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the National Park Service, conducted a study to better understand the extent and sources of microbiological contamination within the Jacks Fork from Alley Spring to the mouth, which includes the 8-mile 303(d) reach. Identification of the sources would provide the National Park Service and the State of Missouri with the information needed to craft a solution of abatement, regulation, prevention, and mitigation with the end result being the removal of the Jacks Fork from the 303(d) list. Fifteen sites were sampled from November 1999 through December 2000. An additional site was sampled one time. Samples were collected mostly during base-flow conditions during a variety of nonrecreational and recreational season river uses. Samples were analyzed for selected fecal indicator bacteria, physical properties, nutrients, and wastewater organic compounds. During the sampling period, the whole-body-contact recreation standard for fecal coliform (200 colonies per 100 milliliters of sample) was exceeded at three sites on August 10, 2000, and also at one site on May 11, June 7, and October 3, 2000. Fecal coliform densities and instantaneous loads generally increased from background concentrations at the Eminence site, peaked about 2 river miles downstream, and then decreased until the most downstream site sampled. Generally, the largest densities and loads at sites downstream from Eminence not related to wet-weather flow were observed during a trail ride held August 6 to12, 2000. A 24-hour sample collection effort was conducted the weekend of July 15 and 16, 2000, to investigate the effect that large numbers of swimmers, canoeists, and tubers had on fecal coliform densities in the Jacks Fork. Five or six samples were collected at six sites between Saturday morning and the following Sunday afternoon. No fecal coliform density at any of the sites sampled exceeded the whole-body-contact recreation standard. Because bacteria survive longer in stream-bed sediments than in water, a source of bacteria in the water column could be from resuspension of accumulated bacteria from streambed sediments. Water and streambed-sediment samples were collected at three sites on August 3, 2000, 1 week before a trail ride and again at three sites on 2 Assessment of Possible Sources of Microbiological Contamination of the Jacks Fork, Missouri?Phase II August 8, 2000, during a trail ride. Results indicate that fecal coliform bacteria densities increased substantially in the streambed sediment and the water column during the trail ride.Sixty-five Escherichia coli isolates obtained from water samples collected at 9 sites and 23 Escherichia coli isolates obtained from stream-bed-sediment samples collected at 5 sites were submitted for ribotyping analysis. Samples were collected in 2000 during a variety of nonrecreational and recreational season river uses, including trail rides, canoeing, tubing, and swimming. Of the 65 isolates from water samples, 40 percent were identified as originating from sewage, 29 percent from horse, 11 percent from cow, and 20 percent from an unknown source. Of the 23 isolates from streambed-sediment samples, 39 percent were identified as originating from sewage, 35 percent from horse, 13 percent from cow, and 13 percent from unknown sources.Analysis of physical property (dissolved oxygen, pH, specific conductance, and temperature) and nutrient (dissolved nitrite plus nitrate and total phosphorus) data

Sampling surface and subsurface particle-size distributions in wadable gravel-and cobble-bed streams for analyses in sediment transport, hydraulics, and streambed monitoring

Treesearch

Kristin Bunte; Steven R. Abt

2001-01-01

This document provides guidance for sampling surface and subsurface sediment from wadable gravel-and cobble-bed streams. After a short introduction to streams types and classifications in gravel-bed rivers, the document explains the field and laboratory measurement of particle sizes and the statistical analysis of particle-size distributions. Analysis of particle...

Comparing streambed light availability and canopy cover in streams with old-growth versus early-mature riparian forests in western Oregon

Treesearch

D.R. Warren; W.S. Keeton; H.A. Bechtold; E.J. Rosi-Marshall

2013-01-01

Light availability strongly influences stream primary production, water temperatures and resource availability at the base of stream food webs. In headwater streams, light is regulated primarily by the riparian forest, but few studies have evaluated the influence of riparian forest stand age and associated structural differences on light availability. In this study, we...

Maintenance of an obstruction-forced pool in a gravel-bed channel: streamflow, channel morphology, and sediment transport.

Treesearch

Richard D. Woodsmith; Marwan A. Hassan

2005-01-01

Maintenance of pool morphology in a stream channel with a mobile bed requires hydraulic conditions at moderate to high flows that route bed load through the pool as it is delivered from upstream. Through field measurements of discharge, vertical velocity profiles, bed load transport, and streambed scour, fill, and grain-size distribution, we found that maintenance of a...

History, physical effects, and management implications of large organic debris in western Oregon streams.

Treesearch

Frederick Swanson; George W. Lienkaemper; James R. Sedell

1976-01-01

Large organic debris has historically been an important element in small mountain streams of the Pacific Northwest. The debris serves to slow the movement of water and inorganic and fine organic matter through the channel. Debris may remain in the channel for decades or longer, and tends to stabilize some sections of a streambed and stream banks while destabilizing...

Potential effects of climate change on streambed scour and risks to salmonid survival in snow-dominated mountain basins

Treesearch

Jaime R. Goode; John M. Buffington; Daniele Tonina; Daniel J. Isaak; Russell F. Thurow; Seth Wenger; David Nagel; Charlie Luce; Doerthe Tetzlaff; Chris Soulsby

2013-01-01

Snowmelt-dominated basins in northern latitudes provide critical habitat for salmonids. As such, these systems may be especially vulnerable to climate change because of potential shifts in the frequency, magnitude, and timing of flows that can scour incubating embryos. A general framework is presented to examine this issue, using a series of physical models that link...

Effects of suction dredging on streams: a review and an evaluation strategy

Treesearch

Bret C. Harvey; Thomas E. Lisle

1998-01-01

Abstract - Suction dredging for gold in river channels is a small-scale mining practice whereby streambed material is sucked up a pipe, passed over a sluice box to sort out the gold, and discarded as tailings over another area of bed. Natural resource managers should be concerned about suction dredging because it is common in streams in western North America that...

Sediment in a Michigan trout stream, its source movement, and some effects on fish habitat.

Treesearch

Edward A. Hansen

1971-01-01

A sediment budget was constructed from 3 years of measurements on a pool and riffle stream. Total sediment load increased five times along a 26-mile length of stream; most sediment came from 204 eroding banks. Three-fourths of the total sediment load was sand size. The area of streambed covered with sand decreased downstream, indicating that the transporting...

Assessing the Influence of Copper-Nickel-Bearing Bedrock on Baseline Water Quality in Filson Creek Watershed, Northeast Minnesota

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Runkel, R. L.; Jones, P. M.; Elliott, S. M.; Woodruff, L. G.

2017-12-01

Mining sulfide-bearing copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), and platinum-group-elements (PGE) deposits in the Duluth Complex of northeast Minnesota could have detrimental effects on surrounding water resources and associated ecosystems. A study was conducted to 1) assess copper, nickel, and other metal concentrations in surface water, bedrock, streambed sediments, and soils in watersheds where the basal part of the Duluth Complex is exposed or near the land surface; and 2) determine if these concentrations, and metal-bearing deposits, are currently influencing regional water quality in areas of potential base-metal mining. One of the watersheds that was assessed was the Filson Creek watershed, where shallow Cu-Ni-PGE deposits are present. Field water-quality, streambed sediments, soils, bedrock, and streamflow data set were collected in Filson Creek and it's watershed in 2014 and 2015. Surface-water samples were analyzed for 12 trace metals (dissolved and total concentrations), 14 inorganic constituents (dissolved concentrations), alkalinity, 18 O /16O and 2H/1H isotopes, and total and dissolved organic carbon. Background total Cu and Ni concentrations in the creek in 2014 and 2015 ranged from 1.2 to 10.8 micrograms per liter (µg/L), and 1.7 to 8.4 µg/L, respectively. The concentrations of copper, nickel, and other trace metals in surface waters and streambed sediments reflects the geochemistry of underlying rock types and glacially transported unconsolidated material, establishing baseline conditions prior to any mining. Dissolved and total organic carbon (DOC and TOC) concentrations in surface waters are very high compared to most surface waters in Minnesota, ranging from 21.3 to 43.2 milligrams per liter (mg/L), and 22.4 and 53.5 mg/L. Synoptic water-quality and flow data from a tracer test conducted over a stream segment of Filson Creek above a shallow Cu-Ni-PGE deposit (Spruce Road Deposit) was used with the 2014-15 water-quality and synthetic flow data to calibrate the reactive transport model. Results from transport modeling suggest that the high DOC content exert control on copper and other trace metal transport.

Design and methods of the Pacific Northwest Stream Quality Assessment (PNSQA), 2015

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sheibley, Rich W.; Morace, Jennifer L.; Journey, Celeste A.; Van Metre, Peter C.; Bell, Amanda H.; Nakagaki, Naomi; Button, Daniel T.; Qi, Sharon L.

2017-08-25

In 2015, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) project conducted the Pacific Northwest Stream Quality Assessment (PNSQA) to investigate stream quality across the western part of the Pacific Northwest. The goal of the PNSQA was to assess the health of streams in the region by characterizing multiple water-quality factors that are stressors to in-stream aquatic life and by evaluating the relation between these stressors and the condition of biological communities. The effects of urbanization and agriculture on stream quality for the Puget Lowland and Willamette Valley Level III Ecoregions were the focus of this regional study. Findings will help inform the public and policymakers about human and environmental factors that are the most critical in affecting stream quality and, thus, provide insights into possible strategies to protect or improve the health of streams in the region.Land-use data were used in the study to identify and select sites within the region that ranged in levels of urban and agricultural development. A total of 88 sites were selected across the region—69 were on streams that explicitly spanned a range of urban land use in their watersheds, 8 were on streams in agricultural watersheds, and 11 were reference sites with little or no development in their watersheds. Depending on the type of land use, sites were sampled for contaminants, nutrients, and sediment for either a 4- or 10-week period during April, May, and June 2015. This water-quality “index period” was immediately followed with an ecological survey of all sites that included stream habitat, benthic algae, benthic macroinvertebrates, and fish. Additionally, streambed sediment was collected during the ecological survey for analysis of sediment chemistry and toxicity testing.This report provides a detailed description of the specific study components and methods of the PNSQA, including (1) surveys of stream habitat and aquatic biota, (2) discrete water sampling, (3) deployment of passive polar organic chemical integrative samplers for pesticides and pharmaceuticals, and (4) sampling of streambed sediment. At selected study sites, toxicity testing of streambed sediment, continuous water-quality monitoring, and daily pesticide sampling also were conducted and are described.

Impacts of different rainfall patterns on hyporheic zone under transient conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, S.; Chui, T. F. M.

2017-12-01

The hyporheic zone (HZ), the region beneath or alongside a streambed, can play a vital role in stream ecology. Several previous studies have investigated the influential factors on the HZ in the steady state. However, the exchange between surface water and groundwater in the HZ can be dynamic and transient, during a transient event such as a storm. Therefore, this study investigates the changes of the HZ under the transient conditions of a storm, and examines the impacts of different rainfall patterns (i.e., intensity and duration) on the HZ. A two-dimensional groundwater-stream model is developed with a domain of 10-meter long and 2-meter deep. The streambed consists of a series of dunes that induce hyporheic exchanges. Brinkman-Darcy and Navier-Stokes equations are respectively employed for the subsurface and stream water, and the velocity and the pressure are coupled at the interface (i.e., the streambed). To compare the results from different rainfall patterns, the influential duration (IT) and the influential depth (ID) are proposed and evaluated. IT is the time required for the HZ to return to its intial stage, once it starts to change. ID is the maximum increment in the depth of the HZ. To accurately detect the region of the HZ in different situations, the moving split-window analysis method is used. The region of the HZ is found to vary significantly under different rainfall intensities. Rainfall intensity displays logarithmic relationships with both the IT and ID with high coefficients of determination (r2=0.98). The derived relationships can be used to predict the influrence of a rainfall event on the HZ. However, the influence of rainfall duration on the HZ depends on other factors such as groundwater response. Rainfall duration displays positive realionships with the IT and ID, but only between certain lower and upper thresholds of rainfall duration. If rainfall duration is shorter than the lower threshold value or longer than the upper value, the IT and ID will have little change with rainfall duration.

Mercury and Methylmercury Related to Historical Mercury Mining in Three Major Tributaries to Lake Berryessa, Upper Putah Creek Watershed, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sparks, G. C.; Alpers, C. N.; Horner, T. C.; Cornwell, K.; Izzo, V.

2016-12-01

The relative contributions of total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) from upstream historical mercury (Hg) mining districts were examined in the three largest tributaries to Lake Berryessa, a reservoir with water quality impaired by Hg. A fish consumption advisory has been issued for the reservoir; also, in a study of piscivorous birds at 25 California reservoirs, blood samples from Lake Berryessa grebes had the highest THg concentration state-wide. The third and fourth largest historical Hg-producing mining districts in California are within the study area. These mining districts are located within the Pope Creek, Upper Putah Creek, and Knoxville-Eticuera Creeks watersheds. Downstream of the reservoir, Lower Putah Creek drains into the Yolo Bypass, a major source of THg and MeHg to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Study objectives included: (1) determining if tributaries downstream of historical Hg mining districts and draining to the reservoir are continuing sources of THg and MeHg; (2) characterizing variability of water and streambed sediment parameters in upstream and downstream reaches of each creek; and (3) estimating loads of suspended sediment, THg, and MeHg entering the reservoir from each tributary. Water samples were collected from October 2012 to September 2014 during non-storm and storm events along each tributary and analyzed for general water quality field parameters; unfiltered THg and MeHg; total suspended solids; and total particulate matter. Discharge measurements were made at the time of sample collection; flow and concentration data were combined to compute daily loads. To determine spatial variability, 135 streambed sediment samples were analyzed for THg, organic content (loss on ignition), and grain-size distribution. All three tributaries contribute THg and MeHg to the reservoir. Some consistent spatial trends in THg (water) concentrations were observed over multiple sampling events; THg (water) decreased from upstream to downstream in all three tributaries. Tributary reaches with elevated THg in streambed sediment ("Hg hot spots") are near or downstream from historical Hg mines and Hg-enriched ore deposits. Future Hg load and cycling studies are needed to identify practical remediation approaches for decreasing THg and MeHg loads to Lake Berryessa.

Oxygen consumption and labile dissolved organic carbon uptake by benthic biofilms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Falco, Natalie; Boano, Fulvio; Arnon, Shai

2015-04-01

Biogeochemical activity in streams is often magnified at interfaces, such as in the case of biofilm growth near the surface of the stream sediments. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relative importance of surficial biofilms versus the biofilm in the hyporheic zone to the processes of biodegradation of a labile dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and to oxygen consumption. Experiments were conducted in a recirculating flume, equipped with a drainage system that enables the control on losing and gaining fluxes. A surficial biofilm was developed over a sandy streambed with dune-shaped bed forms, by providing labile DOC (sodium benzoate) and nitrate. Homogeneously distributed biofilm was obtained by the same feeding strategy but with mixing the sediments manually on a daily basis. After the biofilm growth period, transformation of the labile DOC under different overlying velocities and losing or gaining fluxes was studied after spiking with sodium benzoate and by monitoring the decrease in DOC concentration in the bulk water over time using an online UV/Vis spectrophotometer. In addition, oxygen profiles across the water-streambed interface were measured at different locations along the bed form using oxygen microelectrodes. Preliminary results showed that the rate of labile DOC degradation increased exponentially with increasing overlying water velocity, regardless of the type of biofilm. Gaining and losing conditions did not play a critical role in the DOC degradation regardless of the type of biofilm, because the labile DOC was quickly utilized close to the surface. Under losing conditions, complete depletion of oxygen was observed within the top 5 millimeters, regardless of the biofilm type. In contrast, oxygen profiles under gaining condition showed an incomplete consumption of oxygen followed by an increase in the concentration of oxygen deeper in the sediments due to the upward flow of oxygenated groundwater. The results suggest that the transformation of labile DOC occurs in the upper millimeters of the streambed, and the size and shape of the hyporheic flow paths are less important for aerobic activity. In addition, the effect of overlying water velocity on labile DOC transformation was shown to be more influential than losing and gaining fluxes.

Engineering Hyporheic Zones to Attenuate Heavy Metals in Constructed Urban Streams: Performance Data from Constructed Stream Flumes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halpin, B. N.; Portmann, A. C.; Herzog, S.; Higgins, C.; McCray, J. E.

2017-12-01

Urban stormwater runoff is a major cause of water quality impairment along ocean shorelines and in rivers, lakes and estuaries across the United States. In addition to pathogens, nutrients, and organic contaminants, a variety of heavy metals are commonly found at elevated concentrations in urban runoff. Although such metals occur in both dissolved and particulate-bound phases, conventional stormwater controls are typically designed to remove suspended solids, while dissolved phase contaminants remain largely untreated. To address this gap in available stormwater controls, a novel technology, termed Biohydrochemical Enhancements for Streamwater Treatment (BEST), has been developed based on inspiration from the natural hyporheic zone (HZ). BEST utilizes a series of alternating streambed permeabilities to drive efficient surface water-HZ exchange. This is combined with reactive and/or sorptive streambed geomedia designed to remove dissolved phase contaminants from constructed urban drainage channels. Previous research at the Colorado School of Mines has shown that a 15-meter flume modified with BEST exhibits greater hyporheic exchange than an all-sand control flume, though both flumes provided greater contaminant attenuation than a selection of actual urban streams. This study again utilized the 15-meter flumes at Colorado School of Mines to evaluate two configurations of BEST for removal of heavy metals commonly found in stormwater runoff, including cadmium, copper, nickel, lead and zinc. In both BEST configurations, the geomedia consisted of a 30/70 (v/v) mix of woodchips and sand, with one configuration using coarse sand (K=0.48 cm/s) and the other using finer sand (K=0.16 cm/s). Both configurations were compared to an all-sand control. To evaluate metals removal, a suite of aqueous metals solution was spiked into each flume, and aqueous concentrations of the five metals of interest were monitored in both the surface and pore water over 24 hours. Differences in hyporheic exchange and residence times, as well as redox conditions, between the BEST configurations and the control impacted heavy metals retention in the engineered streambeds. Overall, engineered hyporheic zones in small urban drainage channels may be a promising option for retaining heavy metals collected by urban stormwater runoff.

Surface particle sizes on armoured gravel streambeds: Effects of supply and hydraulics

Treesearch

Peter J. Whiting; John G. King

2003-01-01

Most gravel-bed streams exhibit a surface armour in which the median grain size of the surface particles is coarser than that of the subsurface particles. This armour has been interpreted to result when the supply of sediment is less than the ability of the stream to move sediment. While there may be certain sizes in the bed for which the supply is less than the...

Detailed scour measurements around a debris accumulation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mueller, David S.; Parola, Arthur C.

1998-01-01

Detailed scour measurements were made at Farm-Market 2004 over the Brazos River near Lake Jackson, Tex. during flooding in October 1994. Woody debris accumulations on bents 6, 7, and 8 obstructed flow through the bridge, causing scour of the streambed. Measurements at the site included three-dimensional velocities, channel bathymetry, water-surface elevations, water-surface slope, and discharge. Channel geometry upstream from the bridge caused approach conditions to be nonuniform.

Hydraulic and geomorphic monitoring of experimental bridge scour mitigation at selected bridges in Utah, 2003-05

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kenney, Terry A.; McKinney, Tim S.

2006-01-01

Unique bridge scour mitigation designs using concrete A-Jacks were developed by the Utah Department of Transportation and installed at the Colorado River Bridge at State Road 191 and the Green River Bridge at State Road 19. The U.S. Geological Survey monitored stream reaches at these sites by collecting streambed-topography and water-velocity data from 2003 through 2005. These data were acquired annually from a moving boat with an acoustic Doppler current profiler and a differential global positioning system. Raw unordered data were processed and readied for interpolation into organized datasets with DopplerMacros, a set of computer programs. Processed streambed topography data were geostatistically interpolated by using Ordinary Kriging, and inverse distance weighting interpolation was used in the development of the two-dimensional velocity datasets. These organized datasets of topography and velocity were developed for each survey of the two bridge sites. A comparison of the riverbed topography data for each survey was done. An increase in bed elevation related to the installation of the A-Jacks scour countermeasures is evident at the Colorado River Bridge at State Road 191. The three topographic datasets acquired after the installation at the Green River Bridge at State Road 19 show few changes.

Simulations of flow and prediction of sediment movement in Wymans Run, Cochranton Borough, Crawford County, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hittle, Elizabeth

2011-01-01

In small watersheds, runoff entering local waterways from large storms can cause rapid and profound changes in the streambed that can contribute to flooding. Wymans Run, a small stream in Cochranton Borough, Crawford County, experienced a large rain event in June 2008 that caused sediment to be deposited at a bridge. A hydrodynamic model, Flow and Sediment Transport and Morphological Evolution of Channels (FaSTMECH), which is incorporated into the U.S. Geological Survey Multi-Dimensional Surface-Water Modeling System (MD_SWMS) was constructed to predict boundary shear stress and velocity in Wymans Run using data from the June 2008 event. Shear stress and velocity values can be used to indicate areas of a stream where sediment, transported downstream, can be deposited on the streambed. Because of the short duration of the June 2008 rain event, streamflow was not directly measured but was estimated using U.S. Army Corps of Engineers one-dimensional Hydrologic Engineering Centers River Analysis System (HEC-RAS). Scenarios to examine possible engineering solutions to decrease the amount of sediment at the bridge, including bridge expansion, channel expansion, and dredging upstream from the bridge, were simulated using the FaSTMECH model. Each scenario was evaluated for potential effects on water-surface elevation, boundary shear stress, and velocity.

Rhodamine-WT dye losses in a mountain stream environment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bencala, Kenneth E.; Rathburn, Ronald E.; Jackman, Alan P.; Kennedy, Vance C.; Zellweger, Gary W.; Avanzino, Ronald J.

1983-01-01

A significant fraction of rhodamine WT dye was lost during a short term multitracer injection experiment in a mountain stream environment. The conservative anion chloride and the sorbing cation lithium were concurrently injected. In-stream rhodamine WT concentrations were as low as 45 percent of that expected, based on chloride data. Concentration data were available from shallow‘wells’dug near the stream course and from a seep of suspected return flow. Both rhodamine WT dye and lithium were nonconservative with respect to the conservative chloride, with rhodamine WT dye closely following the behavior of the sorbing lithium.Nonsorption and sorption mechanisms for rhodamine WT loss in a mountain stream were evaluated in laboratory experiments. Experiments evaluating nonsorption losses indicated minimal losses by such mechanisms. Laboratory experiments using sand and gravel size streambed sediments show an appreciable capacity for rhodamine WT sorption.The detection of tracers in the shallow wells and seep indicates interaction between the stream and the flow in the surrounding subsurface, intergravel water, system. The injected tracers had ample opportunity for intimate contact with materials shown in the laboratory experiments to be potentially sorptive. It is suggested that in the study stream system, interaction with streambed gravel was a significant mechanism for the attenuation of rhodamine WT dye (relative to chloride).

Processes of zinc attenuation by biogenic manganese oxides forming in the hyporheic zone of Pinal Creek, Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fuller, Christopher C.; Bargar, John R.

2014-01-01

The distribution and speciation of Zn sorbed to biogenic Mn oxides forming in the hyporheic zone of Pinal Creek, AZ, was investigated using extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) and microfocused synchrotron X-ray fluorescence (μSXRF) mapping, and chemical extraction. μSXRF and chemical extractions show that contaminant Zn co-varied with Mn in streambed sediment grain coatings. Bulk and microfocused EXAFS spectra of Zn in the biogenic Mn oxide coating are indicative of Zn forming triple-corner-sharing inner-sphere complexes over octahedral vacancies in the Mn oxide sheet structure. Zn desorbed in response to the decrease in pH in batch experiments and resulted in near-equal dissolved Zn at each pH over a 10-fold range in the solid/solution ratio. The geometry of sorbed Zn was unchanged after 50% desorption at pH 5, indicating that desorption is not controlled by dissolution of secondary Zn phases. In summary, these findings support the idea that Zn attenuation in Pinal Creek is largely controlled by sorption to microbial Mn oxides forming in the streambed during hyporheic exchange. Sorption to biogenic Mn oxides is likely an important process of Zn attenuation in circum-neutral pH reaches of many acid-mine drainage contaminated streams when dissolved Mn is present.

Abiotic Factors Affecting Benthic Invertebrate Biomass and Community Structure in a Fourth-Order Rocky Mountain Watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chanat, J. G.; Clements, W. H.; MacDonald, L. H.

2005-05-01

The potential ecological impact of excess streambed sediment resulting from forest management activities is a persistent concern for land managers. This study examined the relationship between streambed sediment, along with other site- and reach-scale abiotic factors, and benthic macroinvertebrate community structure in a 272 km2 basin in the Colorado Front Range. Physical habitat parameters and invertebrates were sampled in late summer at 68 sites located in sixteen stream reaches. Invertebrate data were used to formulate twenty indices of community structure. Multiple regression identified site-level substrate particle size as the most important predictor of six indices, including total density (R2 = 0.22), biomass (R2 = 0.17), and taxa richness (R2 = 0.32). All of the remaining fourteen indices were most strongly predicted by reach-level variables, including discharge (percent shredders, R2 = 0.24; Plecoptera density, R2 = 0.29), and elevation (percent collector-filterers, R2 = 0.28; Trichoptera density, R2 = 0.37). Although the sites represented a wide range of substrate composition and embeddedness, no physical variable associated with fine sediment appeared as a strong predictor of any of the twenty indices. Thus, sediment is not among the most important factors associated with site-to-site variability of benthic community structure in this relatively pristine watershed.

Assessment of streambed sediment contamination by heavy metals: The case of the Gabes Catchment, South-eastern Tunisia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dahri, Noura; Atoui, Abdelfattah; Ellouze, Manel; Abida, Habib

2018-04-01

This study deals with the assessment of the behaviour of seven heavy metals (Cd, Zn, Cu, Pb, Ni, Cr and As) in streambed sediments within the Gabes Catchment, located in South-eastern Tunisia. To understand the effect of intense human activities in the Gabes Basin on the quality of the environment, 22 sediment samples, spread all over the study basin, were taken and analyzed for heavy metals. Heavy metal concentrations were shown to vary in the following order: Zn > Pb > Cu > Cr > Ni > Cd > As. Sediment quality was assessed based on the evaluation of various indices. A total of 27% of the sampling stations are characterised by sediment Enrichment Factors (EF) exceeding 40, reflecting extremely severe pollution. This result was also confirmed by different indices, including Sediment Pollution Index (SPI), Pollution Load Index (PLI) and Geo-accumulation index. The calculation of Mean Effect Range-Median Quotient (M-ERM-Q) indicated that in stream discharge, all metals have a probability of 21% to be toxic. The ecological toxicity risk of heavy metals increases close to urban (traffic activity) and industrial activities (industrial complex of Gabes). Close to Gabes City, the situation and the degree of contamination that may be transferred into marine ecosystems is worrisome and requires immediate intervention.

Hydraulic modeling of stream channels and structures in Harbor and Crow Hollow Brooks, Meriden, Connecticut

USGS Publications Warehouse

Weiss, Lawrence A.; Sears, Michael P.; Cervione, Michael A.

1994-01-01

Effects of urbanization have increased the frequency and size of floods along certain reaches of Harbor Brook and Crow Hollow Brook in Meriden, Conn. A floodprofile-modeling study was conducted to model the effects of selected channel and structural modifications on flood elevations and inundated areas. The study covered the reach of Harbor Brook downstream from Interstate 691 and the reach of Crow Hollow Brook downstream from Johnson Avenue. Proposed modifications, which include changes to bank heights, channel geometry, structural geometry, and streambed armoring on Harbor Brook and changes to bank heights on Crow Hollow Brook, significantly lower flood elevations. Results of the modeling indicate a significant reduction of flood elevations for the 10-year, 25-year, 35-year, 50-year, and 100-year flood frequencies using proposed modifications to (1 ) bank heights between Harbor Brook Towers and Interstate 691 on Harbor Brook, and between Centennial Avenue and Johnson Avenue on Crow Hollow Brook; (2) channel geometry between Coe Avenue and Interstate 69 1 on Harbor Brook; (3) bridge and culvert opening geometry between Harbor Brook Towers and Interstate 691 on Harbor Brook; and (4) channel streambed armoring between Harbor Brook Towers and Interstate 691 on Harbor Brook. The proposed modifications were developed without consideration of cost-benefit ratios.

Influence of coal-tar sealcoat and other carbonaceous materials on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon loading in an urban watershed

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yang, Y.; Van Metre, P.C.; Mahler, B.J.; Wilson, J.T.; Ligouis, B.; Razzaque, M.; Schaeffer, D.J.; Werth, C.J.

2010-01-01

Carbonaceous material (CM) particles are the principal vectors transporting polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) into urban waters via runoff; however, characteristics of CM particles in urban watersheds and their relative contributions to PAH contamination remain unclear. Our objectives were to identify the sources and distribution of CM particles in an urban watershed and to determine the types of CMs that were the dominant sources of PAHs in the lake and stream sediments. Samples of soils, parking lot and street dust, and streambed and lake sediment were collected from the Lake Como watershed in Fort Worth, Texas. Characteristics of CM particles determined by organic petrography and a significant correlation between PAH concentrations and organic carbon in coal tar, asphalt, and soot indicate that these three CM particle types are the major sources and carriers of PAHs in the watershed. Estimates of the distribution of PAHs in CM particles indicate that coal-tar pitch, usedinsomepavementsealcoats, isadominant source of PAHs in the watershed, and contributes as much as 99% of the PAHs in sealed parking lot dust, 92% in unsealed parking lot dust, 88% in commercial area soil, 71% in streambed sediment, and 84% in surficial lake sediment. ?? 2010 American Chemical Society.

Increasing the utility of regional water table maps: a new method for estimating groundwater recharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilmore, T. E.; Zlotnik, V. A.; Johnson, M.

2017-12-01

Groundwater table elevations are one of the most fundamental measurements used to characterize unconfined aquifers, groundwater flow patterns, and aquifer sustainability over time. In this study, we developed an analytical model that relies on analysis of groundwater elevation contour (equipotential) shape, aquifer transmissivity, and streambed gradient between two parallel, perennial streams. Using two existing regional water table maps, created at different times using different methods, our analysis of groundwater elevation contours, transmissivity and streambed gradient produced groundwater recharge rates (42-218 mm yr-1) that were consistent with previous independent recharge estimates from different methods. The three regions we investigated overly the High Plains Aquifer in Nebraska and included some areas where groundwater is used for irrigation. The three regions ranged from 1,500 to 3,300 km2, with either Sand Hills surficial geology, or Sand Hills transitioning to loess. Based on our results, the approach may be used to increase the value of existing water table maps, and may be useful as a diagnostic tool to evaluate the quality of groundwater table maps, identify areas in need of detailed aquifer characterization and expansion of groundwater monitoring networks, and/or as a first approximation before investing in more complex approaches to groundwater recharge estimation.

A quantitative analysis of hydraulic interaction processes in stream-aquifer systems

DOE PAGES

Wang, Wenke; Dai, Zhenxue; Zhao, Yaqian; ...

2016-01-28

The hydraulic relationship between the stream and aquifer can be altered from hydraulic connection to disconnection when the pumping rate exceeds the maximum seepage flux of the streambed. This study proposes to quantitatively analyze the physical processes of stream-aquifer systems from connection to disconnection. A free water table equation is adopted to clarify under what conditions a stream starts to separate hydraulically from an aquifer. Both the theoretical analysis and laboratory tests have demonstrated that the hydraulic connectedness of the stream-aquifer system can reach a critical disconnection state when the horizontal hydraulic gradient at the free water surface is equalmore » to zero and the vertical is equal to 1. A boundary-value problem for movement of the critical point of disconnection is established for an analytical solution of the inverted water table movement beneath the stream. The result indicates that the maximum distance or thickness of the inverted water table is equal to the water depth in the stream, and at a steady state of disconnection, the maximum hydraulic gradient at the streambed center is 2. In conclusion, this study helps us to understand the hydraulic phenomena of water flow near streams and accurately assess surface water and groundwater resources.« less

Humic substances and trace metals associated with Fe and Al oxides deposited in an acidic mountain stream

USGS Publications Warehouse

McKnight, Diane M.; Wershaw, R. L.; Bencala, K.E.; Zellweger, G.W.; Feder, G.L.

1992-01-01

Hydrous iron and aluminum oxides are deposited on the streambed in the confluence of the Snake River and Deer Creek, two streams in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The Snake River is acidic and has high concentrations of dissolved Fe and Al. These metals precipitate at the confluence with the pristine, neutral pH, Deer Creek because of the greater pH (4.5-6.0) in the confluence. The composition of the deposited oxides changes consistently with distance downstream, with the most upstream oxide samples having the greatest Fe and organic carbon content. Fulvic acid accounts for most of the organic content of the oxides. Results indicate that streambed oxides in the confluence are not saturated with respect to their capacity to sorb dissolved humic substances from streamwater. The contents of several trace metals (Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb, Ni and Co) also decrease with distance downstream and are correlated with both the Fe and organic carbon contents. Strong metal-binding sites associated with the sorbed fulvic acid are more than sufficient to account for the trace metal content of the oxides. Complexation of trace metals by sorbed fulvic acid may explain the observed downstream decrease in trace metal content.

The role of large woody debris in modulating the dispersal of a post-fire sediment pulse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Short, Lauren E.; Gabet, Emmanuel J.; Hoffman, Daniel F.

2015-10-01

In 2001, a series of post-fire debris flows brought 30,000 m3 of sediment, deposited as fans, to the narrow valley floor of Sleeping Child Creek in western Montana (USA). In 2005, pebble-counts and surveys of the channel in proximity to six of the debris flow fans documented a regular sequence of fine-grained aggradation upstream of the fans, incision through the fans, and coarse-grained aggradation downstream of the fans. These measurements were repeated in 2012. We found that the delivery of large woody debris (LWD) over the intervening 7 years has been a dominant factor in the disposition of the debris-flow material. The amount of LWD in the study reach has increased by as much as 50% in the areas with a high burn severity, leading to the formation of large logjams that interrupt the flow of sediment along the streambed. Nearly all of the surveyed reaches have aggraded since 2005, including those that had initially begun incising through the debris flow deposits, and the streambed has become generally finer. We hypothesize that, over the next few decades, debris flow sediment not colonized and anchored by riparian vegetation will trickle out of the affected reaches as the logjams slowly degrade.

Quality of streams in Johnson County, Kansas, 2002--10

USGS Publications Warehouse

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

2012-01-01

Stream quality in Johnson County, northeastern Kansas, was assessed on the basis of land use, hydrology, stream-water and streambed-sediment chemistry, riparian and in-stream habitat, and periphyton and macroinvertebrate community data collected from 22 sites during 2002 through 2010. Stream conditions at the end of the study period are evaluated and compared to previous years, stream biological communities and physical and chemical conditions are characterized, streams are described relative to Kansas Department of Health and Environment impairment categories and water-quality standards, and environmental factors that most strongly correlate with biological stream quality are evaluated. The information is useful for improving water-quality management programs, documenting changing conditions with time, and evaluating compliance with water-quality standards, total maximum daily loads (TMDLs), National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit conditions, and other established guidelines and goals. Constituent concentrations in water during base flow varied across the study area and 2010 conditions were not markedly different from those measured in 2003, 2004, and 2007. Generally the highest specific conductance and concentrations of dissolved solids and major ions in water occurred at urban sites except the upstream Cedar Creek site, which is rural and has a large area of commercial and industrial land less than 1 mile upstream on both sides of the creek. The highest base-flow nutrient concentrations in water occurred downstream from wastewater treatment facilities. Water chemistry data represent base-flow conditions only, and do not show the variability in concentrations that occurs during stormwater runoff. Constituent concentrations in streambed sediment also varied across the study area and some notable changes occurred from previously collected data. High organic carbon and nutrient concentrations at the rural Big Bull Creek site in 2003 decreased to at least one-fourth of those concentrations in 2007 and 2010 likely because of the reduction in upstream wastewater discharge contributions. The highest concentrations of trace metals in 2010 occurred at urban sites on Mill and Indian Creeks. Zinc was the only metal to exceed the probable effects concentration in 2010, which occurred at a site on Indian Creek. In 2007, chromium and nickel at the upstream urban Cedar Creek site exceeded the probable effects concentrations, and in 2003, no metals exceeded the probable effects concentrations. Of 72 organic compounds analyzed in streambed sediment, 26 were detected including pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), fuel products, fragrances, preservatives, plasticizers, manufacturing byproducts, flame retardants, and disinfectants. All 6 PAH compounds analyzed were detected, and the probable effects concentrations for 4 of the 6 PAH compounds analyzed were exceeded in 2010. Only five pesticide compounds were detected in streambed sediment, including carbazole and four pyrethroid compounds. Chronic toxicity guidelines for pyrethroid compounds were exceeded at five sites. Biological conditions reflected a gradient in urban land use, with the less disturbed streams located in rural areas of Johnson County. About 19 percent of sites in 2010 (four sites) were fully supporting of aquatic life on the basis of the four metrics used by Kansas Department of Health and Environment to categorize sites. This is a notable difference compared to previous years when no sites (in 2003 and 2004) or just one site (in 2007) was fully supporting of aquatic life. Multimetric macroinvertebrate scores improved at the Big Bull Creek site where wastewater discharges were reduced in 2007. Environmental variables that consistently were highly negatively correlated with biological conditions were percent impervious surface and percent urban land use. In addition, density of stormwater outfall points adjacent to streams was significantly negatively correlated with biological conditions. Specific conductance of water and sum of PAH concentrations in streambed sediment also were significantly negatively correlated with biological conditions. Total nitrogen in water and total phosphorus in streambed sediment were correlated with most of the invertebrate variables, which is a notable difference from previous analyses using smaller datasets, in which nutrient relations were weak or not detected. The most important habitat variables were sinuosity, length and continuity of natural buffers, riffle substrate embeddedness, and substrate cover diversity, each of which was correlated with all invertebrate metrics including a 10-metric combined score. Correlation analysis indicated that if riparian and in-stream habitat conditions improve then so might invertebrate communities and stream biological quality. Sixty-two percent of the variance in macroinvertebrate community metrics was explained by the single environmental factor, percent impervious surface. Invertebrate responses to urbanization in Johnson County indicated linearity rather than identifiable thresholds. Multiple linear regression models developed for each of the four macroinvertebrate metrics used to determine aquatic-life-support status indicated that percent impervious surface, as a measure of urban land use, explained 34 to 67 percent of the variability in biological communities. Results indicate that although multiple factors are correlated with stream quality degradation, general urbanization, as indicated by impervious surface area or urban land use, consistently is determined to be the fundamental factor causing change in stream quality. Effects of urbanization on Johnson County streams are similar to effects described in national studies that assess effects of urbanization on stream health. Individually important environmental factors such as specific conductance of water, PAHs in streambed sediment, and stream buffer conditions, are affected by urbanization and, collectively, all contribute to stream impairments. Policies and management practices that may be most important in protecting the health of streams in Johnson County are those minimizing the effects of impervious surface, protecting stream corridors, and decreasing the loads of sediment, nutrients, and toxic chemicals that directly enter streams through stormwater runoff and discharges.

Induced infiltration from the Rockaway River and water chemistry in a stratified-drift aquifer at Dover, New Jersey, with a section on modeling ground-water flow in the Rockaway River Valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dysart, Joel E.; Rheaume, Stephen J.; Kontis, Angelo L.

