Water Protection Areas Research Articles

T'anks a lot

T'anks a lot

Characterizing groundwater flow in a faulted karst system using optical brighteners from septic systems as tracers

This study used optical brighteners (OB) released from septic systems to show that groundwater flow direction is largely controlled by the structural framework in a faulted karst groundwater system. Effective protection of groundwater resources requires that groundwater systems are adequately characterized and source water protection areas (SWPA) are developed for drinking water wells. Karst aquifers are among the most sensitive to contamination due to high recharge rates, and among the most difficult aquifers to characterize due to heterogeneity, and anisotropy. Because septic systems may be used to treat wastewater within SWPAs for karst aquifers there is a need to characterize these groundwater systems using tracers. The objective of this study was to characterize groundwater flow in a faulted portion of the Edwards aquifer in Bexar County, Texas using OB that are released as incidental tracers from septic systems. This study included measurement of water levels, sampling of groundwater and surface water, analysis for OB, and spatial analysis in a GIS. Results show that OB intensities were highest to the southwest of the septic area, a direction that is sub-parallel to the fault and fracture orientation and nearly perpendicular to the hydraulic gradient. This indicates that movement of OB, solutes, or non-aqueous liquids/solids in a faulted karst system can be largely controlled by fault/fracture orientation and structural relay ramps.

POPULATION STRUCTURE OF THE MALARIA VECTOR ANOPHELES DARLINGI IN A MALARIA-ENDEMIC REGION OF EASTERN AMAZONIAN BRAZIL

Anopheles darlingi is the primary malaria vector in Latin America, and is especially important in Amazonian Brazil. Historically, control efforts have been focused on indoor house spraying using a variety of insecticides, but since the mid-1990s there has been a shift to patient treatment and focal insecticide fogging. Anopheles darlingi was believed to have been significantly reduced in a gold-mining community, Peixoto de Azevedo (in Mato Grosso State), in the early 1990s by insecticide use during a severe malaria epidemic. In contrast, although An. darlingi was eradicated from some districts of the city of Belem (the capital of Para State) in 1968 to reduce malaria, populations around the water protection area in the eastern district were treated only briefly. To investigate the population structure of An. darlingi including evidence for a population bottleneck in Peixoto, we analyzed eight microsatellite loci of 256 individuals from seven locations in Brazil: three in Amapa State, three in Para State, and one in Mato Grosso State. Allelic diversity and mean expected heterozygosity were high for all populations (mean number alleles/locus and H(E) were 13.5 and 0.834, respectively) and did not differ significantly between locations. Significant heterozygote deficits were associated with linkage disequilibrium, most likely due to either the Wahlund effect or selection. We found no evidence for a population bottleneck in Peixoto, possibly because the reduction was not extreme enough to be detected. Overall estimates of long-term N(e) varied from 92.4 individuals under the linkage disequilibrium model to infinity under the heterozygote excess model. Fixation indices and analysis of molecular variance demonstrated significant differentiation between locations north and south of the Amazon River, suggesting a degree of genetic isolation between them, attributed to isolation by distance.

BAHAYA BANJIR DI KAWASAN DAS BERINGIN DAN ROB DI MANGUNHARJO

Beringin river is one of 18 rivers in West Semarang. Most ofits catchment area have developed as industrial area and housing complex. Those developments have changed and destroyed its green area, so made it over flow and flood. Mangunharjo is an area in West Semarang. The area has been destroyed by abration as the result of PT KLI activities. The flood and abration have influenced human being in Semarang. This research is emperical, exploring the existing, and asking for response of the inhibitans. As the result, the government minimalized those conditions with many regulations, but they do not give priority to the public services. For the environment was not looked out, the problems are going to be worse. There are 4 methods to drainage environment friendly such as: conservation pond, well drill in land, river side polder, and ground water protection area. The government has to make action plans and total management for the next. All inbibitans should join with him.

Using Analytic Element Models to Delineate Drinking Water Source Protection Areas

Since 1999, Ohio EPA hydrogeologists have used two analytic element models (AEMs), the proprietary software GFLOW and U.S. EPA's WhAEM, to delineate protection areas for 535 public water systems. Both models now use the GFLOW2001 solution engine, integrate well with Geographic Information System (GIS) technology, have a user-friendly graphical interface, are capable of simulating a variety of complex hydrogeologic settings, and do not rely upon a model grid. These features simplify the modeling process and enable AEMs to bridge the gap between existing simplistic delineation methods and more complex numerical models. Ohio EPA hydrogeologists demonstrated that WhAEM2000 and GFLOW2000 were capable of producing capture zones similar to more widely accepted models by applying the AEMs to eight sites that had been previously delineated using other methods. After the Ohio EPA delineated protection areas using AEMs, more simplistic delineation methods used by other states (volumetric equation and arbitrary fixed radii) were applied to the same water systems to compare the differences between various methods. GIS software and two-tailed paired t-tests were used to quantify the differences in protection areas and analyze the data. The results of this analysis demonstrate that AEMs typically produce significantly different protection areas than the most simplistic delineation methods, in terms of total area and shape. If the volumetric equation had been used instead of AEMs, Ohio would not have protected 265 km2 of critical upgradient area and would have overprotected 269 km2 of primarily downgradient land. Since an increasing number of land-use restrictions are being tied to drinking water protection areas, this analysis has broad policy implications.

