Natural River Environment Research Articles

River video flow measurement algorithm with space-time image fusion of object tracking and statistical characteristics

River flow monitoring serves as a crucial data source in hydrological stations, employing the widely adopted space-time image velocimetry (STIV) method both domestically and internationally. However, current methods yield space-time (ST) image trajectories with limited usable information, particularly due to the interference of complex flow characteristics and harsh outdoor environments in natural rivers. This interference leads to errors in detecting the main orientation of texture, consequently reducing measurement accuracy. To overcome these challenges, this paper proposes an river video flow measurement algorithm with ST image fusion of object tracking and statistical characteristics. The Lucas–Kanade tracking algorithm is employed to track velocity points and generate tracking trajectories. These trajectories’ coordinates are then fitted into straight lines to automatically arrange velocity-measuring lines in natural rivers. The algorithm leverages multi-scale detail boosting and Gaussian directional stretch filtering to enhance the quality and texture trajectories of ST images. Furthermore, background noise filtering and stripe noise filtering are applied to denoise the ST images, effectively mitigating the impact of noise caused by the natural river environment and camera equipment. The proposed algorithm incorporates projection statistical characteristics algorithms to accurately detect the dominant texture direction, enabling precise calculation of mean velocity and cross-sectional discharge of the river. Experimental validation was conducted in both natural and regular river channels, demonstrating the superior performance of the proposed solution compared to widely used large-scale particle image velocimetry, STIV, MobileNet-STIV and FD-DIS-G algorithms. The algorithm exhibited higher accuracy, stability, and applicability, with errors at each velocity-measuring point below 10%, and relative errors of the calculated mean velocity and cross-sectional discharge below 3%. This affirms the algorithm’s superior accuracy, stability, and applicability.

Occurrence and partitioning of p-phenylenediamine antioxidants and their quinone derivatives in water and sediment

p-Phenylenediamine antioxidants (PPDs) and PPDs-derived quinones (PPDQs) may pose a threat to the river ecosystem. However, the knowledge on the occurrence and environmental behaviors of PPDs and PPDQs in the natural river environment remains unknown. In this study, we collected paired water (n = 30) and sediment samples (n = 30) from Jiaojiang River, China and analyzed them for nine PPDs and seven PPDQs. Our results showed that target PPDs and PPDQs are frequently detected in water samples, with the dominance of N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-N′-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine (6PPD; mean 12 ng/L, range 4.0–72 ng/L) and 6PPD-derived quinone (6PPDQ; 7.0 ng/L, <LOD–21 ng/L), respectively. In sediment samples, detected PPDs and PPDQs were also dominated by 6PPD (mean 31 ng/g, range 1.6–172 ng/g) and 6PPDQ (14 ng/g, <LOD–46 ng/g), respectively. This study first reports the field-based log-transformed sediment-water coefficients (log Koc) for PPDs and PPDQs. Among PPDs, N, N′-diphenyl-p-phenylenediamine (4.0 ± 0.55) had the highest mean log Koc value, followed by N-isopropyl-N′-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine (3.6 ± 0.26). The mean log Koc values of detected PPDQs ranged from 2.0 ± 0.49 to 3.3 ± 0.44. To our knowledge, this is the first study comprehensively investigating the occurrence of PPDs and PPDQs in paired freshwater and sediment. Results of this study provide new insights into their occurrence, spatial distribution, and behaviors in the freshwater environment.

Physical modelling of large wood (LW) processes relevant for river management: Perspectives from New Zealand and Switzerland

AbstractIn the last 30 years, work on large wood (LW) has expanded and matured considerably, and river scientists, managers and practitioners now have a better appreciation of the role of LW in maintaining ecosystems, forming or stabilizing riverine landforms, and interacting with river morphodynamics. We have gained a better understanding of the hazards posed by the recruitment and transport of LW in the river channel and associated infrastructure. While LW dynamics have traditionally been studied in the natural river environment, innovations in laboratory techniques have enabled important advances in understanding LW process dynamics, using physical scale models, new sensors, scanners and sophisticated model boundary conditions. Current trends in LW laboratory research focus on (1) mobilization and transport of logs, (2) trapping and deposition of sediment in the presence of LW and (3) LW contribution to hydraulic flow resistance. Ultimately, a combined process understanding is needed to assess impacts upon infrastructure with erodible boundaries, such as bridge piers and LW retention racks. In this review, we present a critical analysis of emerging experimental work on LW obtained through physical modelling studies. We put recent experimental work in context with global LW management challenges. In particular, we set our work in context with the present environmental and engineering issues that confront catchment and natural resource managers in Switzerland and New Zealand. We show how improved physical models incorporating LW transport, accumulation and scouring processes are needed to contribute to more reliable hazard and risk assessment and improved river management in LW‐prone systems.