1999-01-01

The vertical hydraulic conductivity per unit thickness (streambed leakance) of unconsolidated sediment immediately beneath the channel of the Rockaway River near a municipal well field at Dover, N.J., is between 0.2 and 0.6 feet per day per foot and is probably near the low end of this range. This estimate is based on evaluation of three lines of evidence: (1) Streamflow measurements, which indicated that induced infiltration of river water near the well field averaged 0.67 cubic feet per second; (2) measurements of the rate of downward propagation of diurnal fluctuations in dissolved oxygen and water temperature at three piezometers, which indicated vertical Darcian flow velocities of 0.6 and 1.5 feet per day, respectively; and (3) chemical mixing models based on stable isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen, which indicated that 30 percent of the water reaching a well near the center of the well field was derived from the river. The estimated streambed-leakance values are compatible with other aquifer properties and with hydraulic stresses observed over a 2-year period, as demonstrated by a set of six alternative groundwater flow models of the Rockaway River valley. Simulated water levels rose 0.5 to 1.7 feet near the well field when simulated streambed leakance was changed from 0.2 to 0.6 feet per day per foot, or when a former reach of the Rockaway River valley that is now blocked by glacial drift was simulated as containing a continuous sand aquifer (rather than impermeable till). Model recalibration to observed water levels could accommodate either of these changes, however, by plausible adjustments in hydraulic conductivity of 35 percent or less.The ground-water flow models incorporate a new procedure for simulating areal recharge, in which water available for recharge in any time interval is accepted as recharge only where the water level in the uppermost model layer is below land surface. Water rejected as recharge on upland hillsides is allowed to recharge aquifers at the base of the hillsides. Inclusion of uplands in models of valley-fill aquifers and use of the new procedure increases model complexity and data requirements, but automates the simulation of recharge to those aquifers from the uplands, even in transient-state simulations with multiple periods of varied stresses, and facilitates delineation of upland areas that contribute water to well fields. The area from which ground water flowed toward the Dover well field decreased with an increase in simulated streambed leakance or an increase in simulated hydraulic conductivity of upland till. Concentrations of solutes in ground water near the Dover well field reflect the mixing of native ground water with water infiltrated from the Rockaway River. Chemical reactions in the aquifer, chiefly the weathering of carbonate minerals by dissolved carbon dioxide, affect the pH and the concentrations of both solutes and dissolved gases. Concentrations of sodium, chloride, and sulfate appear to be related to man's activities, such as road deicing, or to decay of organic matter in the aquifer.

Waterborne spectral induced polarization imaging to investigate stream-aquifer exchange

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoehn, Philipp; Flores Orozco, Adrián; Hofmann, Thilo

2017-04-01

Detailed information about the geometrical and hydraulic properties of a streambed's colmation layer is critical for accurate numerical modelling of stream-aquifer exchange, which in turn is of pivotal importance for adequate groundwater management at bank filtration sites. Inverse methods in numerical groundwater modeling tend to bear high spatial uncertainty and existing methods are limited, e.g. fiber-optic distributed temperature sensing (FO-DTS) by its unidirectional sensitivity towards groundwater discharge. To overcome such deficiencies we propose the application of high resolution spectral induced polarization (SIP) imaging. The objective was to elucidate its capability to provide spatial estimates of parameters of a Cauchy-type boundary condition in groundwater flow modeling, namely hydraulic conductivity and thickness of potentially colmated substream sediment as well as stream stage. SIP measurements were collected along selected reaches of a losing-disconnected subalpine stream in a broad frequency bandwidth (0.063-225 Hz) using an array of 32 electrodes (at 1 m spacing), which was fully submerged at the stream bottom, while the equipment was mounted on a stationary-positioned inflatable rubber boat. A total of 32 transient infiltration tests, using an open-bottom standpipe (4.2 cm inner diameter), were performed to determine vertical hydraulic conductivity (kv) of the streambed at discrete positions along the electrical arrays. Imaging results of the real component of the complex electrical conductivity (σ') permitted to delineate stream stage and the general substream architecture; whereas the imaginary component (σ") revealed larger variability within the substream sediment, likely related to changes in the textural parameters. The kv dataset confirms the textural variability with values varying between 3•10-2 and 5•10-7 ms-1. The electrical imaging results exhibit the strongest polarization response at 75 Hz, suggesting that fine grains, as the dominating length scale, are enhancing the polarization response. The relationship between σ" and kv reveals an inverse linear relationship, in accordance with laboratory studies, with higher correlation observed at 75 Hz. Yet, the σ"-kv correlation is rather weak, likely due to (i) the differences in the volume of investigation considering the given 4-electrode array in the SIP data (3m) and the punctual kv measurements (0.042 m) and (ii) sample disturbance when installing standpipes in streambed sediment. Nevertheless, in the frequency range around 75 Hz, patterns of the first derivatives of σ" as a function of depth suggest the possibility to extract the distribution of stream stage in agreement with measured values. Furthermore, SIP imaging results permitted to delineate the geometry of an immediate sub-stream layer, associated to the strongest polarization effect, as expected of a streambed colmation layer, commonly related to lower hydraulic conductivity compared to the underlying aquifer material. Our results demonstrate the potential of SIP images to improve groundwater flow modeling by providing necessary estimates for Cauchy-type boundary conditions at longer stream-aquifer interfaces; yet, the quantification of hydraulic conductivity based on SIP images at the field scale remains an open area of research.

Coupling hydrodynamic modeling and empirical measures of bed mobility to assess the risk of redd scour on a large regulated river

Treesearch

Christine L. May; Bonnie S. Pryor; Thomas E. Lisle; Margaret M. Lang

2009-01-01

n order to assess the risk of scour and fill of spawning redds during floods, an understanding of the relations among river discharge, bed mobility, and scour and fill depths in areas of the streambed heavily utilized by spawning salmon is needed. Our approach coupled numerical flow modeling and empirical data from the Trinity River, California, to quantify spatially...

Design Considerations for Siting Grade Control Structures

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-12-01

require consideration before siting grade control structures. In the widest sense, the term grade control can be applied to any alteration in the...control structures. There are two basic types of grade control structures. One type can be referred to as a bed control structure as it is designed to...provide a hard point in the streambed that is capable of resisting the erosive forces of the degradational zone. The second type can be referred to

Changes in streambed sediment characteristics and solute transport in the headwaters of Valley Creek, an urbanizing watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryan, Robert J.; Packman, Aaron I.

2006-05-01

Changes in streambed sediments were monitored in conjunction with Q series of conservative solute tracer injections over a 2-year period to assess the effects of urbanization on two streams in the Valley Creek watershed, located in Chester County, Pennsylvania approximately 30 km west of Philadelphia. The modeling package OTIS was used to analyze the solute transport behavior. Comparison of the results from the two streams demonstrates that the fine sediment fraction of the streambed controls hydraulic conductivity and transient storage exchange in this gravel- and cobble-bed Piedmont system. One site had a narrow (10-40 m) riparian corridor of mowed lawn and woody brush. At this site, the silt-clay fraction ( d<50 μm) of the fine sediment ( d<2 mm) increased from 6 to 25% during the course of the study. The relationship between sediment characteristics and transient storage exchange was evaluated using the method of Wörman et al. [Wörman, A., Packman, A.I., Johansson, H., Jonsson, K., 2002a. Effect of flow-induced exchange in hyporheic zones on longitudinal transport of solutes in streams and rivers. Water Resources Research 38. doi: 10.1029/2001WR000769], who showed that the hyporheic residence time, scaled by the hydraulic conductivity and stream depth, is a function of stream velocity and physical channel characteristics. This analysis indicated that the observed change in fine sediment composition caused a two-fold reduction in the hydraulic conductivity, a four-fold reduction in the transient storage area, and an order of magnitude reduction in the exchange coefficient. The second study site had a wide (100-300 m) riparian corridor of deciduous forest. During the study period, a parcel of woodland encompassing 11% of the drainage area was cleared and nine homes were constructed on the site. Despite this prominent development of the watershed, there was no significant change in sediment characteristics or solute transport during the study period. The model-derived transient storage exchange parameters in our urbanizing study sites were found to be statistically similar to the values for forested mountain streams given in the literature. Thus, the relationship between urbanization and transient storage should be determined by examining the temporal change in the characteristics of individual stream reaches rather than by comparing the solute transport parameters obtained in different types of streams.

Estimating Water Fluxes Across the Sediment-Water Interface in the Lower Merced River, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zamora, Celia

2008-01-01

The lower Merced River Basin was chosen by the U.S. Geological Survey?s (USGS) National Water Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA) to be included in a national study on how hydrological processes and agricultural practices interact to affect the transport and fate of agricultural chemicals. As part of this effort, surface-water?ground-water (sw?gw) interactions were studied in an instrumented 100-m reach on the lower Merced River. This study focused on estimating vertical rates of exchange across the sediment?water interface by direct measurement using seepage meters and by using temperature as a tracer coupled with numerical modeling. Temperature loggers and pressure transducers were placed in monitoring wells within the streambed and in the river to continuously monitor temperature and hydraulic head every 15 minutes from March 2004 to October 2005. One-dimensional modeling of heat and water flow was used to interpret the temperature and head observations and deduce the sw?gw fluxes using the USGS numerical model, VS2DH, which simulates variably saturated water flow and solves the energy transport equation. Results of the modeling effort indicate that the Merced River at the study reach is generally a slightly gaining stream with small head differences (cm) between the surface water and ground water, with flow reversals occurring during high streamflow events. The average vertical flux across the sediment?water interface was 0.4?2.2 cm/day, and the range of hydraulic conductivities was 1?10 m/day. Seepage meters generally failed to provide accurate data in this high-energy system because of slow seepage rates and a moving streambed resulting in scour or burial of the seepage meters. Estimates of streambed hydraulic conductivity were also made using grain-size analysis and slug tests. Estimated hydraulic conductivity for the upstream transect determined using slug tests ranged from 40 to 250 m/day, whereas the downstream transect ranged from 10 to 100 m/day. The range in variability was a result of position along each transect. A relative percent difference was used to describe the variability in estimates of hydraulic conductivity by grain-size analysis and slug test. Variability in applied methods at the upstream transect ranged from 0 to 9 percent, whereas the downstream transect showed greater variability, with a range of 80 to 133 percent.

Paddys Run Streambank Stabilization Project at the Fernald Preserve, Harrison, OH

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

Hooten, Gwendolyn; Hertel, Bill; Homer, John

The Fernald Preserve is a former uranium-processing plant that underwent extensive remediation pursuant to CERCLA and is now managed by the US DOE Office of Legacy Management. While remediation of buildings and soil contamination was completed in 2006, aquifer remediation is ongoing. Paddys Run is a second-order stream that runs to the south along the western side of the Fernald Preserve. The Paddys Run watershed encompasses nearly 41 km2 (16 mi2), including most of the Fernald site. Field personnel conducting routine site inspections in March 2014 observed that Paddys Run was migrating east via bank erosion into the “Pit 3more » Swale,” an area of known surface-water contamination. The soil there was certified pursuant to site regulatory agreements and meets all final remediation levels. However, weekly surface-water monitoring is conducted from two puddles within the swale area, when water that exceeds the final remediation levels is present. Paddys Run had migrated east approximately 4 m (13 ft) in 2 years and was approximately 29 m (95 ft) from the sample location. This rapid migration threatened existing conditions that allowed for continued monitoring of the swale area and also threatened Paddys Run water quality. Therefore, DOE and regulators determined that the east bank of Paddys Run required stabilization. This was accomplished with a design that included the following components: relocation of approximately 145 m (475 ft) of streambed 9 m (30 ft) west, installation of a rock toe along the east bank, installation of two cross-vane in-stream grade-control structures, stabilization of a portion of the east bank using soil encapsulated lifts, and regrading, seeding, and planting within remaining disturbed areas. In an effort to take advantage of low-flow conditions in Paddys Run, construction was initiated in September 2014. Weather delays and subsurface flow within the Paddys Run streambed resulted in an interim shutdown of the project area in December 2014. Construction activities resumed in April 2015, with completion in November 2015. To date, this stabilization project has been successful. The regraded bank and streambed have remained stable, and no compromise to installed cross-vanes, the rock toe, or the soil encapsulated lifts has been observed.« less

Monitoring an artificial tracer test within streambed sediments with time lapse underwater 3D ERT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clémence, Houzé; Marc, Pessel; Véronique, Durand; Toihir, Ali

2017-04-01

The stream-aquifer interface is considered a hotspot for environmental and ecological issues. Due to their complexity, the exchange mechanisms occurring between groundwater and surface water at this interface are not yet fully understood. Many studies have focused on the characterization of the two-dimensional distribution of an artificial tracer (generally injected into the stream) within and outside the streambed, but there is insufficient information about the 3D spatial distribution of the tracer fluxes and their temporal variations. We monitored the transport of an artificial solute tracer transport with 3D electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) in order to improve the 3D spatial resolution in the imaging of the first tens of centimeters of streambed sediments and propose an innovative approach of the three-dimensional and temporal observation of the water fluxes. The hydro-geophysical field measurements were made on a small stream located within the Orgeval watershed (Seine et Marne, France). Using a resistivimeter connected to 180 electrodes, 3D electrical resistivity tomograms were made on a riverbed section, as a brine tracer was injected directly into the hyporheic zone. Before the tracer monitoring, the static 3D resistivity tomograms were consistent with the lithological heterogeneities identified at the site. However, this study defines some prerequisites to high-resolution 3D underwater resistivity measurements: for instance, a precise knowledge of an eventual weak electrode contact and a spatial resolution identical in every spatial direction. First results show a rapid development and persistence of a conductive plume around the injection point which disappears progressively after the injection. Within the sediments top layer, preferential flowpaths were highlighted due to the highly heterogeneous medium and hydraulic conductivity. The riverbed topography showed some pool-riffle sequences which conduct the formation of local entering and exiting zones. It seems clear that riverbed heterogeneities drive some local exchanges between surface water and pore water, despite the gaining condition of the stream. Moreover, inversion and data processing appear very sensitive to the boundary condition variations, such as the thickness and the resistivity of the water layer. This makes a quantitative interpretation of tracer fluxes within the hyporheic zone difficult. We demonstrate that for this type of study, knowledge of these conditions and precise monitoring of their fluctuations in time are required.

Nested monitoring approaches to delineate groundwater trichloroethene discharge to a UK lowland stream at multiple spatial scales.

PubMed

Weatherill, John; Krause, Stefan; Voyce, Kevin; Drijfhout, Falko; Levy, Amir; Cassidy, Nigel

2014-03-01

Integrated approaches for the identification of pollutant linkages between aquifers and streams are of crucial importance for evaluating the environmental risks posed by industrial contaminants like trichloroethene (TCE). This study presents a systematic, multi-scale approach to characterising groundwater TCE discharge to a 'gaining' UK lowland stream receiving baseflow from a major Permo-Triassic sandstone aquifer. Beginning with a limited number of initial monitoring points, we aim to provide a 'first pass' mechanistic understanding of the plume's fate at the aquifer/stream interface using a novel combination of streambed diffusion samplers, riparian monitoring wells and drive-point mini-piezometers in a spatially nested sampling configuration. Our results indicate the potential discharge zone of the plume to extend along a stream reach of 120 m in length, delineated by a network of 60 in-situ diffusion samplers. Within this section, a 40 m long sub-reach of higher concentration (>10 μg L(-1)) was identified; centred on a meander bend in the floodplain. 25 multi-level mini-piezometers installed to target this down-scaled reach revealed even higher TCE concentrations (20-40 μg L(-1)), significantly above alluvial groundwater samples (<6 μg L(-1)) from 15 riparian monitoring wells. Significant lateral and vertical spatial heterogeneity in TCE concentrations within the top 1m of the streambed was observed with the decimetre-scale vertical resolution provided by multi-level mini-piezometers. It appears that the distribution of fine-grained material in the Holocene deposits of the riparian floodplain and below the channel is exerting significant local-scale geological controls on the location and magnitude of the TCE discharge. Large-scale in-situ biodegradation of the plume was not evident during the monitoring campaigns. However, detections of cis-1,2-dichloroethene and vinyl chloride in discrete sections of the sediment profile indicate that shallow (e.g., <20 cm) TCE transformation may be significant at a local scale in the streambed deposits. Our findings highlight the need for efficient multi-scale monitoring strategies in geologically heterogeneous lowland stream/aquifer systems in order to more adequately quantify the risk to surface water ecological receptors posed by point-source groundwater contaminants like TCE. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Trace elements in streambed sediments of small subtropical streams on O'ahu, Hawai'i: Results from the USGS NAWQA program

USGS Publications Warehouse

De Carlo, E. H.; Tomlinson, M.S.; Anthony, S.S.

2005-01-01

Data are presented for trace element concentrations determined in the <63 ??m fraction of streambed sediment samples collected at 24 sites on the island of O'ahu, Hawai'i. Sampling sites were classified as urban, agricultural, mixed (urban/agricultural), or forested based on their dominant land use, although the mixed land use at selected sampling sites consisted of either urban and agricultural or forested and agricultural land uses. Forest dominated sites were used as reference sites for calculating enrichment factors. Trace element concentrations were compared to concentrations from studies conducted in the conterminous United States using identical methods and to aquatic-life guidelines provided by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment. A variety of elements including Pb, Cr, Cu and Zn exceeded the aquatic-life guidelines in selected samples. All of the Cr and Zn values and 16 of 24 Cu values exceeded their respective guidelines. The potential toxicity of elements exceeding guidelines, however, should be considered in the context of strong enrichments of selected trace elements attributable to source rocks in Hawai'i, as well as in the context of the abundance of fine-grained sediment in the streambed of O'ahu streams. Statistical methods including cluster analysis, Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric test, correlation analysis, and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to evaluate differences and elucidate relationships between trace elements and sites. Overall, trace element distributions and abundances can be correlated to three principal sources of elements. These include basaltic rocks of the volcanic edifice (Fe, Al, Ni, Co, Cr, V and Cu), carbonate/seawater derived elements (Mg, Ca, Na and Sr), and elements enriched owing to anthropogenic activity (P, Sn, Cd, Sn, Ba and Pb). Anthropogenic enrichment gradients were observed for Ba, Cd, Pb, Sn and Zn in the four streams in which sediments were collected upstream and downstream. The findings of this study are generally similar to but differ slightly from previous work on sediments and suspended particulate matter in streams, from two urban watersheds of O'ahu, Hawai'i. Inter-element associations in the latter were often stronger and indicated a mixture of anthropogenic, agricultural and basaltic sources of trace elements. Some elements fell into different statistical categories in the two studies, owing in part to differences in study design and the hydrogeological constraints on the respective study areas.

Processes of zinc attenuation by biogenic manganese oxides forming in the hyporheic zone of Pinal Creek, Arizona

PubMed Central

Fuller, Christopher C.; Bargar, John R.

2014-01-01

The distribution and speciation of Zn sorbed to biogenic Mn oxides forming in the hyporheic zone of Pinal Creek, AZ, was investigated using micro-focused Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) and X-ray fluorescence (μSXRF) mapping , bulk EXAFS, and chemical extraction. μSXRF and chemical extractions show that contaminant Zn co-varied with Mn in streambed sediment grain coatings. Bulk and micro-focused EXAFS spectra of Zn in the biogenic Mn oxides coating are indicative of Zn forming triple corner sharing inner-sphere complexes over octahedral vacancies in the Mn oxide sheet structure. Zn desorbed in response to decreasing in pH in batch experiments and resulted in near-equal dissolved Zn at each pH over a 10-fold range in solid to solution ratio. The geometry of sorbed Zn was unchanged after 50% desorption at pH 5, indicating desorption is not controlled by dissolution of secondary Zn phases. In sum, these findings support the idea that Zn attenuation in Pinal Creek is largely controlled by sorption to microbial Mn oxides forming in the streambed during hyporheic exchange. Sorption to biogenic Mn oxides is likely an important process in Zn attenuation in circum-neutral pH reaches of many acid-mine drainage contaminated streams when dissolved Mn is present. PMID:24460038

Tracer-based characterization of hyporheic exchange and benthic biolayers in streams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knapp, Julia L. A.; González-Pinzón, Ricardo; Drummond, Jennifer D.; Larsen, Laurel G.; Cirpka, Olaf A.; Harvey, Judson W.

2017-02-01

Shallow benthic biolayers at the top of the streambed are believed to be places of enhanced biogeochemical turnover within the hyporheic zone. They can be investigated by reactive stream tracer tests with tracer recordings in the streambed and in the stream channel. Common in-stream measurements of such reactive tracers cannot localize where the processing primarily takes place, whereas isolated vertical depth profiles of solutes within the hyporheic zone are usually not representative of the entire stream. We present results of a tracer test where we injected the conservative tracer bromide together with the reactive tracer resazurin into a third-order stream and combined the recording of in-stream breakthrough curves with multidepth sampling of the hyporheic zone at several locations. The transformation of resazurin was used as an indicator of metabolism, and high-reactivity zones were identified from depth profiles. The results from our subsurface analysis indicate that the potential for tracer transformation (i.e., the reaction rate constant) varied with depth in the hyporheic zone. This highlights the importance of the benthic biolayer, which we found to be on average 2 cm thick in this study, ranging from one third to one half of the full depth of the hyporheic zone. The reach-scale approach integrated the effects of processes along the reach length, isolating hyporheic processes relevant for whole-stream chemistry and estimating effective reaction rates.

Atrazine concentrations in stream water and streambed sediment pore water in the St. Joseph and Galien River basins, Michigan and Indiana, May 2001-September 2003

USGS Publications Warehouse

Duris, Joseph W.; Reeves, Howard W.; Kiesler, James L.

2005-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) sampled multiple stream sites across the St. Joseph and Galien River Basins to detect and quantify the herbicide atrazine using a field enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) triazine test. In May 2001, July 2001, April 2002, August 2002, August 2003 and September 2003, composite samples were collected across streams at USGS streamflow-gaging stations. Concentrations and instantaneous loading for atrazine sampled in stream water throughout the St. Joseph River and Galien River Basins in Michigan and Indiana ranged from nondetection (< 0.05 part per billion (ppb)) with an associated load less than 0.001 kilogram per day (kg/d) to 6 ppb and a maximum load of 10 kg/d. Atrazine concentrations were highest in May 2001 just after the planting season. The lowest concentration was found in April 2002 just before planting. Atrazine concentrations in streambed-sediment pore water were not spatially connected with atrazine concentrations in stream-water samples. This study showed that atrazine concentrations were elevated from May to July in the St. Joseph and Galien River Basins. At many sites, concentrations exceeded the level that has been shown to feminize frog populations (0.2 ppb). There were 8 sites where concentrations exceeded 0.2 ppb atrazine in May 2001 and July 2001.

Bed-level adjustments in the Arno River, central Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rinaldi, Massimo; Simon, Andrew

1998-02-01

Two distinct phases of bed-level adjustment over the last 150 years are identified for the principal alluvial reaches of the Arno River (Upper Valdarno and Lower Valdarno). The planimetric configuration of the river in these reaches is the result of a series of hydraulic works (canalization, rectification, artificial cut-offs, etc.) carried out particularly between the 18th and the 19th centuries. Subsequently, a series of interventions at basin level (construction of weirs, variations in land use), intense instream gravel-mining after World War II, and the construction of two dams on the Arno River, caused widespread degradation of the streambed. Since about 1900, total lowering of the channel bed is typically between 2 and 4 m in the Upper Valdarno Reach and between 5 and 8 m in some areas of the Lower Valdarno Reach. Bed-level adjustments with time are analyzed for a large number of cross-sections and described by an exponential-decay function. This analysis identified the existence of two main phases of lowering: the first, triggered at the end of the past century; the second, triggered in the interval 1945-1960 and characterized by more intense degradation of the streambed. The first phase derived from changes in land-use and land-management practices. The second phase is the result of the superimposition of two factors: intense instream mining of gravel, and the construction of the Levane and La Penna dams.

From streets to streams: assessing the toxicity potential of urban sediment by particle size

USGS Publications Warehouse

Corsi, Steven R.; Selbig, William R.; Roger T. Bannerman,; ,

2013-01-01

Urban sediment can act as a transport mechanism for a variety of pollutants to move towards a receiving water body. The concentrations of these pollutants oftentimes exceed levels that are toxic to aquatic organisms. Many treatment structures are designed to capture coarse sediment but do not work well to similarly capture the fines. This study measured concentrations of select trace metals and PAHs in both the silt and sand fractions of urban sediment from four sources: stormwater bed, stormwater suspended, street dirt, and streambed. Concentrations were used to assess the toxic potential of sediment based on published sediment quality guidelines. All sources of sediment showed some level of toxic potential with stormwater bed sediment the highest followed by stormwater suspended, street dirt, and streambed. Both metal and PAH concentration distributions were highly correlated between the four sampling locations suggesting the presence of one or perhaps only a few sources of these pollutants which remain persistent as sediment is transported from street to stream. Comparison to other forms of combustion- and vehicle-related sources of PAHs revealed coal tar sealants to have the strongest correlation, in both the silt and sand fractions, at all four sampling sites. This information is important for environmental managers when selecting the most appropriate Best Management Practice (BMP) as a way to mitigate pollution conveyed in urban stormwater from source to sink.

Historic evidence for a link between riparian vegetation and bank erosion in the context of instream habitat restoration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salant, N.; Baillie, M. B.; Schmidt, J. C.; Intermountain CenterRiver Rehabilitation; Restoration

2010-12-01

An analysis of historic aerial photographs of the upper Strawberry River, Utah, demonstrates that rates of lateral bank erosion peaked with the loss of riparian cover during periods of willow removal for livestock grazing. Erosion rates have declined over the past two decades, concurrent with the removal of livestock grazing, modest increases in riparian cover, and the return of natural flows. Contrary to perception, present-day erosion rates are actually lower than pre-disturbance rates. Recent restoration activities to stabilize stream banks were based on the assumption that high erosion rates were contributing excess sediment to the streambed and degrading spawning gravels. However, our results show that while the historic loss of riparian vegetation contributed to an increase in bank erosion rates, bank erosion rates were not high prior to restoration. Furthermore, streambed samples show that the percentage of fine sediment in the substrate is insufficient to have a significant biological impact, supporting the finding that present-day bank erosion rates are not excessive relative to pre-disturbance rates. Current bank stabilization efforts were therefore motivated by a limited understanding of system conditions and history, suggesting that these restoration activities are unnecessary and misconceived. Our results demonstrate the large influence of riparian vegetation on bank erosion and instream habitat, as well as the importance of incorporating system history into restoration design.

Tracer-based characterization of hyporheic exchange and benthic biolayers in streams

USGS Publications Warehouse

Knapp, Julia L.A.; González-Pinzón, Ricardo; Drummond, Jennifer D.; Larsen, Laurel G.; Cirpka, Olaf A.; Harvey, Judson W.

2017-01-01

Shallow benthic biolayers at the top of the streambed are believed to be places of enhanced biogeochemical turnover within the hyporheic zone. They can be investigated by reactive stream tracer tests with tracer recordings in the streambed and in the stream channel. Common in-stream measurements of such reactive tracers cannot localize where the processing primarily takes place, whereas isolated vertical depth profiles of solutes within the hyporheic zone are usually not representative of the entire stream. We present results of a tracer test where we injected the conservative tracer bromide together with the reactive tracer resazurin into a third-order stream and combined the recording of in-stream breakthrough curves with multidepth sampling of the hyporheic zone at several locations. The transformation of resazurin was used as an indicator of metabolism, and high-reactivity zones were identified from depth profiles. The results from our subsurface analysis indicate that the potential for tracer transformation (i.e., the reaction rate constant) varied with depth in the hyporheic zone. This highlights the importance of the benthic biolayer, which we found to be on average 2 cm thick in this study, ranging from one third to one half of the full depth of the hyporheic zone. The reach-scale approach integrated the effects of processes along the reach length, isolating hyporheic processes relevant for whole-stream chemistry and estimating effective reaction rates.

Advances in understanding river-groundwater interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brunner, Philip; Therrien, René; Renard, Philippe; Simmons, Craig T.; Franssen, Harrie-Jan Hendricks

2017-09-01

River-groundwater interactions are at the core of a wide range of major contemporary challenges, including the provision of high-quality drinking water in sufficient quantities, the loss of biodiversity in river ecosystems, or the management of environmental flow regimes. This paper reviews state of the art approaches in characterizing and modeling river and groundwater interactions. Our review covers a wide range of approaches, including remote sensing to characterize the streambed, emerging methods to measure exchange fluxes between rivers and groundwater, and developments in several disciplines relevant to the river-groundwater interface. We discuss approaches for automated calibration, and real-time modeling, which improve the simulation and understanding of river-groundwater interactions. Although the integration of these various approaches and disciplines is advancing, major research gaps remain to be filled to allow more complete and quantitative integration across disciplines. New possibilities for generating realistic distributions of streambed properties, in combination with more data and novel data types, have great potential to improve our understanding and predictive capabilities for river-groundwater systems, especially in combination with the integrated simulation of the river and groundwater flow as well as calibration methods. Understanding the implications of different data types and resolution, the development of highly instrumented field sites, ongoing model development, and the ultimate integration of models and data are important future research areas. These developments are required to expand our current understanding to do justice to the complexity of natural systems.

Selected aquatic biological investigations in the Great Salt Lake basins, 1875-1998, National Water-Quality Assessment Program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Giddings, Elise M.P.; Stephens, Doyle W.

1999-01-01

This report summarizes previous investigations of aquatic biological communities, habitat, and contaminants in streams and selected large lakes within the Great Salt Lake Basins study unit as part of the U.S. Geological Survey?s National Water-Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA). The Great Salt Lake Basins study unit is one of 59 such units designed to characterize water quality through the examination of chemical, physical, and biological factors in surface and ground waters across the country. The data will be used to aid in the planning, collection, and analysis of biological information for the NAWQA study unit and to aid other researchers concerned with water quality of the study unit. A total of 234 investigations conducted during 1875-1998 are summarized in this report. The studies are grouped into three major subjects: (1) aquatic communities and habitat, (2) contamination of streambed sediments and biological tissues, and (3) lakes. The location and a general description of each study is listed. The majority of the studies focus on fish and macroinvertebrate communities. Studies of algal communities, aquatic habitat, riparian wetlands, and contamination of streambed sediment or biological tissues are less common. Areas close to the major population centers of Salt Lake City, Provo, and Logan, Utah, are generally well studied, but more rural areas and much of the Bear River Basin are lacking in detailed information, except for fish populations..

Occurrence and concentrations of selected trace elements, halogenated organic compounds, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in streambed sediments and results of water-toxicity testing in Westside Creeks and the San Antonio River, San Antonio, Texas, 2014

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crow, Cassi L.; Wilson, Jennifer T.; Kunz, James L.

2016-12-01

Sediment samples and samples for water-toxicity testing were collected during 2014 from several streams in San Antonio, Texas, known locally as the Westside Creeks (Alazán, Apache, Martínez, and San Pedro Creeks) and from the San Antonio River. Samples were collected during base flow and after periods of stormwater runoff (poststorm conditions) to determine baseline sediment- and water-quality conditions. Streambed-sediment samples were analyzed for selected constituents, including trace elements and organic contaminants such as pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), brominated flame retardants, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Potential risks of contaminants in sediment were evaluated by comparing concentrations of contaminants in sediment to two effects-based sediment-quality guidelines: (1) a lower level, called the threshold effect concentration, below which, harmful effects to benthic biota are not expected, and (2) a higher level, the probable effect concentration (PEC), above which harmful effects are expected to occur frequently. Samples for water-toxicity testing were collected from each stream to provide information about fish toxicity in the study area. The trace metal lead was detected at potentially toxic concentrations greater than the PEC in both the base-flow and poststorm samples collected at two sites sampled on San Pedro Creek. The PECs for the pesticides dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane, dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, and chlordane were exceeded in some of the samples at the same two sites on San Pedro Creek. Brominated flame retardants and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) 85, 153, and 154 were found in all streambed-sediment samples. Federal Environmental Quality Guidelines established by Environment Canada for PBDE 99 and PBDE 100 were exceeded in all samples in which PBDE 99 was detected and in a majority of the samples in which PBDE 100 was detected; the greatest concentrations occurred in samples collected at the same two sites on San Pedro Creek where the samples containing elevated lead and pesticide concentrations were collected. All concentrations of total PCBs (computed as the sum of the 18 reported PCB congeners) in the individual streambed-sediment samples were less than the threshold effect concentration, but the concentrations were elevated in the two sites on San Pedro Creek compared to concentrations at other sites. At one site on Apache Creek, 6 of the individual PAHs measured in the sample collected during base-flow conditions exceeded the PECs and 8 of the 9 PECs were exceeded in the sample collected during poststorm conditions. The total PAH concentration in the sample collected at the site during poststorm conditions was 3.3 times greater than the PEC developed for total PAHs. Average PAH profiles computed for base-flow samples and poststorm samples most closely resemble the parking lot coal-tar sealcoat dust PAH source profile, defined as the average PAH concentrations in dust swept from parking lots in six cities in the United States that were sealed with a black, viscous liquid containing coal-tar pitch. Six of ten water samples collected during base-flow conditions caused reductions in Pimephales promelas (fathead minnow) survival and were considered to be toxic.

Water and Streambed-Sediment Quality in the Upper Elk River Basin, Missouri and Arkansas, 2004-06

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, Brenda J.; Richards, Joseph M.; Schumacher, John G.

2007-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, collected water and streambedsediment samples in the Upper Elk River Basin in southwestern Missouri and northwestern Arkansas from October 2004 through December 2006. The samples were collected to determine the stream-water quality and streambed-sediment quality. In 1998, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources included a 21.5-mile river reach of the Elk River on the 303(d) list of impaired waters in Missouri as required by Section 303(d) of the Federal Clean Water Act. The Elk River is on the 303(d) list for excess nutrient loading. The total phosphorus distribution by decade indicates that the concentrations since 2000 have increased significantly from those in the 1960s, 1980s, and 1990s. The nitrate as nitrogen (nitrate) concentrations also have increased significantly in post-1985 from pre-1985 samples collected at the Elk River near Tiff City. Concentrations have increased significantly since the 1960s. Concentrations in the 1970s and 1980s, though similar, have increased from those in the 1960s, and the concentrations from the 1990s and 2000s increased still more. Nitrate concentrations significantly increased in samples that were collected during large discharges (greater than 355 cubic feet per second) from the Elk River near Tiff City. Nitrate concentrations were largest in Indian Creek. Several sources of nitrate are present in the basin, including poultry facilities in the upper part of the basin, effluent inflow from communities of Anderson and Lanagan, land-applied animal waste, chemical fertilizer, and possible leaking septic systems. Total phosphorus concentrations were largest in Little Sugar Creek. The median concentration of total phosphorus from samples from Little Sugar Creek near Pineville was almost four times the median concentration in samples from the Elk River near Tiff City. Median concentrations of nutrient species were greater in the stormwater samples than the median concentrations in the ambient samples. Nitrate concentrations in stormwater samples ranged from 133 to 179 percent of the concentration in the ambient samples. The total phosphorus concentrations in the stormwater samples ranged from about 200 to more than 600 percent of the concentration in the ambient samples. Base-flow conditions as reflected by the seepage run of the summer of 2006 indicate that 52 percent of the discharge at the Elk River near Tiff City is contributed by Indian Creek. Little Sugar Creek contributes 32 percent and Big Sugar Creek 9 percent of the discharge in the Elk River near Tiff City. Only about 7 percent of the discharge at Tiff City comes from the mainstem of the Elk River. Concentrations of dissolved ammonia plus organic nitrogen as nitrogen, dissolved ammonia as nitrogen, dissolved phosphorus, and dissolved orthophosphorus were detected in all streambed-sediment leachate samples. Concentrations of leachable nutrients in streambed-sediment samples generally tended to be slightly larger along the major forks of the Elk River as compared to tributary sites, with sites in the upper reaches of the major forks having among the largest concentrations. Concentrations of leachable nutrients in the major forks generally decreased with increasing distance downstream.

A New Streamflow-Routing (SFR1) Package to Simulate Stream-Aquifer Interaction with MODFLOW-2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Prudic, David E.; Konikow, Leonard F.; Banta, Edward R.

2004-01-01

The increasing concern for water and its quality require improved methods to evaluate the interaction between streams and aquifers and the strong influence that streams can have on the flow and transport of contaminants through many aquifers. For this reason, a new Streamflow-Routing (SFR1) Package was written for use with the U.S. Geological Survey's MODFLOW-2000 ground-water flow model. The SFR1 Package is linked to the Lake (LAK3) Package, and both have been integrated with the Ground-Water Transport (GWT) Process of MODFLOW-2000 (MODFLOW-GWT). SFR1 replaces the previous Stream (STR1) Package, with the most important difference being that stream depth is computed at the midpoint of each reach instead of at the beginning of each reach, as was done in the original Stream Package. This approach allows for the addition and subtraction of water from runoff, precipitation, and evapotranspiration within each reach. Because the SFR1 Package computes stream depth differently than that for the original package, a different name was used to distinguish it from the original Stream (STR1) Package. The SFR1 Package has five options for simulating stream depth and four options for computing diversions from a stream. The options for computing stream depth are: a specified value; Manning's equation (using a wide rectangular channel or an eight-point cross section); a power equation; or a table of values that relate flow to depth and width. Each stream segment can have a different option. Outflow from lakes can be computed using the same options. Because the wetted perimeter is computed for the eight-point cross section and width is computed for the power equation and table of values, the streambed conductance term no longer needs to be calculated externally whenever the area of streambed changes as a function of flow. The concentration of solute is computed in a stream network when MODFLOW-GWT is used in conjunction with the SFR1 Package. The concentration of a solute in a stream reach is based on a mass-balance approach and accounts for exchanges with (inputs from or losses to) ground-water systems. Two test examples are used to illustrate some of the capabilities of the SFR1 Package. The first test simulation was designed to illustrate how pumping of ground water from an aquifer connected to streams can affect streamflow, depth, width, and streambed conductance using the different options. The second test simulation was designed to illustrate solute transport through interconnected lakes, streams, and aquifers. Because of the need to examine time series results from the model simulations, the Gage Package first described in the LAK3 documentation was revised to include time series results of selected variables (streamflows, stream depth and width, streambed conductance, solute concentrations, and solute loads) for specified stream reaches. The mass-balance or continuity approach for routing flow and solutes through a stream network may not be applicable for all interactions between streams and aquifers. The SFR1 Package is best suited for modeling long-term changes (months to hundreds of years) in ground-water flow and solute concentrations using averaged flows in streams. The Package is not recommended for modeling the transient exchange of water between streams and aquifers when the objective is to examine short-term (minutes to days) effects caused by rapidly changing streamflows.

3. View east at south end of west facade of ...

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

3. View east at south end of west facade of culvert outlet headwall with part of canal bank removed. Foreground to background: dewatered streambed with coffer dam (left) and pump intake (right); outlet headwall with partially intact voussoirs; horizontal masonry cutoff wall extending above the culvert outlet partially up the canal bank (exposed in trenches to left and right). - Delaware & Raritan Canal, Six Mile Run Culvert, .2 mile South of Blackwells Mills Road, East Millstone, Somerset County, NJ

2. View east at north end of west facade of ...

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

2. View east at north end of west facade of culvert outlet headwall with part of canal bank removed. Foreground to background: dewatered streambed with pump intake (left) and coffer dam (right); outlet headwall with partially intact voussoirs; partially removed canal bank revealing horizontal masonry cutoff wall (exposed in trenches to left and right); towpath at top of canal bank. - Delaware & Raritan Canal, Six Mile Run Culvert, .2 mile South of Blackwells Mills Road, East Millstone, Somerset County, NJ

Selected elements and organic chemicals in streambed sediment in the Salem area, Oregon, 1999

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tanner, Dwight Q.

