Water Bodies Of City Research Articles

Water Bodies of Kazan and Their Significance in the City’s Avifauna Conservation

Water bodies that serve as habitats for semi-aquatic birds have been preserved in the city of Kazan, which contributes to the conservation of the city's avifauna diversity. Previously, special studies of birds in the water bodies of Kazan were not conducted. The study is aimed at the investigation of the species composition and distribution of the avifauna in water bodies of Kazan, as well as the ecological features of specific semiaquatic fauna species of the city. The research carried out over the past twenty-five years has made it possible to identify the species composition, their distribution, and ecological features of particular bird species associated with aquatic ecosystems. In total, 64 bird species of nine bird orders are recorded within the city of Kazan. The number of particular species and their spatial distribution in the city's water bodies depends on the specific conditions of the water object, where human activity is the major limiting factor. The most numerous species during the breeding period are the black-headed gull and the mallard. Nesting of 26 species has been recorded. A number of species, such as the mallard, show broad potential for synanthropization. The great-crested grebe, the coot and several species of ducks actively colonize the city reservoirs. A number of rare bird species listed in the Red Book of Tatarstan were recorded, including nesting of the mute swan, the moorhen.

Assessing the response of non-point source nitrogen pollution to land use change based on SWAT model

In recent years, with the growth of the population and the continuous expansion of agricultural land, non-point source (NPS) pollution has gradually become the primary cause of deteriorating water quality in the aquatic environment. Compared to point source pollution, NPS pollution is more diffuse, complex in its mechanisms, and challenging to pinpoint its sources. This study utilized the SWAT-Land Use Update Tool (SWAT-LUT) to dynamically update multi-year land use and land cover (LULC) data into the SWAT model to investigate the differences in nitrogen pollution sources in Jincheng City under different LULC scenarios. Two models were constructed in this study: SWAT-UNI, which utilized static 1997 LULC data, and SWAT-MULTI, which incorporated dynamic LULC data from 1997 to 2022. During the calibration period, SWAT achieved R2 and NSE values exceeding 0.82 for the daily streamflow simulation results, and these values remained above 0.76 during the validation period. Additionally, the Patch-generating Land Use Simulation (PLUS) model was employed to forecast the land use evolution in Jincheng City from 2022 to 2032 to explore the future response of NPS nitrogen pollution. From 1997 to 2022, significant changes were observed in agricultural land, forested land, and grassland areas within Jincheng City. Agricultural land and forested land increased by 3.29% and 4.71% of the total area of Jincheng City, respectively, while grassland decreased by 10.4%. In the prediction of land use evolution from 2022 to 2032, the evolutionary trends remained similar to previous patterns, albeit with a slightly decelerated pace. Simulation results indicated that the top three sources of nitrogen pollution in Jincheng City's water bodies in 1997 were atmospheric deposition (39.8%), nitrogen fertilizer application (29.8%), and soil nitrogen reservoirs (21.4%). With the continuous expansion of agricultural land, nitrogen pollution from nitrogen fertilizer application accounted for 35.6% of the TN (Total Nitrogen) load in water bodies in 2022, surpassing atmospheric deposition to become the dominant factor. The contribution of soil nitrogen reservoirs to nitrogen pollution in water bodies within Jincheng City showed a continuous upward trend over the twenty-five years, resulting in a total nitrogen load of 565.1 tons in 2022, ranking second and becoming a crucial aspect in pollution control efforts. Regarding seasonal distribution, the crop growing season (March to September) was identified as the critical period for controlling nitrogen pollution from nitrogen fertilizer application, while the autumn and winter seasons were crucial for controlling nitrogen pollution from atmospheric deposition and soil nitrogen reservoirs. The predictive results for future NPS nitrogen pollution indicate a continual increase in annual TN inflow into the river from nitrogen fertilizer application and soil nitrogen reservoirs, reaching 1841.6 tons in 2032, accounting for 65.2% of the total inflow. This research contributes to supporting decision-making for NPS pollution control measures in Jincheng City.