Assessing the Pollution of Water Protection Areas and River Banks along the Elbe and Mulde Rivers after the Flood Event in August 2002

AbstractInvestigations addressing the pollution with inorganic and potentially pathogenic contaminants resulting from the August 2002 high flood event of the rivers Elbe and Mulde have been performed in water protection areas and along the inundated banks of both rivers. Soil and plant material were investigated for potential pathogens and indicator organisms such as coliforms, Escherichia coli, enterococci, Clostridium perfringens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and for inorganic compounds like Al, Zn, nitrate, and orthophosphate. Soil sediments down to a depth of 120 cm, as well as soils and plants along traverses have extensively been studied over a time range of up to one year after the flood event but in none of these environmental compartments a significant maintenance of pollutants could be proven. However, recommendations are given concerning the assessment of microbiological contamination that may arise from possible future flood events.

Decomposition of needle/leaf litter from Scots pine, black cherry, common oak and European beech at a conurbation forest site

Litter decomposition was studied for 2 years in a mixed forest serving as a water protection area (Rhine-Neckar conurbation, SW Germany). Two experiments differing in initial dry weight equivalent in litterbags were set up: one to compare decomposition of European beech leaves (Fagus sylvatica) with common oak leaves (Quercus robur), and the other comparing decomposition of Scots pine needles (Pinus sylvestris) with black cherry leaves (Prunus serotina Ehrh.), respectively. Mass losses were greater for oak litter than for beech (75.0 versus 34.6%), and for cherry litter than for pine (94.6 versus 68.3%). In both experiments, a strong initial loss of soluble compounds occurred. The changes in litter N and P concentrations and the decrease in C-to-N ratio coincided with changes in residual mass. However, neither tannin and phenolic concentrations nor NMR could explain the pronounced variation in mass loss after 2 years. Differences in litter palatability and toughness, nutrient contents and other organic compounds may be responsible for the considerable differences in residual mass between litter types. The fast decay of black cherry leaves appears to play a major role in the present humus dynamics at the studied site. Since black cherry has a high N demand, which is mainly met by root uptake from the forest floor, this species is crucial for internal N cycling at this conurbation forest site. These effects together may significantly contribute to prevent nitrate leaching from the forest ecosystem which is subject to a continuous N deposition on an elevated level.

Introskeletal erosion threat in mountain forests of the Czech Republic

Summarization of the potential of introskeletal erosion (ISE) was done on the basis of field surveys in the Šumava Mts., Krkonoše Mts. and Jeseníky Mts. areas. The results give a rough estimation of the ISE extent in mountain forests of the Czech Republic. They indicate that in the mountainous areas of the Czech Republic there are 46,535 ha of forest lands endangered by these processes, which represents 10.1% of mountain forests and 1.7% of the total forest area in the country. The worst situation is in the Krkonoše Mts., where the considerable ISE potential is on 30.5% of forest area (in the Jeseníky Mts. 16.6%, in the Novohradské hory Mts. 13.3%, in the Šumava  Mts. 8.2%). Because these areas are relevant production and water protection areas, the ISE processes have to be studied carefully and forest lands have to be protected, also using special technologies for forest protection and restoration.  