2002-09-13

The high levels of contaminants in some Salem area streams indicates the need for further study to assess the biological effects of these contaminants. Future monitoring in the Salem area could include bioassays using benthic invertebrates and the measurement of organochlorine compounds, including DDT, DDE, DDD, and dieldrin in fish tissue. Because resident fish may be consumed by humans and wildlife, fish tissue analyses would be helpful to determine the health risk associated with fish consumption.

Reactive iron transport in an acidic mountain stream in Summit County, Colorado: A hydrologic perspective

USGS Publications Warehouse

McKnight, Diane M.; Bencala, K.E.

1989-01-01

A pH perturbation experiment was conducted in an acidic, metal-enriched, mountain stream to identify relative rates of chemical and hydrologic processes as they influence iron transport. During the experiment the pH was lowered from 4.2 to 3.2 for three hours by injection of sulfuric acid. Amorphous iron oxides are abundant on the streambed, and dissolution and photoreduction reactions resulted in a rapid increase in the dissolved iron concentration. The increase occurred simultaneously with the decrease in pH. Ferrous iron was the major aqueous iron species. The changes in the iron concentration during the experiment indicate that variation exists in the solubility properties of the hydrous iron oxides on the streambed with dissolution of at least two compartments of hydrous iron oxides contributing to the iron pulse. Spatial variations of the hydrologic properties along the stream were quantified by simulating the transport of a coinjected tracer, lithium. A simulation of iron transport, as a conservative solute, indicated that hydrologie transport had a significant role in determining downstream changes in the iron pulse. The rapidity of the changes in iron concentration indicates that a model based on dynamic equilibrium may be adequate for simulating iron transport in acid streams. A major challenge for predictive solute transport models of geochemical processes may be due to substantial spatial and seasonal variations in chemical properties of the reactive hydrous oxides in such streams, and in the physical and hydrologic properties of the stream. ?? 1989.

Environmental baseline study of the Huron River Watershed, Baraga and Marquette Counties, Michigan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Woodruff, Laurel G.; Weaver, Thomas L.; Cannon, William F.

2010-01-01

This report summarizes results of a study to establish water-quality and geochemical baseline conditions within a small watershed in the Lake Superior region. In 2008, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) completed a survey of water-quality parameters and soil and streambed sediment geochemistry of the 83 mi2 Huron River Watershed in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Streamflow was measured and water-quality samples collected at a range of flow conditions from six sites on the major tributaries of the Huron River. All water samples were analyzed for a suite of common ions, nutrients, and trace metals. In addition, water samples from each site were analyzed for unfiltered total and methylmercury once during summer low-flow conditions. Soil samples were collected from 31 sites, with up to 4 separate samples collected at each site, delineated by soil horizon. Streambed sediments were collected from 11 sites selected to cover most of the area drained by the Huron River system. USGS data were supplemented with ecological assessments completed in 2006 by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality using a modified version of their Great Lakes Environmental Assessment Section procedure 51, and again during 2008 using volunteers under supervision of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Results from this study define a hydrological, geological, and environmental baseline for the Huron River Watershed prior to any significant mineral exploration or development. Results from the project also serve to refine the design of future regional environmental baseline studies in the Lake Superior Basin.

Storm-event-transport of urban-use pesticides to streams likely impairs invertebrate assemblages.

PubMed

Carpenter, Kurt D; Kuivila, Kathryn M; Hladik, Michelle L; Haluska, Tana; Cole, Michael B

2016-06-01

Insecticide use in urban areas results in the detection of these compounds in streams following stormwater runoff at concentrations likely to cause toxicity for stream invertebrates. In this 2013 study, stormwater runoff and streambed sediments were analyzed for 91 pesticides dissolved in water and 118 pesticides on sediment. Detections included 33 pesticides, including insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, degradates, and a synergist. Patterns in pesticide occurrence reveal transport of dissolved and sediment-bound pesticides, including pyrethroids, from upland areas through stormwater outfalls to receiving streams. Nearly all streams contained at least one insecticide at levels exceeding an aquatic-life benchmark, most often for bifenthrin and (or) fipronil. Multiple U.S. EPA benchmark or criterion exceedances occurred in 40 % of urban streams sampled. Bed sediment concentrations of bifenthrin were highly correlated (p < 0.001) with benthic invertebrate assemblages. Non-insects and tolerant invertebrates such as amphipods, flatworms, nematodes, and oligochaetes dominated streams with relatively high concentrations of bifenthrin in bed sediments, whereas insects, sensitive invertebrates, and mayflies were much more abundant at sites with no or low bifenthrin concentrations. The abundance of sensitive invertebrates, % EPT, and select mayfly taxa were strongly negatively correlated with organic-carbon normalized bifenthrin concentrations in streambed sediments. Our findings from western Clackamas County, Oregon (USA), expand upon previous research demonstrating the transport of pesticides from urban landscapes and linking impaired benthic invertebrate assemblages in urban streams with exposure to pyrethroid insecticides.

Influence of catchment-scale military land use on stream physical and organic matter variables in small Southeaster Plains Catchments (USA)

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

Maloney, Kelly

2005-01-01

We conducted a 3-year study designed to examine the relationship between disturbance from military land use and stream physical and organic matter variables within 12 small (<5.5 km2) Southeastern Plains catchments at the Fort Benning Military Installation, Georgia, USA. Primary land-use categories were based on percentages of bare ground and road cover and nonforested land (grasslands, sparse vegetation, shrublands, fields) in catchments and natural catchments features, including soils (% sandy soils) and catchment size (area). We quantified stream flashiness (determined by slope of recession limbs of storm hydrographs), streambed instability (measured by relative changes in bed height over time), organicmore » matter storage [coarse wood debris (CWD) relative abundance, benthic particulate organic matter (BPOM)] and stream-water dissolved organic carbon concentration (DOC). Stream flashiness was positively correlated with average storm magnitude and percent of the catchment with sandy soil, whereas streambed instability was related to percent of the catchment containing nonforested (disturbed) land. The proportions of in-stream CWD and sediment BPOM, and stream-water DOC were negatively related to the percent of bare ground and road cover in catchments. Collectively, our results suggest that the amount of catchment disturbance causing denuded vegetation and exposed, mobile soil is (1) a key terrestrial influence on stream geomorphology and hydrology and (2) a greater determinant of in-stream organic matter conditions than is natural geomorphic or topographic variation (catchment size, soil type) in these systems.« less

Storm-event-transport of urban-use pesticides to streams likely impairs invertebrate assemblages

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carpenter, Kurt; Kuivila, Kathryn; Hladik, Michelle; Haluska, Tana L.; Michael B. Cole,

2016-01-01

Insecticide use in urban areas results in the detection of these compounds in streams following stormwater runoff at concentrations likely to cause toxicity for stream invertebrates. In this 2013 study, stormwater runoff and streambed sediments were analyzed for 91 pesticides dissolved in water and 118 pesticides on sediment. Detections included 33 pesticides, including insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, degradates, and a synergist. Patterns in pesticide occurrence reveal transport of dissolved and sediment-bound pesticides, including pyrethroids, from upland areas through stormwater outfalls to receiving streams. Nearly all streams contained at least one insecticide at levels exceeding an aquatic-life benchmark, most often for bifenthrin and (or) fipronil. Multiple U.S. EPA benchmark or criterion exceedances occurred in 40 % of urban streams sampled. Bed sediment concentrations of bifenthrin were highly correlated (p < 0.001) with benthic invertebrate assemblages. Non-insects and tolerant invertebrates such as amphipods, flatworms, nematodes, and oligochaetes dominated streams with relatively high concentrations of bifenthrin in bed sediments, whereas insects, sensitive invertebrates, and mayflies were much more abundant at sites with no or low bifenthrin concentrations. The abundance of sensitive invertebrates, % EPT, and select mayfly taxa were strongly negatively correlated with organic-carbon normalized bifenthrin concentrations in streambed sediments. Our findings from western Clackamas County, Oregon (USA), expand upon previous research demonstrating the transport of pesticides from urban landscapes and linking impaired benthic invertebrate assemblages in urban streams with exposure to pyrethroid insecticides.

Channel representation in physically based models coupling groundwater and surface water: pitfalls and how to avoid them.

PubMed

Käser, Daniel; Graf, Tobias; Cochand, Fabien; McLaren, Rob; Therrien, René; Brunner, Philip

2014-01-01

Recent models that couple three-dimensional subsurface flow with two-dimensional overland flow are valuable tools for quantifying complex groundwater/stream interactions and for evaluating their influence on watershed processes. For the modeler who is used to defining streams as a boundary condition, the representation of channels in integrated models raises a number of conceptual and technical issues. These models are far more sensitive to channel topography than conventional groundwater models. On all spatial scales, both the topography of a channel and its connection with the floodplain are important. For example, the geometry of river banks influences bank storage and overbank flooding; the slope of the river is a primary control on the behavior of a catchment; and at the finer scale bedform characteristics affect hyporheic exchange. Accurate data on streambed topography, however, are seldom available, and the spatial resolution of digital elevation models is typically too coarse in river environments, resulting in unrealistic or undulating streambeds. Modelers therefore perform some kind of manual yet often cumbersome correction to the available topography. In this context, the paper identifies some common pitfalls, and provides guidance to overcome these. Both aspects of topographic representation and mesh discretization are addressed. Additionally, two tutorials are provided to illustrate: (1) the interpolation of channel cross-sectional data and (2) the refinement of a mesh along a stream in areas of high topographic variability. © 2014, National Ground Water Association.

Monitoring stream sediment loads in response to agriculture in Prince Edward Island, Canada.

PubMed

Alberto, Ashley; St-Hilaire, Andre; Courtenay, Simon C; van den Heuvel, Michael R

2016-07-01

Increased agricultural land use leads to accelerated erosion and deposition of fine sediment in surface water. Monitoring of suspended sediment yields has proven challenging due to the spatial and temporal variability of sediment loading. Reliable sediment yield calculations depend on accurate monitoring of these highly episodic sediment loading events. This study aims to quantify precipitation-induced loading of suspended sediments on Prince Edward Island, Canada. Turbidity is considered to be a reasonably accurate proxy for suspended sediment data. In this study, turbidity was used to monitor suspended sediment concentration (SSC) and was measured for 2 years (December 2012-2014) in three subwatersheds with varying degrees of agricultural land use ranging from 10 to 69 %. Comparison of three turbidity meter calibration methods, two using suspended streambed sediment and one using automated sampling during rainfall events, revealed that the use of SSC samples constructed from streambed sediment was not an accurate replacement for water column sampling during rainfall events for calibration. Different particle size distributions in the three rivers produced significant impacts on the calibration methods demonstrating the need for river-specific calibration. Rainfall-induced sediment loading was significantly greater in the most agriculturally impacted site only when the load per rainfall event was corrected for runoff volume (total flow minus baseflow), flow increase intensity (the slope between the start of a runoff event and the peak of the hydrograph), and season. Monitoring turbidity, in combination with sediment modeling, may offer the best option for management purposes.

Impact of trace metals from past mining on the aquatic ecosystem: a multi-proxy approach in the Morvan (France).

PubMed

Camizuli, E; Monna, F; Scheifler, R; Amiotte-Suchet, P; Losno, R; Beis, P; Bohard, B; Chateau, C; Alibert, P

2014-10-01

This study seeks to determine to what extent trace metals resulting from past mining activities are transferred to the aquatic ecosystem, and whether such trace metals still exert deleterious effects on biota. Concentrations of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn were measured in streambed sediments, transplanted bryophytes and wild brown trout. This study was conducted at two scales: (i) the entire Morvan Regional Nature Park and (ii) three small watersheds selected for their degree of contamination, based on the presence or absence of past mining sites. The overall quality of streambed sediments was assessed using Sediment Quality Indices (SQIs). According to these standard guidelines, more than 96% of the sediments sampled should not represent a threat to biota. Nonetheless, in watersheds where past mining occurred, SQIs are significantly lower. Transplanted bryophytes at these sites consistently present higher trace metal concentrations. For wild brown trout, the scaled mass and liver indices appear to be negatively correlated with liver Pb concentrations, but there are no obvious relationships between past mining and liver metal concentrations or the developmental instability of specimens. Although the impact of past mining and metallurgical works is apparently not as strong as that usually observed in modern mining sites, it is still traceable. For this reason, past mining sites should be monitored, particularly in protected areas erroneously thought to be free of anthropogenic contamination. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of Heat and Bromide as Ground Water Tracers Near Streams

USGS Publications Warehouse

Constantz, J.; Cox, M.H.; Su, G.W.

2003-01-01

Heat and bromide were compared as tracers for examining stream/ground water exchanges along the middle reaches of the Santa Clara River, California, during a 10-hour surface water sodium bromide injection test. Three cross sections that comprise six shallow (<1 m) piezometers were installed at the upper, middle, and lower sections of a 17 km long study reach, to monitor temperatures and bromide concentrations in the shallow ground water beneath the stream. A heat and ground water transport simulation model and a closely related solute and ground water transport simulation model were matched up for comparison of simulated and observed temperatures and bromide concentrations in the streambed. Vertical, one-dimensional simulations of sediment temperature were fitted to observed temperature results, to yield apparent streambed hydraulic conductivities in each cross section. The temperature-based hydraulic conductivities were assigned to a solute and ground water transport model to predict sediment bromide concentrations, during the sodium bromide injection test. Vertical, one-dimensional simulations of bromide concentrations in the sediments yielded a good match to the observed bromide concentrations, without adjustment of any model parameters except solute dispersivities. This indicates that, for the spatial and temporal scales examined on the Santa Clara River, the use of heat and bromide as tracers provide comparable information with respect to apparent hydraulic conductivities and fluxes for sediments near streams. In other settings, caution should be used due to differences in the nature of conservative (bromide) versus nonconservative (heat) tracers, particularly when preferential flowpaths are present.

One-Dimensional Transport with Equilibrium Chemistry (OTEQ) - A Reactive Transport Model for Streams and Rivers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Runkel, Robert L.

2010-01-01

OTEQ is a mathematical simulation model used to characterize the fate and transport of waterborne solutes in streams and rivers. The model is formed by coupling a solute transport model with a chemical equilibrium submodel. The solute transport model is based on OTIS, a model that considers the physical processes of advection, dispersion, lateral inflow, and transient storage. The equilibrium submodel is based on MINTEQ, a model that considers the speciation and complexation of aqueous species, acid-base reactions, precipitation/dissolution, and sorption. Within OTEQ, reactions in the water column may result in the formation of solid phases (precipitates and sorbed species) that are subject to downstream transport and settling processes. Solid phases on the streambed may also interact with the water column through dissolution and sorption/desorption reactions. Consideration of both mobile (waterborne) and immobile (streambed) solid phases requires a unique set of governing differential equations and solution techniques that are developed herein. The partial differential equations describing physical transport and the algebraic equations describing chemical equilibria are coupled using the sequential iteration approach. The model's ability to simulate pH, precipitation/dissolution, and pH-dependent sorption provides a means of evaluating the complex interactions between instream chemistry and hydrologic transport at the field scale. This report details the development and application of OTEQ. Sections of the report describe model theory, input/output specifications, model applications, and installation instructions. OTEQ may be obtained over the Internet at http://water.usgs.gov/software/OTEQ.

Microbial transformations of arsenic: Mobilization from glauconitic sediments to water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mumford, Adam C.; Barringer, Julia L.; Benzel, William M.; Reilly, Pamela A.; Young, L.Y.

2012-01-01

In the Inner Coastal Plain of New Jersey, arsenic (As) is released from glauconitic sediment to carbon- and nutrient-rich shallow groundwater. This As-rich groundwater discharges to a major area stream. We hypothesize that microbes play an active role in the mobilization of As from glauconitic subsurface sediments into groundwater in the Inner Coastal Plain of New Jersey. We have examined the potential impact of microbial activity on the mobilization of arsenic from subsurface sediments into the groundwater at a site on Crosswicks Creek in southern New Jersey. The As contents of sediments 33–90 cm below the streambed were found to range from 15 to 26.4 mg/kg, with siderite forming at depth. Groundwater beneath the streambed contains As at concentrations up to 89 μg/L. Microcosms developed from site sediments released 23 μg/L of As, and active microbial reduction of As(V) was observed in microcosms developed from site groundwater. DNA extracted from site sediments was amplified with primers for the 16S rRNA gene and the arsenate respiratory reductase gene, arrA, and indicated the presence of a diverse anaerobic microbial community, as well as the presence of potential arsenic-reducing bacteria. In addition, high iron (Fe) concentrations in groundwater and the presence of iron-reducing microbial genera suggests that Fe reduction in minerals may provide an additional mechanism for release of associated As, while arsenic-reducing microorganisms may serve to enhance the mobility of As in groundwater at this site.

Concentrations of selected constituents in surface-water and streambed-sediment samples collected from streams in and near an area of oil and natural-gas development, south-central Texas, 2011-13

USGS Publications Warehouse

Opsahl, Stephen P.; Crow, Cassi L.

2014-01-01

During collection of streambed-sediment samples, additional samples from a subset of three sites (the SAR Elmendorf, SAR 72, and SAR McFaddin sites) were processed by using a 63-µm sieve on one aliquot and a 2-mm sieve on a second aliquot for PAH and n-alkane analyses. The purpose of analyzing PAHs and n-alkanes on a sample containing sand, silt, and clay versus a sample containing only silt and clay was to provide data that could be used to determine if these organic constituents had a greater affinity for silt- and clay-sized particles relative to sand-sized particles. The greater concentrations of PAHs in the <63-μm size-fraction samples at all three of these sites are consistent with a greater percentage of binding sites associated with fine-grained (<63 μm) sediment versus coarse-grained (<2 mm) sediment. The larger difference in total PAHs between the <2-mm and <63-μm size-fraction samples at the SAR Elmendorf site might be related to the large percentage of sand in the <2-mm size-fraction sample which was absent in the <63-μm size-fraction sample. In contrast, the <2-mm size-fraction sample collected from the SAR McFaddin site contained very little sand and was similar in particle-size composition to the <63-μm size-fraction sample.

What makes a healthy environment for native freshwater mussels?

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2000-01-01

Freshwater mussels are sensitive to contamination of sediment that they inhabit and to the water that they filter, making the presence of live, adult mussels an excellent indicator of ecosystem health and stability. Freshwater mussels are relatively immobile, imbedded in the streambed with part of the shell sticking up into the water so that they can filter water to obtain oxygen and food. This lack of mobility makes them particularly vulnerable to water and sediment contamination, changes in sedimentation, or prolonged drought. Thus, ecosystem health and stability are critical for their reproduction and survival.

Engineered Hyporheic Zones as Novel Water Quality Best Management Practice: Flow and Contaminant Attenuation in Constructed Stream Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herzog, S.; McCray, J. E.; Higgins, C. P.

2015-12-01

The hyporheic zone is a hotspot for biogeochemical processing that can attenuate a variety of nonpoint source contaminants in streamwater. However, hyporheic zones in urban and agricultural streams are often degraded and poorly connected with surface water. In order to increase hyporheic exchange and improve water quality, we introduced engineered streambeds as a stormwater and restoration best management practice. Modifications to streambed hydraulic conductivity and reactivity are termed Biohydrochemical Enhancement structures for Streamwater Treatment (BEST). BEST are subsurface modules that utilize low- and high-permeability sediments to drive efficient hyporheic exchange, and reactive geomedia to increase reaction rates within the hyporheic zone. This work presents the first physical performance data of BEST modules at the pilot scale. BEST modules were installed in a constructed stream facility at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, CO. This facility features two 15m artificial streams, which included an all sand control condition alongside the BEST test condition. Streams were continuously operated at a discharge of 1 L/s using recycled water. Time-lapse electrical resistivity surveys demonstrated that BEST modules provided substantially greater hyporheic exchange than the control condition. Water quality samples at the hyporheic and reach scales also revealed greater attenuation of nitrogen, coliforms, and select metals and trace organics by BEST modules relative to the control condition. These experimental results were also compared to previous numerical model simulations to evaluate model accuracy. Together, these results show that BEST may be an effective best management practice for improving streamwater quality in urban and agricultural settings.

Use of Ground-water Temperature Patterns to Determine the Hydraulic Conductance of the Streambed Along the Middle Reaches of the Russian River, CA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, G. W.; Constantz, J.; Jasperse, J.; Seymour, D.

2002-12-01

Along the Russian River in Sonoma County, the alluvial aquifer is the preferred source of drinking water because sediments and other constituents in the river water would require additional treatment. From late spring to early winter, an inflatable dam is erected to raise the river stage and passively recharge the alluvial aquifer. The raised stage also permits diversion of river water to a series of recharge ponds located near the dam along the river. Improved understanding of stream exchanges with ground water is needed to better manage available water resources. Heat is used as a tracer of shallow ground-water movement for detailed hydraulic parameter estimation along the middle reaches of the river. Water-levels and ground-water temperatures were measured in a series of observations wells and compared to the river stage and surface-water temperatures. Hydraulic conductivities were predicted by optimizing simulated ground-water temperatures using VS2DHI, a heat and water transport model, to observed temperatures in the aquifer. These conductivity values will be used in a stream/ground-water model of this region being developed using MODFLOW. Temperature-based estimates of streambed conductance will be inserted in the STREAM package of the model to constrain this parameter. Although temperature-based predictions of hydraulic conductivity vary significantly along the reach, the results generally suggest that an anisotropy of 5 to 1 (horizontal to vertical) provides the best hydraulic conductivity matches for predicted versus observed ground-water temperatures.

Dual-domain mass-transfer parameters from electrical hysteresis: theory and analytical approach applied to laboratory, synthetic streambed, and groundwater experiments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Briggs, Martin A.; Day-Lewis, Frederick D.; Ong, John B.; Harvey, Judson W.; Lane, John W.

2014-01-01

Models of dual-domain mass transfer (DDMT) are used to explain anomalous aquifer transport behavior such as the slow release of contamination and solute tracer tailing. Traditional tracer experiments to characterize DDMT are performed at the flow path scale (meters), which inherently incorporates heterogeneous exchange processes; hence, estimated “effective” parameters are sensitive to experimental design (i.e., duration and injection velocity). Recently, electrical geophysical methods have been used to aid in the inference of DDMT parameters because, unlike traditional fluid sampling, electrical methods can directly sense less-mobile solute dynamics and can target specific points along subsurface flow paths. Here we propose an analytical framework for graphical parameter inference based on a simple petrophysical model explaining the hysteretic relation between measurements of bulk and fluid conductivity arising in the presence of DDMT at the local scale. Analysis is graphical and involves visual inspection of hysteresis patterns to (1) determine the size of paired mobile and less-mobile porosities and (2) identify the exchange rate coefficient through simple curve fitting. We demonstrate the approach using laboratory column experimental data, synthetic streambed experimental data, and field tracer-test data. Results from the analytical approach compare favorably with results from calibration of numerical models and also independent measurements of mobile and less-mobile porosity. We show that localized electrical hysteresis patterns resulting from diffusive exchange are independent of injection velocity, indicating that repeatable parameters can be extracted under varied experimental designs, and these parameters represent the true intrinsic properties of specific volumes of porous media of aquifers and hyporheic zones.

The non-layering of gravel streambeds under ephemeral flood regimes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laronne, Jonathan B.; Reid, Ian; Yitshak, Yitshak; Frostick, Lynne E.

1994-07-01

The two-layer format common to perennial streambeds, in which a relatively coarse armour overlies a finer subarmour, develops as a function of both the ingress and subsequent near-surface winnowing of interstitial material and the selective non-entrainment or slower transport velocity of coarse clasts. Ephemeral streams appear to lack such vertical layering or are characterized by weak layer development. Some of this may be due to the degree of mixing associated with the scour-and-fill process. However, continuous monitoring of bedload discharge in the Nahal Yatir in the northern Negev Desert reveals that sediment transport rates are extremely high so that the chance of armour layer development through selective non-entrainment is much reduced. Indeed, a comparison of the bedload and bed material size-distributions confirms a high degree of similarity and hints at equal mobility regardless of clast size. The monitoring programme also indicates that the bed becomes highly mobile at comparatively modest fluid shear, so that practically all floods are associated with high transport rates. Consequently, the winnowing that might be brought about by low transport-rate events does not occur. Even within a single event, winnowing is precluded by the rapid nature of flow recession that is so characteristic of flash-floods. The high degree of bed material mobility is attributable, in part, to the lack of strength that would otherwise be a corollary of armour development. However, it also highlights the divergent nature of the feedback loops that govern the relationship between flow and channel deposit in ephemeral and perennial systems.

Contrasting nitrogen fate in watersheds using agricultural and water quality information

USGS Publications Warehouse

Essaid, Hedeff I.; Baker, Nancy T.; McCarthy, Kathleen A.

2016-01-01

Surplus nitrogen (N) estimates, principal component analysis (PCA), and end-member mixing analysis (EMMA) were used in a multisite comparison contrasting the fate of N in diverse agricultural watersheds. We applied PCA-EMMA in 10 watersheds located in Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Nebraska, Mississippi, and Washington ranging in size from 5 to 1254 km2 with four nested watersheds. Watershed Surplus N was determined by subtracting estimates of crop uptake and volatilization from estimates of N input from atmospheric deposition, plant fixation, fertilizer, and manure for the period from 1987 to 2004. Watershed average Surplus N ranged from 11 to 52 kg N ha−1 and from 9 to 32% of N input. Solute concentrations in streams, overland runoff, tile drainage, groundwater (GW), streambeds, and the unsaturated zone were used in the PCA-EMMA procedure to identify independent components contributing to observed stream concentration variability and the end-members contributing to streamflow and NO3 load. End-members included dilute runoff, agricultural runoff, benthic-processing, tile drainage, and oxic and anoxic GW. Surplus N was larger in watersheds with more permeable soils (Washington, Nebraska, and Maryland) that allowed greater infiltration, and oxic GW was the primary source of NO3 load. Subsurface transport of NO3 in these watersheds resulted in some removal of Surplus N by denitrification. In less permeable watersheds (Iowa, Indiana, and Mississippi), NO3 was rapidly transported to the stream by tile drainage and runoff with little removal. Evidence of streambed removal of NO3 by benthic diatoms was observed in the larger watersheds.

Development and evaluation of the bacterial fate and transport module for the Agricultural Policy/Environmental eXtender (APEX) model.

PubMed

Hong, Eun-Mi; Park, Yongeun; Muirhead, Richard; Jeong, Jaehak; Pachepsky, Yakov A

2018-02-15

The Agricultural Policy/Environmental eXtender (APEX) is a watershed-scale water quality model that includes detailed representation of agricultural management. The objective of this work was to develop a process-based model for simulating the fate and transport of manure-borne bacteria on land and in streams with the APEX model. The bacteria model utilizes manure erosion rates to estimate the amount of edge-of-field bacteria export. Bacteria survival in manure is simulated as a two-stage process separately for each manure application event. In-stream microbial fate and transport processes include bacteria release from streambeds due to sediment resuspension during high flow events, active release from the streambed sediment during low flow periods, bacteria settling with sediment, and survival. Default parameter values were selected from published databases and evaluated based on field observations. The APEX model with the newly developed microbial fate and transport module was applied to simulate fate and transport of the fecal indicator bacterium Escherichia coli in the Toenepi watershed, New Zealand that was monitored for seven years. The stream network of the watershed ran through grazing lands with daily bovine waste deposition. Results show that the APEX with the bacteria module reproduced well the monitored pattern of E. coli concentrations at the watershed outlet. The APEX with the microbial fate and transport module will be utilized for predicting microbial quality of water as affected by various agricultural practices, evaluating monitoring protocols, and supporting the selection of management practices based on regulations that rely on fecal indicator bacteria concentrations. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Sonic depth sounder for laboratory and field use

USGS Publications Warehouse

Richardson, E.V.; Simons, Daryl B.; Posakony, G.J.

1961-01-01

The laboratory investigation of roughness in alluvial channels has led to the development of a special electronic device capable of mapping the streambed configuration under dynamic conditions. This electronic device employs an ultrasonic pulse-echo principle, similar to that of a fathometer, that utilizes microsecond techniques to give high accuracy in shallow depths. This instrument is known as the sonic depth sounder and was designed to cover a depth range of 0 to 4 feet with an accuracy of ? 0.5 percent. The sonic depth sounder is capable of operation at frequencies of 500, 1,000 and 2,000 kilocycles. The ultrasonic beam generated at the transducer is designed to give a minimum-diameter interrogating signal over the extended depth range. The information obtained from a sonic depth sounder is recorded on a strip-chart recorder. This permanent record allows an analysis to be made of the streambed configuration under different dynamic conditions. The model 1024 sonic depth sounder was designed principally as a research instrument to meet laboratory needs. As such, it is somewhat limited in its application as a field instrument on large streams and rivers. The principles employed in this instrument, however, have many potentials for field applications such as the indirect measurement of bed load when the bed roughness is ripples and (or) dunes, depth measurement, determination of bed configuration, and determination of depth of scour around bridge piers and abutments. For field application a modification of the present system into a battery-operated lightweight instrument designed to operate at a depth range of 0 to 30 feet is possible and desirable.

Potential for 4-n-nonylphenol biodegradation in stream sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bradley, P.M.; Barber, L.B.; Kolpin, D.W.; McMahon, P.B.; Chapelle, F.H.

2008-01-01

The potential for in situ biodegradation of 4-nonylphenol (4-NP) was investigated in three hydrologically distinct streams impacted by wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in the United States. Microcosms were prepared with sediments from each site and amended with [U-ring-14C]4-n-nonylphenol (4-n-NP) as a model test substrate. Microcosms prepared with sediment collected upstream of the WWTP outfalls and incubated under oxic conditions showed rapid and complete mineralization of [U-ring-14C]4- n-NP to 14CO2 in all three systems. In contrast, no mineralization of [U-ring-14C]4-n-NP was observed in these sediments under anoxic (methanogenic) conditions. The initial linear rate of [U-ring-14C]4-n-NP mineralization in sediments from upstream and downstream of the respective WWTP outfalls was inversely correlated with the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) of the streambed sediments. These results suggest that the net supply of dissolved oxygen to streambed sediments is a key determinant of the rate and extent of 4-NP biodegradation in stream systems. In the stream systems considered by the present study, dissolved oxygen concentrations in the overlying water column (8–10 mg/L) and in the bed sediment pore water (1–3 mg/L at a depth of 10 cm below the sediment–water interface) were consistent with active in situ 4-NP biodegradation. These results suggest WWTP procedures that maximize the delivery of dissolved oxygen while minimizing the release of BOD to stream receptors favor efficient biodegradation of 4-NP contaminants in wastewater-impacted stream environments.

Dual-domain mass-transfer parameters from electrical hysteresis: Theory and analytical approach applied to laboratory, synthetic streambed, and groundwater experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Briggs, Martin A.; Day-Lewis, Frederick D.; Ong, John B.; Harvey, Judson W.; Lane, John W.

2014-10-01

Models of dual-domain mass transfer (DDMT) are used to explain anomalous aquifer transport behavior such as the slow release of contamination and solute tracer tailing. Traditional tracer experiments to characterize DDMT are performed at the flow path scale (meters), which inherently incorporates heterogeneous exchange processes; hence, estimated "effective" parameters are sensitive to experimental design (i.e., duration and injection velocity). Recently, electrical geophysical methods have been used to aid in the inference of DDMT parameters because, unlike traditional fluid sampling, electrical methods can directly sense less-mobile solute dynamics and can target specific points along subsurface flow paths. Here we propose an analytical framework for graphical parameter inference based on a simple petrophysical model explaining the hysteretic relation between measurements of bulk and fluid conductivity arising in the presence of DDMT at the local scale. Analysis is graphical and involves visual inspection of hysteresis patterns to (1) determine the size of paired mobile and less-mobile porosities and (2) identify the exchange rate coefficient through simple curve fitting. We demonstrate the approach using laboratory column experimental data, synthetic streambed experimental data, and field tracer-test data. Results from the analytical approach compare favorably with results from calibration of numerical models and also independent measurements of mobile and less-mobile porosity. We show that localized electrical hysteresis patterns resulting from diffusive exchange are independent of injection velocity, indicating that repeatable parameters can be extracted under varied experimental designs, and these parameters represent the true intrinsic properties of specific volumes of porous media of aquifers and hyporheic zones.

Spatial Distribution of Bed Particles in Natural Boulder-Bed Streams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clancy, K. F.; Prestegaard, K. L.

2001-12-01

The Wolman pebble count is used to obtain the size distribution of bed particles in natural streams. Statistics such as median particle size (D50) are used in resistance calculations. Additional information such as bed particle heterogeneity may also be obtained from the particle distribution, which is used to predict sediment transport rates (Hey, 1979), (Ferguson, Prestegaard, Ashworth, 1989). Boulder-bed streams have an extreme range of particles in the particle size distribution ranging from sand size particles to particles larger than 0.5-m. A study of a natural boulder-bed reach demonstrated that the spatial distribution of the particles is a significant factor in predicting sediment transport and stream bed and bank stability. Further experiments were performed to test the limits of the spatial distribution's effect on sediment transport. Three stream reaches 40-m in length were selected with similar hydrologic characteristics and spatial distributions but varying average size particles. We used a grid 0.5 by 0.5-m and measured four particles within each grid cell. Digital photographs of the streambed were taken in each grid cell. The photographs were examined using image analysis software to obtain particle size and position of the largest particles (D84) within the reach's particle distribution. Cross section, topography and stream depth were surveyed. Velocity and velocity profiles were measured and recorded. With these data and additional surveys of bankfull floods, we tested the significance of the spatial distributions as average particle size decreases. The spatial distribution of streambed particles may provide information about stream valley formation, bank stability, sediment transport, and the growth rate of riparian vegetation.

Impacts of Freshets on Hyporheic Exchange Flow under Neutral Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, T.; Wu, L.; Worman, A. L. E.; Hannah, D. M.; Krause, S.; Gomez-Velez, J. D.

2016-12-01

Hyporheic zones (HZs) are characterized by the exchange of water, solutes, momentum and energy between streams and aquifers. Hyporheic exchange flow (HEF) is driven by pressure gradients along the sediment-water interface, which in turn are caused by interactions between channel flow and bed topography. With this in mind, changes in channel flow can have significant effects in the hydrodynamic and transport characteristics of HZs. While previous research has improved our understanding of the drivers and controls of HEF, little attention has been paid to the potential impacts of transient dynamic hydrologic forcing, such as freshets. In this study, we use a two-dimensional, homogeneous flow and transport model with a time-varying pressure distribution at the sediment-water interface to explore the dynamic development of HZ characteristics in response to discharge fluctuations (i.e., freshets). With this model, we explore a wide range of plausible scenarios for discharge and bed geometry. Our modelling results show that a single freshet alters the spatial extent and penetration of the HZ, though quantitatively different, when investigated using hydrological (streamlines/flow field) and geochemical (>90% of surface water in streambed) approaches of HZ. We summarize the results of a detailed sensitivity analysis where the effects of hydraulic geometry (slope, amplitude of the streambed), flood characteristics (duration, skewness and magnitude of the flood wave) and biogeochemical timescales (time-scale for oxygen consumption) on the HZ's extent, mean age, and oxic/anoxic zonation are explored. Taking into consideration these multiple morphological characteristics along with variable hydrological controls has clear potential to facilitate process understanding and upscaling.

Understanding Groundwater and Surface Water Exchange Processes Along a Controlled Stream Using Thermal Remote Sensing and In-Situ Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varli, D.; Yilmaz, K. K.

2016-12-01

Effective management of water resources requires understanding and quantification of interaction between groundwater and surface water bodies. Moreover, the exchange processes have recently received increasing attention due to important influences on biogeochemical and ecological status of watersheds. In this study we investigated the exchange processes between surface water and groundwater along Kirmir stream - a controlled stream nearby Kizilcahamam, Ankara, Turkey. At the first stage, potential stream reaches where the exchange processes could occur were pinpointed using geological and geomorphological information. Then, thermal remote sensing was utilized to further narrow down the potential locations in which interaction could occur at a smaller scale. Nested piezometers were installed at identified locations to observe the variations in vertical hydraulic gradient over time. Differential discharge measurements were performed to understand the gains and losses along the stream reach. Streambed temperature measurements were taken at two different depths for a period of time using temperature loggers to calculate the vertical fluid fluxes through the streambed at various locations. Basic water quality field parameters (temperature, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solid amount, dissolved oxygen, pH and oxidation - reduction potential) were measured along the stream reach, from surface water and the piezometers as wells as from the nearby springs and wells. Chloride mass balance was performed to find the contribution of groundwater and chloride concentrations were associated with the geology of the area. This hierarchical, multi-scale methodology provided an efficient and effective way to determine the locations and the direction of groundwater and surface water exchange processes within the study area.

Air Permeability and Infiltration Differences Associated with Grass and Gravel Streambeds in an Urban Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Witte, B.; Ferlin, C.; Gallo, E. L.; Lohse, K. A.; Meixner, T.; Brooks, P. D.; Ferre, T. A.

2010-12-01

Storm water infiltration and recharge is a key component of sustainable water resource management in rapidly expanding urban areas of arid and semi-arid regions. Near surface streambed permeability affects the partitioning of stream flows to infiltration and subsequent groundwater recharge, or increasing runoff to be conveyed downstream. Therefore, in this study, we assessed how air permeability varied among distinct stream beds of ephemeral urban washes in the semi-arid southwest. A Soil Core Air Permeameter (SCAP) was used to quantify in situ air permeability at sixteen sites in the Tucson, Arizona metropolitan area. Significant air permeability differences between gravel and grass lined ephemeral stream beds were found, where the average air permeability at the gravel sites was 3.58 x10-2 ± 1.11 x 10-2 mm2 (mean ± std error) and the air permeability at the grass sites was 7.13 x 10-3 ± 2.02 x 10-3 mm2. A previously published linear correlation between air permeability and saturated hydraulic conductivity was used to predict saturated hydraulic conductivity at the ephemeral stream beds of this study. Preliminary results suggest that the predicted saturated hydraulic conductivity values are comparable to ring infiltration measurements taken in the field. Findings from this study indicate that the higher porosity and decreased vegetation at the gravel lined urban washes enhanced infiltration rates, which may lead to decreased storm water runoff. However, higher infiltration rates at gravel lined sites may result in less time for processing of potential pollutants with negative implications for water quality.

Heterogeneity in leaf litter decomposition in a temporary Mediterranean stream during flow fragmentation.

PubMed

Abril, Meritxell; Muñoz, Isabel; Menéndez, Margarita

2016-05-15

In temporary Mediterranean streams, flow fragmentation during summer droughts originates an ephemeral mosaic of terrestrial and aquatic habitat types. The heterogeneity of habitat types implies a particular ecosystem functioning in temporary streams that is still poorly understood. We assessed the initial phases of leaf litter decomposition in selected habitat types: running waters, isolated pools and moist and dry streambed sediments. We used coarse-mesh litter bags containing Populus nigra leaves to examine decomposition rates, microbial biomass, macroinvertebrate abundance and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) release rates in each habitat type over an 11-day period in late summer. We detected faster decomposition rates in aquatic (running waters and isolated pools) than in terrestrial habitats (moist and dry streambed sediments). Under aquatic conditions, decomposition was characterized by intense leaching and early microbial colonization, which swiftly started to decompose litter. Microbial colonization in isolated pools was primarily dominated by bacteria, whereas in running waters fungal biomass predominated. Under terrestrial conditions, leaves were most often affected by abiotic processes that resulted in small mass losses. We found a substantial decrease in DOC release rates in both aquatic habitats within the first days of the study, whereas DOC release rates remained relatively stable in the moist and dry sediments. This suggests that leaves play different roles as a DOC source during and after flow fragmentation. Overall, our results revealed that leaf decomposition is heterogeneous during flow fragmentation, which has implications related to DOC utilization that should be considered in future regional carbon budgets. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Occurrence of Organic Wastewater Compounds in the Tinkers Creek Watershed and Two Other Tributaries to the Cuyahoga River, Northeast Ohio

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tertuliani, J.S.; Alvarez, D.A.; Furlong, E.T.; Meyer, M.T.; Zaugg, S.D.; Koltun, G.F.