Impact of Urbanization on Groundwater Quality of Water Bodies in Cities: Public Perceptions of the Reservoir in the TigrisEuphrates Basin in Iraq

Impact of Urbanization on Groundwater Quality of Water Bodies in Cities: Public Perceptions of the Reservoir in the TigrisEuphrates Basin in Iraq

Spatial heterogeneity of river effects on PM2.5 pollutants in waterfront neighborhoods based on mobile monitoring

Concentrations of airborne particulate matter (PM) are influenced by land cover types. Water bodies in cities can influence the spatial distribution of air pollution by altering the microclimate. However, the influence of water bodies on PM2.5 concentrations is complex and requires further exploration, especially at the microscale. In this study, a geographically weighted regression (GWR) model was constructed to explore the spatially heterogeneous effect of a river on the PM2.5 concentrations in nearby riverside neighborhoods using mobile monitoring in Wuhan. The results showed that the GWR model was applicable at the neighborhood scale and had a good explanatory performance for PM2.5 concentrations, with a higher R2 (0.71). The river had multiple effects on the PM2.5 concentrations in the riverfront neighborhoods and strongly affected the air quality in neighborhoods within an 800 m distance due to wind infiltration, with the strongest effect at a 500–700 m distance. Moreover, considering spatial nonstationarity, the effect of the large river on street-level air quality largely depended on its effect on wind, and good ventilation conditions could amplify that effect. Commercial, road intersections, second-level roads and parks were identified as sensitive environmental factors affecting the river's influence on PM2.5 concentrations. In addition, urban parks had a greater mitigating effect on PM2.5 pollution than did water bodies in this study. These results help to clarify the impact of rivers on air quality and provide a theoretical basis for urban design to mitigate PM2.5 pollution.

Water facilities of Ternopil: hydrography, ecological condition and water supply

The most sensitive to anthropogenic pressure in the city are water resources: surface and groundwater, water sources, etc. Therefore, the analysis of hydrographic features and ecological status of water bodies of the city of Ternopil is an urgent and important scientific and practical task. Purpose. Analysis of hydrographic features and ecological condition of water bodies of the Ternopil city, coverage of problems of pollution of the reservoir, quality of water in the Seret River and the main water intakes of the city Methods. Generalization and systematization, descriptive, SWOT-analysis, cartographic, geoinformation, geochemical assessment of the ecological status of water bodies of the city. Results. Generalization and systematization of data on the hydrographic network of the Ternopil city, allows us to state the fact that the main water bodies of the city is the Seret River – 242 km long (within the city 1.8 km) and the basin area 3900 km2; reservoir – an area of 300 hectares, nameless right tributary and canalized left tributary of the Seret River – the Rudka. The ecological condition of the Seret River within the city of Ternopil can be assessed as unsatisfactory. The main geoecological problems of the river are construction within the the coastal protection zone, water pollution by solid waste, exceeding the maximum allowable concentrations of suspended solids, sulfates, chlorides, nitrates and petroleum products. Environmental problems of the Ternopil reservoir are water pollution by chemical compounds of ammonium nitrogen, petroleum products, suspended solids and total iron; high siltation and pollution of the bottom sediments of the reservoir with heavy metals and mobile forms of biogenic elements. Water supply in the Ternopi cityl is carried out from two water intakes - Biletsky and Verkhnyo-Ivachivsky. Verkhno-Ivachivsky water intake is located at a distance of 3 km from the city landfill in the village of Malashivtsi. In the last few years, the process of drilling and using private artesian wells with a depth of more than 50 m has become widespread in the city. According to the results of the analysis, installed compliance with sanitary requirements of water samples in these wells, pH in all samples within normal limits (6,5-8,5). Conclusions. Current trends in climate change and the growth of anthropogenic pressure on water bodies, increases the risks of degradation and changes in some components of the hydrographic network of the city. In Ternopil, it is necessary to modernize the centralized water supply system, reconstruct rainwater collectors and strengthen control over unauthorized discharges into surface water bodies. It is also worth designing another water intake for the city in environmentally secure conditions.