Heavy metals distribution in agricultural topsoils in urban area

Intensive urbanisation of the Croatian capital of Zagreb has led to a situation where very good agricultural soils, developed mostly on Pleistocene eolian sediments and alluvial and proluvian Holocene sediments are entrapped within urban and suburban areas. Therefore the influence of urban and industrialised environments on the accumulation of metals in agricultural topsoils has been investigated. On an area of 860 km2 of the wider Zagreb region, 331 samples were taken according to a regular 1×1 km square mesh. Samples were dissolved in aqua regia and analysed for Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn with flame atomic aqua regia absorption spectroscopy. The following concentration ranges have been determined: Cd 0.25–3.85 mg kg–1 (average 0.66 mg kg–1), Cu 4.30–183 mg kg–1 (average 20.8 mg kg–1), Fe 5.8–51.8 g kg–1 (average 27 g kg–1), Mn 79.2–1282 mg kg–1 (average 613 mg kg–1), Ni 0.70–282 mg kg–1 (average 49.5 mg kg–1), Pb 1.50–139 mg kg–1 (average 25.9 mg kg–1), and Zn 15.2–277 mg kg–1 (average 77.9 mg kg–1). Visualisation of the spatial data is made by the aid of GIS, and selected maps of the heavy metal concentrations in topsoils are displayed. Statistical multivariate analysis was carried out for quantitative study and data were processed by means of R-mode factor analysis, applying the varimax-raw rotational technique. F1, which grouped Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn and partially Ni, is characterized as a factor with strongly scattered anthropogenic influence. The elements in F2, Fe, Mn and partially Ni are mainly of geogenic, i.e. pedogenic, origin. The variations in concentrations of the investigated elements are thus of both natural and anthropogenic origins. The variations in the main soil constituents, particularly Fe and Mn, are determined primarily by the composition of different regolithic substrates of the fluvial origin in recent pedogenesis. High concentrations of nickel are also related to morphogenetic characteristics of the wider region, primarily basic and ultrabasic magmatic rocks of the surrounding mountain range. It is, however, assumed that the anomalous nickel concentrations in the vicinity of the highway and the airport are of anthropogenic origin, i.e. caused by fuel combustion. Copper is characterized by strongly scattered anthropogenic influence, which is related particularly to uncontrolled solid waste disposals or discharges of liquid waste from households or agricultural enterprises. With Zn, Pb and Cd, there are two possible ways of diffuse pollution. The Sava River, which drains the area and feeds the abundant Quaternary aquifer spreading below the major part of the investigated agricultural areas, has been exposed to intensive pollution by mining, industry and cities in the recent history. The part of the area with the highest determined concentrations of Zn, Pb and Cd was repeatedly flooded as recently as the previous decade; therefore, the recent sedimentation of the river deposits exposed to pollution is a very probable cause of the accumulation of metals in this until recently inundation area. The other way is atmospheric deposition of particles from urban sources (industrial emission, traffic, waste disposals, heating plants, etc.). In addition to agricultural enterprises, several economically important, but ecologically risky, facilities are situated in the vicinity of the water-protection area. The area is intersected by a very busy ring road, while a marshalling yard, the city dump, pharmaceutical and chemical industry, the district-heating plant and the airport are all located in close proximity. The geochemical maps show a clear relationship between human activities and metal concentration gradients.

Les ressources en eau dans les forêts de Bavière Observations qualitatives et démarches protectrices

Click to increase image sizeClick to decrease image sizeIn Bavaria the drinking water supply mainly uses groundwater, only one third of which has to be treated before usage. Overall groundwater protection is the best strategy to preserve this situation. Moreover till now 3.5 per cent of the state area has been arranged as water protection area with specific demands on landuse practices. About 50 per cent of this area is covered with forest, compared with 33 per cent in the whole country. Diverse impacts on the forest, i.e. deposition of atmospheric pollutants, extensive damages or special forms of wood harvesting can endanger groundwater quality, which is generally high up to now. In Bavaria, groundwater acidification has occurred in some specific areas, whereas the potential risk of increased nitrate leaching under forest stands is widespread. Therefore the Bavarian water authorities support all efforts made by the forest administration to increase the portion of stabile, deciduous forests and to support groundwater protecting practices in forest management.

Surveillance der Trinkwasserversorgung mit einem Geoinformationssystem: Ein Pilotprojekt des lögd NRW und des Kreises Höxter

Drinking water surveillance includes the use of spatial data. A geographic information system (GIS) is a practicable tool for work with spatial data in the health sector as well. Co-operation between the Institute of Public Health for North Rhine Westphalia, the local health authority of the Hoexter district and the Institute for Geoinformatics of the University of Muenster started a project testing the use of GIS for drinking water surveillance. A special application was programmed. It includes functions of retrieval and classification of the measured values of drinking water wells, in order to show time trends in a diagram and to visualise the location of the wells and the analysis data in a map. The members of the Public Health Office accepted the method and started using it regularly. In addition, the collaboration between the health authority and other local authorities was strengthened. Several data sets were included in the GIS, such as wells and results of water analysis, water protection areas, land use data, and topographical maps. Basing on to the experiences with this project, the development of a standard application is planned that is supposed to be communicated to all local health authorities in North Rhine Westphalia.