2008-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey - in cooperation with the Ohio Water Development Authority; National Park Service; Cities of Aurora, Bedford, Bedford Heights, Solon, and Twinsburg; and Portage and Summit Counties - and in collaboration with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, did a study to determine the occurrence and distribution of organic wastewater compounds (OWCs) in the Tinkers Creek watershed in northeastern Ohio. In the context of this report, OWCs refer to a wide range of compounds such as antibiotics, prescription and nonprescription pharmaceuticals, personal-care products, household and industrial compounds (for example, antimicrobials, fragrances, surfactants, fire retardants, and so forth) and a variety of other chemicals. Canisters containing polar organic integrative sampler (POCIS) and semipermeable membrane device (SPMD) media were deployed instream for a 28-day period in Mayand June 2006 at locations upstream and downstream from seven wastewater-treatment-plant (WWTP) outfalls in the Tinkers Creek watershed, at a site on Tinkers Creek downstream from all WWTP discharges, and at one reference site each in two nearby watersheds (Yellow Creek and Furnace Run) that drain to the Cuyahoga River. Streambed-sediment samples also were collected at each site when the canisters were retrieved. POCIS and SPMDs are referred to as 'passive samplers' because they sample compounds that they are exposed to without use of mechanical or moving parts. OWCs detected in POCIS and SPMD extracts are referred to in this report as 'detections in water' because both POCIS and SPMDs provided time-weighted measures of concentration in the stream over the exposure period. Streambed sediments also reflect exposure to OWCs in the stream over a long period of time and provide another OWC exposure pathway for aquatic organisms. Four separate laboratory methods were used to analyze for 32 antibiotic, 20 pharmaceutical, 57 to 66 wastewater, and 33 hydrophobic compounds. POCIS and streambed-sediment extracts were analyzed by both the pharmaceutical and wastewater methods. POCIS extracts also were analyzed by the antibiotic method, and SPMD extracts were analyzed by the hydrophobic-compound method. Analytes associated with a given laboratory method are referred to in aggregate by the method name (for example, antibiotic-method analytes are referred to as 'antibiotic compounds') even though some analytes associated with the method may not be strictly classified as such. In addition, some compounds were included in the analyte list for more than one laboratory method. For a given sample matrix, individual compounds detected by more than one analytical method are included independently in counts for each method. A total of 12 antibiotic, 20 pharmaceutical, 41 wastewater, and 22 hydrophobic compounds were detected in water at one or more sites. Eight pharmaceutical and 37 wastewater compounds were detected in streambed sediments. The numbers of detections at reference sites tended to be in the low range of detection counts observed in the Tinkers Creek watershed for a given analytical method. Also, the total numbers of compounds detected in water and sediment at the reference sites were less than the total numbers of compounds detected at sites in the Tinkers Creek watershed. With the exception of hydrophobic compounds, it was common at most sites to have more compounds detected in samples collected downstream from WWTP outfalls than in corresponding samples collected upstream from the outfalls. This was particularly true for antibiotic, pharmaceutical, and wastewater compounds in water. In contrast, it was common to have more hydrophobic compounds detected in samples collected upstream from WWTP outfalls than downstream. Caffeine, fluoranthene, N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET), phenanthrene, and pyrene were detected in water at all sites in the Tinkers Creek watershed, irrespective of whether the site was upstream or downs

Water-quality conditions during low flow in the lower Youghiogheny River basin, Pennsylvania, October 5-7, 1998

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sams, James I.; Schroeder, Karl T.; Ackman, Terry E.; Crawford, J.K.; Otto, Kim L.

2001-01-01

In October 1998, a chemical synoptic survey was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, in the Lower Youghiogheny River Basin in Pennsylvania to give a snapshot of present (1998) water quality during low-flow conditions. Water samples from 38 sites—12 mainstem sites, 22 tributaries, and 4 mine discharges that discharge directly to the Youghiogheny River—were used to identify sources of contaminants from mining operations. Specific conductance, water temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen were measured in the field at each site and concentrations of major ions and trace elements were measured in the laboratory.zUnaccounted for gains and losses in streamflow were measured during the study. Unaccounted for losses in streamflow might be attributed to water loss through streambed fractures. Extensive mine tunnels are present in the basin and loss of water to these tunnels seems likely. Unaccounted for gains in streamflow may be from unmeasured tributaries or surface seeps, but most of the gains are suspected to come from artesian flow through fractures in the streambed from underground mine pools. Influent flows of rust-colored water were noted in some river sections.The pH values for all the samples collected during this survey were above 5.8, and most (33 of 38 samples) were above 7.0. Samples from the four mine-discharge sites also had pH values between 6.3 and 6.7. The lowest pH (5.8) was in a tributary, Galley Run. All 38 sampling sites had net alkalinity.The alkalinity load in the Youghiogheny River increased between Connellsville and McKeesport from 35 to 79 tons per day. Above Smithton, the measured alkalinity load in the Lower Youghiogheny River agreed well with the estimated alkalinity load. Below Smithton, measured alkalinity loads in the Lower Youghiogheny River are greater than calculated loads, resulting in unaccounted for gains in alkalinity. These gains are believed to be from seeps in the streambed. Approximately one-third of the load of total alkalinity in the Youghiogheny River at McKeesport is attributed to Sewickley Creek, which contributes 14 tons per day.Sulfate concentrations in the Youghiogheny River steadily increase from 33 milligrams per liter at Connellsville to 77 milligrams per liter near McKeesport. The measured concentrations of sulfate exceeded Pennsylvania water-quality standards at four tributary sites (Galley Run, Hickman Run, Sewickley Creek, and Gillespie Run) and all four mine-discharge sites but not at any main-stem sites. A large increase in sulfate load between West Newton and Sutersville can be attributed almost entirely to the contribution from Sewickley Creek (49 tons per day). Approximately 25 percent of the load measured between Connellsville and McKeesport is unaccounted for. These gains are believed to be from seeps in the streambed from underground mine pools.Similar patterns also were observed for loads of sodium, calcium, and magnesium. Unmeasured inputs from mine drainage are believed to be the source of these loads. Elevated concentrations (above background levels) of chemicals associated with drainage from coal-mining operations were measured in samples from tributaries, especially from Galley Run, Gillespie Run, and Sewickley Creek, and from the mine-discharge sites. The synoptic survey conducted for this study was successful in identifying generalized reaches of the Youghiogheny River where unaccounted for loads of constituents associated with mining activities are entering the river. However, the survey was not able to pinpoint the location of these loads. Remote-sensing techniques, such as thermal infrared imaging by the National Energy Technology Laboratory, could be useful for determining the precise locations of these inputs.

Quality of water and sediment in streams affected by historical mining, and quality of Mine Tailings, in the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo Basin, Big Bend Area of the United States and Mexico, August 2002

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lambert, Rebecca B.; Kolbe, Christine M.; Belzer, Wayne

2008-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the International Boundary and Water Commission - U.S. and Mexican Sections, the National Park Service, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the Secretaria de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales in Mexico, the Area de Proteccion de Flora y Fauna Canon de Santa Elena in Mexico, and the Area de Proteccion de Flora y Fauna Maderas del Carmen in Mexico, collected samples of stream water, streambed sediment, and mine tailings during August 2002 for a study to determine whether trace elements from abandoned mines in the area in and around Big Bend National Park have affected the water and sediment quality in the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo Basin of the United States and Mexico. Samples were collected from eight sites on the main stem of the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo, four Rio Grande/Rio Bravo tributary sites downstream from abandoned mines or mine-tailing sites, and 11 mine-tailing sites. Mines in the area were operated to produce fluorite, germanium, iron, lead, mercury, silver, and zinc during the late 1800s through at least the late 1970s. Moderate (relatively neutral) pHs in stream-water samples collected at the 12 Rio Grande/Rio Bravo main-stem and tributary sites indicate that water is well mixed, diluted, and buffered with respect to the solubility of trace elements. The highest sulfate concentrations were in water samples from tributaries draining the Terlingua mining district. Only the sample from the Rough Run Draw site exceeded the Texas Surface Water Quality Standards general-use protection criterion for sulfate. All chloride and dissolved solids concentrations in water samples were less than the general-use protection criteria. Aluminum, copper, mercury, nickel, selenium, and zinc were detected in all water samples for which each element was analyzed. Cadmium, chromium, and lead were detected in samples less frequently, and silver was not detected in any of the samples. None of the sample concentrations of aluminum, cadmium, chromium, nickel, selenium, and zinc exceeded the Texas Surface Water Quality Standards criteria for aquatic life-use protection or human health. The only trace elements detected in the water samples at concentrations exceeding the Texas Surface Water Quality Standards criterion for human health (fish consumption use) was lead at one site and mercury at 10 of 12 sites. Relatively high mercury concentrations distributed throughout the area might indicate sources of mercury in addition to abandoned mining areas. Streambed-sediment samples were collected from 12 sites and analyzed for 44 major and trace elements. In general, the trace elements detected in streambed-sediment samples were low in concentration, interpreted as consistent with background concentrations. Concentrations at two sites, however, were elevated compared to Texas Commission on Environmental Quality criteria. Concentrations of antimony, arsenic, cadmium, lead, silver, and zinc in the sample from San Carlos Creek downstream from La Esperanza (San Carlos) Mine exceeded the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality screening levels for sediment. The sample from Rough Run Draw, downstream from the Study Butte Mine, also showed elevated concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, and lead, but these concentrations were much lower than those in the San Carlos Creek sample and did not exceed screening levels. Elevated concentrations of multiple trace elements in streambed-sediment samples from San Carlos Creek and Rough Run Draw indicate that San Carlos Creek, and probably Rough Run Draw, have been adversely affected by mining activities. Fourteen mine-tailing samples from 11 mines were analyzed for 25 major and trace elements. All trace elements except selenium and thallium were detected in one or more samples. The highest lead concentrations were detected in tailings samples from the Boquillas, Puerto Rico, La Esperanza (San Carlos), and Tres Marias Mines, as might be expected because the tailings ar

Effects of Abandoned Coal-Mine Drainage on Streamflow and Water Quality in the Mahanoy Creek Basin, Schuylkill, Columbia, and Northumberland Counties, Pennsylvania, 2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cravotta,, Charles A.

2004-01-01

This report assesses the contaminant loading, effects to receiving streams, and possible remedial alternatives for abandoned mine drainage (AMD) within the Mahanoy Creek Basin in east-central Pennsylvania. The Mahanoy Creek Basin encompasses an area of 157 square miles (407 square kilometers) including approximately 42 square miles (109 square kilometers) underlain by the Western Middle Anthracite Field. As a result of more than 150 years of anthracite mining in the basin, ground water, surface water, and streambed sediments have been adversely affected. Leakage from streams to underground mines and elevated concentrations (above background levels) of acidity, metals, and sulfate in the AMD from flooded underground mines and (or) unreclaimed culm (waste rock) degrade the aquatic ecosystem and impair uses of the main stem of Mahanoy Creek from its headwaters to its mouth on the Susquehanna River. Various tributaries also are affected, including North Mahanoy Creek, Waste House Run, Shenandoah Creek, Zerbe Run, and two unnamed tributaries locally called Big Mine Run and Big Run. The Little Mahanoy Creek and Schwaben Creek are the only major tributaries not affected by mining. To assess the current hydrological and chemical characteristics of the AMD and its effect on receiving streams, and to identify possible remedial alternatives, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began a study in 2001, in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the Schuylkill Conservation District. Aquatic ecological surveys were conducted by the USGS at five stream sites during low base-flow conditions in October 2001. Twenty species of fish were identified in Schwaben Creek near Red Cross, which drains an unmined area of 22.7 square miles (58.8 square kilometers) in the lower part of the Mahanoy Creek Basin. In contrast, 14 species of fish were identified in Mahanoy Creek near its mouth at Kneass, below Schwaben Creek. The diversity and abundance of fish species in Mahanoy Creek decreased progressively upstream from 13 species at Gowen City to only 2 species each at Ashland and Girardville. White sucker (Catostomus commersoni), a pollution-tolerant species, was present at each of the surveyed reaches. The presence of fish at Girardville was unexpected because of the poor water quality and iron-encrusted streambed at this location. Generally, macroinvertebrate diversity and abundance at these sites were diminished compared to Schwaben Creek and other tributaries draining unmined basins, consistent with the observed quality of streamwater and streambed sediment. Data on the flow rate and chemistry for 35 AMD sources and 31 stream sites throughout the Mahanoy Creek Basin were collected by the USGS during high base-flow conditions in March 2001 and low base-flow conditions in August 2001. A majority of the base-flow streamwater samples met water-quality standards for pH (6.0 to 9.0); however, few samples downstream from AMD sources met criteria for acidity less than alkalinity (net alkalinity = 20 milligrams per liter as CaCO3) and concentrations of dissolved iron (0.3 milligram per liter) and total manganese (1.0 milligram per liter). Iron, aluminum, and various trace elements including cobalt, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc, were present in many streamwater samples at concentrations at which continuous exposure can not be tolerated by aquatic organisms without an unacceptable effect. Furthermore, concentrations of sulfate, iron, manganese, aluminum, and (or) beryllium in some samples exceeded drinking-water standards. Other trace elements, including antimony, arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, selenium, silver, and thallium, did not exceed water-quality criteria for protection of aquatic organisms or human health. Nevertheless, when considered together, concentrations of iron, manganese, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc in a majority of the streambed sediment samples from Mahanoy Creek and

Water-quality assessment of part of the upper Mississippi River basin, Minnesota and Wisconsin: Nitrogen and phosphorus in streams, streambed sediment, and ground water, 1971-94

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kroening, S.E.; Andrews, W.J.

1997-01-01

Dissolved phosphorus concentrations in ground water in the study area generally were near detection limits of 0.01 mg/L or lower, indicating that surface-water eutrophication from phosphorus may be more likely to occur from overland runoff of phosphorus compounds and from direct discharges of treated wastewater than from ground-water base flow. The greatest concentrations of dissolved phosphorus in ground water generally were detected in water samples from wells in urban portions of the study area.

Manganese minerals and associated fine particulates in the streambed of Pinal Creek, Arizona, U.S.A.: a mining-related acid drainage problem

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lind, Carol J.; Hem, J.D.

1993-01-01

The Pinal creek drainage basin in Arizona is a good example of the principal non-coal source of mining-related acid drainage in the U.S.A., namely copper mining. Infiltration of drainage waters from mining and ore refining has created an acid groundwater plume that has reacted with calcite during passage through the alluvium, thereby becoming less acid. Where O2 is present and the water is partially neutralized, iron oxides have precipitated and, farther downstream where the pH of the stream water is near neutral, high-Mn crusts have developed. Trace metal composition of several phases in the Pinal Creek drainage basin illustrates the changes caused by mining activities and the significant control Mn-crusts and iron oxide deposits exert on the distribution and concentration of trace metals. The phases and locales considered are the dissolved phase of Webster Lake, a former acid waste disposal pond; selected sections of cores drilled in the alluvium within the intermittent reach of Pinal Creek; and the dissolved phase, suspended sediments, and streambed deposits at specified locales along the perennial reach of Pinal creek. In the perennial reach of Pinal Creek, manganese oxides precipitate from the streamflow as non-cemented particulates and coatings of streambed material and as cemented black crusts. Chemical and X-ray diffraction analyses indicate that the non-cemented manganese oxides precipitate in the reaction sequence observed in previous laboratory experiments using simpler solution composition, Mn3O4 to MnOOH to an oxide of higher oxidation number usually <4.0, i.e. Na-birnessite, and that the black cemented crusts contain (Ca,Mn,Mg)CO3 and a 7-A?? phyllomanganate mixture of rancieite ((Ca,Mn)Mn4O9 ?? (3H2O)) and takanelite ((Mn,Ca)Mn4O9 ?? (3H2O)). In the laboratory, aerating and increasing the pH of Pinal Creek water to 9.00 precipitated (Ca,Mn,Mg)CO3 from an anoxic groundwater that contained CO2 HCO3, and precipitated Mn3O4 and subsequently MnOOH from an oxic surface water from which most of the dissolved CO2 had been removed. It is suggested that the black cemented crusts form by precipitation of Fe on the Mn-enriched carbonates, creating a site for the MnFe oxidation cycle and thus encouraging the conversion of the carbonates to 7-A?? physllomanganates. The non-magnetic <63-??m size-fractions of the black cemented crusts consisted mostly of the manganese-calcium oxides but also contained about 20% (Ca,Mn,Mg)CO3, 5% Fe (calculated as FeOOH), 2-4% exchangeable cations, and trace amounts of several silicates. ?? 1992.

Impact of meander geometry and stream flow events on residence times and solute transport in the intra-meander flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nasir Mahmood, Muhammad; Schmidt, Christian; Trauth, Nico

2017-04-01

Stream morphological features, in combination with hydrological variability play a key role in water and solute exchange across surface and subsurface waters. Meanders are prominent morphological features within stream systems which exhibit unique hydrodynamics. The water surface elevation difference across the inner bank of a meander induces lateral hyporheic exchange within the intra-meander region. This hyporheic flow is characterized by considerably prolonged flow paths and residence times (RT) compared to smaller scales of hyporheic exchange. In this study we examine the impact of different meander geometries on the intra-meander hyporheic flow field and solute mobilization under both steady state and transient flow conditions. We developed a number of artificial meander shape scenarios, representing various meander evolution stages, ranging from a typical initial to advanced stage (near cut off ) meander. Three dimensional steady state numerical groundwater flow simulations including the unsaturated zone were performed for the intra-meander region. The meandering stream was implemented in the model by adjusting the top layers of the modelling domain to the streambed elevation and assigning linearly decreasing head boundary conditions to the streambed cells. Residence times for the intra-meander region were computed by advective particle tracking across the inner bank of meander. Selected steady state cases were extended to transient flow simulations to evaluate the impact of stream discharge events on the temporal behavior of the water exchange and solute transport in the intra-meander region. The transient stream discharge was simulated for a number of discharge events of variable duration and peak height using the surface water model HEC-RAS. Transient hydraulic heads obtained from the surface water model were applied as transient head boundary conditions to the streambed cells of the groundwater model. A solute concentration source was added in the unsaturated zone to evaluate the effect of transient flow conditions on solute mobilization. Our preliminary results indicate that residence times ranging from 0.5 to 250 hours are influenced by meander geometry, as well as the size of the intra-meander area. In general, we found that larger intra-meander areas lead to longer flow paths and higher mean intra-meander residence times (MRTs). The shortest RTs were observed near the meander neck in all scenarios, a feature most predominant in more developed meander resulting shorter MRTs. Transient modelling results show that fluctuations in stream hydraulic head influence the transport and zonation of the solute concentration in the intra-meander area with higher and longer stream discharge events leading to stronger mobilization and removal of solutes dominated mainly around meander neck area.

Evaluation of groundwater and surface-water interactions in the Caddo Nation Tribal Jurisdictional Area, Caddo County, Oklahoma, 2010-13

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mashburn, Shana L.; Smith, S. Jerrod

2014-01-01

Streamflows, springs, and wetlands are important natural and cultural resources to the Caddo Nation. Consequently, the Caddo Nation is concerned about the vulnerability of the Rush Springs aquifer to overdrafting and whether the aquifer will continue to be a viable source of water to tribal members and other local residents in the future. Interest in the long-term viability of local water resources has resulted in ongoing development of a comprehensive water plan by the Caddo Nation. As part of a multiyear project with the Caddo Nation to provide information and tools to better manage and protect water resources, the U.S. Geological Survey studied the hydraulic connection between the Rush Springs aquifer and springs and streams overlying the aquifer. The Caddo Nation Tribal Jurisdictional Area is located in southwestern Oklahoma, primarily in Caddo County. Underlying the Caddo Nation Tribal Jurisdictional Area is the Permian-age Rush Springs aquifer. Water from the Rush Springs aquifer is used for irrigation, public, livestock and aquaculture, and other supply purposes. Groundwater from the Rush Springs aquifer also is withdrawn by domestic (self-supplied) wells, although domestic use was not included in the water-use summary in this report. Perennial streamflow in many streams and creeks overlying the Rush Springs aquifer, such as Cobb Creek, Lake Creek, and Willow Creek, originates from springs and seeps discharging from the aquifer. This report provides information on the evaluation of groundwater and surface-water resources in the Caddo Nation Jurisdictional Area, and in particular, information that describes the hydraulic connection between the Rush Springs aquifer and springs and streams overlying the aquifer. This report also includes data and analyses of base flow, evidence for groundwater and surface-water interactions, locations of springs and wetland areas, groundwater flows interpreted from potentiometric-surface maps, and hydrographs of water levels monitored in the Caddo Nation Tribal Jurisdictional Area from 2010 to 2013. Flow in streams overlying the Rush Springs aquifer, on average, were composed of 50 percent base flow in most years. Monthly mean base flow appeared to maintain streamflows throughout each year, but periods of zero flow were documented in daily hydrographs at each measured site, typically in the summer months. A pneumatic slug-test technique was used at 15 sites to determine the horizontal hydraulic conductivity of streambed sediments in streams overlying the Rush Springs aquifer. Converting horizontal hydraulic conductivities (Kh) from the slug-test analyses to vertical hydraulic conductivities (Kv) by using a ratio of Kv/Kh = 0.1 resulted in estimates of vertical streambed hydraulic conductivity ranging from 0.1 to 8.6 feet per day. Data obtained from a hydraulic potentiomanometer in streambed sediments and streams in August 2012 indicate that water flow was from the streambed sediments to the stream (gaining) at 6 of 15 sites, and that water flow was from the stream to the streambed sediments (losing) at 9 of 15 sites. The groundwater and surface-water interaction data collected at the Cobb Creek near Eakly, Okla., streamflow gaging station (07325800), indicate that the bedrock groundwater, alluvial groundwater, and surface-water resources are closely connected. Because of this hydrologic connection, large perennial streams in the study area may change from gaining to losing streams in the summer. The timing and severity of this change from a gaining to a losing condition probably is affected by the local or regional withdrawal of groundwater for irrigation in the summer growing season. Wells placed closer to streams have a greater and more immediate effect on alluvial groundwater levels and stream stages than wells placed farther from streams. Large-capacity irrigation wells, even those completed hundreds of feet below land surface in the bedrock aquifer, can induce surface-water flow from nearby streams by lowering alluvial groundwater levels below the stream altitude. Twenty-five new springs visible from public roads and paths were documented during a survey of springs in 2011. Most of the springs are in upland draws on the flanks of topographic ridges. Wetlands primarily were identified by using a combination of data sources including the National Wetlands Inventory, Soil Survey Geographic database frequently flooded soils maps, and aerial photographs. Regional flow directions were determined by analysis of water levels measured in 29 wells completed in the Rush 2 Springs aquifer in Caddo County and the Caddo Nation Tribal Jurisdictional Area. Water levels were monitored every 30 minutes in five wells by using a vented pressure transducer and a data-collection platform with real-time transmitting equipment in each well. Those five wells ranged in depth from 210 to 350 feet. Water levels in these five wells indicate that there was a decrease in water storage in the Rush Springs aquifer from October 2010 to June 2013.

Comparison of bottom-track to global positioning system referenced discharges measured using an acoustic Doppler current profiler

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wagner, Chad R.; Mueller, David S.

2011-01-01

A negative bias in discharge measurements made with an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) can be caused by the movement of sediment on or near the streambed. The integration of a global positioning system (GPS) to track the movement of the ADCP can be used to avoid the systematic negative bias associated with a moving streambed. More than 500 discharge transects from 63 discharge measurements with GPS data were collected at sites throughout the US, Canada, and New Zealand with no moving bed to compare GPS and bottom-track-referenced discharges. Although the data indicated some statistical bias depending on site conditions and type of GPS data used, these biases were typically about 0.5% or less. An assessment of differential correction sources was limited by a lack of data collected in a range of different correction sources and different GPS receivers at the same sites. Despite this limitation, the data indicate that the use of Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) corrected positional data is acceptable for discharge measurements using GGA as the boat-velocity reference. The discharge data based on GPS-referenced boat velocities from the VTG data string, which does not require differential correction, were comparable to the discharges based on GPS-referenced boat velocities from the differentially-corrected GGA data string. Spatial variability of measure discharges referenced to GGA, VTG and bottom-tracking is higher near the channel banks. The spatial variability of VTG-referenced discharges is correlated with the spatial distribution of maximum Horizontal Dilution of Precision (HDOP) values and the spatial variability of GGA-referenced discharges is correlated with proximity to channel banks.

Reactive solute transport in streams: 2. Simulation of a pH modification experiment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Runkel, Robert L.; McKnight, Diane M.; Bencala, Kenneth E.; Chapra, Steven C.

1996-01-01

We present an application of an equilibrium-based solute transport model to a pH-modification experiment conducted on the Snake River, an acidic, metal-rich stream located in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. During the experiment, instream pH decreased from 4.2 to 3.2, causing a marked increase in dissolved iron concentrations. Model application requires specification of several parameters that are estimated using tracer techniques, mass balance calculations, and geochemical data. Two basic questions are addressed through model application: (1) What are the processes responsible for the observed increase in dissolved iron concentrations? (2) Can the identified processes be represented within the equilibrium-based transport model? Simulation results indicate that the increase in iron was due to the dissolution of hydrous iron oxides and the photoreduction of ferric iron. Dissolution from the streambed is represented by considering a trace compartment consisting of freshly precipitated hydrous iron oxide and an abundant compartment consisting of aged precipitates that are less soluble. Spatial variability in the solubility of hydrous iron oxide is attributed to heterogeneity in the streambed sediments, temperature effects, and/or variability in the effects of photoreduction. Solubility products estimated via simulation fall within a narrow range (pKsp from 40.2 to 40.8) relative to the 6 order of magnitude variation reported for laboratory experiments (pKsp from 37.3 to 43.3). Results also support the use of an equilibrium-based transport model as the predominate features of the iron and pH profiles are reproduced. The model provides a valuable tool for quantifying the nature and extent of pH-dependent processes within the context of hydrologic transport.

Incorporating seepage losses into the unsteady streamflow equations for simulating intermittent flow along mountain front streams

USGS Publications Warehouse

Niswonger, R.G.; Prudic, David E.; Pohll, G.; Constantz, J.

2005-01-01

Seepage losses along numerous mountain front streams that discharge intermittently onto alluvial fans and piedmont alluvial plains are an important source of groundwater in the Basin and Range Province of the Western United States. Determining the distribution of seepage loss along mountain front streams is important when assessing groundwater resources of the region. Seepage loss along a mountain front stream in northern Nevada was evaluated using a one-dimensional unsteady streamflow model. Seepage loss was incorporated into the spatial derivatives of the streamflow equations. Because seepage loss from streams is dependent on stream depth, wetted perimeter, and streambed properties, a two-dimensional variably saturated flow model was used to develop a series of relations between seepage loss and stream depth for each reach. This method works when streams are separated from groundwater by variably saturated sediment. Two periods of intermittent flow were simulated to evaluate the modeling approach. The model reproduced measured flow and seepage losses along the channel. Seepage loss in the spring of 2000 was limited to the upper reaches on the alluvial plain and totaled 196,000 m3, whereas 64% of the seepage loss in the spring of 2004 occurred at the base of the alluvial plain and totaled 273,000 m3. A greater seepage loss at the base of the piedmont alluvial plain is attributed to increased streambed hydraulic conductivity caused by less armoring of the channel. The modeling approach provides a method for quantifying and distributing seepage loss along mountain front streams that cross alluvial fans or piedmont alluvial plains. Copyright 2005 by the American Geophysical Union.

Summary and Comparison of Multiphase Streambed Scour Analysis at Selected Bridge Sites in Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Conaway, Jeffrey S.

2004-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey and the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities undertook a cooperative multiphase study of streambed scour at selected bridges in Alaska beginning in 1994. Of the 325 bridges analyzed for susceptibility to scour in the preliminary phase, 54 bridges were selected for a more intensive analysis that included site investigations. Cross-section geometry and hydraulic properties for each site in this study were determined from field surveys and bridge plans. Water-surface profiles were calculated for the 100- and 500-year floods using the Hydrologic Engineering Center?s River Analysis System and scour depths were calculated using methods recommended by the Federal Highway Administration. Computed contraction-scour depths for the 100- and 500-year recurrence-interval discharges exceeded 5 feet at six bridges, and pier-scour depths exceeded 10 feet at 24 bridges. Complex pier-scour computations were made at 10 locations where the computed contraction-scour depths would expose pier footings. Pressure scour was evaluated at three bridges where the modeled flood water-surface elevations intersected the bridge structure. Site investigation at the 54 scour-critical bridges was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the preliminary scour analysis. Values for channel-flow angle of attack and approach-channel width were estimated from bridge survey plans for the preliminary study and were measured during a site investigation for this study. These two variables account for changes in scour depths between the preliminary analysis and subsequent reanalysis for most sites. Site investigation is needed for best estimates of scour at bridges with survey plans that indicate a channel-flow angle of attack and for locations where survey plans did not include sufficient channel geometry upstream of the bridge.

Retention and Migration of Fine Organic Particles within an Agricultural Stream: Toenepi, Waikato, New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drummond, J. D.; Davies-Colley, R.; Stott, R.; Sukias, J.; Nagels, J.; Sharp, A.; Packman, A. I.

2013-12-01

Fine organic particle dynamics are important to stream biogeochemistry, ecology, and transport of contaminant microbes. These particles migrate downstream through a series of deposition and resuspension events, which results in a wide range of residence times. This retention influences biogeochemical processing and in-stream stores of contaminant microbes that may mobilize during flood events and present a hazard to downstream uses such as water supplies and recreation. We are conducting studies to gain insights into organic particle dynamics in streams, with a campaign of experiments and modeling. The results should improve understanding of nutrient (C, N, P) spiraling and fine sediment movement in streams, and have particular application to microbial hazards. We directly measure microbial transport by including the indicator organism, E. coli, as a tracer, which is compared to a fluorescent inert particle tracer and conservative solute to gain insight on both microbial ecology and waterborne disease transmission. We developed a stochastic model to describe the transport and retention of fine suspended particles in rivers, including advective delivery of particles to the streambed, transport through porewaters, and reversible filtration within the streambed. Because fine particles are only episodically transported in streams, with intervening periods at rest in the bed, this transport process violates conventional advection-dispersion assumptions. Instead we adopt a stochastic mobile-immobile model formulation to describe fine particle transport. We apply this model to measurements of particle transport from multiple tracer experiments in an agricultural stream in the Waikato dairy region of New Zealand, and use the model to improve interpretation of baseflow particle dynamics. Our results show the importance of the benthic and hyporheic regions and in-stream vegetation as a reservoir for fine organic particles in streams.

Streambed Mobility and Dispersal of Aquatic Insect Larvae: Results from a Laboratory Study.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kenworthy, S. T.

2002-12-01

Three series of flume experiments were conducted to quantify relationships between entrainment of surface layer gravels and displacement of benthic insect larvae. One series (B) utilized a sediment mixture with a median size 6.9 mm, maximum size 45 mm, and 10% < 2mm. Two other series examined the effects of locally coarsening the bed surface (Bc) and increasing the < 2mm fraction to 20% (S). Aquatic insect larvae were collected in the field and placed in an upstream segment of the flume bed. Flow rate, flume slope, and sediment transport rate were varied systematically among experiments. Displaced larvae were collected in a net at the end of the flume. The distribution of larvae remaining in the bed was obtained by sorting larvae from the sediment in 25 channel segments. Flow rate and mean boundary shear stress varied among runs by factors of 1.2 and 2.4 respectively. Proportional entrainment of >11mm surface grains ranged from <0.05 to >0.90. Displacement of insect larvae increased in a regular and consistent manner with increasing flow strength and surface sediment entrainment. Significant displacement occurred for some types of larvae (Ephemerellid mayflies) over a relatively low range of shear stress and bed surface entrainment. Other larvae (Atherix sp.) were displaced only at the highest levels of bed surface entrainment. Displacement was lower from coarsened bed surfaces in series Bc, and higher from sandier sediments in series S experiments. The differential effects of bed surface entrainment upon various types of larvae are consistent with anatomical and behavioral differences that influence exposure to near-bed flow and bedload transport. These results suggest that spatial patterns of sediment mobilization are important for understanding patterns of dispersal and disturbance of streambed communities.

Change in hyporheic zone residence time under different surface flow states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Suning; Chui, Ting Fong May

2017-04-01

Hyporheic zone (HZ), which is the ecotone immediately below or adjacent to a stream, plays an important role in a stream ecological system. One of the most common metrics in evaluating the functioning of an HZ is residence time (RT) which is the duration a water molecule or a solute remains within the HZ. Many factors, such as meandering of a stream, heterogeneity of streambed, can influence the RT of an HZ. Stream discharge is another governing but less discussed factor. Different discharge values produce different flow states (i.e.., subcritical, critical and supercritical) and alluvial stream bed forms. This study examined the changes of RT in discharges of different states and their corresponding induced bed forms. It employed a toolbox developed by Stonedahl et al. (2015) within Netlogo to simulate the RT of an HZ, considering three discharge values in each of the supercritical, critical and subcritical states. It approximated the bed forms as sinusoidal waves with amplitudes and periods selected for each flow state. The simulated results suggest that the RT is minimum when the flow is critical, and it is longer for both subcritical and supercritical flows. For subcritical flow, the RT, as well as the fraction remained within the streambed during particle tracing, increases with the increase in discharge value. However, there is no such variation among the different discharge values of supercritical flow. Therefore, for supercritical flow, one combination of discharge value and bed form might be sufficient and representative. However, for subcritical flow, the variations of discharge values and their induced bed forms should be considered. Reference: Stonedahl, S.H., Roche, K.R., Stonedahl, F., & Packman, A.I. (2015). Visualizing Hyporheic Flow Through Bedforms Using Dye Experiments and Simulation. J. Vis. Exp. (105), e53285. doi: 10.3791/53285

Water-quality assessment of the Kentucky River basin, Kentucky; results of investigations of surface-water quality, 1987-90

USGS Publications Warehouse

Haag, K.H.; Garcia, Rene; Jarrett, G.L.; Porter, S.D.

1995-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey investigated the water quality of the Kentucky River Basin in Kentucky as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment program. Data collected during 1987-90 were used to describe the spatial and temporal variability of water-quality constituents including metals and trace elements, nutrients, sediments, pesticides, dissolved oxygen, and fecal-coliform bacteria. Oil-production activities were the source of barium, bromide, chloride, magnesium, and sodium in several watersheds. High concentrations of aluminum, iron, and zinc were related to surface mining in the Eastern Coal Field Region. High concentrations of lead and zinc occurred in streambed sediments in urban areas, whereas concentrations of arsenic, strontium, and uranium were associated with natural geologic sources. Concentrations of phosphorus were significantly correlated with urban and agricultural land use. The high phosphorus content of Bluegrass Region soils was an important source of phosphorus in streams. At many sites in urban areas, most of the stream nitrogen load was attributable to wastewater-treatment-plant effluent. Average suspended-sediment concentrations were positively correlated with discharge. There was a downward trend in suspended-sediment concentrations downstream in the Kentucky River main stem during the study. The most frequently detected herbicides in water samples were atrazine, 2,4-D, alachlor, metolachlor, and dicamba. Diazinon, malathion, and parathion were the most frequently detected organophosphate insecticides in water samples. Detectable concentrations of aldrin, chlordane, DDT, DDE, dieldrin, endrin, endosulfan, heptachlor, and lindane were found in streambed-sediment samples. Dissolved-oxygen concentrations were sometimes below the minimum concentration needed to sustain aquatic life. At some sites, high concentrations of fecal-indicator bacteria were found and water samples did not meet sanitary water-quality criteria.

Biological assessment and streambed-sediment chemistry of streams in the Indianapolis metropolitan area, Indiana, 2003–2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Voelker, David C.

2012-01-01

During 2003–2008, the U.S. Geological Survey sampled 13 sites in the Indianapolis metropolitan area in Indiana for benthic invertebrates, fish communities, and streambed-sediment chemistry. Data from seven White River sites and six tributary sites complement surface-water chemistry data collected by the Indianapolis Department of Public Works. The information is being used to assess changes in water quality in conjunction with the City's programs to reduce combined sewer overflows and other point and nonpoint sources of pollution in the Indianapolis area. During the study, 233 benthic-invertebrate taxa were identified from which the Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) Index, the Hilsenhoff Biotic Index (HBI), and the Invertebrate Community Index (ICI) were calculated. EPT index scores ranged from 2 to 16 on the White River and from 2 to 17 on the tributaries. EPT index scores indicate that these pollution-intolerant taxa are more prevalent upstream from and away from the combined-sewer areas of Indianapolis. HBI scores from sites on the White River ranged from 4.67 (good) to 9.55 (very poor), whereas on the tributaries, scores ranged from 4.21 (very good) to 8.14 (poor). Lower HBI scores suggest that less organic pollution was present and, like the EPT scores, indicate better conditions where combined-sewer overflows (CSOs) are not present. Similarly, ICI scores indicated better conditions upstream from the CSO outfalls on the White River. White River scores ranged from 12 to 46, where higher ICI scores indicate better conditions in the benthic-invertebrate community. ICI scores at the tributary sites ranged from 12 to 52, with the highest scores on streams without CSOs.

Analytical Results for Municipal Biosolids Samples from a Monitoring Program Near Deer Trail, Colorado (U.S.A.), 2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crock, J.G.; Smith, D.B.; Yager, T.J.B.; Berry, C.J.; Adams, M.G.

2009-01-01

Since late 1993, Metro Wastewater Reclamation District of Denver (Metro District), a large wastewater treatment plant in Denver, Colo., has applied Grade I, Class B biosolids to about 52,000 acres of nonirrigated farmland and rangeland near Deer Trail, Colo. (U.S.A.). In cooperation with the Metro District in 1993, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began monitoring groundwater at part of this site. In 1999, the USGS began a more comprehensive monitoring study of the entire site to address stakeholder concerns about the potential chemical effects of biosolids applications to water, soil, and vegetation. This more comprehensive monitoring program has recently been extended through 2010. Monitoring components of the more comprehensive study include biosolids collected at the wastewater treatment plant, soil, crops, dust, alluvial and bedrock groundwater, and stream-bed sediment. Streams at the site are dry most of the year, so samples of stream-bed sediment deposited after rain were used to indicate surface-water effects. This report will present only analytical results for the biosolids samples collected at the Metro District wastewater treatment plant in Denver and analyzed during 2008. Crock and others have presented earlier a compilation of analytical results for the biosolids samples collected and analyzed for 1999 thru 2006, and in a separate report, data for the 2007 biosolids are reported. More information about the other monitoring components is presented elsewhere in the literature. Priority parameters for biosolids identified by the stakeholders and also regulated by Colorado when used as an agricultural soil amendment include the total concentrations of nine trace elements (arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, molybdenum, nickel, selenium, and zinc), plutonium isotopes, and gross alpha and beta activity. Nitrogen and chromium also were priority parameters for groundwater and sediment components.