The perspective of studying municipal water bodies in the city of Novosibirsk

At the moment, water bodies in cities, especially large ones, perform a somewhat ecological, as much as an aesthetic function. They influence the scale and specifics of the development, push for the creation of recreational areas. These are the most important and integral parts of urban space. Municipal water bodies are one of the elements of a complex, relatively new structure of the city - a water-green framework. These objects, due to their specificity, need protection from anthropogenic impact more than others. There are 58 municipal water bodies on the balance sheet of the city of Novosibirsk as of 2022. Watered quarries, ponds, rivers, lakes, as well as green areas are united into a single whole - the water-green framework of the city of Novosibirsk. The concept of a water-green framework lies in reducing the anthropogenic load on the environment, as well as increasing the self-cleaning ability of the city's water bodies.

Разработка веб-сервиса для владельцев малого речного транспорта Санкт-Петербурга

The geographical location and tourist features of St. Petersburg require a specialized web service for owners and tenants of river transport, aggregating all the information necessary for them. Currently, such information is available in various news sources, web portals and groups in social networks. The work presents a prototype of a service for small river transport users. Information needs and functional and requirements for it were identified during in-depth interviews with stakeholders of the project. The web service database is implemented in the PostgreSQL DBMS with the PostGIS extension. The work presents the structure of the service, which includes 10 pages, describes its main sections, such as current regulatory documents, news, interactive maps, reference information, as well as technical information about ships and restrictions on their movement due to technical characteristics. During its development, an analysis of existing solutions related to each section was carried out. During the "Maps" section development, an analysis of existing web tools for displaying interactive maps and the selection of the best solutions was carried out. Using the Google Maps designer, interactive maps were created for the web service being developed. The first of them is a map of the city's water bodies, containing such layers as: floating gas stations, lighthouses, customs, checkpoint and Ministry of Emergencies, private yacht clubs and marinas, berths and quayes, bridges, etc. The interactive weather map allows the user to get acquainted with the weather conditions, as well as their 5-day forecast. One of the priority functional requirements of the web service, called stakeholders, was the determination of water barriers and bridges that were inappropriate in the size of the vessel. The "Your Ship" section of the developed prototype web service offers a solution to meet this requirement. The developed web service is one of the favorable incentives for the development of the water tourism sphere and the use of river transport in St. Petersburg.

Население и особенности размещения рукокрылых (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) г. Екатеринбурга