Effects of Vegetation Density and Arrangement on Sediment Budget in a Sediment-Laden Flow

Understanding the effects of riparian vegetation under sediment-laden flow is becoming crucial due to the increase in frequency of extreme weather events. This study designed three densities and nine random distributions of bent flexible vegetation in flume experiments under sediment-laden flow. Sediments were continually added to the flume at a rate of 21 kg/h to simulate a natural river environment in a sediment-laden flow. The results showed that the evolutionary process of bed form under sediment-laden flow could be divided into four stages: scouring, development, recovery, and deposition stages, forming a dynamic cycle. Dunes were formed and backwater caused them to develop upstream, while structural resistance developed the dunes downstream. Contrary to clear water regime, sediments were deposited upstream of the vegetation area and scour occurred behind the vegetation. In addition, the vertical velocity profile showed to be dependent on the vegetation structure and four clear zones were identified: fixed, bent, canopy, and developed zones. The findings from this study provide crucial information towards river management through understanding the diverse vegetation effects under sediment-laden flows.

Field application of close‐range digital photogrammetry (CRDP) for grain‐scale fluvial morphology studies

AbstractIn situ measurement of grain‐scale fluvial morphology is important for studies on grain roughness, sediment transport and the interactions between animals and the geomorphology, topics relevant to many river practitioners. Close‐range digital photogrammetry (CRDP) and terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) are the two most common techniques to obtain high‐resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) from fluvial surfaces. However, field application of topography remote sensing at the grain scale is presently hindered mainly by the tedious workflow challenges that one needs to overcome to obtain high‐accuracy elevation data. A recommended approach for CRDP to collect high‐resolution and high‐accuracy DEMs has been developed for gravel‐bed flume studies. The present paper investigates the deployment of the laboratory technique on three exposed gravel bars in a natural river environment. In contrast to other approaches, having the calibration carried out in the laboratory removes the need for independently surveyed ground‐control targets, and makes for an efficient and effective data collection in the field. Optimization of the gravel‐bed imagery helps DEM collection, without being impacted by variable lighting conditions. The benefit of a light‐weight three‐dimensional printed gravel‐bed model for DEM quality assessment is shown, and confirms the reliability of grain roughness data measured with CRDP. Imagery and DEM analysis evidences sedimentological contrasts between gravel bars within the reach. The analysis of the surface elevations shows the effect variable grain‐size and sediment sorting have on the surface roughness. By plotting the two‐dimensional structure functions and surface slopes and aspects we identify different grain arrangements and surface structures. The calculation of the inclination index allows determining the surface‐forming flow direction(s). We show that progress in topography remote sensing is important to extend our knowledge on fluvial morphology processes at the grain scale, and how a technique customized for use by fluvial geomorphologists in the field benefits this progress. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Simultaneous determination of typical substituted and parent polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water and solid matrix by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are likely to transform to more mutagenic and carcinogenic substituted polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (SPAHs) in the environment. To date, no literature has reported on an analytical method for SPAHs in the natural water environment (encompassing water, suspended particulate and sediment matrix). A robust and routine analytical method was developed for simultaneous detection of 13 typical SPAHs and 16 PAHs in the water environment in this work. The pretreatment and instrument analysis procedure were optimized for effective detection of the 29 targets species. Recovery of each target ranged from 60% to 120%, except for benz[a]anthracene-7,12-dione (BA-7,12-D), which resulted from the transformation of 7-nitrobenz[a]anthracene (7-NBA). The high recovery of BA-7,12-D was relatively stable, so the detection results could be corrected. The method quantification limits ranged from 0.04ng/L to 20.25ng/L for 4L water samples, from 4.12ng/g to 131.66ng/g for 0.1g particulate samples, and from 1.75ng/g to 28.04ng/g for 20g sediment samples. The method was applied to detect the 29 targets pollutants in polluted rivers, receiving wastewater from Beijing and Tianjin in China. Certain SPAH targets including 2-methylnaphthalene, 2,6-dimethylnaphthalene, 1-methylfluoranthene, 3,6-dimethylphenanthrene, 9-fluorenone, anthraquinone, 2-methylanthranquinone and BA-7,12-D were detected in the natural river environment, and all PAH targets were found in rivers.