Regional baseline geochemistry and environmental effects of gold placer mining operations on the Fortymile River, eastern Alaska: A section in Geologic studies in Alaska by the U.S. Geological Survey, 1998

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wanty, Richard B.; Wang, Bronwen; Vohden, Jim; Briggs, Paul H.; Meier, Allen L.

2000-01-01

A systematic water-quality study of the Fortymile River and many of its major tributaries in eastern Alaska was conducted in June of 1997 and 1998. Surface-water samples were collected for chemical analyses to establish regional baseline geochemistry values and to evaluate the possible environmental effects of suction-dredge placer gold mining and bulldozer-operated placer gold mining (commonly referred to as “cat mining”). In general, the water quality of the Fortymile River is very good, with low total dissolved solids and only two cases in which the concentration of any element exceeded primary or secondary drinking-water quality standards. In both cases, iron exceeded secondary drinking-water limits. At the time this work was conducted, only a handful of suction dredges were operating on the lower Fortymile River, and cat mining was being conducted along Uhler Creek and Canyon Creek, two major tributaries to the river. Based on the water-quality and turbidity data, the suction dredges have no apparent impact on the Fortymile River system, although possible effects on biota have not been evaluated in this study. In contrast, the cat-mining operations in Canyon Creek appear to have a dramatic impact on water quality and stream-bed morphology, based on the field water-quality and turbidity measurements, on comparisons to adjacent unmined drainages, and on field observations of stream-bed morphology. The cat mining in Uhler Creek appears to have had less impact, perhaps because the main stream channel was not as heavily disrupted by the bulldozers, and the stability of the channel was mostly preserved.

Factors affecting the growth of Didymosphenia geminata in New Zealand rivers: Flow, bed disturbance, nutrients, light, and seasonal dynamics. (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cullis, J. D.; Gillis, C.; Drummond, J. D.; Garcia, T.; Kilroy, C.; Larned, S.; Hassan, M. A.

2010-12-01

Didymosphenia geminata (didymo) was introduced into a New Zealand river in 2004, and since then has dramatically spread to cover the beds of many rivers with extremely dense and extensive mats. Successful management is hampered by the fact that much is still unknown about the factors affecting the growth of this nuisance species. We synthesized available data on the distribution of D. geminata in New Zealand rivers to determine how physical and chemical system conditions (flow, bed disturbance, nutrients, and light) affect the growth and persistence of this organism. Here we assess results from bi-weekly surveys performed over a full year on two rivers where didymo was first observed in New Zealand; the Oreti and Mararoa. We used the data to test the hypotheses that the development of thick, dense mats requires high light levels but is inversely proportional to nutrient levels, and that mat persistence is controlled by the frequency of flow events that produce bed sediment transport. Observed regrowth between disturbance events was found to be inversely correlated with nutrient availability. The seasonal availability of light did not correlate with variations in growth rate, but this did not account for specific characteristics of the different sites such as aspect, shading, flow depth and turbidity that will all impact on the amount of available light reaching the streambed. The results clearly indicate that the time-history of flow and nutrient levels is critical to evaluating the growth and persistence of D. geminata and that additional site specific information is necessary to determine the role of bed stability and the amount of available light reaching the streambed.

Geomorphic changes resulting from floods in reconfigured gravel-bed river channels in Colorado, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Elliott, J.G.; Capesius, J.P.

2009-01-01

Geomorphic changes in reconfi gured reaches of three Colorado rivers in response to floods in 2005 provide a benchmark for "restoration" assessment. Sedimententrainment potential is expressed as the ratio of the shear stress from the 2 yr, 5 yr, 10 yr, and 2005 floods to the critical shear stress for sediment. Some observed response was explained by the excess of flood shear stress relative to the resisting force of the sediment. Bed-load entrainment in the Uncompahgre River and the North Fork Gunnison River, during 4 and 6 yr floods respectively, resulted in streambed scour, streambed deposition, lateral-bar accretion, and channel migration at various locations. Some constructed boulder and log structures failed because of high rates of bank erosion or bed-material deposition. The Lake Fork showed little or no net change after the 2005 flood; however, this channel had not conveyed floods greater than the 2.5 yr flood since reconfi guration. Channel slope and the 2 yr flood, a surrogate for bankfull discharge, from all three reconfi gured reaches plotted above the Leopold and Wolman channel-pattern threshold in the "braided channel" region, indicating that braiding, rather than a single-thread meandering channel, and midchannel bar formation may be the natural tendency of these gravel-bed reaches. When plotted against a total stream-power and median-sediment-size threshold for the 2 yr flood, however, the Lake Fork plotted in the "single-thread channel" region, the North Fork Gunnison plotted in the " multiplethread" region, and the Uncompahgre River plotted on the threshold. All three rivers plotted in the multiple-thread region for floods of 5 yr recurrence or greater. ?? 2009 Geological Society of America.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly - Interacting Physical, Biogeochemical and Biolological Controls of Nutrient Cycling at Ecohydrological Interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krause, S.; Baranov, V. A.; Lewandowski, J.; Blaen, P. J.; Romeijn, P.

2016-12-01

The interfaces between streams, lakes and their bed sediments have for a long time been in the research focus of ecohydrologists, aquatic ecologists and biogeochemists. While over the past decades, critical understanding has been gained of the spatial patterns and temporal dynamics in nutrient cycling at sediment-freshwater interfaces, important question remain as to the actual drivers (physical, biogeochemical and biological) of the often observed hot spots and hot moments of nutrient cycling at these highly reactive systems. This study reports on a combination of laboratory manipulation, artificial stream and field experiments from reach to river network scales to investigate the interplay of physical, biogeochemical and biological drivers of interface nutrient cycling under the impact of and resilience to global environmental change. Our results indicate that biogeochemical hotspots at sediment-freshwater interfaces were controlled not only by reactant mixing ratios and residence time distributions, but strongly affected by patterns in streambed physical properties and bioavailability of organic carbon. Lab incubation experiments revealed that geology, and in particular organic matter content strongly controlled the magnitude of enhanced streambed greenhouse gas production caused by increasing water temperatures. While these findings help to improve our understanding of physical and biogeochemical controls on nutrient cycling, we only start to understand to what degree biological factors can enhance these processes even further. We found that for instance chironomid or brittle star facilitated bioturbation in has the potential to substantially enhance freshwater or marine sediment pore-water flow and respiration. We revealed that ignorance of these important biologically controls on physical exchange fluxes can lead to critical underestimation of whole system respiration and its increase under global environmental change.

Heat as a groundwater tracer in shallow and deep heterogeneous media: Analytical solution, spreadsheet tool, and field applications

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kurylyk, Barret L.; Irvine, Dylan J.; Carey, Sean K.; Briggs, Martin A.; Werkema, Dale D.; Bonham, Mariah

2017-01-01

Groundwater flow advects heat, and thus, the deviation of subsurface temperatures from an expected conduction‐dominated regime can be analysed to estimate vertical water fluxes. A number of analytical approaches have been proposed for using heat as a groundwater tracer, and these have typically assumed a homogeneous medium. However, heterogeneous thermal properties are ubiquitous in subsurface environments, both at the scale of geologic strata and at finer scales in streambeds. Herein, we apply the analytical solution of Shan and Bodvarsson (2004), developed for estimating vertical water fluxes in layered systems, in 2 new environments distinct from previous vadose zone applications. The utility of the solution for studying groundwater‐surface water exchange is demonstrated using temperature data collected from an upwelling streambed with sediment layers, and a simple sensitivity analysis using these data indicates the solution is relatively robust. Also, a deeper temperature profile recorded in a borehole in South Australia is analysed to estimate deeper water fluxes. The analytical solution is able to match observed thermal gradients, including the change in slope at sediment interfaces. Results indicate that not accounting for layering can yield errors in the magnitude and even direction of the inferred Darcy fluxes. A simple automated spreadsheet tool (Flux‐LM) is presented to allow users to input temperature and layer data and solve the inverse problem to estimate groundwater flux rates from shallow (e.g., <1 m) or deep (e.g., up to 100 m) profiles. The solution is not transient, and thus, it should be cautiously applied where diel signals propagate or in deeper zones where multi‐decadal surface signals have disturbed subsurface thermal regimes.

Laboratory Investigation of Complex Conductivity and Magnetic Susceptibility on Natural Iron Oxide Coated Sand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, C.; Slater, L. D.; Day-Lewis, F. D.; Briggs, M. A.

2017-12-01

Redox reactions occurring at the oxic/anoxic interface where groundwater discharges to surface water commonly result in iron oxide deposition that coats sediment grains. With relatively large total surface area, these iron oxide coated sediments serve as a sink for sorption of dissolved contaminants, although this sink may be temporary if redox conditions fluctuate with varied flow conditions. Characterization of the distribution of iron oxides in streambed sediments could provide valuable understanding of biogeochemical reactions and the ability of a natural system to sorb contaminants. Towards developing a field methodology, we conducted laboratory spectral induced polarization (SIP) and magnetic susceptibility (MS) measurements on natural iron oxide coated sand (Fe-sand) with grain sizes ranging from 0.3 to 2.0 mm in order to assess the sensitivity of these measurements to iron oxides in sediments. The Fe-sand was also sorted by sieving into various grain sizes to study the impact of grain size on the polarization mechanisms. The unsorted Fe-sand saturated with 0.01 S/m NaCl solution exhibited a distinct phase response ( > 4 mrad) in the frequency range from 0.001 to 100 Hz whereas regular silica sand was characterized by a phase response less than 1 mrad under the same conditions. The presence of iron oxide substantially increased MS (3.08×10-3 SI) over that of regular sand ( < 10-5 SI). An increase of both phase peak and relaxation time was found with increasing grain size of the sorted Fe-sand. Laboratory results demonstrated that SIP and MS may be well suited to mapping the distribution of iron oxides in streambed sediments associated with anoxic groundwater discharge.

Assessment of possible sources of microbiological contamination in the water column and streambed sediment of the Jacks Fork, Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Missouri - Phase III

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Jerri V.; Barr, Miya N.

2006-01-01

In 1998, a 5 river-mile reach of the Jacks Fork was included on Missouri's list of impaired waters as required by Section 303(d) of the Federal Clean Water Act. The identified pollutant on the Jacks Fork was fecal coliform bacteria. The length of the impaired reach was changed to 7 miles on the Missouri 2002 303(d) list because of data indicating the fecal coliform bacteria problem existed over a broader area. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the National Park Service, conducted a study to better understand the extent and sources of microbiological contamination within the Jacks Fork from Alley Spring to the mouth, which includes the 7-mile 303(d) reach. Ten sites were sampled from June 2003 through October 2003 and from June 2004 through October 2004. Water-column and streambed sediment samples were collected from main-stem and tributary sites mostly during base-flow conditions during a variety of recreational season river uses and analyzed for fecal coliform and Escherichia coli bacteria. Isolates of Escherichia coli obtained from water samples collected at five sites were submitted for rep-PCR analysis to identify presumptive sources of fecal indicator bacteria in the Jacks Fork. Results indicate that recreational users (including boaters and swimmers) are not the primary source of fecal coliform bacteria in the Jacks Fork; rather, the presence of fecal coliform bacteria is associated with other animals, of which horses are the primary source. Increases in fecal coliform bacteria densities in the Jacks Fork are associated with cross-country horseback trail-riding events.

Breeding habitat preference of preimaginal black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) in Peninsular Malaysia.

PubMed

Ya'cob, Zubaidah; Takaoka, Hiroyuki; Pramual, Pairot; Low, Van Lun; Sofian-Azirun, Mohd

2016-01-01

To investigate the breeding habitat preference of black flies, a comprehensive black fly survey was conducted for the first time in Peninsular Malaysia. Preimaginal black flies (pupae and larvae) were collected manually from 180 stream points encompassing northern, southern, central and east coast of the Peninsular Malaysia. A total of 47 black fly species were recorded in this study. The predominant species were Simulium trangense (36.7%) and Simulium angulistylum (33.3%). Relatively common species were Simulium cheongi (29.4%), Simulium tani (25.6%), Simulium nobile (16.2%), Simulium sheilae (14.5%) and Simulium bishopi (10.6%). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of all stream variables revealed four PCs that accounted for 69.3% of the total intersite variance. Regression analysis revealed that high species richness is associated with larger, deeper, faster and higher discharge streams with larger streambed particles, more riparian vegetation and low pH (F=22.7, d.f.=1, 173; P<0.001). Relationship between species occurrence of seven common species (present in >10% of the sampling sites) was assessed. Forward logistic regression analysis indicated that four species were significantly related to the stream variables. S. nobile and S. tani prefer large, fast flowing streams with higher pH, large streambed particles and riparian trees. S. bishopi was commonly found at high elevation with cooler stream, low conductivity, higher conductivity and more riparian trees. In contrast, S. sheilae was negatively correlated with PC-2, thus, this species commonly found at low elevation, warmer stream with low conductivity and less riparian trees. The results of this study are consistent with previous studies from other geographic regions, which indicated that both physical and chemical stream conditions are the key factors for black fly ecology. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sediment discharge and channel change in the North Fork Teton River, 1977-78, Fremont and Madison counties, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Williams, Rhea P.

1979-01-01

The Teton Dam failure flood of June 5, 1976, severely disrupted the geomorphic character of North Fork Teton River in Idaho. Extensive channel restoration was required to contain expected normal spring flows. Six principal sites were established on the 17-mile reach of the river to study sediment transport and channel change during 1977-78. During April 1 to September 30, 1977, total water discharge at Teton Island bridge was 97,530 acre-feet; 4,360 tons of total sediment were transported. Total water discharge, April 1 to September 30, 1978, was 191,940 acre-feet; 10,680 tons of total sediment were transported. Analyses of data indicated several trends of erosion and deposition. Minimal channel change in the upper 7 miles of the river indicated equilibrium may temporarily exist between hydraulic-flow properties and channel shape. Streambed profiles indicated little change in streambed elevations. Erosional tonnage at mid-study reaches was 4,260 tons. One-half mile downstream, an increase of 4,150 tons of suspended and 1,050 tons of bedload sediment probably was partly derived from upstream bank erosion. An estimated 5,870 tons was deposited within the next subreach downstream. Virtually the entire bedload was redeposited before the last subreach, 4.4 miles downstream measured bedload was 91 tons. Suspended-sediment discharge transported past the last site was 16,470 tons. Lateral erosion and deposition in the lower 10 miles of the river indicate that subreaches now shortened by manmade channel alinements may begin to meander. Future deposition of coarse material at upstream gravel and concrete impoundments may trigger instability in the entire river. (Kosco-USGS)

Surface-water-quality assessment of the lower Kansas River basin, Kansas and Nebraska; selected metals, arsenic, and phosphorus in streambed sediments of first- and second-order streams, 1987

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tanner, D.Q.; Ryder, J.L.

1996-01-01

Concentrations of metals and nonmetallic elements were measured in the less than 63-micrometer-sized fraction of streambed-sediment samples from 422 sites on first- and second-order streams in the lower Kansas River Basin of Kansas and Nebraska. Median concentrations were of the same order of magnitude as the geometric mean concentrations in soils of the western United States. Either threshold concentrations (based on normal-probability plots) or upper percentile classes (greater than 50 percent) of concentrations were determined for 14 metals, arsenic, and phosphorus. Samples with a concentration greater than the threshold concentration indicated possible enrichment with respect to that particular element. Concentrations of the transition metals, which included chromium, cobalt, copper, manganese, nickel, and vanadium, generally were larger in the southeastern part of the study unit where Permian and Pennsylvanian shale and limestone predominate. The largest concen- trations of alakali metals, potassium and sodium, mainly were in the northwestern part of the study unit, which is an area of Quaternary loess deposits irrigated with ground water. Larger concentrations of the alkaline-earth metal, barium, also were in the northwestern part of the study unit. Concentrations of the other alkaline-earth metals, calcium, magnesium, and strontium, were larger in the southern part of the basin, which is underlain by Permian and Pennsylvanian shale and limestone. The largest concentrations of arsenic and lead and were mainly in the southeastern part of the study unit. Large concentrations of phosphorus occurred in the northwestern part of the study unit and were associated with irrigated agriculture.

Pathways for arsenic from sediments to groundwater to streams: Biogeochemical processes in the Inner Coastal Plain, New Jersey, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barringer, Julia L.; Mumford, Adam; Young, Lily Y.; Reilly, Pamela A.; Bonin, Jennifer L.; Rosman, Robert

2010-01-01

The Cretaceous and Tertiary sediments that underlie the Inner Coastal Plain of New Jersey contain the arsenic-rich mineral glauconite. Streambed sediments in two Inner Coastal Plain streams (Crosswicks and Raccoon Creeks) that traverse these glauconitic deposits are enriched in arsenic (15–25 mg/kg), and groundwater discharging to the streams contains elevated levels of arsenic (>80 μg/L at a site on Crosswicks Creek) with arsenite generally the dominant species. Low dissolved oxygen, low or undetectable levels of nitrate and sulfate, detectable sulfide concentrations, and high concentrations of iron and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the groundwater indicate that reducing environments are present beneath the streambeds and that microbial activity, fueled by the DOC, is involved in releasing arsenic and iron from the geologic materials. In groundwater with the highest arsenic concentrations at Crosswicks Creek, arsenic respiratory reductase gene (arrA) indicated the presence of arsenic-reducing microbes. From extracted DNA, 16s rRNA gene sequences indicate the microbial community may include arsenic-reducing bacteria that have not yet been described. Once in the stream, iron is oxidized and precipitates as hydroxide coatings on the sediments. Arsenite also is oxidized and co-precipitates with or is sorbed to the iron hydroxides. Consequently, dissolved arsenic concentrations are lower in streamwater than in the groundwater, but the arsenic contributed by groundwater becomes part of the arsenic load in the stream when sediments are suspended during high flow. A strong positive relation between concentrations of arsenic and DOC in the groundwater samples indicates that any process—natural or anthropogenic—that increases the organic carbon concentration in the groundwater could stimulate microbial activity and thus increase the amount of arsenic that is released from the geologic materials.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 21 (MIDBTH00230021) on Town Highway 23, crossing the Middlebury River, Middlebury, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boehmler, Erick M.; Degnan, James R.

1997-01-01

year discharges. In addition, the incipient roadway-overtopping discharge is determined and analyzed as another potential 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 flows ranged from 1.2 to 1.8 feet. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the incipient overtopping discharge, which is less than the 500-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 17.7 to 23.7 feet. The worst-case abutment scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. 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.

Reactive solute transport in streams: A surface complexation approach for trace metal sorption

USGS Publications Warehouse

Runkel, Robert L.; Kimball, Briant A.; McKnight, Diane M.; Bencala, Kenneth E.

1999-01-01

A model for trace metals that considers in-stream transport, metal oxide precipitation-dissolution, and pH-dependent sorption is presented. Linkage between a surface complexation submodel and the stream transport equations provides a framework for modeling sorption onto static and/or dynamic surfaces. A static surface (e.g., an iron- oxide-coated streambed) is defined as a surface with a temporally constant solid concentration. Limited contact between solutes in the water column and the static surface is considered using a pseudokinetic approach. A dynamic surface (e.g., freshly precipitated metal oxides) has a temporally variable solid concentration and is in equilibrium with the water column. Transport and deposition of solute mass sorbed to the dynamic surface is represented in the stream transport equations that include precipitate settling. The model is applied to a pH-modification experiment in an acid mine drainage stream. Dissolved copper concentrations were depressed for a 3 hour period in response to the experimentally elevated pH. After passage of the pH front, copper was desorbed, and dissolved concentrations returned to ambient levels. Copper sorption is modeled by considering sorption to aged hydrous ferric oxide (HFO) on the streambed (static surface) and freshly precipitated HFO in the water column (dynamic surface). Comparison of parameter estimates with reported values suggests that naturally formed iron oxides may be more effective in removing trace metals than synthetic oxides used in laboratory studies. The model's ability to simulate pH, metal oxide precipitation-dissolution, and pH-dependent sorption provides a means of evaluating the complex interactions between trace metal chemistry and hydrologic transport at the field scale.

Nitrate dynamics within the Pajaro River, a nutrient-rich, losing stream

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ruehl, C.R.; Fisher, A.T.; Los, Huertos M.; Wankel, Scott D.; Wheat, C.G.; Kendall, C.; Hatch, C.E.; Shennan, C.

2007-01-01

The major ion chemistry of water from an 11.42-km reach of the Pajaro River, a losing stream in central coastal California, shows a consistent pattern of higher concentrations during the 2nd (dry) half of the water year. Most solutes are conserved during flow along the reach, but [NO 3-] decreases by ???30% and is accompanied by net loss of channel discharge and extensive surface-subsurface exchange. The corresponding net NO3- uptake length is 37 ?? 13 km (42 ?? 12 km when normalized to the conservative solute Cl-), and the areal NO3- uptake rate is 0.5 ??mol m -2 s-1. The observed reduction in [NO3-] along the reach results from one or more internal sinks, not dilution by ground water, hill-slope water, or other water inputs. Observed reductions in [NO3-] and channel discharge along the experimental reach result in a net loss of 200-400 kg/d of NO3--N, ???50% of the input load. High-resolution (temporal and spatial) sampling indicates that most of the NO3- loss occurs along the lower part of the reach, where there is the greatest seepage loss and surface-subsurface exchange of water. Stable isotopes of NO 3-, total dissolved P concentrations, and streambed chemical profiles suggest that denitrification is the most significant NO 3- sink along the reach. Denitrification efficiency, as expressed through downstream enrichment in 15N-NO3-, varies considerably during the water year. When discharge is greater (typically earlier in the water year), denitrification is least efficient and downstream enrichment in 15N-NO3- is greatest. When discharge is lower, denitrification in the streambed appears to occur with greater efficiency, resulting in lower downstream enrichment in 15N-NO3-. ?? 2007 by The North American Benthological Society.

Physical controls and predictability of stream hyporheic flow evaluated with a multiscale model

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stonedahl, Susa H.; Harvey, Judson W.; Detty, Joel; Aubeneau, Antoine; Packman, Aaron I.

2012-01-01

Improved predictions of hyporheic exchange based on easily measured physical variables are needed to improve assessment of solute transport and reaction processes in watersheds. Here we compare physically based model predictions for an Indiana stream with stream tracer results interpreted using the Transient Storage Model (TSM). We parameterized the physically based, Multiscale Model (MSM) of stream-groundwater interactions with measured stream planform and discharge, stream velocity, streambed hydraulic conductivity and porosity, and topography of the streambed at distinct spatial scales (i.e., ripple, bar, and reach scales). We predicted hyporheic exchange fluxes and hyporheic residence times using the MSM. A Continuous Time Random Walk (CTRW) model was used to convert the MSM output into predictions of in stream solute transport, which we compared with field observations and TSM parameters obtained by fitting solute transport data. MSM simulations indicated that surface-subsurface exchange through smaller topographic features such as ripples was much faster than exchange through larger topographic features such as bars. However, hyporheic exchange varies nonlinearly with groundwater discharge owing to interactions between flows induced at different topographic scales. MSM simulations showed that groundwater discharge significantly decreased both the volume of water entering the subsurface and the time it spent in the subsurface. The MSM also characterized longer timescales of exchange than were observed by the tracer-injection approach. The tracer data, and corresponding TSM fits, were limited by tracer measurement sensitivity and uncertainty in estimates of background tracer concentrations. Our results indicate that rates and patterns of hyporheic exchange are strongly influenced by a continuum of surface-subsurface hydrologic interactions over a wide range of spatial and temporal scales rather than discrete processes.

Engineering hyporheic zones for the attenuation of urban pesticides and other stormwater trace organic contaminants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Portmann, A. C.; Halpin, B. N.; Herzog, S.; Higgins, C.; McCray, J. E.

2017-12-01

The hyporheic zone (HZ) is a natural bioreactor that can provide in-stream attenuation of various nonpoint source contaminants. Main contributions of nonpoint source pollution are coming from urban stormwater and agricultural runoff, which both adversely impact aquatic life. Stormwater pollutants of concern commonly include nutrients, metals, pathogens, and trace organic contaminants (TOrCs). Despite substantial water quality challenges, current stormwater management typically focuses on water quantity issues rather than pollutant removal. Furthermore, current HZ restoration best management practices do not explicitly control HZ residence times, and generally only induce localized effects. To increase hyporheic exchange and therefore improving water quality, we introduced engineered streambeds featuring modifications to subsurface hydraulic conductivity (K) and reactivity - termed Biohydrochemical Enhancements for Streamwater Treatment (BEST). BEST modifications comprise subsurface modules that employ 1) low-permeability sediments to drive hyporheic exchange and control subsurface residence times, and 2) permeable reactive geomedia to change reaction rates within the HZ. Here we present performance data collected in constructed stream experiments, comparing an all-sand control condition with a stream containing BEST modules and a mixture of 70/30 sand/woodchips (v/v). We evaluated the attenuation of a suite of TOrCs in the BEST versus the control system for two different streambed media: a coarse sand with K = 0.48 cm/s and a fine sand with K = 0.16 cm/s. The range of TOrCs investigated comprises urban pesticides and other stormwater relevant TOrCs. Benefits of applying BEST include increased exchange between streamwater and HZ water, leading to diverse redox conditions that are beneficial for aquatic organisms and will facilitate in-stream pollutant transformation. Future work will focus on tailoring the BEST design for specific pollutants, thereby controlling HZ residence times to match reaction timescales and conditions of interest.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 4 (MNTGTH00020004) on Town Highway 2, crossing Wade Brook, Montgomery, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boehmler, Erick M.

1996-01-01

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 flows was 0.1 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 100-year and 500-year discharges. Abutment scour ranged from 3.9 to 5.2 ft. The worst-case abutment scour also occurred at the 500-year discharge. 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). Many factors, including historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic assessment, scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses, must be considered to properly assess the validity of abutment scour results. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein, based on the consideration of additional contributing factors and experienced engineering judgement.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 46 (CHELTH00680046) on Town Highway 68, crossing the First Branch of the White River, Chelsea, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ivanoff, Michael A.; Song, Donald L.

1996-01-01

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 flows ranged from 0.9 to 2.6 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 14.3 to 24.0 ft. The worst-case abutment scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. 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. The left abutment sits atop a bedrock outcrop. The results of the calculated scour depths will be limited by the bedrock. 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.

Anthropogenic impacts on the quality of streambed sediments in the lower Sacramento River watershed, California.

PubMed

Hwang, Hyun-Min; Green, Peter G; Holmes, Robert W

2009-01-01

To investigate the occurrence of contaminants and to assess their toxicity potential to benthic organisms, streambed sediments were collected from three agricultural and one urban influenced small waterways in the lower Sacramento River watershed and analyzed for PAHs, organochlorine (OC) and organophosphorus (OP) pesticides, pyrethroids, and metals. These sites had low benthic biotic index scores in earlier field surveys. The occurrence patterns of these contaminants and iron normalized enrichment factors of metals reflect the land use patterns around study sites. DDTs were detected in all samples while chlordanes were found only at the urban influenced site. No OP pesticides were found in any sediment presumably due to their high water solubilities and low solid-water partitioning. DDTs, PAHs, and metals at sites in the Biggs/West Gridley Canal showed a gradient increasing toward downstream. Distribution patterns of individual PAHs and their ratios found in sediment from the Biggs/West Gridley Canal downstream site resemble those of petroleum. PAHs in this site might originate from petroleum oils that have been used as agricultural pesticides. The enrichment factor of vanadium, which is an indicator of petroleum residue, was also higher in this site. The anthropogenic enrichment of copper at all Biggs/West Gridley Canal sites might be because of significant use of copper based pesticides. The high enrichment factor of lead at the urban influenced Dry Creek site might be related to historical use of leaded gasoline. All sediment samples had at least one chemical that exceed the threshold effects concentration (TEC). Total probable effects concentration quotients (tPECQs) were greater than 1 at all sites, indicating that sediment bound contaminants in the study sites can possibly pose toxic effects. This finding can be linked to lower biotic index scores observed in previous regional monitoring studies.

Bacterial Community Composition and Extracellular Enzyme Activity in Temperate Streambed Sediment during Drying and Rewetting

PubMed Central

Pohlon, Elisabeth; Ochoa Fandino, Adriana; Marxsen, Jürgen

2013-01-01

Droughts are among the most important disturbance events for stream ecosystems; they not only affect stream hydrology but also the stream biota. Although desiccation of streams is common in Mediterranean regions, phases of dryness in headwaters have been observed more often and for longer periods in extended temperate regions, including Central Europe, reflecting global climate change and enhanced water withdrawal. The effects of desiccation and rewetting on the bacterial community composition and extracellular enzyme activity, a key process in the carbon flow of streams and rivers, were investigated in a typical Central European stream, the Breitenbach (Hesse, Germany). Wet streambed sediment is an important habitat in streams. It was sampled and exposed in the laboratory to different drying scenarios (fast, intermediate, slow) for 13 weeks, followed by rewetting of the sediment from the fast drying scenario via a sediment core perfusion technique for 2 weeks. Bacterial community structure was analyzed using CARD-FISH and TGGE, and extracellular enzyme activity was assessed using fluorogenic model substrates. During desiccation the bacterial community composition shifted toward composition in soil, exhibiting increasing proportions of Actinobacteria and Alphaproteobacteria and decreasing proportions of Bacteroidetes and Betaproteobacteria. Simultaneously the activities of extracellular enzymes decreased, most pronounced with aminopeptidases and less pronounced with enzymes involved in the degradation of polymeric carbohydrates. After rewetting, the general ecosystem functioning, with respect to extracellular enzyme activity, recovered after 10 to 14 days. However, the bacterial community composition had not yet achieved its original composition as in unaffected sediments within this time. Thus, whether the bacterial community eventually recovers completely after these events remains unknown. Perhaps this community undergoes permanent changes, especially after harsh desiccation, followed by loss of the specialized functions of specific groups of bacteria. PMID:24386188

Reactive Solute Transport in Streams: 2. Simulation of a pH Modification Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Runkel, Robert L.; McKnight, Diane M.; Bencala, Kenneth E.; Chapra, Steven C.

1996-02-01

We present an application of an equilibrium-based solute transport model to a pH-modification experiment conducted on the Snake River, an acidic, metal-rich stream located in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. During the experiment, instream pH decreased from 4.2 to 3.2, causing a marked increase in dissolved iron concentrations. Model application requires specification of several parameters that are estimated using tracer techniques, mass balance calculations, and geochemical data. Two basic questions are addressed through model application: (1) What are the processes responsible for the observed increase in dissolved iron concentrations? (2) Can the identified processes be represented within the equilibrium-based transport model? Simulation results indicate that the increase in iron was due to the dissolution of hydrous iron oxides and the photoreduction of ferric iron. Dissolution from the streambed is represented by considering a trace compartment consisting of freshly precipitated hydrous iron oxide and an abundant compartment consisting of aged precipitates that are less soluble. Spatial variability in the solubility of hydrous iron oxide is attributed to heterogeneity in the streambed sediments, temperature effects, and/or variability in the effects of photoreduction. Solubility products estimated via simulation fall within a narrow range (pKsp from 40.2 to 40.8) relative to the 6 order of magnitude variation reported for laboratory experiments (pKsp from 37.3 to 43.3). Results also support the use of an equilibrium-based transport model as the predominate features of the iron and pH profiles are reproduced. The model provides a valuable tool for quantifying the nature and extent of pH-dependent processes within the context of hydrologic transport.

The role of hydrodynamics in shaping the composition and architecture of epilithic biofilms in fluvial ecosystems.

PubMed

Risse-Buhl, Ute; Anlanger, Christine; Kalla, Katalin; Neu, Thomas R; Noss, Christian; Lorke, Andreas; Weitere, Markus

2017-12-15

Previous laboratory and on-site experiments have highlighted the importance of hydrodynamics in shaping biofilm composition and architecture. In how far responses to hydrodynamics can be found in natural flows under the complex interplay of environmental factors is still unknown. In this study we investigated the effect of near streambed turbulence in terms of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) on the composition and architecture of biofilms matured in two mountainous streams differing in dissolved nutrient concentrations. Over both streams, TKE significantly explained 7% and 8% of the variability in biofilm composition and architecture, respectively. However, effects were more pronounced in the nutrient richer stream, where TKE significantly explained 12% and 3% of the variability in biofilm composition and architecture, respectively. While at lower nutrient concentrations seasonally varying factors such as stoichiometry of dissolved nutrients (N/P ratio) and light were more important and explained 41% and 6% of the variability in biofilm composition and architecture, respectively. Specific biofilm features such as elongated ripples and streamers, which were observed in response to the uniform and unidirectional flow in experimental settings, were not observed. Microbial biovolume and surface area covered by the biofilm canopy increased with TKE, while biofilm thickness and porosity where not affected or decreased. These findings indicate that under natural flows where near bed flow velocities and turbulence intensities fluctuate with time and space, biofilms became more compact. They spread uniformly on the mineral surface as a film of densely packed coccoid cells appearing like cobblestone pavement. The compact growth of biofilms seemed to be advantageous for resisting hydrodynamic shear forces in order to avoid displacement. Thus, near streambed turbulence can be considered as important factor shaping the composition and architecture of biofilms grown under natural flows. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. View east at west facade of culvert outlet headwall, ...

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

1. View east at west facade of culvert outlet headwall, above which part of the canal bank has been removed. Foreground to background: streambed and coffer dam (mound in center) that was used in dewatering the culvert; intake pipes (extreme left and right) for dewatering pumps; deteriorated culvert outlet headwall with upper portion of wall fallen away; horizontal masonry cutoff wall extending above the culvert outlet partially up the canal bank (cutoff wall was exposed by removal of part of canal bank); towpath at top of canal bank. - Delaware & Raritan Canal, Six Mile Run Culvert, .2 mile South of Blackwells Mills Road, East Millstone, Somerset County, NJ

Surface-water-quality assessment of the Yakima River basin in Washington: major-and minor-element data for sediment, water, and aquatic biota, 1987-91

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fuhrer, Gregory J.; Fluter, Shelley L.; McKenzie, Stuart W.; Rinella, Joseph F.; Crawford, J. Kent; Cain, Daniel J.; Hornberger, Michelle I.; Bridges, Jennifer L.; Skach, Kenneth A.

1994-01-01

Streambed-sediment samples were collected once from 27 sites in the basin during 1987-91. Suspended-sediment and filtered-water samples were collected monthly and during hydrologic events (including snowmelt and winter rainstorms) at seven sites, and filtered-water samples were collected at least once at an additional 37 sites during synoptic samplings. Unfiltered-water samples were collected at seven sites on a quarterly basis during 1987 only. Samples of aquatic plants were collected once in 1989, and aquatic insects, fish, and clams were collected from 34 sites three times during 1989-90.

Distribution and sources of polychlorinated biphenyls in Woods Inlet, Lake Worth, Fort Worth, Texas, 2003

USGS Publications Warehouse

Besse, Richard E.; Van Metre, Peter C.; Wilson, Jennifer T.

2005-01-01

Woods Inlet is a flooded stream channel on the southern shore of Lake Worth along the western boundary of Air Force Plant 4 in Fort Worth, Texas, where elevated polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations in sediment were detected in a previous study. In response, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force, conducted a study in 2003 to map the extent of elevated PCB concentrations in Woods Inlet and to identify possible sources (or more specifically, source areas) of PCBs in the watershed of Woods Inlet. Three gravity cores (penetration to pre-reservoir sediment at three sites) and 17 box cores (surficial bottom sediment samples) were collected in Woods Inlet. Suspended sediment in stormwater runoff and streambed sediment were sampled in tributaries to Woods Inlet following storms. Assemblages of PCB congeners in surficial inlet sediments and suspended and streambed sediments were analyzed to indicate sources of PCBs in the inlet sediments on the basis of chemical signatures of PCBs. Woods Inlet receives runoff primarily from three tributaries: (1) Gruggs Park Creek, (2) the small unnamed creek that drains a Texas National Guard maintenance facility, called TNG Creek for this report, and (3) Meandering Road Creek. Twenty-seven of 209 possible PCB congeners were analyzed. The sum of the congeners was used as a measure of total PCB. The spatial distribution of total PCB concentrations in the inlet indicates that most PCBs are originating in the Meandering Road Creek watershed. Peak total PCB concentrations in the three gravity cores occurred at depths corresponding to sediment deposition dates of about 1960 for two of the cores and about 1980 for the third core. The magnitudes of peak total PCB concentrations in the gravity cores followed a spatial distribution generally similar to that of surficial bottom sediment concentrations. Total PCB concentrations in suspended and streambed sediment varied greatly between sites and indicated a likely source of PCBs associated with a sampling site that receives runoff from Air Force Plant 4. Three approaches to the analyses of congener assemblages indicate that PCBs in surficial bottom sediment of Woods Inlet primarily enter Lake Worth from Meandering Road Creek and that runoff from Air Force Plant 4 is a source of the PCBs in Meandering Road Creek. Although current (2003) transport of PCBs from Air Force Plant 4 to the creek is occurring, large decreases in PCB concentrations with decreasing age in two cores indicate that PCB loading to the inlet has decreased greatly since the 1960s. Because runoff entering Meandering Road Creek from some parts of Air Force Plant 4 was not measured or sampled in this study, it cannot be said with certainty that the Air Force Plant 4 site sampled is the only source of PCBs to Meandering Road Creek.

Estimated infiltration, percolation, and recharge rates at the Rillito Creek focused recharge investigation site, Pima County, Arizona: Chapter H in Ground-water recharge in the arid and semiarid southwestern United States (Professional Paper 1703)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hoffmann, John P.; Blasch, Kyle W.; Pool, Don R.; Bailey, Matthew A.; Callegary, James B.; Stonestrom, David A.; Constantz, Jim; Ferré, Ty P.A.; Leake, Stanley A.

2007-01-01

A large fraction of ground water stored in the alluvial aquifers in the Southwest is recharged by water that percolates through ephemeral stream-channel deposits. The amount of water currently recharging many of these aquifers is insufficient to meet current and future demands. Improving the understanding of streambed infiltration and the subsequent redistribution of water within the unsaturated zone is fundamental to quantifying and forming an accurate description of streambed recharge. In addition, improved estimates of recharge from ephemeral-stream channels will reduce uncertainties in water-budget components used in current ground-water models.This chapter presents a summary of findings related to a focused recharge investigation along Rillito Creek in Tucson, Arizona. A variety of approaches used to estimate infiltration, percolation, and recharge fluxes are presented that provide a wide range of temporal- and spatial-scale measurements of recharge beneath Rillito Creek. The approaches discussed include analyses of (1) cores and cuttings for hydraulic and textural properties, (2) environmental tracers from the water extracted from the cores and cuttings, (3) seepage measurements made during sustained streamflow, (4) heat as a tracer and numerical simulations of the movement of heat through the streambed sediments, (5) water-content variations, (6) water-level responses to streamflow in piezometers within the stream channel, and (7) gravity changes in response to recharge events. Hydraulic properties of the materials underlying Rillito Creek were used to estimate long-term potential recharge rates. Seepage measurements and analyses of temperature and water content were used to estimate infiltration rates, and environmental tracers were used to estimate percolation rates through the thick unsaturated zone. The presence or lack of tritium in the water was used to determine whether or not water in the unsaturated zone infiltrated within the past 40 years. Analysis of water-level and temporal-gravity data were used to estimate recharge volumes. Data presented in this chapter were collected from 1999 though 2002. Precipitation and streamflow during this period were less than the long-term average; however, two periods of significant streamflow resulted in recharge—one in the summer of 1999 and the other in the fall/winter of 2000.Flux estimates of infiltration and recharge vary from less than 0.1 to 1.0 cubic meter per second per kilometer of streamflow. Recharge-flux estimates are larger than infiltration estimates. Larger recharge fluxes than infiltration fluxes are explained by the scale of measurements. Methods used to estimate recharge rates incorporate the largest volumetric and temporal scales and are likely to have fluxes from other nearby sources, such as unmeasured tributaries, whereas the methods used to estimate infiltration incorporate the smallest scales, reflecting infiltration rates at individual measurement sites.