Bats have been living next to people for a long time, and they have successfully inhabited cities. Abundant information on the peculiarities of their ecology in urban conditions has been obtained for North America, Australia and Europe. Research of this problem for Russia is not numerous and is of interest. This paper presents information on the population of bats in the large industrial city of Yekaterinburg. The main aim is to study the species diversity and spatial distribution of bats, taking into account three factors that determine the quality of the animal habitat in the city (the presence of areas of woody vegetation and water-bodies as a feeding station; various buildings as suitable shelters). Yekaterinburg is located in Russia, close to the Asian-European border (56°50'N, 60°35'E.). Animals were observed and captured during the warm season using a mobile trap and a MAGENTA ELECTRONICS MK II ultrasonic detector (England). Museum materials (Yekaterinburg, Russia, Ural Federal University named after B.N.Yeltsin, Sverdlovsk Regional Museum, Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology UB RAS - IPAE 983653, IPAE 773780) were examined. The study was conducted according to the guidelines of international and national guidelines, and approved by the Ethics Commitee of IPAE UB RAS (protocol №11 29.04.2022). All captured animals were released into nature. Residents reported information about the distribution of animals (125 detection points of bats) for the period 2001-2020. For analysis, two zones of the built-up area of the city without forest parks were identified: zone I - the center and zone II - the remaining built-up part (See Fig. 1). To analyze spatial distribution, distances from the detection points of animals to the nearest squares, alleys, parks, forest parks, floodplain areas and city water-bodies of various sizes were calculated. In the vicinity of encounters and captures, urban buildings are described as sites of potential refuges (material, number of storeys). In total, more than 110 individuals of 5 species were counted during the surveys (See Table 1). The migratory species Vespertilio murinus, and sedentary species wintering in Ural caves - Eptesicus nils-sonii, Myotis daubentonii, M. dasycneme were found in zones I and II. M. brandtii (reported by V.E. Polyakov) was found in the forest-park zone. V. murinus is predominant, and E. nilssonii is the second largest. Both species were found in the city during the warm season (forming brood colonies) and, possibly, they overwinter in the city. Most of the bats were found near brick and panel 2-16-storey houses (See Fig. 2-a). In zone I, the detection points near older 2-6-storey buildings were significantly more frequent (х2 = 3.7; p < 0.05). In zone II, outside the center, the detection points of bats near 9-16 storey buildings were significantly more frequent = 6.4; p < 0.05). Most detections (81%) of bats in the city as a whole were observed in the immediate vicinity or at a distance of 200-500 m from large parks, boulevards, gardens, etc. (See Fig. 2-b). The frequency of detection of bats at a distance of more than 1 km from large plantations is significantly higher in zone II (7.6%, x2 = 8.9-10.1; p < 0.05). In relation to water-bodies, clear dependence in the location of animals was not found (See Fig. 2-c). Most often, bats use feeding stations near small areas of woody vegetation between residential buildings in yards and at a considerable distance from large water-bodies (72% of cases). At these feeding stations (zone I - center), the abundance of insects is lower than in their natural habitat (See Fig. 3). The spatial distribution of bats is associated with the quality of urban development and the presence of areas of woody vegetation, and does not depend on the presence of large water-bodies. It can be assumed that these distribution patterns of bats are due to the ecology of the background species V. murinus. The species diversity of the city's bats is reduced in comparison to their natural habitat (5 species out of 10 inhabit them). Similar reduction of bat species diversity is noted in other cities of Russia and Ukraine (See Table 2). It can be assumed that the low bat species diversity in Yekaterinburg is an indicator of the poor quality of urban greening.

Study on the governance of black-odor water in Chinese cities

With China's rapid urbanization and the improvement of living standards, the number of black-odor water bodies in cities increase over time bring a huge threat to urban environment, city image, and the health of residents. Although water quality of rivers has achieved remarkable improvements due to a series of related policies, there are still some unreasonable mechanisms and insufficient supervision. In this paper, using descriptive statistics, we introduce the current situation of black-odor water bodies and analyze the governance mechanisms of black-odor water bodies at the national and provincial levels. We found that there are more black-odor water bodies in east and south-central China, compared to other areas. The causes of black-odor water bodies varies from economic development and natural environment. Then, we explore measures taken by governments at different levels in the treatment of black-odor water bodies and their governance performance. As the largest developing country, China's experience in the treatment of black-odor water bodies may be a reference for other developing countries.

Visual guidelines for climate-responsive urban design

Communication of climate-responsive urban design guidelines is becoming increasingly relevant in the light of climate adaptation challenges in cities. Widespread uptake in practice of such guidelines can be promoted by visualizations of the principles on which they are based. The “Really cooling water bodies in cities” research project developed and tested the required knowledge on visual communication. Evidence-based design guidelines assisting designers with creating cooler urban water environments were developed and communicated with 3D animations. The animations were shaped according to three core theoretical criteria about visual representations: “visual clarity”, “trust” and “interest”. We assessed in how far these criteria were met in an inquiry with design professionals, the target group of the design guidelines. The article concludes with recommendations for developing visual design guidelines in climate-responsive urban design: to weigh the level of detail, components and balance between site-specificity/abstraction (“visual clarity”); to make microclimatic processes visible without distorting them (“trust”); and to keep timing short and visual attractiveness high (“interest”). It is argued that taking these aspects into account and setting a clear correspondence between theoretical concepts, representation objectives and options, can largely benefit visual design guidelines communicating climate-responsive urban design knowledge.