Performance of farmed, hybrid, and wild Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) families in a natural river environment

Survival, growth, and diet were compared for farmed, hybrid, and wild Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) families from the eyed egg to the smolt stage in River Guddalselva, Hardangerfjord, Norway. All individuals that survived until the smolt stage were captured in a Wolf trap and identified to one of the 69 experimental families using microsatellite markers. Survival of farmed salmon progeny was significantly lower than that of hybrids and wild progeny. However, survival varied considerably, from 0.17% to 6.4%, among farmed families. Egg size had an important influence on survival. Half-sib hybrid families with a farmed mother had higher survival when fathered by wild salmon than by farmed salmon. The overall relative survival of farmed families compared with that of their hybrid half-sib families fell from 0.86 in the second cohort to 0.62 in the last cohort with increasing fish density. Smolts of farmed parents showed significantly higher growth rates than wild and hybrid smolts. The overlap in diet among types of crosses demonstrates competition, and farm and hybrid progeny therefore will reduce the river’s capacity for production of wild salmon.

수리모형실험과 수치해석을 통한 자연형어도의 어류서식처 평가

It is increasing to make an efforts on preventing natural river environment and preserving natural river ecosystem as development is unavoidable. In the case of inconsistent river flow caused by reservoir development, fishway is an alternative to secure fish diversity and preserve existing river ecosystem but existing fishway was established without full study for their functions. In this study, hydraulic characteristics of natural fishway established on Beakje weir's right side were analyzed. The results show that the fishway has reasonable depth and velocity condition which inhabit condition is enough for a dominant species. For assessing the optimal design of fishway, the Weighted Usable Area (WUA) was calculated by using two dimensional numerical model under the ordinary flow condition. The comparison results for various pool widths in the fishway show that the designed width has maximum WUA for adult Zacco platypus but WUA is maximized with 1m wider pool width than designed width for spawning.

Brown trout Salmo trutta express different morphometrics due to divergence in the rearing environment

Variation in the body morphology of juvenile brown trout Salmo trutta was studied for both wild and hatchery-reared individuals from the same gene pool. The thin-plate spline (TPS) method by pointing landmarks was used to characterize juveniles from their natal environment, the River Kuusinkijoki in eastern Finland, and from wild parents raised in a hatchery environment. Differences were found in the morphometrics of juvenile S. trutta from the two different environments. Wild S. trutta are characterized by a longer head and shorter anterior part of the trunk compared to hatchery S. trutta. Stocked to their natal river with wild S. trutta, the hatchery fish became characterized with more similar morphometrics to their wild counterparts. The characteristics of the body form are explained by the differing environmental conditions in the wild and hatchery. It is concluded that a simple hatchery environment may delay the development of morphological characteristics important in a natural river environment.

Macro- and microparasite infection profiles of hatchery fish before and after release from a conservation hatchery (steelhead trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Conservation hatcheries are becoming a tool in rebuilding salmonid populations, but their contributions are strongly debated. Most studies focus on genetic, morphological, and behavioural, issues and less is known of the importance of infectious agents. The Living Gene Bank (LGB) program of the British Columbia Ministry of the Environment is a recent effort to restore collapsed steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) populations on the east coast of Vancouver Island. Our study describes the change in macro- and microparasitic profiles of LGB-hatchery-produced juveniles after they leave the hatchery and enter the natural river environment and also compares them with a limited wild smolt sample. We found that the hatchery was successful in raising parr free of infectious agents, but once introduced into the river environment, the hatchery fish quickly took on a diverse profile of infectious agents. The high numbers of fish released from the hatchery and the existence of hatchery fish that stay in the river as residents increased the number of fish in the system with sub-clinical levels of infection. An ecological understanding of the role resident hatchery fish play in the spatial distribution of infectious agents as well as the temporal and seasonal variations in infectious agent prevalence and diversity will be important in determining the net effect of the LGB conservation hatchery on the wild population.

Population specific smolt development, migration and maturity schedules in Atlantic salmon in a natural river environment

Identifying differences in quantitative life history traits between cultured and native or non-native wild populations is important in assessing the impact of accidental and deliberate introductions of hatchery-reared fish into the wild. As the ability to exploit the marine environment is the defining life history characteristic of anadromous salmonids, knowledge of variation in smoltification characteristics among populations is crucial in determining how these introductions affect fitness in recipient populations. Data are presented here describing the timing and extent of the autumn migration; the propensity for male parr maturation; the timing of the spring migration; and the size of autumn and spring migrants from Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) populations from various genetic backgrounds. These experiments were carried out under common garden conditions over a decade in the Srahrevagh River in the west of Ireland. Population specific genetically determined differences in quantitative life history traits associated with smoltification were apparent. These differences may reflect smolt quality and therefore impact on marine survival and ultimately lifetime fitness. Both hatchery domestication and geography (different selective environments) were found to be important factors determining smolt phenotypes, although it was difficult to measure the relative contribution of each. These results indicate that farm, native hatchery, non-native wild salmon (even from a neighbouring catchment) and their hybrids with native wild fish, are likely to produce less well adapted and thus poorer quality smolts than native wild populations and, where wild populations are extant, such stocks should not be used for enhancement purposes.