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.

Water-quality assessment of part of the upper Mississippi River basin, Minnesota and Wisconsin - Pesticides in streams, streambed sediment, and ground water, 1974-94

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fallon, J.D.; Fong, A.L.; Andrews, W.J.

1997-01-01

Atrazine was the only pesticide that equaled or exceeded a maximum contaminant level (of 3.0 micrograms per liter) for drinking water. Two stream samples from a small urban watershed in Minneapolis had atrazine concentrations of 3.6 and 3.8 micrograms per liter, and one ground-water sample had a concentration of 3.0 micrograms per liter. Trace concentrations (less than 0.06 micrograms per liter) of the organochlorine insecticides chlordane, dieldrin, endrin, and heptachlor exceeded chronic freshwater-quality criteria in stream samples from the Mississippi, Minnesota, St. Croix, and Vemillion Rivers in 1981 and 1990.

Characterization of stormwater runoff from bridges in North Carolina and the effects of bridge runoff on receiving streams

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wagner, Chad; Fitzgerald, Sharon; Lauffer, Matthew

2015-01-01

The presentation will provide an overview of a collaborative study between USGS, NC Department of Transportation and URS Corporation to characterize stormwater runoff from bridges in North Carolina and the effects of bridge runoff on receiving streams. This investigation measured bridge deck runoff from 15 bridges for 12-15 storms, stream water-quality data for baseflow and storm conditions at four of the bridge deck sites and streambed sediment chemistry upstream and downstream of 30 bridges across North Carolina. Background on why the study was conducted, objectives and scope and a general summary of the major results and conclusions will be presented.

Multi-pollutant interactions in hyporheic zones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krause, S.; Weatherill, J.; Bonet, B.; Blaen, P.; Khamis, K.; Cassidy, N. J.; Hannah, D. M.; Rivett, M. O.; Lynch, I.; Ullah, S.

2017-12-01

Hyporheic zones represent hotspots of biogeochemical reactivity, with the potential to attenuate pollutants and ameliorate their impact on ecosystem functioning. Sources and types of pollutants in streambed environments are manifold, with legacy industry contaminants, agricultural pollution and emerging pollutants such as pharmaceuticals or engineered nanoparticles entering hyporheic zones along different flow paths where they mix and potentially react with each other. Current conceptualizations of drivers and controls of biogeochemical turnover in hyporheic zones highlight primarily the role of transport and reaction times but do not account for potential interactions between different pollutants. This study presents two case studies of multi-pollutant interactions to illustrate the need to consider interferences between different pollutants, their transport and reaction pathways for adequate impact assessment. We discuss in the first instance how the natural attenuation of a Trichloroethylene (TCE) groundwater plume in an agricultural catchment is limited by high riparian and hyporheic nitrate concentrations. As nitrate outcompeted TCE in its reaction with organic carbon as electron donor, TCE attenuation was in this case limited to hyporheic denitrification hotspots. Hence any pollution control measures to reduce the impact of this TCE plume require a reduction of agricultural nitrate loads, highlighting the connectedness of legacy (TCE) and more recent (nitrate) pollution problems. In the second case, we investigate how the labile organic carbon content of streambed sediments as main control of hyporheic respiration is overridden by exposure to different silver nanoparticle concentrations, representing emerging pollutants in many of our rivers. Also in this case, the impacts of different stressors (nanoparticle exposure) and drivers (availability of organic matter, water temperature) are interacting in their impacts on hyporheic zone functioning. We argue that with both, urban and rural freshwater bodies being exposed to an increasing complexity of pollutants and stressors, also the respective pollutant - stressor interactions need to be taken into account for adequate assessment of pollution attenuation and impact analysis.

Assessing the chemical contamination dynamics in a mixed land use stream system.

PubMed

Sonne, Anne Th; McKnight, Ursula S; Rønde, Vinni; Bjerg, Poul L

2017-11-15

Traditionally, the monitoring of streams for chemical and ecological status has been limited to surface water concentrations, where the dominant focus has been on general water quality and the risk for eutrophication. Mixed land use stream systems, comprising urban areas and agricultural production, are challenging to assess with multiple chemical stressors impacting stream corridors. New approaches are urgently needed for identifying relevant sources, pathways and potential impacts for implementation of suitable source management and remedial measures. We developed a method for risk assessing chemical stressors in these systems and applied the approach to a 16-km groundwater-fed stream corridor (Grindsted, Denmark). Three methods were combined: (i) in-stream contaminant mass discharge for source quantification, (ii) Toxic Units and (iii) environmental standards. An evaluation of the chemical quality of all three stream compartments - stream water, hyporheic zone, streambed sediment - made it possible to link chemical stressors to their respective sources and obtain new knowledge about source composition and origin. Moreover, toxic unit estimation and comparison to environmental standards revealed the stream water quality was substantially impaired by both geogenic and diffuse anthropogenic sources of metals along the entire corridor, while the streambed was less impacted. Quantification of the contaminant mass discharge originating from a former pharmaceutical factory revealed that several 100 kgs of chlorinated ethenes and pharmaceutical compounds discharge into the stream every year. The strongly reduced redox conditions in the plume result in high concentrations of dissolved iron and additionally release arsenic, generating the complex contaminant mixture found in the narrow discharge zone. The fingerprint of the plume was observed in the stream several km downgradient, while nutrients, inorganics and pesticides played a minor role for the stream health. The results emphasize that future investigations should include multiple compounds and stream compartments, and highlight the need for holistic approaches when risk assessing these dynamic systems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of turbulent hyporheic mixing on reach-scale solute transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roche, K. R.; Li, A.; Packman, A. I.

2017-12-01

Turbulence rapidly mixes solutes and fine particles into coarse-grained streambeds. Both hyporheic exchange rates and spatial variability of hyporheic mixing are known to be controlled by turbulence, but it is unclear how turbulent mixing influences mass transport at the scale of stream reaches. We used a process-based particle-tracking model to simulate local- and reach-scale solute transport for a coarse-bed stream. Two vertical mixing profiles, one with a smooth transition from in-stream to hyporheic transport conditions and a second with enhanced turbulent transport at the sediment-water interface, were fit to steady-state subsurface concentration profiles observed in laboratory experiments. The mixing profile with enhanced interfacial transport better matched the observed concentration profiles and overall mass retention in the streambed. The best-fit mixing profiles were then used to simulate upscaled solute transport in a stream. Enhanced mixing coupled in-stream and hyporheic solute transport, causing solutes exchanged into the shallow subsurface to have travel times similar to the water column. This extended the exponential region of the in-stream solute breakthrough curve, and delayed the onset of the heavy power-law tailing induced by deeper and slower hyporheic porewater velocities. Slopes of observed power-law tails were greater than those predicted from stochastic transport theory, and also changed in time. In addition, rapid hyporheic transport velocities truncated the hyporheic residence time distribution by causing mass to exit the stream reach via subsurface advection, yielding strong exponential tempering in the in-stream breakthrough curves at the timescale of advective hyporheic transport through the reach. These results show that strong turbulent mixing across the sediment-water interface violates the conventional separation of surface and subsurface flows used in current models for solute transport in rivers. Instead, the full distribution of flow and mixing over the surface-subsurface continuum must be explicitly considered to properly interpret solute transport in coarse-bed streams.

Stochastic modeling of Cryptosporidium parvum to predict transport, retention, and downstream exposure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drummond, J. D.; Boano, F.; Atwill, E. R.; Li, X.; Harter, T.; Packman, A. I.

2016-12-01

Rivers are a means of rapid and long-distance transmission of pathogenic microorganisms from upstream terrestrial sources. Thus, significant fluxes of pathogen loads from agricultural lands can occur due to transport in surface waters. Pathogens enter streams and rivers in a variety of processes, notably overland flow, shallow groundwater discharge, and direct inputs from host populations such as humans and other vertebrate species. Viruses, bacteria, and parasites can enter a stream and persist in the environment for varying amounts of time. Of particular concern is the protozoal parasite, Cryptosporidium parvum, which can remain infective for weeks to months under cool and moist conditions, with the infectious state (oocysts) largely resistant to chlorination. In order to manage water-borne diseases more effectively we need to better predict how microbes behave in freshwater systems, particularly how they are transported downstream in rivers and in the process interact with the streambed and other solid surfaces. Microbes continuously immobilize and resuspend during downstream transport due to a variety of processes, such as gravitational settling, attachment to in-stream structures such as submerged macrophytes, and hyporheic exchange and filtration within underlying sediments. These various interactions result in a wide range of microbial residence times in the streambed and therefore influence the persistence of pathogenic microbes in the stream environment. We developed a stochastic mobile-immobile model to describe these microbial transport and retention processes in streams and rivers that also accounts for microbial inactivation. We used the model to assess the transport, retention, and inactivation of C. parvum within stream environments, specifically under representative flow conditions of California streams where C. parvum exposure can be at higher risk due to agricultural nonpoint sources. The results demonstrate that the combination of stream reach-scale analysis and multi-scale stochastic modeling improves assessment of C. parvum transport and retention in streams in order to predict downstream exposure to human communities, wildlife, and livestock.

BEST Engineered Hyporheic Zones: Enhanced Hyporheic Exchange and Resazurin and Nitrate Cycling in Constructed Stream Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herzog, S.; McCray, J. E.; Higgins, C. P.

2016-12-01

The hyporheic zone is a hotspot for biogeochemical processing that can attenuate a variety of nonpoint source contaminants in streamwater. However, hyporheic zones in urban and agricultural streams are often degraded and poorly connected with surface water. To increase hyporheic exchange and improve water quality, we introduced engineered streambeds as a stormwater and restoration best management practice. Modifications to streambed hydraulic conductivity and reactivity are termed Biohydrochemical Enhancements for Streamwater Treatment (BEST). BEST are subsurface modules that utilize low-permeability sediments to drive efficient hyporheic exchange, and reactive geomedia to increase reaction rates within the hyporheic zone. This research utilized two artificial stream flumes at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, CO. Each lined stream flume was 15m long, 0.3m wide, had 0.3m sediment depth, and was continuously dosed with recycled water at 0.25 L/s. One flume served as an all-sand control condition, the other featured BEST modules at 1m spacing with a mixture of 70/30 sand/woodchips (v/v). NaCl breakthrough curves were monitored and analyzed using STAMMT-L, a mobile-immobile exchange model, which showed greater hyporheic exchange and residence times in the BEST stream relative to the control. This result is even more apparent when the calibrated models are used to simulate longer stream reaches. Water quality samples at the reach scale also revealed greater attenuation of nitrate and transformation of the indicator compound resazurin into resorufin. Together these compounds demonstrate that BEST can attenuate contaminants that degrade under anaerobic and aerobic conditions, respectively. These experimental results were also compared to previous numerical simulations to evaluate model accuracy, and show reasonable agreement. Altogether, these results show that BEST may be an effective novel best management practice for improving streamwater quality in urban and agricultural settings.

Effects of physical and biogeochemical processes on aquatic ecosystems at the groundwater-surface water interface: An evaluation of a sulfate-impacted wild rice stream in Minnesota (USA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ng, G. H. C.; Yourd, A. R.; Myrbo, A.; Johnson, N.

2015-12-01

Significant uncertainty and variability in physical and biogeochemical processes at the groundwater-surface water interface complicate how surface water chemistry affects aquatic ecosystems. Questions surrounding a unique 10 mg/L sulfate standard for wild rice (Zizania sp.) waters in Minnesota are driving research to clarify conditions controlling the geochemistry of shallow sediment porewater in stream- and lake-beds. This issue raises the need and opportunity to carry out in-depth, process-based analysis into how water fluxes and coupled C, S, and Fe redox cycles interact to impact aquatic plants. Our study builds on a recent state-wide field campaign that showed that accumulation of porewater sulfide from sulfate reduction impairs wild rice, an annual grass that grows in shallow lakes and streams in the Great Lakes region of North America. Negative porewater sulfide correlations with organic C and Fe quantities also indicated that lower redox rates and greater mineral precipitation attenuate sulfide. Here, we focus on a stream in northern Minnesota that receives high sulfate loading from iron mining activity yet maintains wild rice stands. In addition to organic C and Fe effects, we evaluate the degree to which streambed hydrology, and in particular groundwater contributions, accounts for the active biogeochemistry. We collect field measurements, spanning the surrounding groundwater system to the stream, to constrain a reactive-transport model. Observations from seepage meters, temperature probes, and monitoring wells delineate upward flow that may lessen surface water impacts below the stream. Geochemical analyses of groundwater, porewater, and surface water samples and of sediment extractions reveal distinctions among the different domains and stream banks, which appear to jointly control conditions in the streambed. A model based on field conditions can be used to evaluate the relative the importance and the spatiotemporal scales of diverse flux and geochemical factors affecting aquatic root zones.

The Stream Depletion Model Paradox and a First Solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malama, B.

2017-12-01

Hitherto, stream depletion models available in the hydrogeology literature use the xed head Dirichletboundary condition at the stream, and as such do not account for groundwater pumping induced streamdrawdown. They simply treat stream depletion as the decrease in stream discharge due capture by pumping,the groundwater that would discharge to the stream without pumping. We refer to this model predictedstream depletion without stream drawdown as the depletion paradox. It is intuitively clear, however, thatadverse impacts of long-term groundwater abstraction in the neighborhood of a stream include streamdrawdown, which has led to many a dry streambed in the American west and other arid regions. Streamdrawdown is especially acute for low stream ows. A mathematical model that allows for transient streamdrawdown is proposed by introducing the concept of stream storage. The model simply extends the constanthead model at the stream by including a mass-balance condition. The model is developed for a fullypenetrating stream and groundwater abstraction in a conned aquifer. The dependence of model predictedstream depletion and drawdown on stream storage, streambed conductance, aquifer anisotropy, and radialdistance to the pumping well is evaluated. The model is shown to reduce to that of Hantush in the limitas stream storage becomes innitely large, and to the Theis solution with a no- ow boundary at the streamlocation when stream storage gets vanishingly small. The results suggest that using xed stream stage modelsleads to an underestimation the late-time aquifer drawdwon response to pumping in the neighborhood of astream because it correspond to innite stream storage. This is especially critical for management of surfacewater and groundwater resources in systems subjected to prolonged groundwater abstraction and measurablestream drawdown. The model also shows a maximum stream depletion rate, beyond which stream ow to thewell diminishes and eventually vanishes. This suggests that models with xed stream stage overestimate theavailable groundwater supply from streams to pumping wells because of the inherent assumption of innitestream storage. This has implications for sustainable management of groundwater resources near streams.

Effects of urban development in the Puget Lowland, Washington, on interannual streamflow patterns: Consequences for channel form and streambed disturbance

USGS Publications Warehouse

Konrad, Christopher P.; Booth, Derek B.; Burges, Stephen J.

2005-01-01

Recovery and protection of streams in urban areas depend on a comprehensive understanding of how human activities affect stream ecosystems. The hydrologic effects of urban development and the consequences for stream channel form and streambed stability were examined in 16 streams in the Puget Lowland, Washington, using three streamflow metrics that integrate storm‐scale effects of urban development over annual to decadal timescales: the fraction of time that streamflow exceeds the mean streamflow (TQmean), the coefficient of variation of annual maximum streamflow (CVAMF), and the fraction of time that streamflow exceeds the 0.5‐year flood (T0.5). Urban streams had low interannual variability in annual maximum streamflow and brief duration of frequent high flows, as indicated by significant correlations between road density and both CVAMFand T0.5. The broader distribution of streamflow indicated by TQmean may be affected by urban development, but differences in TQmean between streams are also likely a result of other physiographic factors. The increase in the magnitude of frequent high flows due to urban development but not their cumulative duration has important consequences for channel form and bed stability in gravel bed streams because geomorphic equilibrium depends on moderate duration streamflow (e.g., exceeded 10% of the time). Streams with low values of TQmean and T0.5 are narrower than expected from hydraulic geometry. Dimensionless boundary shear stress (t*) for the 0.5‐year flood was inversely related to T0.5 among the streams, indicating frequent and extensive bed disturbance in streams with low values of T0.5. Although stream channels expand and the size of bed material increases in response to urban streamflow patterns, these adjustments may be insufficient to reestablish the disturbance regime in urban streams because of the differential increase in the magnitude of frequent high flows causing disturbance relative to any changes in longer duration, moderate flows that establish a stable channel.

Contamination with bacterial zoonotic pathogen genes in U.S. streams influenced by varying types of animal agriculture.

PubMed

Haack, Sheridan K; Duris, Joseph W; Kolpin, Dana W; Focazio, Michael J; Meyer, Michael T; Johnson, Heather E; Oster, Ryan J; Foreman, William T

2016-09-01

Animal waste, stream water, and streambed sediment from 19 small (<32km(2)) watersheds in 12U.S. states having either no major animal agriculture (control, n=4), or predominantly beef (n=4), dairy (n=3), swine (n=5), or poultry (n=3) were tested for: 1) cholesterol, coprostanol, estrone, and fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) concentrations, and 2) shiga-toxin producing and enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter, and pathogenic and vancomycin-resistant enterococci by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on enrichments, and/or direct quantitative PCR. Pathogen genes were most frequently detected in dairy wastes, followed by beef, swine and poultry wastes in that order; there was only one detection of an animal-source-specific pathogen gene (stx1) in any water or sediment sample in any control watershed. Post-rainfall pathogen gene numbers in stream water were significantly correlated with FIB, cholesterol and coprostanol concentrations, and were most highly correlated in dairy watershed samples collected from 3 different states. Although collected across multiple states and ecoregions, animal-waste gene profiles were distinctive via discriminant analysis. Stream water gene profiles could also be discriminated by the watershed animal type. Although pathogen genes were not abundant in stream water or streambed samples, PCR on enrichments indicated that many genes were from viable organisms, including several (shiga-toxin producing or enterotoxigenic E. coli, Salmonella, vancomycin-resistant enterococci) that could potentially affect either human or animal health. Pathogen gene numbers and types in stream water samples were influenced most by animal type, by local factors such as whether animals had stream access, and by the amount of local rainfall, and not by studied watershed soil or physical characteristics. Our results indicated that stream water in small agricultural U.S. watersheds was susceptible to pathogen gene inputs under typical agricultural practices and environmental conditions. Pathogen gene profiles may offer the potential to address both source of, and risks associated with, fecal pollution. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Systematic Analysis of the Effect of Small Scale Permeability Heterogeneity on Hyporheic Exchange Flux and Residence Times

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laube, G.; Schmidt, C.; Fleckenstein, J. H.

2014-12-01

The hyporheic zone (HZ) contributes significantly to whole stream biogeochemical cycling. Biogeochemical reactions within the HZ are often transport limited, thus, understanding these reactions requires knowledge about the magnitude of hyporheic fluxes (HF) and the residence time (RT) of these fluxes within the HZ. While the hydraulics of HF are relatively well understood, studies addressing the influence of permeability heterogeneity lack systematic analysis and have even produced contradictory results (e.g. [1] vs. [2]). In order to close this gap, this study uses a statistical numerical approach to elucidate the influence of permeability heterogeneity on HF and RT. We simulated and evaluated 3750 2D-scenarios of sediment heterogeneity by means of Gaussian random fields with focus on total HF and RT distribution. The scenarios were based on ten realizations of each of all possible combinations of 15 different correlation lengths, 5 dipping angles and 5 permeability variances. Roughly 500 hyporheic stream traces were analyzed per simulation, for a total of almost two million stream traces analyzed for correlations between permeability heterogeneity, HF, and RT. Total HF and the RT variance positively correlated with permeability variance while the mean RT negatively correlated with permeability variance. In contrast, changes in correlation lengths and dipping angles had little effect on the examined properties RT and HF. These results provide a possible explanation of the seemingly contradictory conclusions of recent studies, given that the permeability variances in these studies differ by several orders of magnitude. [1] Bardini, L., Boano, F., Cardenas, M.B, Sawyer, A.H, Revelli, R. and Ridolfi, L. "Small-Scale Permeability Heterogeneity Has Negligible Effects on Nutrient Cycling in Streambeds." Geophysical Research Letters, 2013. doi:10.1002/grl.50224. [2] Zhou, Y., Ritzi, R. W., Soltanian, M. R. and Dominic, D. F. "The Influence of Streambed Heterogeneity on Hyporheic Flow in Gravelly Rivers." Groundwater, 2013. doi:10.1111/gwat.12048.

Spatially telescoping measurements for improved characterization of groundwater-surface water interactions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kikuchi, Colin; Ferre, Ty P.A.; Welker, Jeffery M.

2012-01-01

The suite of measurement methods available to characterize fluxes between groundwater and surface water is rapidly growing. However, there are few studies that examine approaches to design of field investigations that include multiple methods. We propose that performing field measurements in a spatially telescoping sequence improves measurement flexibility and accounts for nested heterogeneities while still allowing for parsimonious experimental design. We applied this spatially telescoping approach in a study of ground water-surface water (GW-SW) interaction during baseflow conditions along Lucile Creek, located near Wasilla, Alaska. Catchment-scale data, including channel geomorphic indices and hydrogeologic transects, were used to screen areas of potentially significant GW-SW exchange. Specifically, these data indicated increasing groundwater contribution from a deeper regional aquifer along the middle to lower reaches of the stream. This initial assessment was tested using reach-scale estimates of groundwater contribution during baseflow conditions, including differential discharge measurements and the use of chemical tracers analyzed in a three-component mixing model. The reach-scale measurements indicated a large increase in discharge along the middle reaches of the stream accompanied by a shift in chemical composition towards a regional groundwater end member. Finally, point measurements of vertical water fluxes -- obtained using seepage meters as well as temperature-based methods -- were used to evaluate spatial and temporal variability of GW-SW exchange within representative reaches. The spatial variability of upward fluxes, estimated using streambed temperature mapping at the sub-reach scale, was observed to vary in relation to both streambed composition and the magnitude of groundwater contribution from differential discharge measurements. The spatially telescoping approach improved the efficiency of this field investigation. Beginning our assessment with catchment-scale data allowed us to identify locations of GW-SW exchange, plan measurements at representative field sites and improve our interpretation of reach-scale and point-scale measurements.

Analytical results for minicipal biosolids samples from a monitoring program near Deer Trail, Colorado (U.S.A.) 2010

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crock, J.G.; Smith, D.B.; Yager, T.J.B.; Berry, C.J.; Adams, M.G.

2011-01-01

Since late 1993, Metro Wastewater Reclamation District of Denver (Metro District), a large wastewater treatment plant in Denver, Colo., has applied Grade I, Class B biosolids to about 52,000 acres of nonirrigated farmland and rangeland near Deer Trail, Colo., U.S.A. In cooperation with the Metro District in 1993, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began monitoring groundwater at part of this site. In 1999, the USGS began a more comprehensive monitoring study of the entire site to address stakeholder concerns about the potential chemical effects of biosolids applications to water, soil, and vegetation. This more comprehensive monitoring program was recently extended through the end of 2010 and is now completed. Monitoring components of the more comprehensive study include biosolids collected at the wastewater treatment plant, soil, crops, dust, alluvial and bedrock groundwater, and stream-bed sediment. Streams at the site are dry most of the year, so samples of stream-bed sediment deposited after rain were used to indicate surface-water runoff effects. This report summarizes analytical results for the biosolids samples collected at the Metro District wastewater treatment plant in Denver and analyzed for 2010. In general, the objective of each component of the study was to determine whether concentrations of nine trace elements ("priority analytes") (1) were higher than regulatory limits, (2) were increasing with time, or (3) were significantly higher in biosolids-applied areas than in a similar farmed area where biosolids were not applied (background). Previous analytical results indicate that the elemental composition of biosolids from the Denver plant was consistent during 1999-2009, and this consistency continues with the samples for 2010. Total concentrations of regulated trace elements remain consistently lower than the regulatory limits for the entire monitoring period. Concentrations of none of the priority analytes appear to have increased during the 12 years of this study.

Analytical results for municipal biosolids samples from a monitoring program near Deer Trail, Colorado (U.S.A.), 2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crock, J.G.; Smith, D.B.; Yager, T.J.B.; Berry, C.J.; Adams, M.G.

2010-01-01

Since late 1993, Metro Wastewater Reclamation District of Denver, a large wastewater treatment plant in Denver, Colo., has applied Grade I, Class B biosolids to about 52,000 acres of nonirrigated farmland and rangeland near Deer Trail, Colo., U.S.A. In cooperation with the Metro District in 1993, the U.S. Geological Survey began monitoring groundwater at part of this site. In 1999, the Survey began a more comprehensive monitoring study of the entire site to address stakeholder concerns about the potential chemical effects of biosolids applications to water, soil, and vegetation. This more comprehensive monitoring program has recently been extended through the end of 2010. Monitoring components of the more comprehensive study include biosolids collected at the wastewater treatment plant, soil, crops, dust, alluvial and bedrock groundwater, and stream-bed sediment. Streams at the site are dry most of the year, so samples of stream-bed sediment deposited after rain were used to indicate surface-water effects. This report presents analytical results for the biosolids samples collected at the Metro District wastewater treatment plant in Denver and analyzed for 2009. In general, the objective of each component of the study was to determine whether concentrations of nine trace elements ('priority analytes') (1) were higher than regulatory limits, (2) were increasing with time, or (3) were significantly higher in biosolids-applied areas than in a similar farmed area where biosolids were not applied. Previous analytical results indicate that the elemental composition of biosolids from the Denver plant was consistent during 1999-2008, and this consistency continues with the samples for 2009. Total concentrations of regulated trace elements remain consistently lower than the regulatory limits for the entire monitoring period. Concentrations of none of the priority analytes appear to have increased during the 11 years of this study.

Advances in Using Fiber-Optic Distributed Temperature Sensing to Identify the Mixing of Waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Briggs, M. A.; Day-Lewis, F. D.; Rosenberry, D. O.; Harvey, J. W.; Lane, J. W., Jr.; Hare, D. K.; Boutt, D. F.; Voytek, E. B.; Buckley, S.

2014-12-01

Fiber-optic distributed temperature sensing (FO-DTS) provides thermal data through space and time along linear cables. When installed along a streambed, FO-DTS can capture the influence of upwelling groundwater (GW) as thermal anomalies. The planning of labor-intensive physical measurements can make use of FO-DTS data to target areas of focused GW discharge that can disproportionately affect surface-water (SW) quality and temperature. Typical longitudinal FO-DTS spatial resolution ranges 0.25 to1.0 m, and cannot resolve small-scale water-column mixing or sub-surface diurnal fluctuations. However, configurations where the cable is wrapped around rods can improve the effective vertical resolution to sub-centimeter scales, and the pipes can be actively heated to induce a thermal tracer. Longitudinal streambed and high-resolution vertical arrays were deployed at the upper Delaware River (PA, USA) and the Quashnet River (MA, USA) for aquatic habitat studies. The resultant datasets exemplify the varied uses of FO-DTS. Cold anomalies found along the Delaware River steambed coincide with zones of known mussel populations, and high-resolution vertical array data showed relatively stable in-channel thermal refugia. Cold anomalies at the Quashnet River identified in 2013 were found to persist in 2014, and seepage measurements and water samples at these locations showed high GW flux with distinctive chemistry. Cable location is paramount to seepage identification, particularly in faster flowing deep streams such as the Quashnet and Delaware Rivers where steambed FO-DTS identified many seepage zones with no surface expression. The temporal characterization of seepage dynamics are unique to FO-DTS. However, data from Tidmarsh Farms, a cranberry bog restoration site in MA, USA indicate that in slower flowing shallow steams GW inflow affects surface temperature; therefore infrared imaging can provide seepage location information similar to FO-DTS with substantially less effort.

In-channel Restoration Structures and the Implications on Hyporheic Exchange: a Laboratory Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, B.; Chu, H. H.; Endreny, T. A.

2014-12-01

In-channel structures, i.e. cross-vanes and J-hooks, are commonly installed in river restoration projects to modify the streambed morphology and stream water surface profile, and are known to change hyporhiec exchange flux and habitats for riverine animals. However, few studies have continuous and accurate pre- and post-treatment data to evaluate the impact of these structures on channel hydraulic gradients and morphology. To quantify the effects of in-channel structures, we developed a scaled physical model of a meandering stream with a cross-vane and 6 J-hooks on a mobile-bed river table. Close-range photogrammetry technique was applied to obtain 3-D water and ground surface profiles with sub-millimeter vertical accuracy and horizontal resolution. The experiment was compared with a control experiment without structures while maintaining the same initial conditions of river bed, floodplain and stream flow. Results indicated that the cross-vane caused an average local head loss that represented 16% of the total stream reach head loss, and a 74% increase in channel load in the entire stream reach. Most J-hooks can create stepwise patterns in stream longitudinal profile, and cross-vane can create even more significant ones. Hydraulic gradients across the intra-meander zone also increased with in-channel structures, i.e. from 2.5% to 3.5% at the meander neck. Scour pools developed downstream of the cross-vane, and mostly around the 4 meander apex J-hooks at their hooked tip. Backwater caused by the cross-vane steepened the local water table profile by an additional 4.2%, and was the primary driver of statistically significant hydraulic gradient increase. Reach scale water and streambed surface profiles from our study provided detailed data to improve the understanding of in-channel structure effects, and may serve as reliable data source in computational modeling of hyporheic exchange.

Shading and sediment structure effects on stream metabolism resistance and resilience to infrequent droughts.

PubMed

Zlatanović, Sanja; Fabian, Jenny; Premke, Katrin; Mutz, Michael

2018-04-15

Perennial, temperate, low-order streams are predicted to become intermittent as a result of irregular droughts caused by global warming and increased water demand. We hypothesize that stream metabolism changes caused by irregular droughts are linked to the shading and bed sediment structure of temperate streams. We set up 16 outdoor experimental streams with low or high shade conditions and streambeds either with alternating sorted patches of gravel and sand or homogeneous gravel-sand mix sediment structures. We assessed community respiration (CR), net ecosystem production (NEP) and periphyton biomass and structure (diatoms, green algae, cyanobacteria) in the course of 6weeks colonization, 6weeks desiccation, and 2.5weeks after rewetting. The heterotroph to autotroph (H:A) and fungi to bacteria (F:B) ratios in the microbial biofilm community were assessed at the end of the colonization and rewetting phases. Streams with different bed sediment structure were functionally similar; their metabolism under desiccation was controlled solely by light availability. During flow recession, all streams showed net heterotrophy. As desiccation progressed, NEP and CR decreased to zero. Desiccation altered the periphyton composition from predominantly diatoms to green algae and cyanobacteria, particularly in streams with low shade and mixed sediments. Rapid post-drought resilience of NEP was accompanied by high cyanobacteria and green algae growth in low shade, but poor total periphyton growth in high shade streams. Variable periphyton recovery was followed by increased H:A in relation to shading, and decreased F:B in relation to sediments structure. These shifts resulted in poor CR recovery compared to the colonization phase, suggesting a link between CR resilience and microbial composition changes. The links between drought effects, post-drought recovery, shading level, and streambed structure reveal the importance of low-order stream management under a changing climate and land use to mitigate the future impact of unpredictable infrequent droughts on stream metabolism in temperate ecosystems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Occurrence of selected contaminants in water, fish tissue, and streambed sediments in central Nebraska, 1992-95

USGS Publications Warehouse

Frenzel, Steven A.

1996-01-01

Surface and ground water in Nebraska may contain contaminants resulting from human activities. For purposes of this publication, a contaminant is any element or compound whose presence may affect the water's suitability for certain uses. For example, herbicide concentrations may exceeed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA) Health Advisory Levels (HAL) for drinking water or trace-element concentrations may exceed guidelines for the protection of aquatic life. In general, the contaminats discussed in this report enter the aquatic system through nonpoint-source runoff from agricultural lands that dominate the Nebraska landscape. However,because this assessment was conducted as part of a larger, national program, a screening for contaminants with non-agricultural origins was included.The measurement of water quality involves a variety of steps, each contributing unique information while also aggregating to an overall assessment. One aspect of water-quality assesment is to describe the occurrence and distribution of contaminants. Some contaminants may be hundreds or thousands of times more concentrated in the tissues of aquatic organisms or in fine sediments than they are in the water. As a result, fish tissue and streambed sediments are well suited for the detection of certain contaminants. For example, pesticides used in the United States prior to the early 1970's, such as DDT, may have degraded into more stable but still toxic compounds that are highly concentrated in fish tissues. Conversely, other contaminants are not concentrated in sediments or tissues but are readily detected in water samples. Organonitrogen herbicides (such as atrazine), the most commonly used herbicides in Nebraska, are examples of water-soluble contaminants.Several sampling strategies were used to address specific questions. Some sites were sampled repeatedly through time and during all hydrologic conditions, whereas others were sampled only once to determine presence of contaminants. Because a strong relation between concentration and streamflow often exists for contaminants originating from nonpoint sources, streams typically were sampled near gaging stations that monitor streamflow.

Effects of an Experimental Enrichment of Instream Habitat Heterogeneity on the Stream Bed Morphology and Chironomid Community of a Straightened Section in a Sandy Lowland Stream

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spänhoff, Bernd; Riss, Wolfgang; Jäkel, Paul; Dakkak, Nadja; Meyer, Elisabeth I.

2006-02-01

A straightened stream stretch with poor habitat heterogeneity was divided into a “control” section with a low amount of submerged woody debris and an experimentally “wood-enriched” downstream section to study the effect of enhanced habitat diversity on the benthic invertebrate community. The downstream section was enriched by fixing 25 wood packages constructed from 9-10 branches on the stream bottom. Succession processes occurring in the two stream sections were compared by chironomid exuviae drift from July to November 2000 and from April to August 2001. During the first sampling period, more drifting chironomid exuviae (medians of control vs. wood-enriched: 446 vs. 331, no significant difference) and total number of taxa (44 vs. 36, Wilcoxon signed-rank test P = 0.019) were recorded for the control section. Although species compositions of both stream sections were highly similar (Sørensen index: 0.83) the diversity in the wood-enriched section was distinctly lower compared to the control section (Shannon-Weaver index: 1.19 vs. 1.50). During the second sampling period, exuviae numbers remained higher in the control section (median: 326 vs. 166), but total numbers of taxa were nearly equal (51 vs. 49), as well as species diversity (Shannon-Weaver index: 1.67 vs. 1.64). The lower chironomid diversity observed during the first sampling period coincided with a gradual but significant change of the streambed morphology in the wood-enriched section. There, the initially more U-shaped profile (V/U = 0.81 ± 0.37) had turned into a pronounced V shape (V/U = 1.14 ± 0.21), whereas the control section retained its unaltered U shape (V/U = 0.62-0.75). This small-scale study on experimental of woody debris in sandy lowland streams showed that the negative impact of increased hydraulic disturbance of the existing streambed more than outweighed any positive impact resulting from the increase in woody debris.

Simulation of the shallow groundwater-flow system near the Hayward Airport, Sawyer County, Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hunt, Randall J.; Juckem, Paul F.; Dunning, Charles P.

2010-01-01

There are concerns that removal and trimming of vegetation during expansion of the Hayward Airport in Sawyer County, Wisconsin, could appreciably change the character of a nearby cold-water stream and its adjacent environs. In cooperation with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, a two-dimensional, steady-state groundwater-flow model of the shallow groundwater-flow system near the Hayward Airport was refined from a regional model of the area. The parameter-estimation code PEST was used to obtain a best fit of the model to additional field data collected in February 2007 as part of this study. The additional data were collected during an extended period of low runoff and consisted of water levels and streamflows near the Hayward Airport. Refinements to the regional model included one additional hydraulic-conductivity zone for the airport area, and three additional parameters for streambed resistance in a northern tributary to the Namekagon River and in the main stem of the Namekagon River. In the refined Hayward Airport area model, the calibrated hydraulic conductivity was 11.2 feet per day, which is within the 58.2 to 7.9 feet per day range reported for the regional glacial and sandstone aquifer, and is consistent with a silty soil texture for the area. The calibrated refined model had a best fit of 8.6 days for the streambed resistance of the Namekagon River and between 0.6 and 1.6 days for the northern tributary stream. The previously reported regional groundwater-recharge rate of 10.1 inches per year was adjusted during calibration of the refined model in order to match streamflows measured during the period of extended low runoff; this resulted in an optimal groundwater-recharge rate of 7.1 inches per year during this period. The refined model was then used to simulate the capture zone of the northern tributary to the Namekagon River.

Impacts of different rainfall patterns on hyporheic zone under transient conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Suning; Chui, Ting Fong May

2018-06-01

The hyporheic zone (HZ) plays an important role in stream ecology. Previous studies have mainly focused on the factors influencing the HZ in the steady state. However, the exchange between surface water and groundwater in the HZ can become transient during a storm. This study investigates the impacts of different rainfall patterns (varying in intensity and duration) on the HZ under transient conditions. A two-dimensional numerical model of a 10-m long and 2-m deep domain is developed, in which the streambed consists of a series of dunes. Brinkman-Darcy and Navier-Stokes equations are respectively solved for groundwater and surface water, and velocity and pressure are coupled at the interface (i.e., the streambed surface). To compare the results under different transient conditions, this study proposes two indicators, i.e., the influential time (IT, the time required for the HZ to return to its initial state once it starts to change) and the influential depth (ID, the maximum increment in the HZ depth). To detect the extent to which the HZ undergoes significant spatial changes, moving split-window and inflection point tests are conducted. The results indicate that rainfall intensity (RI) and rainfall duration (RD) both display logarithmic relationships with the IT and ID with high coefficients of determination, but only between certain lower and upper thresholds of the RI and RD. Moreover, the distributions of the IT and ID as a function of the RI and RD are mapped using the surface spline and kriging interpolation methods to facilitate future prediction of the IT and ID. In addition, it is observed that the IT has a linear negative correlation with the groundwater response while the ID is not affected by different groundwater responses. All of the derived relationships can be used to predict the impacts of a future rainfall event on the HZ.

Streambed scour evaluations and conditions at selected bridge sites in Alaska, 2013–15

USGS Publications Warehouse

Beebee, Robin A.; Dworsky, Karenth L.; Knopp, Schyler J.

2017-12-27

Streambed scour potential was evaluated at 52 river- and stream-spanning bridges in Alaska that lack a quantitative scour analysis or have unknown foundation details. All sites were evaluated for stream stability and long-term scour potential. Contraction scour and abutment scour were calculated for 52 bridges, and pier scour was calculated for 11 bridges that had piers. Vertical contraction (pressure flow) scour was calculated for sites where the modeled water surface was higher than the superstructure of the bridge. In most cases, hydraulic models of the 1- and 0.2-percent annual exceedance probability floods (also known as the 100- and 500-year floods, respectively) were used to derive hydraulic variables for the scour calculations. Alternate flood values were used in scour calculations for sites where smaller floods overtopped a bridge or where standard flood-frequency estimation techniques did not apply. Scour also was calculated for large recorded floods at 13 sites.Channel instability at 11 sites was related to human activities (in-channel mining, dredging, and channel relocation). Eight of the dredged sites are located on active unstable alluvial fans and were graded to protect infrastructure. The trend toward aggradation during major floods at these sites reduces confidence in scour estimates.Vertical contraction and pressure flow occurred during the 0.2-percent or smaller annual exceedance probability floods at eight sites. Contraction scour exceeded 5 feet (ft) at four sites, and total scour at piers (pier scour plus contraction scour) exceeded 5 ft at four sites. Debris accumulation increased calculated pier scour at six sites by an average of 2.4 ft. Total scour at abutments exceeded 5 ft at 10 sites. Scour estimates seemed excessive at two piers where equations did not account for channel armoring, and at four abutments where failure of the embankment and attendant channel widening would reduce scour.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 12 (BRAITH00230012) on Town Highway 23, crossing Ayers Brook, Braintree, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Olson, Scott A.