Dietary shifts and nitrogen losses to water in urban China: the case of Shanghai.

China's extraordinary economic development has provided the country's growing population with easier access to animal food products, especially in densely populated urban agglomerations. Increased consumption of such products translates in a higher amount of nitrogen (N) excreted in the form of human manure. Depending on the connection to a sewerage system, or lack thereof, and the N removal efficiency from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), a share of the excreted N gets ultimately discharged to water bodies, causing eutrophication. In heavily urbanised areas, N losses from household food consumption account for a dominant portion of total N losses to water. In this study, we firstly estimate dietary N intake, excretion and consequent N losses to water from the residents of Shanghai in 2012. We then explore different scenarios to 2030, in terms of further dietary modifications and different levels of development of the city's sewerage system and WWTPs. In 2012, Shanghai's residents excreted a total of 148.4Gg N, 54% of which ultimately reached the city's water bodies in diffused N form. The urban population contributed for the majority of the N losses (93%) and showed a higher per capita N load, due to limited N removal efficiency from WWTPs and the significant portion (27%) of residents not connected to the sewerage and directly discharging their excreta to water. The vast majority of the scarce rural population were not connected to the sewerage system and showed a much lower per capita N load, mainly due to the common practice of recycling excreta for agricultural practices. We identify two main approaches to reduce dietary N losses: (1) improving N removal efficiency and sewerage connection rates towards the levels of OECD countries; (2) managing the increase of dietary N intake by promoting healthy and sustainable consumption, as recommended by recent dietary guidelines. According to our scenario analysis, technological improvements can potentially achieve a more significant reduction of total N losses and are easier to implement. Managing demand of animal food and consequent N intake would only stabilise N losses around 2012's levels. On the other hand, a dramatic increase of animal food consumption could have detrimental effects on the city's water bodies, more so if the expected population growth will not be met by an adequate development of a more capillary sewerage system. This study provides valuable insights on dietary N losses in one of China's most developed mega cities, strongly advocating for the necessity of improving N removal efficiency from WWTPs and reducing the percentage of urban residents directly discharging their waste to water bodies.

Are urban water bodies really cooling?

Small urban water bodies, like ponds or canals, are often assumed to cool their surroundings during hot periods, when water bodies remain cooler than air during daytime. However, during the night they may be warmer. Sufficient fetch is required for thermal effects to reach a height of 1–2 m, relevant for humans. In the ‘Really cooling water bodies in cities’ (REALCOOL) project thermal effects of typical Dutch urban water bodies were explored, using ENVI-met 4.1.3. This model version enables users to specify intensity of turbulent mixing and light absorption of the water, offering improved water temperature simulations. Local thermal effects near individual water bodies were assessed as differences in air temperature and Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET). The simulations suggest that local thermal effects of small water bodies can be considered negligible in design practice. Afternoon air temperatures in surrounding spaces were reduced by typically 0.2 °C and the maximum cooling effect was 0.6 °C. Typical PET reduction was 0.6 °C, with a maximum of 1.9 °C. Night-time warming effects are even smaller. However, the immediate surroundings of small water bodies can become cooler by means of shading from trees, fountains or water mists, and natural ventilation. Such interventions induce favorable changes in daytime PET.

Organochlorine pesticides and dissolved organic matter within a system of urban exorheic lakes.

Urban lakes represent the most extensive water bodies in cities and provide blue ecosystem services, by retaining pollutants, offering cultural services, and mitigating climate change. Human activities threaten to decrease the supply of ecosystem services associated with urban lakes. Exorheic lakes play an essential role in reducing and changing the characteristics of pollutants and organic matter along the environmental continuum. This study aims to gain further understanding on the distribution and fate of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in relation to fluorescent dissolved organic matter (DOM) within an exorheic lake system, located along Colentina river, Bucharest. Results indicated a historical usage of HCHs, which were present in lake water and sediment samples, in concentrations exceeding the regulatory limits, with potential eco-toxicity on aquatic biota. Decades of intense applications along the river, before OCPs ban, led to their accumulation in sediments and their re-mobilization, each year, after the lakes were drained, dredged, and refilled. Fluorescence measurements revealed that DOM accumulated in certain lakes due to wastewater discharges, and surface runoff, but decreased towards the end of the exorheic lakes through dilution, sedimentation, and biodegradation. The results also showed that fluorescent DOM may have a substantial impact on OCPs cycle in urban lakes and may help to determine the conditions and effectiveness of removing OCPs from water and sediments. These issues contribute to the decrease of ecosystem services supply associated with urban lakes, having multiple hidden consequences on the urban environment.