Movement of faecal indicator organisms in earthworm channels under a loamy arable and grassland soil

It is a critical issue for the application of animal slurry in water protection areas whether macropores such as earthworm burrows can contribute to the contamination of groundwater with faecal organisms. The aim of the current field experiment was to investigate the effects of the factors: slurry addition, land use (grassland/arable land), sampling date, depth (15, 45 and 75 cm), and drilosphere (soil surrounding an earthworm burrow) on the movement of faecal indicator organisms (total coliforms, faecal coliforms and faecal streptococci) into the subsoil. The experiment was carried out under worst case conditions, i.e., a soil at field capacity, irrigated directly after application of fresh cattle slurry with high rates of water. Under these conditions, we showed that significant numbers of faecal coliforms were transferred after slurry addition down earthworm burrows to the subsoil. We also showed that the numbers transferred in the grassland soil exceeded those of the arable soil. However, only about 0.16% (=1.3×10 3 m −2) of the applied faecal coliforms were found under grassland around the earthworm burrows at a depth of between 40 and 80 cm. Total coliforms or faecal streptoccoci were not affected by slurry addition at any depth. In the drilosphere, the numbers of all faecal indicator organisms were always significantly increased in comparison to the bulk soil and also the contents of microbial biomass which were similar to those of the surface horizons. This means that the competition with the autochthonous soil microflora and thus, the decay rate of the introduced faecal bacteria, were also similar to the surface soil. Total and faecal coliforms were significantly related to each other and to the total microbial biomass, indicating that a certain percentage of these two groups belongs to the autochthonous soil bacterial microflora. The number of faecal streptococci varied enormously between replicate plots and the variation appeared to be independent of the factors studied.

Bacteriophages as surface and ground water tracers

Abstract. Bacteriophages are increasingly used as tracers for quantitative analysis in both hydrology and hydrogeology. The biological particles are neither toxic nor pathogenic for other living organisms as they penetrate only a specific bacterial host. They have many advantages over classical fluorescent tracers and offer the additional possibility of multi-point injection for tracer tests. Several years of research make them suitable for quantitative transport analysis and flow boundary delineation in both surface and ground waters, including karst, fractured and porous media aquifers. This article presents the effective application of bacteriophages based on their use in differing Swiss hydrological environments and compares their behaviour to conventional coloured dye or salt-type tracers. In surface water and karst aquifers, bacteriophages travel at about the same speed as the typically referenced fluorescent tracers (uranine, sulphurhodamine G extra). In aquifers of interstitial porosity, however, they appear to migrate more rapidly than fluorescent tracers, albeit with a significant reduction in their numbers within the porous media. This faster travel time implies that a modified rationale is needed for defining some ground water protection area boundaries. Further developments of other bacteriophages and their documentation as tracer methods should result in an accurate and efficient tracer tool that will be a proven alternative to conventional fluorescent dyes.

A Mathematical Aid for the Harmory of Conflicts in Interest for the Expulsion of Drinking Water Protection Areas

A Mathematical Aid for the Harmory of Conflicts in Interest for the Expulsion of Drinking Water Protection Areas

Untersuchungen über die Auswirkungen des nutzungsbedingten Stoffeintrags auf den Grundwasserchemismus in verschiedenen Wasserschutzgebieten im östlichen Münsterland

Untersuchungen über die Auswirkungen des nutzungsbedingten Stoffeintrags auf den Grundwasserchemismus in verschiedenen Wasserschutzgebieten im östlichen Münsterland

Nitratbelastung des Grundwassers im Wasserschutzgebiet Föhr -- Maßnahmen und Regelungen zur Sanierung des Grundwassers

Nitratbelastung des Grundwassers im Wasserschutzgebiet Föhr -- Maßnahmen und Regelungen zur Sanierung des Grundwassers

Primeri uporabe GIS pri katastru odlagališč odpadkov in ocenjevanju njihove nevarnosti

Odlagališča odpadkov so v Sloveniji množičen pojav. Šele v zadnjih letih se jim posveča večja pozornost. Kmalu je postalo jasno, da je dobra evidenca kataster odlagališč podlaga za programe sanacij odlagališč. Sanacije brez ustrezne dokumentacije so pomanjklive, saj se dogaja, da nekatera odlagališča preprosto zginejo, se zasujejo brez vednosti kaj smo zasuli ali s časom o zasuti lokaciji obstajajo le še nasprotujoč si ustna izročila. V taki situaciji je tehnologija GIS več kot dobrodošla za upravljanje s podatki o odlagališčih. Vsekakor je podatkovni sloj odlagališč odpadkov potreben GIS-u za upravljanje s prostorom. Dobro razvita računalniška atributivna baza in grafični prikazi na merilih 1:5000 ali 1:10000 so povsem primerna podlaga za razvoj tega sloja. Na vodovarstvenem območju smo z PC ARC/INFO izdelali testni GIS. Za potrebe MVOUP Republike Slovenije pa se je izdelala aplikacija za povpraševanje po podatkih v GeoSQL. Nadaljna poteza je ekspertni sistem za postopek prioritetizacije nevarnosti odlagališč za okolje na osnovi računalniške baze podatkov v GIS.

Bodennutzung und Wasserschutzgebiete

Bodennutzung und Wasserschutzgebiete