1996-01-01

D and E. Scour depths and rock rip-rap sizes were computed using the general guidelines described in Hydraulic Engineering Circular 18 (Richardson and others, 1993). 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 flows ranged from 4.2 to 9.4 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the incipient-overtopping discharge which was less than the 100-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 4.3 to 17.5 ft. The worst-case abutment scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. 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, 1993, p. 48). 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.

Metal contamination and post-remediation recovery in the Boulder River watershed, Jefferson County, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Unruh, Daniel M.; Church, Stanley E; Nimick, David A.; Fey, David L.

2009-01-01

The legacy of acid mine drainage and toxic trace metals left in streams by historical mining is being addressed by many important yet costly remediation efforts. Monitoring of environmental conditions frequently is not performed but is essential to evaluate remediation effectiveness, determine whether clean-up goals have been met, and assess which remediation strategies are most effective. Extensive pre- and post-remediation data for water and sediment quality for the Boulder River watershed in southwestern Montana provide an unusual opportunity to demonstrate the importance of monitoring. The most extensive restoration in the watershed occurred at the Comet mine on High Ore Creek and resulted in the most dramatic improvement in aquatic habitat. Removal of contaminated sediment and tailings, and stream-channel reconstruction reduced Cd and Zn concentrations in water such that fish are now present, and reduced metal concentrations in streambed sediment by a factor of c. 10, the largest improvement in the district. Waste removals at the Buckeye/Enterprise and Bullion mine sites produced limited or no improvement in water and sediment quality, and acidic drainage from mine adits continues to degrade stream aquatic habitat. Recontouring of hillslopes that had funnelled runoff into the workings of the Crystal mine substantially reduced metal concentrations in Uncle Sam Gulch, but did not eliminate all of the acidic adit drainage. Lead isotopic evidence suggests that the Crystal mine rather than the Comet mine is now the largest source of metals in streambed sediment of the Boulder River. The completed removal actions prevent additional contaminants from entering the stream, but it may take many years for erosional processes to diminish the effects of contaminated sediment already in streams. Although significant strides have been made, additional efforts to seal draining adits or treat the adit effluent at the Bullion and Crystal mines would need to be completed to achieve the desired restoration.

Clogging of an Alpine streambed by silt-sized particles - Insights from laboratory and field experiments.

PubMed

Fetzer, Jasmin; Holzner, Markus; Plötze, Michael; Furrer, Gerhard

2017-12-01

Clogging of streambeds by suspended particles (SP) can cause environmental problems, as it can negatively influence, e.g., habitats for macrozoobenthos, fish reproduction and groundwater recharge. This especially applies in the case of silt-sized SP. Until now, most research has dealt with coarse SP and was carried out in laboratory systems. The aims of this study are to examine (1) whether physical clogging by silt-sized SP exhibits the same dynamics and patterns as by sand-sized SP, and (2) the comparability of results between laboratory and field experiments. We carried out vertical column experiments with sand-sized bed material and silt-sized SP, which are rich in mica minerals. In laboratory experiments, we investigated the degree of clogging quantified by the reduction of porosity and hydraulic conductivity and the maximum clogging depth as a function of size and shape of bed material, size of SP, pore water flow velocity, and concentration of calcium cations. The SP were collected from an Alpine sedimentation basin, where our field experiments were carried out. To investigate the clogging process in the field, we buried columns filled with sand-sized quartz in the stream bed. We found that the maximal bed-to-grain ratio where clogging still occurs is larger for silt-sized SP than for sand-sized SP. The observed clogging depths and the reduction of flow rate through the column from our laboratory experiments were comparable to those from the field. However, our field results showed that the extent of clogging strongly depends on the naturally-occurring hydrological dynamics. The field location was characterized by a more polydisperse suspension, a strongly fluctuating water regime, and high SP concentrations at times, leading to more heterogeneous and more pronounced clogging when compared to laboratory results. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Continuous Temperature and Water-Level Data Collected for a Heat Tracer Study on a Selected Reach of Tri-State Canal, Western Nebraska, 2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hobza, Christopher M.

2008-01-01

The water supply in parts of the North Platte River Basin in the Nebraska Panhandle has been designated as fully appropriated or over appropriated by the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources. Recent legislation (LB 962) requires the North Platte Natural Resources District and the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources to develop an Integrated Management Plan to balance ground- and surface-water supply and demand within the North Platte Natural Resources District. For a ground-water-flow model to accurately simulate existing or future ground-water and surface-water conditions, accurate estimates of specific input variables such as streambed conductance or canal-seepage rates are required. As of 2008, the values input into ground-water models were estimated on the basis of interpreted lithology from test holes and geophysical surveys. Often, contrasts of several orders of magnitude exist for streambed conductance among the various sediment textures present locally, and thin, near-surface layers of fine sediment can clog the streambed, substantially reducing conductance. To accurately quantify the rates of leakage from irrigation canals and estimate ground-water recharge, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the North Platte Natural Resources District, collected continuous temperature and water-level data to use heat as a tracer for a selected reach of Tri-State Canal west of Scottsbluff, Nebraska. Continuous records of subsurface temperature, ground-water level, canal stage, and water temperature, and sediment core data are presented in this report. Subsurface temperature was monitored at four vertical sensor arrays of thermocouples installed at various depths beneath the canal bed from March through September 2007. Canal stage and water temperature were measured from June to September 2007. Ground-water level was recorded continuously in an observation well drilled near the subsurface temperature monitoring site. These data sets were collected for use as inputs for a computer model to estimate the vertical hydraulic conductivity. Before the initiation of flow, diurnal variations in subsurface temperature occurred because of daytime heating and nighttime cooling of bed sediment. Flow in Tri-State Canal was first detected on June 16 at the monitoring site as a disruption in the temperature signal in the shallowest thermocouple in all four vertical sensor arrays. This disruption in the temperature pattern occurred in deeper thermocouples at slightly later times during the rapid infiltration of canal water. The ground-water level began to rise approximately 23 hours after flow was first detected at the monitoring site. Canal stage rose for 7 days until the maximum flow capacity of the canal was approached on June 23, 2007. Measured water temperatures ranged from 18 to 25 degrees Celsius (C) while the canal was flowing near maximum capacity. Small diurnal variations of 1.0 to 1.5 degrees C in water temperature were recorded during this time. Measured ground-water levels rose constantly during the entire irrigation season until levels peaked on September 3, 2007, 3 days after diversions to Tri-State Canal ceased.

Assessment of groundwater/surface-water interaction and simulation of potential streamflow depletion induced by groundwater withdrawal, Uinta River near Roosevelt, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lambert, P.M.; Marston, T.; Kimball, B.A.; Stolp, B.J.

2011-01-01

Roosevelt City, Utah, asserts a need for an additional supply of water to meet municipal demands and has identified a potential location for additional groundwater development at the Sprouse well field near the West Channel of the Uinta River. Groundwater is commonly hydraulically linked to surface water and, under some conditions, the pumpage of groundwater can deplete water in streams and other water bodies. In 2008, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Roosevelt City, the Utah Department of Natural Resources, and the Ute Indian Tribe, began a study to improve understanding of the local interconnection between groundwater and surface water and to assess the potential for streamflow depletion from future groundwater withdrawals at a potential Roosevelt City development location—the Sprouse well field near the West Channel of the Uinta River.In the study, streamflow gains and losses at the river/aquifer boundary near the well field and changes in those conditions over time were assessed through (1) synoptic measurement of discharge in the stream at multiple sites using tracer-dilution methods, (2) periodic measurement of the vertical hydraulic gradient across the streambed, and (3) continuous measurement of stream and streambed water temperature using heat as a tracer of flow across the streambed. Although some contradictions among the results of the three assessment methods were observed, results of the approaches generally indicated (1) losing streamflow conditions on the West Channel of the Uinta River north of and upstream from the Sprouse well field within the study area, (2) gaining streamflow conditions south of and downstream from the well field, and (3) some seasonal changes in those conditions that correspond with seasonal changes in stream stage and local water-table altitudes.A numerical groundwater flow model was developed on the basis of previously reported observations and observations made during this study, and was used to estimate potential streamflow depletion that might result from future groundwater withdrawals at the Sprouse well field. The model incorporates concepts of transient groundwater flow conditions including fluctuations in groundwater levels and storage, and the distribution of and temporal variations in gains to and losses from streamflow in the West Channel of the Uinta River near the Sprouse well field. Two predictive model simulations incorporated additional future discharge from the Sprouse well field totaling 325 acre-feet annually and biennially during summer months. Results of the predictive model simulations indicate that the water withdrawn by the additional pumping was derived initially from aquifer storage and then, with time, predominantly from streamflow depletion. By the 10th year of the predictive simulation incorporating annual summer pumping from an additional public-supply well in the Sprouse well field, the simulation results indicate that 89 percent of a future annual 325 acre-feet of discharge is derived from depletion of streamflow in the West Channel of the Uinta River. A similar result was observed in a predictive model simulating the same discharge rate but with the new well being pumped every other year.

Source identification and fish exposure for polychlorinated biphenyls using congener analysis from passive water samplers in the Millers River basin, Massachusetts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Colman, John A.

2001-01-01

Measurements of elevated concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in fish and in streambed sediments of the Millers River Basin, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, have been reported without evidence of the PCB source. In 1999, an investigation was initiated to determine the source(s) of the elevated PCB concentrations observed in fish and to establish the extent of fish exposure to PCBs along the entire main stems of the Millers River and one of its tributaries, the Otter River. Passive samplers deployed for 2-week intervals in the water-column at 3 1 stations, during summer and fall 1999, were used to assess PCB concentrations in the Millers River Basin. The samplers concentrate PCBs, which diffuse from the water column through a polyethylene membrane to hexane (0.200 liters) contained inside the samplers. Only dissolved PCBs (likely equivalent to the bioavailable fraction) are subject to diffusion through the membrane. The summed concentrations of all targeted PCB congeners (summed PCB) retrieved from the samplers ranged from 1 to 8,000 nanograms per hexane sample. Concentration and congener-pattern comparisons indicated that the historical release of PCBs in the Millers River Basin likely occurred on the Otter River at the upstream margin of Baldwinville, Mass. Elevated water-column concentrations measured in a wetland reach on the Otter River downstream from Baldwinville were compatible with a conceptual model for a present-day (1999) source in streambed sediments, to which the PCBs partitioned after their original introduction into the Otter River and from which PCBs are released to the water now that the original discharge has ceased or greatly decreased. Two four-fold decreases in summed PCB concentrations in the Millers River, by comparison with the highest concentration on the Otter River, likely were caused by (1) dilution with water from the relatively uncontaminated upstream Millers River and (2) volatilization of PCBs from the Millers River in steep-gradient reaches. A relatively constant concentration of summed PCBs in the reach of the Millers River from river mile 20 to river mile 10 was likely a consequence of a balance between decreased volatilization rates in that relatively low-gradient reach and resupply of PCBs to the water column from contaminated streambed sediments. A second high-gradient reach from river mile 10 to the confluence of the Millers River with the Connecticut River also was associated with a decrease in concentration of water-column summed PCBs. Volatilization as a loss mechanism was supported by evidence in the form of slight changes of the congener pattern in the reaches where decreases occurred. Exposure of fish food webs to concentrations of dissolved PCBs exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's water-quality criterion for PCBs throughout most of the Millers River and Otter River main stems. Because the apparent source of PCBs discharged was upstream on the Otter River, a large number of river miles downstream (more than 30 mi) had summer water-column PCB concentrations that would likely lead to high concentrations of PCBs in fish.

What are check dams made for? An historical perspective from the French experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piton, Guillaume; Carladous, Simon; Recking, Alain

2015-04-01

The mitigation of torrent related hazards is an important issue in mountainous regions. Structural mitigation measures have been implemented on hill slopes and in streambeds for more than 150 years in all Europe. Check dams play a key role in these mitigation plans and can have highly variable functions (horizontal and vertical stabilization of streambeds, consolidation of hillslopes' toe, retention of sediments, modulations of high solid discharges, lowering of streambed slope, etc.). Thousands of structures had been built more than a century ago. Since their construction, land uses evolved, torrent control works, associated with reforestation, curtailed a part of the sediment production. According to field experience, defining the initial and current functions of some old structures can remain challenging in some cases. To better understand for which purposes thousands of these structures were built during the 19th and 20th centuries , we analyzed old books to determine: what was the history of the comprehension of the processes involved in torrent related hazards? and; how the use of check dams evolved to take into account this improving comprehension? i.e. how the human actions on watercourses co-evolved with scientific knowledge from the early 19th centuries to nowadays? The presentation does not aim to determine who, the first, addressed any scientific question: equivalent history and scientific works took place in all regions of the world at different time and the French were not the first to build check dams and to undertook watershed scale mitigation plans. But the French example is interesting because the torrent control works were planned in mountainous regions at the country scale (the Alps, the Pyrenees and the Massif Central). Initial plans were to reforest mountains, relying on civil engineering works if needed. Their implementation , through the French Mountain Lands' reforestation and grass seeding laws of 1860 and 1864, proved to be difficult for technical and sociological reasons. The Mountain lands' conservation and restoration law of 1882 aimed to better fit local issues. The idea of the presentation is thus to highlight how evolved the historical comprehension of torrential hazards and of the usefulness of check dams in mitigation plans in a changing environment on the technical as well as on the sociological and regulatory points of view. Pioneering scientific and technical works on torrential hydraulics and check dams will be presented. Describing the global context that leads to French laws of 1860,1864 and 1882 will allow us to explain the extensive development of the works in more than a thousand of torrents and a hundred of big landslides. We then will discuss the evolution of technics during the beginning of the 20th century and the changes induced after WWII by the arrival of reinforced-concrete technics. We will conclude the presentation with a synthesis table aiming to highlight the different functions of check dams based on a description of their situations in the watershed, compare to other structures' situations and on shape criteria. This historical perspective will hopefully help people to better understand for which purposes some structures have been built in the past centuries and what lessons can be learnt from this assessment.

National Dam Inspection Program. Lake Housatonic Dam and Dike (CT 00026 and CT 01714). Connecticut Coastal Basin, Housatonic River, Derby-Shelton, Connecticut. Phase I Inspection Report.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-08-01

elevation 47.5) is 394,000 cfs. , "C. Elevations (feet above NGVD) (1) Streambed at toe of dam (approximate) 0.0 (2) Botton of cutoff Unknown (3) Maximum...diameter. Condition of Discharge Channel Canal appears to be silted in. Two parking lots have been constructed in the canal, but culverts were...Checked ~ ~ t Date ’ 4J~ aw a7W 4r Śewww APajd1 ~/v’* ccuot AM 4W r1.0W OWj M49AA a 44r0 OA, Te J~xOOr 0. SS40Wl llhwWl 4/ toS~ Al fA ~w~’~y’ XV0

Spawning by Rhinichthys osculus (Cyprinidae), in the San Francisco River, New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mueller, Gordon A.

1984-01-01

The speckles dace Rhinichthys osculus [Girard] is the most widely distributed and ubiquitous fish in the western United States (Moyle, Inland Fishes of California, 1976). Although common, very little information is available concerning thje reproductive behavior of speckled dace or the environmental cues which trigger spawning activity. Several hundred speckled dace were observed spawning in the San Francisco River, 4.8 km upstream from Reserve, Catron County, New Mexico, on June 2-3, 1981. Spawning was in an area of disturbed substrate at a time when other reaches of the streambed were overgrown with diatoms, filamentous algae, and macrophytes. This note described the spawning site and reproductive behavior and proposes that physical disturbance is a major cue for reproductive activity in the species.

Coarse Particulate Organic Matter: Storage, Transport, and Retention

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

Tiegs, Scott; Lamberti, Gary A.; Entrekin, Sally A.

2017-08-01

Coarse particulate organic matter, or CPOM, is a basal energy and nutrient resource in many stream ecosystems and is provided by inputs from the riparian zone, incoming tributaries, and to a lesser extent from in-stream production. The ability of a stream to retain CPOM or slow its transport is critical to its consumption and assimilation by stream biota. In this chapter, we describe basic exercises to measure (1) the amount of CPOM in the streambed and (2) the retention of CPOM from standardized particle releases. We further describe advanced exercises that (1) experimentally enhance the retentiveness of a stream reachmore » and (2) measure organic carbon transport and turnover (i.e., spiraling) in the channel.« less

Effects of combined-sewer overflows and urban runoff on the water quality of Fall Creek, Indianapolis, Indiana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Martin, Jeffrey D.

1995-01-01

Concentrations of dissolved oxygen measured at the station in the middle of the combined-sewer overflows were less than the Indiana minimum ambient water-quality standard of 4.0 milligrams per liter during all storms. Concentrations of ammonia, oxygen demand, copper, lead, zinc, and fecal coliform bacteria at the stations downstream from the combined-sewer overflows were much higher in storm runoff than in base flow. Increased concentrations of oxygen demand in runoff probably were caused by combined-sewer overflows, urban runoff, and the resuspension of organic material deposited on the streambed. Some of the increased concentrations of lead, zinc, and probably copper can be attributed to the discharge and resuspension of filter backwash

Coarse Particulate Organic Matter: Storage, Transport, and Retention

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

Tiegs, Scott; Lamberti, Gary A.; Entrekin, Sally A.

Coarse particulate organic matter, or CPOM, is a basal energy and nutrient resource in many stream ecosystems and is provided by inputs from the riparian zone, incoming tributaries, and to a lesser extent from in-stream production. The ability of a stream to retain CPOM or slow its transport is critical to its consumption and assimilation by stream biota. In this chapter, we describe basic exercises to measure (1) the amount of CPOM in the streambed and (2) the retention of CPOM from standardized particle releases. We further describe advanced exercises that (1) experimentally enhance the retentiveness of a stream reachmore » and (2) measure organic carbon transport and turnover (i.e., spiraling) in the channel.« less

Streambed scour evaluations and conditions at selected bridge sites in Alaska, 2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Beebee, Robin A.; Schauer, Paul V.

2015-11-19

Vertical contraction and pressure flow occurred during 1 percent or smaller annual exceedance probability floods at five sites, including three aggradation sites. Contraction scour exceeded 5 feet at two sites, and total scour at piers (pier scour plus contraction scour) exceeded 5 feet at two sites. Debris accumulation increased calculated pier scour at six sites by an average of 1.2 feet. Total scour at abutments including contraction scour exceeded 5 feet at seven sites. Scour estimates seemed excessive at aggradation sites where upstream sediment supply controls scour and deposition processes, at cohesive soil sites where conservative assumptions were made for soil strength and flood duration, and for abutment scour at sites where failure of the embankment and attendant channel widening would reduce scour.

Characteristics of sediment transport at selected sites along the Missouri River, 2011–12

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rus, David L.; Galloway, Joel M.; Alexander, Jason S.

2015-10-22

The Modified-Einstein Procedure tended to predict greater total-sediment loads when compared to measured values. These differences may be the result of sediment deficits in the Missouri River that lead to an overprediction by the Modified-Einstein Procedure, the unsampled zone above the streambed that leads to an underprediction by the suspended sampler, or general uncertainty in the sampling approach. The differences between total-sediment load obtained through measurements and that estimated from applied theoretical procedures such as the Modified-Einstein Procedure pose a challenge for reliably characterizing total-sediment transport. Though it is not clear which of the two techniques is more accurate, the general tendency of the two to be within an order of magnitude of one another may be adequate for many sediment studies.

Surface-water-quality assessment of the Yakima River basin in Washington; spatial and temporal distribution of trace elements in water, sediment, and aquatic biota, 1987-91; with a section on geology

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fuhrer, Gregory J.; Cain, Daniel J.; McKenzie, Stuart W.; Rinella, Joseph F.; Crawford, J. Kent; Skach, Kenneth A.; Hornberger, Michelle I.; Gannett, Marshall W.

1999-01-01

The report describes the distribution of trace elements in sediment, water, and aquatic biota in the Yakima River basin, Washington. Trace elements were determined from streambed sediment, suspended sediment, filtered and unfiltered water samples, aquatic insects, clams, fish livers, and fish fillets between 1987 and 1991. The distribution of trace elements in these media was related to local geology and anthropogenic sources. Additionally, annual and instantaneous loads were estimated for trace elements associated with suspended sediment and trace elements in filtered water samples. Trace elements also were screened against U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidelines established for the protection of human health and aquatic life.

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

Distler, T. M.; Wong, C. M.

Runoff-water samples for the first, third, and fourth quarters of 1975 were analyzed for pesticide residues at LLL and independently by the LFE Environmental Analysis Laboratories. For the compounds analyzed, upper limits to possible contamination were placed conservatively at the low parts-per-billion level. In addition, soil samples were also analyzed. Future work will continue to include quarterly sampling and will be broadened in scope to include quantitative analysis of a larger number of compounds. A study of recovery efficiency is planned. Because of the high backgrounds on soil samples together with the uncertainties introduced by the cleanup procedures, there ismore » little hope of evaluating the distribution of a complex mixture of pesticides among the aqueous and solid phases in a drainage sample. No further sampling of soil from the streambed is therefore contemplated.« less

Surface-water-quality assessment of the Yakima River basin, Washington; distribution of pesticides and other organic compounds in water, sediment, and aquatic biota, 1987-91; with a section on dissolved organic carbon in the Yakima River basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rinella, Joseph F.; McKenzie, Stuart W.; Crawford, J. Kent; Foreman, William T.; Fuhrer, Gregory J.; Morace, Jennifer L.; Aiken, George R.

1999-01-01

During 1987-91, chemical data were collected for pesticides and other organic compounds in surface water, streambed sediment, suspended sediment, agricultural soil, and aquatic biota to determine the occurrence, distribution, transport, and fate of organic compounds in the Yakima River basin in Washington. The report describes the chemical and physical properties of the compounds most frequently detected in the water column; organochlorine compounds including DDT, organophosphorus compounds, thiocarbamate and sulfite compounds, acetamide and triazine compounds, and chlorophenoxy-acetic acid and benzoic compounds. Concentrations are evaluated relative to chronic-toxicity water quality criteria and guidelines for the protection of human health and freshwater aquatic life.

A new temperature profiling probe for investigating groundwater-surface water interaction

USGS Publications Warehouse

Naranjo, Ramon C.; Robert Turcotte,

2015-01-01

Measuring vertically nested temperatures at the streambed interface poses practical challenges that are addressed here with a new discrete subsurface temperature profiling probe. We describe a new temperature probe and its application for heat as a tracer investigations to demonstrate the probe's utility. Accuracy and response time of temperature measurements made at 6 discrete depths in the probe were analyzed in the laboratory using temperature bath experiments. We find the temperature probe to be an accurate and robust instrument that allows for easily installation and long-term monitoring in highly variable environments. Because the probe is inexpensive and versatile, it is useful for many environmental applications that require temperature data collection for periods of several months in environments that are difficult to access or require minimal disturbance.

Screening Level Assessment of Metal Concentrations in Streambed Sediments and Floodplain Soils within the Grand Lake Watershed in Northeastern Oklahoma, USA.

PubMed

Garvin, Ean M; Bridge, Cas F; Garvin, Meredith S

2017-04-01

Metal releases have been received by the Grand Lake watershed from the Tri-State Mining District (TSMD) since the mid 1800s. To address data gaps in metal distributions in the Oklahoma portion of the watershed, streambed sediment and floodplain soil was sampled on various streams. The <63-µm fraction was analyzed for Cd, Pb, and Zn concentrations by portable X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Mean metal concentration results at reference transects indicated that background sediment/soil concentrations for Cd, Pb, and Zn within the watershed were 0.5, 19, and 68 mg/kg, respectively. A significant difference in the distributions of metal concentrations was found between reference and impacted transects (Cd, Pb, Zn: p = 0.00; Cd: n = 29; Pb, Zn: n = 283). These results demonstrated that concentrations of metals in streambed sediments and floodplain soils were significantly higher in areas downstream of major mining influences relative to upstream reference sites, and the source of metal contamination within these media was the result of mining releases from the TSMD. Toxicity risks to benthic macroinvertebrates were evaluated using a TSMD-specific sediment mixture model (∑PEC-Q Cd,Pb,Zn ) for metals (MacDonald et al. in Development and evaluation of sediment and pore-water toxicity thresholds to support sediment quality assessments in the Tri-State Mining District (TSMD), Missouri, Oklahoma, and Kansas. Draft Final Technical Report. Volume I: Text. Prepared for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Prepared by MacDonald Environmental Sciences Ltd., U.S. Geological Survey, and CH2M Hill, Nanaimo, 2009). Toxicity risks to plant populations were also assessed by comparing soil metal concentrations to Ecological Soil Screening Levels (Eco-SSLs). It was found that the survival and/or biomass of benthic invertebrates was highly impacted at Tar Creek, highly to moderately impacted at Spring River and Elm Creek, and unimpacted at Lost Creek and Grand Lake as a result of sediment metal concentrations. It also was found that soil metal concentrations were likely sufficient to impact plant populations at all streams. Within the Oklahoma portion of the watershed, the majority of environmental studies, remediation, and restoration efforts by local, state, and federal agencies have been primarily focused within the Tar Creek Superfund Site (TCSS) boundary. Importantly, the findings of this study highlighted the downstream extent of metals contamination as well as the resulting potential toxicities to benthic invertebrates and plants that is present outside of the TCSS boundary. Because the Oklahoma portion of the watershed comprises the jurisdictional lands of ten tribes, these results emphasized the potential tribal loss of use of benthic invertebrates and plants due to their decline in population as a result of metal toxicity. These overall findings provide an important basis for future data needs in assessing metal concentrations in aquatic and terrestrial biota that are consumed by tribal communities within the watershed to determine if certain organisms are unsafe to consume or warrant consumption advisories. This will allow risk assessors and risk managers to better understand the potential loss of use of tribal biological resources as well as improving risk-based decision making to be protective of these resources and tribal human health.

Water-Quality Conditions of Chester Creek, Anchorage, Alaska, 1998-2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Glass, Roy L.; Ourso, Robert T.

2006-01-01

Between October 1998 and September 2001, the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program evaluated the water-quality conditions of Chester Creek, a stream draining forest and urban settings in Anchorage, Alaska. Data collection included water, streambed sediments, lakebed sediments, and aquatic organisms samples from urban sites along the stream. Urban land use ranged from less than 1 percent of the basin above the furthest upstream site to 46 percent above the most downstream site. Findings suggest that water quality of Chester Creek declines in the downstream direction and as urbanization in the watershed increases. Water samples were collected monthly and during storms at a site near the stream's mouth (Chester Creek at Arctic Boulevard) and analyzed for major ions and nutrients. Water samples collected during water year 1999 were analyzed for selected pesticides and volatile organic compounds. Concentrations of fecal-indicator bacteria were determined monthly during calendar year 2000. During winter, spring, and summer, four water samples were collected at a site upstream of urban development (South Branch of South Fork Chester Creek at Tank Trail) and five from an intermediate site (South Branch of South Fork Chester Creek at Boniface Parkway). Concentrations of calcium, magnesium, sodium, chloride, and sulfate in water increased in the downstream direction. Nitrate concentrations were similar at the three sites and all were less than the drinking-water standard. About one-quarter of the samples from the Arctic Boulevard site had concentrations of phosphorus that exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) guideline for preventing nuisance plant growth. Water samples collected at the Arctic Boulevard site contained concentrations of the insecticide carbaryl that exceeded the guideline for protecting aquatic life. Every water sample revealed a low concentration of volatile organic compounds, including benzene, toluene, tetrachloroethylene, methyl tert-butyl ether, and chloroform. No water samples contained volatile organic compounds concentrations that exceeded any USEPA drinking-water standard or guideline. Fecal-indicator bacteria concentrations in water from the Arctic Boulevard site commonly exceeded Federal and State guidelines for water-contact recreation. Concentrations of cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc in streambed sediments increased in the downstream direction. Some concentrations of arsenic, chromium, lead, and zinc in sediments were at levels that can adversely affect aquatic organisms. Analysis of sediment chemistry in successive lakebed-sediment layers from Westchester Lagoon near the stream's mouth provided a record of water-quality trends since about 1970. Concentrations of lead have decreased from peak levels in the mid-1970s, most likely because of removing lead from gasoline and lower lead content in other products. However, concen-trations in recently-deposited lakebed sediments are still about 10 times greater than measured in streambed sediments at the upstream Tank Trail site. Zinc concentrations in lakebed sediments also increased in the early 1970s to levels that exceeded guidelines to protect aquatic life and have remained at elevated but variable levels. Pyrene, benz[a]anthracene, and phenanthrene in lakebed sediments also have varied in concentrations and have exceeded protection guidelines for aquatic life since the 1970s. Concentrations of dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), or their by-products generally were highest in lakebed sediments deposited in the 1970s. More recent sediments have concentrations that vary widely and do not show distinct temporal trends. Tissue samples of whole slimy sculpin (Cottus cognatus), a non-migratory species of fish, showed con-centrations of trace elements and organic contaminants. Of the constituents analyzed, only selenium concentra-tions showed levels of potential concern for

Total Mercury and Methylmercury in the Great Egg Harbor River Watershed, New Jersey, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barringer, J. L.; Riskin, M. L.; Szabo, Z.; Fischer, J. M.; Reilly, P. A.; Rosman, R.; Bonin, J. L.; Heckathorn, H. A.

2007-12-01

Hydrologic and biogeochemical conditions are important factors in the transport and distribution of mercury (Hg) in New Jersey Coastal Plain watersheds that contain extensive freshwater wetlands and where Hg bioaccumulation is of concern. U.S. Geological Survey studies found Hg concentrations in top predator fish from the Great Egg Harbor River mainstem that ranged from 2.9 to 4.5 mg/kg (dry wt.) and exceeded 10 ng/L in the watershed's acidic streams. An ongoing study with the N.J. Department of Environmental Protection indicates that atmospheric deposition of Hg to the wetlands and streams may be augmented by substantial contributions of Hg from ground water. Although background levels of Hg in water from the underlying aquifer typically are less than 10 ng/L, concentrations in water from more than 600 domestic wells in southern New Jersey have been shown to exceed the drinking-water maximum contaminant level of 2,000 ng/L. Therefore, to determine ground-water inputs to the streams, samples of ground water discharging to the tributaries and mainstem as well as streamwater samples collected during various flow conditions were analyzed for total Hg and methylmercury (MeHg). Total Hg concentrations in ground water discharging to the tributaries and mainstem were low to moderate (0.29-22 ng/L) in relatively undeveloped areas (including wetlands), but higher (36 and 177 ng/L) in two urban/suburban areas where much of the Hg was in particulate form. In recent and ongoing studies, total Hg concentrations in unfiltered samples of surface water, except those for one suburban tributary, have ranged from 2.13 to 37.7 ng/L. Concentrations in the suburban tributary have ranged from 50 ng/L during a dry period to 250 ng/L during a wet period. Hg concentrations in samples from a wetlands-embedded reach of the mainstem varied markedly with flow. In addition to increases in concentrations of total Hg, UV absorbance and concentrations of dissolved organic carbon also increased with flow after rain events, whereas pH and concentrations of dissolved oxygen and nitrate decreased. These flow-related changes apparently result from inputs of water that has percolated through acidic, reducing wetlands soils. The biogeochemical environment of these soils, on the basis of hydrogen sulfide odors detected during piezometer placement, supports sulfate reduction and likely promotes methylation of Hg. MeHg concentrations were 0.48 ng/L after a rainfall in discharge from 0.8 m below the streambed at a mainstem wetlands site. Downstream, where the channel briefly emerges from wetlands, MeHg was detectable during a dry period only in the hyporheic-zone water from 0.15 m below the streambed and in ground water from a depth of 0.3 m (0.15 ng/L and 0.05 ng/L, respectively). MeHg was not detected in the ground-water samples from deeper points below the streambeds, but concentrations in surface water ranged from 0.17 to 2.88 ng/L. The concentration from a tributary surrounded by urban/suburban development was highest. MeHg concentrations in mainstem water did not always increase with streamflow; variations in antecedent hydrologic conditions in the wetlands may explain the unpredictable relation of concentration to flow. Overall, total Hg appears to be contributed to the streams by both ground water and atmospheric deposition, with methylation taking place at shallow levels in wetlands soils and stream sediments.

Hydrogeologic framework and water quality of the Vermont Army National Guard Ethan Allen Firing Range, northern Vermont, October 2002 through December 2003

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clark, Stewart F.; Chalmers, Ann; Mack, Thomas J.; Denner, Jon C.

2005-01-01

The Ethan Allen Firing Range of the Vermont Army National Guard is a weapons-testing and training facility in a mountainous region of Vermont that has been in operation for about 80 years. The hydrologic framework and water quality of the facility were assessed between October 2002 and December 2003. As part of the study, streamflow was continuously measured in the Lee River and 24 observation wells were installed at 19 locations in the stratified drift and bedrock aquifers to examine the hydrogeology. Chemical analyses of surface water, ground water, streambed sediment, and fish tissue were collected to assess major ions, trace elements, nutrients, and volatile and semivolatile compounds. Sampling included 5 surface-water sites sampled during moderate and low-flow conditions; streambed-sediment samples collected at the 5 surface-water sites; fish-tissue samples collected at 3 of the 5 surface-water sites; macroinvertebrates collected at 4 of the 5 surface-water sites; and ground-water samples collected from 10 observation wells, and samples collected at all surface- and ground-water sites. The hydrogeologic framework at the Ethan Allen Firing Range is dominated by the upland mountain and valley setting of the site. Bedrock wells yield low to moderate amounts of water (0 to 23 liters per minute). In the narrow river valleys, layered stratified-drift deposits of sand and gravel of up to 18 meters thick fill the Lee River and Mill Brook Valleys. In these deposits, the water table is generally within 3 meters below the land surface and overall ground-water flow is from east to west. Streamflow in the Lee River averaged 0.72 cubic meters per second (25.4 cubic feet per second) between December 2002 and December 2003. Streams are highly responsive to precipitation events in this mountainous environment and a comparison with other nearby watersheds shows that Lee River maintains relatively high streamflow during dry periods. Concentrations of trace elements and nutrients in surface-water samples are well below freshwater-quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic life. Brook-trout samples collected in 1992 and 2003 show trace-metal concentrations have decreased over the past 11 years. concentrations in water samples are well below levels that restrict swimming at all five stream sites at moderate and low-flow conditions and in all observation wells. Comparisons among surface-water, streambed-sediment, and biological samples collected in 2003 to earlier studies at the Ethan Allen Firing Range indicate water-quality conditions are similar or have improved over the past 15 years. Ground water in the stratified-drift aquifers at the facility is well buffered with relatively high alkalinities and pH greater than 6. Concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, nickel, uranium, and zinc were below detection levels in ground-water samples. Barium, cobalt, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, and strontium were the only trace elements detected in ground-water samples. Cobalt and iron were detected at low levels in two wells near Mill Brook, and copper was detected at the detection limit in one of these wells. These same two wells had concentrations of barium and manganese 2 to 10 times greater than other ground-water samples. Concentrations of nutrients are at or below detection levels in most ground-water samples. Volatile organic compounds and semivolatile organic compounds were not detected in any water samples from the Ethan Allen Firing Range.

Relation of urbanization to stream habitat and geomorphic characteristics in nine metropolitan areas of the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fitzpatrick, Faith A.; Peppler, Marie C.

2010-01-01

The relation of urbanization to stream habitat and geomorphic characteristics was examined collectively and individually for nine metropolitan areas of the United States?Portland, Oregon; Salt Lake City, Utah; Denver, Colorado; Dallas?Forth Worth, Texas; Milwaukee?Green Bay, Wisconsin; Birmingham, Alabama; Atlanta, Georgia; Raleigh, North Carolina; and Boston, Massachusetts. The study was part of a larger study conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey from 1999 to 2004 to examine the effects of urbanization on the physical, chemical, and biological components of stream ecosystems. The objectives of the current study were to determine how stream habitat and geomorphic characteristics relate to different aspects of urbanization across a variety of diverse environmental settings and spatial scales. A space-for-time rural-to-urban land-cover gradient approach was used. Reach-scale habitat data and geomorphic characteristic data were collected once during low flow and included indicators of potential habitat degradation such as measures of channel geometry and hydraulics, streambed substrate, low-flow reach volume (an estimate of base-flow conditions), habitat complexity, and riparian/bank conditions. Hydrologic metrics included in the analyses were those expected to be altered by increases in impervious surfaces, such as high-flow frequency and duration, flashiness, and low-flow duration. Other natural and human features, such as reach-scale channel engineering, geologic setting, and slope, were quantified to identify their possible confounding influences on habitat relations with watershed-scale urbanization indicators. Habitat and geomorphic characteristics were compared to several watershed-scale indicators of urbanization, natural landscape characteristics, and hydrologic metrics by use of correlation analyses and stepwise linear regression. Habitat and geomorphic characteristics were related to percentages of impervious surfaces only in some metropolitan areas and environmental settings. The relations between watershed-scale indicators of urbanization and stream habitat depended on physiography and climate, hydrology, pre-urban channel alterations, reach-scale slope and presence of bedrock, and amount of bank stabilization and grade control. Channels increased in size with increasing percentages of impervious surfaces in southeastern and midwestern metropolitan areas regardless of whether the pre-existing land use was forest or agriculture. The amount of enlargement depended on annual precipitation and frequency of high-flow events. The lack of a relation between channel enlargement and increasing impervious surfaces in other metropolitan areas was thought to be confounded by pre-urbanization hydrologic and channel alterations. Direct relations of channel shape and streambed substrate to urbanization were variable or lacking, probably because the type, amount, and source of sediment are dependent on the phase of urbanization. Reach-scale slope also was important for determining variations in streambed substrate and habitat complexity (percentage of riffles and runs). Urbanization-associated changes in reach-scale riparian vegetation varied geographically, partially depending on pre-existing riparian vegetation characteristics. Bank erosion increased in Milwaukee?Green Bay and Boston urban streams, and bank erosion also increased with an increase in a streamflow flashiness index. However, potential relations likely were confounded by the frequent use of channel stabilization and bank protection in urban settings. Low-flow reach volume did not decrease with increasing urbanization, but instead was related to natural landscape characteristics and possibly other unmeasured factors. The presence of intermittent bedrock in some sampled reaches likely limited some geomorphic responses to urbanization, such as channel bed erosion. Results from this study emphasize the importance of including a wide range of landscape variables at m

Soil, water, and streambed quality at a demolished asphalt plant, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, 1992-94

USGS Publications Warehouse

Campbell, T.R.