Generating applicable urban design knowledge

ABSTRACTThis article explores how the combination of research approaches in Research Through Design (RTD) can contribute to generating applicable urban design knowledge. The article is based on learnings from the ‘Really cooling water bodies in cities’ project, a pragmatist RTD combining post-positivist, constructivist and transformative/participatory approaches along six design iterations. The results indicate that the combination of research approaches in RTD can contribute to generating applicable urban design knowledge when the approaches are carefully chosen and combined as to provide feedback on each other, based on a coherent rationale driven by clear research questions and goals.

The impact of economic activity on the ecological state of the water reservoirs of Ishim

This article analyzes the problem of the state of the water bodies in Ishim by anthropogenic pressures. The study shows that the water reservoirs are negatively influenced by the economic activities of the population. The author defines their main directions: industrial wastewater discharge to the city water bodies, construction and operation of engineering constructions, activity in the private sector. To assess the state of the water bodies the author uses the results of the visual assessment of the state of the riverbeds and their coastal zone, the organoleptic water indicators (turbidity, color and smell), the analysis of the hydrobiological studies (determination of the degree of saprobity of the water bodies as indicators ciliated infusoria). The study showed the satisfactory condition of all the water reservoirs and the non-critical impact. As the enterprises for light manufacturing and food industries in Ishim are not sources of chemical, organic and other pollution the visual assessment didn't reveal significant deformations of the riverbeds and any changes in the coastal zone. The impact of the private sector is local and not the significant cause of organic pollution.

Zooplankton in water bodies within the city of Petrozavodsk (Karelia)

The study of the city water bodies, constituting the main recreational areas for the citizens, included an analysis of species diversity, quantitative indicators and conditions of zooplankton formation. Systematic observations on a number of reservoirs in different areas of the city allowed us to assess their ecological condition and significantly expand the information on the taxonomic diversity of the community.

Characterization of Salmonella species from water bodies in Dar-Es-Salaam city, Tanzania

Background: Water-borne diseases are the most common cause of illness and death among the poor population from developing countries. The majority of the people are inadequately aware that aquatic environment is a major source of salmonellosis. Dar es Salaam city is among the cities with most of its population live in squatter. Typhoid fever ranks second with 14.3% of all notifiable disease cases in the city. The city experience water scarcity which forces water wells and rivers to become the main sources of water for domestic use and livestock. This study therefore, characterized Salmonella strains from different water bodies of city as possible sources for enteric diseases endemicity. Methods: The Salmonella Chromogenic Agar (SC Agar) and Kligler Iron Agar (KIA) media were used for isolation and enumeration of the strains. The inoculated cultures were incubated at 370C for 24 hours. Salmonella colonies were confirmed by magenta colorations and hydrogen sulfide production on SC Agar and KIA Agar, respectively. The Analytical Profile Index 20 Enterobacteriaceae kit (API 20E kit) was used to identify Salmonella species. Results: Based on the API 20E kit, the identified Salmonella species from different water bodies were Salmonella ser. paratyphi A (96.9%), Salmonella cholelaesuis spp choleraesuis (99.5%) and Salmonella typhi (99.9%). Conclusion: This study shows that shallow wells and rivers which are mainly used by the city dwellers were highly contaminated with Salmonella and were more contaminated than deep wells and marine water bodies. This warrants further investigation on the disease mapping in the urban and peri-urban areas.