Growth rates of young-of-year shovelnose sturgeon in the Upper Missouri River

Summary Information on growth during the larval and young-of-year life stages in natural river environments is generally lacking for most sturgeon species. In this study, methods for estimating ages and quantifying growth were developed for field-sampled larval and young-of-year shovelnose sturgeon Scaphirhynchus platorynchus in the upper Missouri River. First, growth was assessed by partitioning samples of young-of-year shovelnose sturgeon into cohorts, and regressing weekly increases in cohort mean length on sampling date. This method quantified relative growth because ages of the cohorts were unknown. Cohort increases in mean length among sampling dates were positively related (P 0.59 for all cohorts) to sampling date, and yielded growth rate estimates of 0.80–2.95 mm day−1 (2003) and 0.44–2.28 mm day−1 (2004). Highest growth rates occurred in the largest (and earliest spawned) cohorts. Second, a method was developed to estimate cohort hatch dates, thus age on date of sampling could be determined. This method included quantification of post-hatch length increases as a function of water temperature (growth capacity; mm per thermal unit, mm TU−1), and summation of mean daily water temperatures to achieve the required number of thermal units that corresponded to post-hatch lengths of shovelnose sturgeon on sampling dates. For six of seven cohorts of shovelnose sturgeon analyzed, linear growth models (r2 ≥ 0.65, P < 0.0001) or Gompertz growth models (r2 ≥ 0.83, P < 0.0001) quantified length-at-age from hatch through 55 days post-hatch (98–100 mm). Comparisons of length-at-age derived from the growth models indicated that length-at-age was greater for the earlier-hatched cohorts than later-hatched cohorts. Estimated hatch dates for different cohorts were corroborated based on the dates that newly-hatched larval shovelnose sturgeon were sampled in the drift. These results provide the first quantification of growth dynamics for field-sampled age-0 shovelnose sturgeon in a natural river environment, and provide an accurate method for estimating age of wild-caught individuals. Methods of age determination used in this study have applications to sturgeons in other regions, but require additional testing and validation.

Diet composition of larval and young-of-year shovelnose sturgeon in the Upper Missouri River

Summary Obtaining food following the transition from endogenous to exogenous feeding and during the first year of life is a critical event that strongly influences growth and survival of young-of-year fishes. For shovelnose sturgeon Scaphirhynchus platorynchus, limited information is available on food habits during the first year of life. The objective of this study was to quantify diet components of shovelnose sturgeon during the transition from endogenous to exogenous feeding and during the young-of-year life stage in the North Dakota and Montana portions of the Missouri River. Young-of-year shovelnose sturgeon were sampled between early August and early September 2003. Shovelnose sturgeon initiated exogenous feeding by 16 mm, and individuals 16–140 mm fed exclusively on two macroinvertebrate orders (Diptera and Ephemeroptera). Young-of-year shovelnose sturgeon exhibited an apparently high feeding success as 99 of 100 individuals contained food in the gut. The number of organisms in the gut increased exponentially with fish length for larval Diptera (r2 = 0.73, P < 0.0001) and linearly (r2 = 0.12, P = 0.0006) for larval Ephemeroptera, but the number of Diptera pupae in the gut was not significantly related (P = 0.55) to length of young-of-year shovelnose sturgeon. The length of ingested prey was linearly related to fish length for Diptera larvae (r2 = 0.20, P = 0.002), whereas the relationship between lengths of ingested Ephemeroptera larvae and lengths of young-of-year shovelnose sturgeon was best described by a power function (r2 = 0.50, P < 0.0001). These results provide the first quantification of feeding dynamics for young-of-year shovelnose sturgeon in a natural river environment.

ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF YODO RIVER PARK BY TRAVEL COST METHOD

Yodo river park, the first government-managed river park in Japan, has annual visitors of about 5 million and has become one of the most important parks in Osaka and its neighboring prefectures. The park also plays a role to protect or preserve natural river environment and is composed of four types ofareas according to purposes. The actural condition of various functions and utilization of the park has never been investigated sufficiently since the park was open to the public. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the utilization of the park economically using a questionnaire survey result and visitors number data by the park administrator. A relation between characteristics of the areas and the benefit of the utilization is investigated. Annual benefit of the park is over 2.7 billion yen.

Post‐release adaptation processes of hatchery‐reared honmasu salmon parr

Hatchery‐reared honmasu salmon Oncorhynchus rhodurus × masou parr released into the Yanagisawa River, Tochigi Prefecture on 24 June 1996 increased significantly in length and weight by November, while siblings retained in hatchery tanks did not. Plasma growth hormone (GH) levels of the released parr increased from 1 day after the release until 23 August, while the GH levels of the wild parr in the river did not increase. The released parr started to consume various natural prey organisms within a day after release. However, stomach fullness of the released parr was considerably lower than that of the wild parr during the first week following release. Trypsin activity in the released parr increased after 23 August, 2 months post‐release. The results demonstrate that the released parr adapt to the natural river environment within weeks. Endocrine control by GH and exocrine pancreas activity appear to play important roles in the post‐release adaptation processes.

Genetic impact of escaped farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) on native populations: use of DNA profiling to assess freshwater performance of wild, farmed, and hybrid progeny in a natural river environment

Since Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) used for farming are usually genetically different from local wild populations, breeding of escaped farmed salmon potentially results in genetic changes in wild populations. To determine the likelihood and impact of such genetic change, an experiment was undertaken, in a natural spawning tributary of the Burrishoole system in western Ireland, to compare the performance of wild, farmed, and hybrid Atlantic salmon progeny. Juveniles were assigned to family and group parentage by DNA profiling based on composite genotypes at seven minisatellite loci. Survival of the progeny of farmed salmon to the smolt stage was significantly lower than that of wild salmon, with increased mortality being greatest in the period from the eyed egg to the first summer. However, progeny of farmed salmon grew fastest and competitively displaced the smaller native fish downstream. The offspring of farmed salmon showed a reduced incidence of male parr maturity compared with native fish. The latter also showed a greater tendency to migrate as autumn pre-smolts. Growth and performance of hybrids were generally either intermediate or not significantly different from the wild fish. The demonstration that farmed and hybrid progeny can survive in the wild to the smolt stage, taken together with unpublished data that show that these smolts can survive at sea and home to their river of origin, indicates that escaped farmed salmon can produce long-term genetic changes in natural populations. These changes affect both single-locus and high-heritability quantitative traits, e.g. growth, sea age of maturity. While some of these changes may be advantageous from an angling management perspective, they are likely, in specific circumstances, to reduce population fitness and productivity. Full assessment of these changes will require details of marine survival, homing and reproductive performance of the adults together with information on the F2 generation.

EFFECTS OF LIME‐SLUDGE DISCHARGE ON AN ARCTIC RIVER1

ABSTRACT: The Fairbanks Water Treatment Plant in Fairbanks, Alaska, processes approximately 3 MGD of drinking water using lime softening. Approximately 0.3 MGD of lime‐sludge from the treatment process is combined with effluent from a nearby power plant and discharged to the Chena River. There is little information available on the impact of water‐treatment sludge discharges, and virtually no information on the impacts of such discharges in polar environments. Concern surrounding the discharge of water treatment sludges have centered on alum‐sludge due to the potential toxic effects of aluminum. Because of the relatively benign composition of lime‐sludge, very little research has been published. However, there is the possibility that discharge of solids will result in sedimentation, accumulation of solids, and subsequent impacts on benthic organisms. This paper reports on the results of a study to determine if lime‐sludge discharge from the water treatment plant is adversely impacting the river environment. The results provide basic information on the important variables of concern in lime‐discharges to rivers.Samples from the discharge of the water treatment plant and combined water treatment plant/power plant effluent were collected weekly over a one‐year period, and in‐stream benthic and water column samples were collected biweekly during the fall and spring. Sediment and water quality data indicate that while significant accumulation of sludge solids is found downstream of the water treatment plant outfall, they are flushed out of the system by spring flows, which are significantly increased by snow melt. This process is most likely repeated on a yearly cycle.Hence, the data suggest that the FMUS water treatment plant's discharge of lime‐sludge is probably not adversely impacting the river. More generally, this may indicate that the natural flow variations and sediment‐laden characteristics of Arctic, glacier‐fed rivers may assimilate large quantities of nonputrescible solids without significant changes in the natural river environment. Further research in this area is required to verify this conclusion.