1996-01-01

A number of potentially hazardous chemicals were used at an asphalt plant on the Fort Bragg U.S. Army Reservation near Fayetteville, North Carolina. This plant was demolished in the late 1960's. Samples collected from soil, ground water, surface water, and streambed sediment were tested for the presence of contaminants. The sediment immediately underlying the demolished asphalt plant site consists mainly of sands, silts, and clayey sands with interbedded clay occurring at various depths. About 12 inches of rainfall per year infiltrate the unconfined surficial aquifer. The water table in this area is about 233 to 243 feet above sea level. Local ground water moves laterally, mainly towards the north- to-northwest at a rate of about 35 feet per year. where it discharges to Tank Creek, Little River, or one of their tributaries. A series of confining clays separate the surficial aquifer from the underlying upper Cape Fear aquifer. These clays help retard vertical migration of constituents dissolved in ground water. The saprolite-bedrock aquifer lies below the upper Cape Fear aquifer. In general ground water in the seven monitoring wells screened in the upper and lower part of the surficial aquifer did not contain detectable concentrations of chemicals related to past asphalt-plant activities. A small number of chemicals that were assumed to be unrelated to the asphalt plant were present in some of the study area monitoring wells. Ground water in four wells contained concentrations of organochlorine pesticides. Of these pesticides, concentrations of gamma-benzene hexachloride (lindane) (maximum of 0.76 micrograms per liter) exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant level of 0.2 micrograms per liter in two wells. In addition, one well contained a trichloroethane concentration (7.7 micrograms per liter) that is assumed to be unrelated to demolished asphalt-plant operations, but exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant level of 5.0 micrograms per liter. One well contained a fluoride concentration of 5.2 milligrams per liter that exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant level of 4.0 milligrams per liter. Total and dissolved metals concentrations were generally typical of background levels. Some of the wells contained elevated levels of chloride (maximum of 749 milligrams per liter), specific conductance (maximum of 2,780 microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius), and dissolved solids (maximum of 1,520 milligrams per liter). Twelve of twenty-two soil samples that were collected at various depths at monitoring-well locations did not contain volatile organic compounds or polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons. The remaining ten soil samples contained very low concentrations of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and (or) analytical laboratory-related volatile organic compounds. The maximum concentrations were for fluoranthene and pyrene, at 780 and 750 micrograms per kilogram, respectively. In general, the polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations were in sediment near the land surface. Streambed sediment from an unnamed, eastern tributary to Tank Creek in the eastern part of the site contained a small number of organochlorine pesticide compounds (a maximum of 1,400 milligrams per kilogram of 4,4'-DDD) and total petroleum hydrocarbons (113 milligrams per kilogram). Concentrations of metals and other inorganic constituents were generally typical of background concentrations. Surface water in this tributary did not contain elevated concentrations of anthropogenic chemicals.

Channel-pattern adjustments and geomorphic characteristics of Elkhead Creek, Colorado, 1937-97

USGS Publications Warehouse

Elliott, John G.; Gyetvai, Stevan

1999-01-01

Onsite channel surveys and sediment measurements made in 1997, aerial photographs taken from 1937 through 1993, and streamflowgaging- station record from 1954 to 1996 were used to determine the probable cause of accelerated streambed and streambank erosion in the lower reaches of Elkhead Creek, a perennial, meandering tributary of the Yampa River. Concern about the possible effects of Elkhead Reservoir, constructed in 1974, has been expressed by landowners living downstream. Evidence cited as an indication of reservoirrelated effects include the trapping of bedloadtransported sediment in the reservoir, vertical incision of the streambed, and lateral erosion causing loss of agricultural land. A large deltaic deposit composed of approximately 163 acre-ft of bedload-transported sediment formed in Elkhead Reservoir between 1974 and 1993, the contemporary bankfull stage of Elkhead Creek is several feet below the elevation of a broad terrace that previously was the flood plain, and lateral erosion at meander bends occurs at a higher rate than in previous periods at some locations.Elkhead Creek meander migration rates were used as a measure of lateral instability in the study reaches. Meander migration rates based on changes in channel centerline position were calculated for three periods from five sets of rectified aerial photographs for reaches upstream and downstream from the reservoir. The creek upstream from Elkhead Reservoir was unaffected by impoundment and was used as the control reach. Mean meander migration rates in the downstream study reach were 1.2 ft/yr from 1938 to 1953, 2.5 ft/yr from 1954 to 1970, and 4.8 ft/yr from 1978 to 1993, compared to rates of 0.5 ft/yr, 1.6 ft/yr, and 6.6 ft/yr for the same periods in the upstream study reach. Sediment and channel-geometry measurements and estimated hydraulic conditions at eight cross sections indicate that most of the sediment sizes represented in the streambed are mobile at frequently occurring streamflows; those streamflows are less than or equal to the bankfull discharge of approximately 1,800 to 2,200 cubic feet per second. Discharge data from 1954 through 1996 recorded at a site upstream from the reservoir were examined to determine the effect of hydrology on meander migration rates. The discharge data were assumed to be representative of the total streamflow and flood hydrology of both the upstream and downstream reaches because Elkhead Reservoir normally has a full pool. Mean annual streamflow increased 122 percent, and the mean annual flood increased 130 percent from the pre-regulation period (1954 to 1970) to the post-regulation period (1978 to 1993), a possible explanation for much of the increase observed in meander migration rate in both the upstream and downstream reaches in the period after reservoir construction. Channel instability, quantified by meander migration rates, has increased throughout Elkhead Creek since 1977. The most probable cause is a combination of external factors affecting the 2 Channel-Pattern Adjustments and Geomorphic Characteristics of Elkhead Creek, Colorado, 1937-97 entire watershed, such as changes in annual runoff and flood magnitude and sedimentation in Elkhead Reservoir. Local land-use practices, such as intentional meander cutoff and riparian vegetation removal, also can decrease channel stability, but these factors were not addressed in this study.

Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact: The Proposed Issuance of an Easement to Public Service Company of New Mexico for the Construction and Operation of a 12-inch Natural Gas Pipeline within Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico

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

N /A

2002-07-30

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has assigned a continuing role to Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in carrying out NNSAs national security mission. To enable LANL to continue this enduring responsibility requires that NNSA maintain the capabilities and capacities required in support of its national mission assignments at LANL. To carry out its Congressionally assigned mission requirements, NNSA must maintain a safe and reliable infrastructure at LANL. Upgrades to the various utility services at LANL have been ongoing together with routine maintenance activities over the years. However, the replacement of a certain portion of natural gas service transmission pipelinemore » is now necessary as this delivery system element has been operating well beyond its original design life for the past 20 to 30 years and components of the line are suffering from normal stresses, strains, and general failures. The Proposed Action is to grant an easement to the Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) to construct, operate, and maintain approximately 15,000 feet (4,500 meters) of 12-inch (in.) (30-centimeter [cm]) coated steel natural gas transmission mainline on NNSA-administered land within LANL along Los Alamos Canyon. The new gas line would begin at the existing valve setting located at the bottom of Los Alamos Canyon near the Los Alamos County water well pump house and adjacent to the existing 12-in. (30-cm) PNM gas transmission mainline. The new gas line (owned by PNM) would then cross the streambed and continue east in a new easement obtained by PNM from the NNSA, paralleling the existing electrical power line along the bottom of the canyon. The gas line would then turn northeast near State Road (SR) 4 and be connected to the existing 12-in. (30-cm) coated steel gas transmission mainline, located within the right-of-way (ROW) of SR 502. The Proposed Action would also involve crossing a streambed twice. PNM would bore under the streambed for pipe installation. PNM would also construct and maintain a service road along the pipeline easement. In addition, when construction is complete, the easement would be reseeded. Portions of the Proposed Action are located within potential roosting and nesting habitat for the Mexican spotted owl (Strix occidentalis lucida), a Federally protected threatened species. Surveys over the last seven years have identified no owls within this area. The Proposed Action would be conducted according to the provisions of the LANL Threatened and Endangered Species Habitat Management Plan. Effects would not be adverse to either individuals or potential critical habitat for protected species. Cultural resources within the vicinity of the proposed easement would be avoided with the exception of an historic trail. However, the original trail has been affected by previous activities and no longer has sufficient historical value to be eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Minimal undisturbed areas would be involved in the Proposed Action. Most of the proposed easement follows an established ROW for the existing electrical power line. There are several potentially contaminated areas within Los Alamos Canyon; however, these areas would be avoided, where possible, or, if avoidance isn't possible or practicable under the Proposed Action, the contaminated areas would be sampled and remediated in accordance with New Mexico Environment Department requirements before construction.« less

Fecal-indicator bacteria in the Newfound Creek watershed, western North Carolina, during a high and low streamflow condition, 2003

USGS Publications Warehouse

Giddings, Elise M.; Oblinger, Carolyn J.

2004-01-01

Water quality in the Newfound Creek watershed has been shown to be affected by bacteria, sediment, and nutrients. In this study, Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria were sampled at five sites in Newfound Creek and five tributary sites during low flow on May 28, 2003, and high flow on November 19, 2003. In addition, a subset of five sites was sampled for fecal coliform bacteria, E. coli bacteria in streambed sediments (low flow only), and coliphage virus for serotyping. Coliphage virus serotyping has been used to identify human and animal sources of bacterial contamination. A streamflow gage was installed and operated to support ongoing water-quality studies in the watershed. Fecal coliform densities ranged from 92 to 27,000 colony-forming units per 100 milliliters of water for E. coli and 140 to an estimated 29,000 colony-forming units per 100 milliliters of water for fecal coliform during the two sampling visits. Ninety percent of the E. coli and fecal coliform samples exceeded corresponding U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or North Carolina water-quality criteria for recreational and ambient waters. During low flow, the middle part of the Newfound Creek watershed and the Dix Creek tributary had the highest densities of E. coli bacteria. During the high-flow sampling, all tributaries contained high densities of E. coli bacteria, although Dix Creek and Round Hill Branch were the largest contributors of these bacteria to Newfound Creek. Coliphage virus serotyping results were inconclusive because most samples did not contain the male-specific RNA coliphage needed for serotyping. Positive results indicated, however, that during low flow, non-human sources of bacteria were present in Sluder Branch, and during high flow, human sources of bacteria were present in Round Hill Branch. Sampling of bacteria in streambed sediments during low flow indicated that sediments do not appear to be a substantial source of bacteria relative to the water column, with the exception of an area near the confluence of Sluder Branch and Newfound Creek.

Contamination with bacterial zoonotic pathogen genes in U.S. streams influenced by varying types of animal agriculture

USGS Publications Warehouse

Haack, Sheridan K.; Duris, Joseph W.; Kolpin, Dana W.; Focazio, Michael J.; Meyer, Michael T.; Johnson, Heather E.; Oster, Ryan J.; Foreman, William T.

2016-01-01

Animal waste, stream water, and streambed sediment from 19 small (< 32 km2) watersheds in 12 U.S. states having either no major animal agriculture (control, n = 4), or predominantly beef (n = 4), dairy (n = 3), swine (n = 5), or poultry (n = 3) were tested for: 1) cholesterol, coprostanol, estrone, and fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) concentrations, and 2) shiga-toxin producing and enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter, and pathogenic and vancomycin-resistant enterococci by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on enrichments, and/or direct quantitative PCR. Pathogen genes were most frequently detected in dairy wastes, followed by beef, swine and poultry wastes in that order; there was only one detection of an animal-source-specific pathogen gene (stx1) in any water or sediment sample in any control watershed. Post-rainfall pathogen gene numbers in stream water were significantly correlated with FIB, cholesterol and coprostanol concentrations, and were most highly correlated in dairy watershed samples collected from 3 different states. Although collected across multiple states and ecoregions, animal-waste gene profiles were distinctive via discriminant analysis. Stream water gene profiles could also be discriminated by the watershed animal type. Although pathogen genes were not abundant in stream water or streambed samples, PCR on enrichments indicated that many genes were from viable organisms, including several (shiga-toxin producing or enterotoxigenic E. coli, Salmonella, vancomycin-resistant enterococci) that could potentially affect either human or animal health. Pathogen gene numbers and types in stream water samples were influenced most by animal type, by local factors such as whether animals had stream access, and by the amount of local rainfall, and not by studied watershed soil or physical characteristics. Our results indicated that stream water in small agricultural U.S. watersheds was susceptible to pathogen gene inputs under typical agricultural practices and environmental conditions. Pathogen gene profiles may offer the potential to address both source of, and risks associated with, fecal pollution.

Emerging contaminants and nutrients synergistically affect the spread of class 1 integron-integrase (intI1) and sul1 genes within stable streambed bacterial communities.

PubMed

Subirats, Jèssica; Timoner, Xisca; Sànchez-Melsió, Alexandre; Balcázar, José Luis; Acuña, Vicenç; Sabater, Sergi; Borrego, Carles M

2018-07-01

Wastewater effluents increase the nutrient load of receiving streams while introducing a myriad of anthropogenic chemical pollutants that challenge the resident aquatic (micro)biota. Disentangling the effects of both kind of stressors and their potential interaction on the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes in bacterial communities requires highly controlled manipulative experiments. In this work, we investigated the effects of a combined regime of nutrients (at low, medium and high concentrations) and a mixture of emerging contaminants (ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, sulfamethoxazole, diclofenac, and methylparaben) on the bacterial composition, abundance and antibiotic resistance profile of biofilms grown in artificial streams. In particular, we investigated the effect of this combined stress on genes encoding resistance to ciprofloxacin (qnrS), erythromycin (ermB), sulfamethoxazole (sul1 and sul2) as well as the class 1 integron-integrase gene (intI1). Only genes conferring resistance to sulfonamides (sul1 and sul2) and intI1 gene were detected in all treatments during the study period. Besides, bacterial communities exposed to emerging contaminants showed higher copy numbers of sul1 and intI1 genes than those not exposed, whereas nutrient amendments did not affect their abundance. However, bacterial communities exposed to both emerging contaminants and a high nutrient concentration (1, 25 and 1 mg L -1 of phosphate, nitrate and ammonium, respectively) showed the highest increase on the abundance of sul1 and intI1 genes thus suggesting a factors synergistic effect of both stressors. Since none of the treatments caused a significant change on the composition of bacterial communities, the enrichment of sul1 and intI1 genes within the community was caused by their dissemination under the combined pressure exerted by nutrients and emerging contaminants. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study demonstrating the contribution of nutrients on the maintenance and spread of antibiotic resistance genes in streambed biofilms under controlled conditions. Our results also highlight that nutrients could enhance the effect of emerging contaminants on the dissemination of antibiotic resistance. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 49 (BENNCYHUNT0049) on Hunt Street, crossing the Walloomsac River, Bennington, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Olson, Scott A.; Medalie, Laura

1997-01-01

2 stone fill also protects the channel banks upstream and downstream of the bridge for a minimum distance of 17 feet from the respective bridge faces. 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). 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 computed for all modelled flows ranged from 0.9 to 5.0 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Computed left abutment scour ranged from 15.3 to 16.5 ft. with the worst-case scour occurring at the incipient roadway-overtopping discharge. Computed right abutment scour ranged from 6.0 to 8.7 ft. with the worst-case scour occurring at the 500-year discharge. 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.

Mercury Concentrations in Fish and Sediment within Streams are Influenced by Watershed and Landscape Variables including Historical Gold Mining in the Sierra Nevada, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alpers, C. N.; Yee, J. L.; Ackerman, J. T.; Orlando, J. L.; Slotton, D. G.; Marvin-DiPasquale, M. C.

2015-12-01

We compiled available data on total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations in fish tissue and streambed sediment from stream sites in the Sierra Nevada, California, to assess whether spatial data, including information on historical mining, can be used to make robust predictions of fish fillet tissue THg concentrations. A total of 1,271 fish from five species collected at 103 sites during 1980-2012 were used for the modeling effort: 210 brown trout, 710 rainbow trout, 79 Sacramento pikeminnow, 93 Sacramento sucker, and 179 smallmouth bass. Sediment data were used from 73 sites, including 106 analyses of THg and 77 analyses of MeHg. The dataset included 391 fish (mostly rainbow trout) and 28 sediment samples collected explicitly for this study during 2011-12. Spatial data on historical mining included the USGS Mineral Resources Data System and publicly available maps and satellite photos showing the areas of hydraulic mine pits and other placer mines. Modeling was done using multivariate linear regression and multi-model inference using Akaike Information Criteria. Results indicate that fish THg, accounting for species and length, can be predicted using geospatial data on mining history together with other landscape characteristics including land use/land cover. A model requiring only geospatial data, with an R2 value of 0.61, predicted fish THg correctly with respect to over-or-under 0.2 μg/g wet weight (a California regulatory threshold) for 108 of 121 (89 %) size-species combinations tested. Data for THg in streambed sediment did not improve the geospatial-only model. However, data for sediment MeHg, loss on ignition (organic content), and percent of sediment less than 0.063 mm resulted in a slightly improved model, with an R2 value of 0.63. It is anticipated that these models will be useful to the State of California and others to predict areas where mercury concentrations in fish are likely to exceed regulatory criteria.

Water-quality, bed-sediment, and biological data, for streams in the upper Prickly Pear Creek watershed, Montana, 2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Klein, Terry L.; Thamke, Joanna N.; Harper, David D.; Farag, Aïda M.; Nimick, David A.; Fey, David L.

2003-01-01

The upper Prickly Pear Creek watershed encompasses the upstream 15 miles of Prickly Pear Creek, south of Helena, Montana (fig. 1). The headwaters of Prickly Pear Creek and its tributaries (Beavertown Creek, Clancy Creek, Dutchman Creek, Golconda Creek, Lump Gulch, Spring Creek, and Warm Springs Creek) are primarily in the Helena National Forest, whereas the central part of the watershed primarily is within either Bureau of Land Management (BLM) or privately owned property. Three mining districts are present in the upper Prickly Pear Creek watershed: Alhambra, Clancy, and Colorado. Numerous prospects, adits, tailings piles, mills, dredge piles, and mines (mostly inactive) are located throughout the watershed. These districts contain polymetallic (Ag, Au, Cu, Pb, Zn) vein deposits and precious-metal (Au-Ag) vein and disseminated deposits that were exploited beginning in the 1860’s. Placer Au deposits in the major streams were extensively mined in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.As part of a cooperative effort with Federal land management agencies, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is currently using an integrated approach to investigate two mining impacted watersheds in the western United States (the Animas River in Colorado and the Boulder River in Montana). These studies provide the USDA Forest Service and BLM scientific data for implementing informed land-management decisions regarding cleanup of abandoned mine lands within each watershed. A similar integrated-science approach will be used to characterize the upper Prickly Pear Creek watershed with respect to water and streambed sediment chemistry, aquatic biota, and geologic framework. This integrated database presents data that will be used to identify important pathways of metals movement and biological impacts, thereby guiding resource management decisions of land-managers in several publications that are in preparation. Watershed-level characterization in terms of water quality, streambed sediment chemistry, and fish health will facilitate determinations of whether removal of contaminated materials or other cleanup activities are necessary, planning of short- and long-term restoration efforts, and development of a monitoring plan to document cleanup effectiveness.

Spatial bedrock erosion distribution in a natural gorge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beer, A. R.; Turowski, J. M.; Kirchner, J. W.

2015-12-01

Quantitative analysis of morphological evolution both in terrestrial and planetary landscapes is of increasing interest in the geosciences. In mountainous regions, bedrock channel formation as a consequence of the interaction of uplift and erosion processes is fundamental for the entire surface evolution. Hence, the accurate description of bedrock channel development is important for landscape modelling. To verify existing concepts developed in the lab and to analyse how in situ channel erosion rates depend on the interrelations of discharge, sediment transport and topography, there is a need of highly resolved topographic field data. We analyse bedrock erosion over two years in a bedrock gorge downstream of the Gorner glacier above the town of Zermatt, Switzerland. At the study site, the Gornera stream cuts through a roche moutonnée in serpentine rock of 25m length, 5m width and 8m depth. We surveyed bedrock erosion rates using repeat terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) with an average point spacing of 5mm. Bedrock erosion rates in direction of the individual surface normals were studied directly on the scanned point clouds applying the M3C2 algorithm (Lague et al., 2013, ISPRS). The surveyed erosion patterns were compared to a simple stream erosivity visualisation obtained from painted bedrock sections at the study location. Spatially distributed erosion rates on bedrock surfaces based on millions of scan points allow deduction of millimeter-scale mean annual values of lateral erosion, incision and downstream erosion on protruding streambed surfaces. The erosion rate on a specific surface point is shown to depend on the position of this surface point in the channel's cross section, its height above the streambed and its spatial orientation to the streamflow. Abrasion by impacting bedload was likely the spatially dominant erosion process, as confirmed by the observed patterns along the painted bedrock sections. However, a single plucking event accounted for the half of the total eroded material. Our results demonstrate the practicability of TLS for highly resolved spatio-temporal erosion monitoring in the field and quantitatively confirm concepts of spatially varying erosion rates based current thinking. Furthermore, we introduce an easy-to-apply method for qualitative spatial erosion detection by paint.

Occurrence and distribution of trace elements in snow, streams, and streambed sediments, Cape Krusenstern National Monument, Alaska, 2002-2003

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brabets, Timothy P.

2004-01-01

Cape Krusenstern National Monument is located in Northwest Alaska. In 1985, an exchange of lands and interests in lands between the Northwest Alaska Native Association and the United States resulted in a 100-year transportation system easement for 19,747 acres in the monument. A road was then constructed along the easement from the Red Dog Mine, a large zinc concentrate producer and located northeast of the monument, through the monument to the coast and a port facility. Each year approximately 1.3 million tonnes of zinc and lead concentrate are transported from the Red Dog Mine via this access road. Concern about the possible deposition of cadmium, lead, zinc and other trace elements in the monument was the basis of a cooperative project with the National Park Service. Concentrations of dissolved cadmium, dissolved lead, and dissolved zinc from 28 snow samples from a 28 mile by 16 mile grid were below drinking water standards. In the particulate phase, approximately 25 percent of the samples analyzed for these trace elements were higher than the typical range found in Alaska soils. Boxplots of concentrations of these trace elements, both in the dissolved and particulate phase, indicate higher concentrations north of the access road, most likely due to the prevailing southeast wind. The waters of four streams sampled in Cape Krusenstern National Monument are classified as calcium bicarbonate. Trace-element concentrations from these streams were below drinking water standards. Median concentrations of 39 trace elements from streambed sediments collected from 29 sites are similar to the median concentrations of trace elements from the U.S. Geological Survey?s National Water-Quality Assessment database. Statistical differences were noted between trace-element concentrations of cadmium, lead, and zinc at sites along the access road and sites north and south of the access road; concentrations along the access road being higher than north or south of the road. When normalized to 1 percent organic carbon, the concentrations of these trace elements are not expected to be toxic to aquatic life when compared to criteria established by the Canadian government and other recent research.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 39 (LOWETH00080039) on Town Highway 8, crossing Potter Brook, Lowell, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boehmler, Erick M.; Degnan, James R.

1997-01-01

A scour hole 2.0 feet deeper than the mean thalweg depth was observed along the left abutment during the Level I assessment. There were no scour protection measures evident at the site. 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). 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 flows ranged from 0.0 to 0.3 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 1.8 to 5.5 feet. The worst-case abutment scour occurred at the 100-year discharge. 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.

NEW TOOLS FOR STREAM MORPHO-DYNAMIC MODELING (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tonina, D.; McKean, J. A.; Maturana, O. R.; Luce, C.; Buffington, J. M.

2009-12-01

Morphological evolution of streambeds and sediment transport in streams has been typically studied in long reaches using one-dimensional models, due partly to the lack of accurate and easy-to-acquire river bathymetry. The Experimental Advanced Airborne Research Lidar (EAARL) allows simultaneous surveying in both aquatic and terrestrial domains quickly and remotely. However, its usefulness to define boundary conditions for morpho-dynamic models has not yet been tested. We first evaluated EAARL accuracy and then used the data to model fine sediment transport in gravel bed rivers. A random vertical error, modeled as a Normal distribution with zero mean and 10 cm standard deviation, was introduced to bathymetric point cloud data in an EAARL survey. Comparison of water elevations and velocity and shear stress distributions among simulations with and without these random bathymetric errors showed little effect on model predictions. This result allowed us to use EAARL data to model the effects of chronic and acute loads of fine-grained sediment on riverine ecosystems, river morphology, and bed evolution. The simulations were done with the Multidimensional Surface Water Model System (MD-SWMS, USGS). We added a new sand conservation model and the two-class sediment transport equation of Wilcock and Kenworthy [2002, WRR] to MD-SWMS. Simulations show patterns of fine sediment transport and deposition along meandering and straight stream reaches, and the impact of sudden inputs of fine sediment on salmonid spawning sites. Initial results illustrate the sensitivity of sand transport to flow characteristics. At a base flow of 1 m3/sec, sand moves only a few tens-of-meters from the point source during a 4-month model period. Over the same time interval a constant bankfull flow of 6 m3/sec removes all of the sand from the source area; the sand migrates in distinct waves through the 0.5 km-long model reach and we predict all salmon spawning sites in the reach would be contaminated with sand. Chronic inputs, which may come from human activities, seem to have a more persistent impact on streambed habitat quality than pulsed inputs, which may stem from wild fires and other natural disturbances.

Sediment oxygen demand in the Saddle River and Salem River watersheds, New Jersey, July-August 2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Heckathorn, Heather A.; Gibs, Jacob

2010-01-01

Many factors, such as river depth and velocity, biochemical oxygen demand, and algal productivity, as well as sediment oxygen demand, can affect the concentration of dissolved oxygen in the water column. Measurements of sediment oxygen demand, in conjunction with those of other water-column water-quality constituents, are useful for quantifying the mechanisms that affect in-stream dissolved-oxygen concentrations. Sediment-oxygen-demand rates are also needed to develop and calibrate a water-quality model being developed for the Saddle River and Salem River Basins in New Jersey to predict dissolved-oxygen concentrations. This report documents the methods used to measure sediment oxygen demand in the Saddle River and Salem River watersheds along with the rates of sediment oxygen demand that were obtained during this investigation. In July and August 2008, sediment oxygen demand was measured in situ in the Saddle River and Salem River watersheds. In the Saddle River Basin, sediment oxygen demand was measured twice at two sites and once at a third location; in the Salem River Basin, sediment oxygen demand was measured three times at two sites and once at a third location. In situ measurements of sediment oxygen demand in the Saddle River and Salem River watersheds ranged from 0.8 to 1.4 g/m2d (grams per square meter per day) and from 0.6 to 7.1 g/m2d at 20 degrees Celsius, respectively. Except at one site in this study, rates of sediment oxygen demand generally were low. The highest rate of sediment oxygen demand measured during this investigation, 7.1 g/m2d, which occurred at Courses Landing in the Salem River Basin, may be attributable to the consumption of oxygen by a large amount of organic matter (54 grams per kilogram as organic carbon) in the streambed sediments or to potential error during data collection. In general, sediment oxygen demand increased with the concentration of organic carbon in the streambed sediments. Repeated measurements made 6 to 7 days apart at the same site locations resulted in similar values.

Identifying Stream/Aquifer Exchange by Temperature Gradient in a Guarani Aquifer System Outcrop Zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wendland, E.; Rosa, D. M. S.; Anache, J. A. A.; Lowry, C.; Lin, Y. F. F.

2017-12-01

Recharge of the Guarani Aquifer System (GAS) in South America is supposed to occur mainly in the outcrop zones, where the GAS appears as an unconfined aquifer (10% of the 1.2 Million km2 aquifer extension). Previous evaluations of recharge are based essentially on water balance estimates for the whole aquifer area or water table fluctuations in monitoring wells. To gain a more detailed understanding of the recharge mechanisms the present work aimed to study the stream aquifer interaction in a watershed (Ribeirão da Onça) at an outcrop zone. Two Parshall flumes were installed 1.3 km apart for discharge measurement in the stream. Along this distance an optic fiber cable was deployed to identify stretches with gaining and losing behavior. In order to estimate groundwater discharge in specific locations, 8 temperature sticks were set up along the stream reach to measure continuously the vertical temperature gradient. A temperature probe with 4 thermistors was also used to map the shallow streambed temperature gradient manually along the whole distance. The obtained results show a discharge difference of 250 m3/h between both flumes. Since the last significant rainfall (15 mm) in the watershed occurred 3 months ago, this value can be interpreted as the base flow contribution to the stream during the dry season. Given the temperature difference between groundwater ( 24oC) and surface water ( 17oC) the fiber-optic distributed temperature sensing (FO-DTS) allowed the identification of stretches with gaining behavior. Temperature gradients observed at the streambed varied between 0.67 and 14.33 oC/m. The study demonstrated that heat may be used as natural tracer even in tropical conditions, where the groundwater temperature is higher than the surface water temperature during the winter. The obtained results show that the discharge difference between both flumes can not be extrapolated without detailed analysis. Gaining and loosing stretches have to be identified on order to estimate total base flow contribution of the watershed. This result is important to correct the water balance of the system.

Residence time control on hot moments of net nitrate production and uptake in the hyporheic zone

USGS Publications Warehouse

Briggs, Martin A.; Lautz, Laura K.; Hare, Danielle K.

2014-01-01

moments of net production and uptake, enhancing NO3- production as residence times approach the anaerobic threshold, and changing zones of net NO3- production to uptake as residence times increase past the net sink threshold. The anaerobic and net sink thresholds for beaver-influenced streambed morphology occur at much shorter residence times (1.3 h and 2.3 h, respectively) compared to other documented hyporheic systems, and the net sink threshold compares favorably to the lower boundary of the anaerobic threshold determined for this system with the new oxygen Damkohler number. The consistency of the residence time threshold values of NO3- cycling in this study, despite environmental variability and disparate morphology, indicates that NO3- hot moment dynamics are primarily driven by changes in physical hydrology and associated residence times.

Digital model simulation of the glacial-outwash aquifer at Dayton, Ohio

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fidler, Richard E.

1975-01-01

Dayton, Ohio and its environs obtain most of their water from wells which penetrate highly productive glacial-outwash deposits underlying the Great Miami River and its tributaries and receive recharge by induced streambed leakage. Combined municipal and industrial use of ground water in the 90-square-mile area has increased from about 180 cubic feet per second in 1960 to nearly 250 cubic feet per second in 1972. The increased pumpage has resulted in continuing water-level declines in some parts of the area. A digital model which uses a finite-difference approximation technique to solve partial differential equations of flow through a porous medium was used to evaluate the effects of pumping stresses on water levels. The simulated head values presented in map form generally are in good agreement with potentiometric-surface maps prepared from field measurements.

Gold in minerals and the composition of native gold

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, Robert Sprague; Fleischer, Michael

1969-01-01

Gold occurs in nature mainly as the metal and as various alloys. It forms complete series of solid solutions with silver, copper, nickel, palladium, and platinum. In association with the platinum metals, gold occurs as free gold as well as in solid solution. The native elements contain the most gold, followed by the sulfide minerals. Several gold tellurides are known, but no gold selenides have been reported, and only one sulfide, the telluride-sulfide mineral nagyagite, is known. The nonmetallic minerals carry the least gold, and the light-colored minerals generally contain less gold than the dark minerals. Some conclusions in the literature are conflicting in regard to the relation of fineness of native gold to its position laterally and vertically within a lode, the nature of the country rocks, and the location and size of nuggets in a streambed, as well as to the variation of fineness within an individual nugget.

Bioturbation, advection, and diffusion of a conserved tracer in a laboratory flume

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Work, P. A.; Moore, P. R.; Reible, D. D.

2002-06-01

Laboratory experiments indicating the relative influences of advection, diffusion, and bioturbation on transport of NaCl tracer between a stream and streambed are described. Data were collected in a recirculating flume housing a box filled with test sediments. Peclet numbers ranged from 0 to 1.5. Sediment components included a medium sand (d50 = 0.31 mm), kaolinite, and topsoil. Lumbriculus variegatus were introduced as bioturbators. Conductivity probes were employed to document the flux of the tracer solution out of the bed. Measurements are compared to one-dimensional effective diffusion models assuming one or two horizontal sediment layers. These simple models provide a good indication of tracer half-life in the bed if a suitable effective diffusion coefficient is chosen but underpredict initial flux and overpredict flux at long times. Organism activity was limited to the upper reaches of the sediment test box but eventually exerts a secondary influence on flux from deeper regions.

Geochemical prospecting for copper and nickel in the Wulgai and Tor Tangi areas southeast of Hindubagh, Quetta Division, Pakistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stanin, S. Anthony; Wahid, M.A.; Khan, Shamsher

1975-01-01

Showings of magnetite, copper, and possible nickel mineralization in the Hindubagh chromite mining district are near Wulgai and Tor Tangi. Several hundred samples of clastic material from dry streambeds in these areas were sieved for the minus-80-mesh fraction and analyzed for copper using 2, 2'-biquinoline and for nickel using alpha-furildioxime. The copper threshold is 75 ppm, and the nickel threshold is 400 ppm. A geochemical map has been prepared that shows nine areas of anomalously high copper and six areas of high nickel. The nickel anomalies may represent secondary dispersion patterns derived from the erosion of nickeliferous ultramafic rocks of the Hindubagh intrusive complex. Copper showings in and near four of the anomalous copper areas indicate that detailed geological investigation and detailed geochemical sampling of rocks, soil, and unconsolidated clastic material are required to determine the source of the anomalies.

The biogeodynamics of microbial landscapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Battin, T. J.; Hödl, I.; Bertuzzo, E.; Mari, L.; Suweis, S. S.; Rinaldo, A.

2011-12-01

Spatial configuration is fundamental in defining the structural and functional properties of biological systems. Biofilms, surface-attached and matrix-enclosed microorganisms, are a striking example of spatial organisation. Coupled biotic and abiotic processes shape the spatial organisation across scales of the landscapes formed by these benthic biofilms in streams and rivers. Experimenting with such biofilms in streams, we found that, depending on the streambed topography and the related hydrodynamic microenvironment, biofilm landscapes form increasingly diverging spatial patterns as they grow. Strikingly, however, cluster size distributions tend to converge even in contrasting hydrodynamic microenvironments. To reproduce the observed cluster size distributions we used a continuous, size-structured population model. The model accounts for the formation, growth, erosion and merging of biofilm clusters. Our results suggest not only that hydrodynamic forcing induce the diverging patterning of the microbial landscape, but also that microorganisms have developed strategies to equally exploit spatial resources independently of the physical structure of the microenvironment where they live.

Water quality of streams in Johnson County, Kansas, 2002-07

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rasmussen, T.J.

2009-01-01

Water quality of streams in Johnson County, Kansas was evaluated from October 2002 through December 2007 in a cooperative study between the U.S. Geological Survey and the Johnson County Stormwater Management Program. Water quality at 42 stream sites, representing urban and rural basins, was characterized by evaluating benthic macroinvertebrates, water (discrete and continuous data), and/or streambed sediment. Point and nonpoint sources and transport were described for water-quality constituents including suspended sediment, dissolved solids and major ions, nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), indicator bacteria, pesticides, and organic wastewater and pharmaceutical compounds. The information obtained from this study is being used by city and county officials to develop effective management plans for protecting and improving stream quality. This fact sheet summarizes important results from three comprehensive reports published as part of the study and available on the World Wide Web at http://ks.water.usgs.gov/Kansas/studies/qw/joco/. ?? 2009 ASCE.

Water quality of streams in Johnson County, Kansas, 2002-07

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rasmussen, Teresa J.

2008-01-01

Water quality of streams in Johnson County, Kansas was evaluated from October 2002 through December 2007 in a cooperative study between the U.S. Geological Survey and the Johnson County Stormwater Management Program. Water quality at 42 stream sites, representing urban and rural basins, was characterized by evaluating benthic macroinvertebrates, water (discrete and continuous data), and/or streambed sediment. Point and nonpoint sources and transport were described for water-quality constituents including suspended sediment, dissolved solids and major ions, nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), indicator bacteria, pesticides, and organic wastewater and pharmaceutical compounds. The information obtained from this study is being used by city and county officials to develop effective management plans for protecting and improving stream quality. This fact sheet summarizes important results from three comprehensive reports published as part of the study and available on the World Wide Web at http://ks.water.usgs.gov/Kansas/studies/qw/joco/ .

On a criterion of incipient motion and entrainment into suspension of a particle from cuttings bed in shear flow of non-Newtonian fluid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ignatenko, Yaroslav; Bocharov, Oleg; May, Roland

2017-10-01

Solids transport is a major issue in high angle wells. Bed-load forms by sediment while transport and accompanied by intermittent contact with stream-bed by rolling, sliding and bouncing. The study presents the results of a numerical simulation of a laminar steady-state flow around a particle at rest and in free motion in a shear flow of Herschel-Bulkley fluid. The simulation was performed using the OpenFOAM open-source CFD package. A criterion for particle incipient motion and entrainment into suspension from cuttings bed (Shields criteria) based on forces and torques balance is discussed. Deflection of the fluid parameters from the ones of Newtonian fluid leads to decreasing of the drag and lift forces and the hydrodynamic moment. Thus, the critical shear stress (Shields parameter) for the considered non-Newtonian fluid must be greater than the one for a Newtonian fluid.

Modified level II streambed-scour analysis for structure I-65-85-5527 crossing Sugar Creek in Johnson County, Indiana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robinson, B.A.; Voelker, D.C.; Miller, R.L.

1997-01-01

Level II scour evaluations follow a process in which hydrologic, hydraulic, and sediment transport data are evaluated to calculate the depth of scour that may result when a given discharge is routed through a bridge opening. The results of the modified Level II analysis for structure 1-65-85-5527 on Interstate 65 crossing Sugar Creek in Johnson County, Indiana, are presented. The site is near the town of Amity in the southeastern part of Johnson County. Scour depths were computed with the Water Surface PROfile model, version V050196, which incorporates the scour-calculation procedures outlined in Hydraulic Engineering Circular No. 18. Total scour depths at the piers were approximately 26.8 feet for the modeled discharge of 26,000 cubic feet per second and approximately 30.8 feet for the modeled discharge of 34,100 cubic feet per second

Modified level II streambed-scour analysis for structure I-74-32-4946 crossing Sugar Creek in Montgomery County, Indiana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, R.L.; Robinson, B.A.; Voelker, D.C.

1997-01-01

Level II scour evaluations follow a process in which hydrologic, hydraulic, and sedient-transport data are evaluated to calculate the depth of scour that may result when given discharge is routed through a bridge opening. The results of the modified Levell II analysis for structure I-74-32-4946 on Interstate 74 crossing Sugar Creek in Montgomery County, Indiana are presented. The site is near the town of Crawfordsville in the central part of Montgomery County. Scour depths were computed with the Water Surface PROfile model, version V050196, which incorporates the scour-calculation procedures outlined in Hydraulic Engineering Circular No. 18. Total scour depths at the piers were approximately 13.0 feet for the modeled discharge of 3,000  cubic feet per second and approximately 15.1 feet for the modeled discharge of 41,900 cubic feet per second.

Fishes of the White River basin, Indiana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crawford, Charles G.; Lydy, Michael J.; Frey, Jeffrey W.

1996-01-01

Since 1875, researchers have reported 158 species of fish belonging to 25 families in the White River Basin. Of these species, 6 have not been reported since 1900 and 10 have not been reported since 1943. Since the 1820's, fish communities in the White River Basin have been affected by the alteration of stream habitat, overfishing, the introduction of non-native species, agriculture, and urbanization. Erosion resulting from conversion of forest land to cropland in the 1800's led to siltation of streambeds and resulted in the loss of some silt-sensitive species. In the early 1900's, the water quality of the White River was seriously degraded for 100 miles by untreated sewage from the City of Indianapolis. During the last 25 years, water quality in the basin has improved because of efforts to control water pollution. Fish communities in the basin have responded favorably to the improved water quality.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 63 (CHESTH00090063) on Town Highway 9, crossing the Williams River, Chester, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Flynn, Robert H.

1997-01-01

year discharge. 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.