Short-term effects of drawing water for connectivity of rivers and lakes on zooplankton community structure

During 28-29, September 2005, water was drawn from Hanjiang River and Houguan Lake to the Yangzi River via Sanjiao Lake and Nantaizi Lake in Wuhan in order to provide favorable conditions for ecosystem restoration. To evaluate the feasibility and validity of drawing water as a means of ecosystem restoration, zooplankton populations were studied 3 times (before, immediately after finishing and a month after drawing water) at seven locations from 27 Sept. 2005 to 2 Nov. 2005. Water quality in the lakes was mostly improved and zooplankton species richness decreased as soon as drawing water had finished but increased a month after drawing water. Zooplankton density and biomass was reduced in the lakes by drawing water but was increased at the entrance to Sanjiao Lake because of landform geometry change. Before drawing water, most species in Sanjiao Lake e.g., Brachionus sp. and Keratella sp. were tolerant of contamination. After drawing water oligotrophic-prone species such as Lecane ludwigii and Gastropus stylifer emerged. We conclude that drawing water could be important for improving water quality and favour ecosystem restoration. Dilution of nutrient concentrations may be an important role in the effect.

Reduction in microcystin concentrations in large and shallow lakes: Water and sediment-interface contributions

Blooms of cyanobacteria, or blue-greens, are known to produce chemicals, such as microcystins, which can be toxic to aquatic and terrestrial organisms. Although previous studies have examined the fate of microcystins in freshwater lakes, primary elimination pathways and factors affecting degradation and loss have not been fully explained. The goal of the present study was to explore sources of algal toxins and investigate the distribution and biodegradation of microcystins in water and sediment through laboratory and field analyses. Water and sediment samples were collected monthly from several locations in Lake Taihu from February 2005 to January 2006. Samples were analyzed for the presence of microcystin. Water and sediment were also used in laboratory studies to determine microcystin degradation rates by spiking environmental samples with known concentrations of the chemical and observing concentration changes over time. Some water samples were found to efficiently degrade microcystins. Microcystin concentrations dropped faster in water collected immediately above lake sediment (overlying water). Degradation in sediments was higher than in water. Based on spatial distribution analyses of microcystin in Lake Taihu, higher concentrations (relative to water concentrations) of the chemical were found in lake sediments. These data suggest that sediments play a critical role in microcystin degradation in aquatic systems. The relatively low levels of microcystins found in the environment are most likely due to bacterial biodegradation. Sediments play a crucial role as a source (to the water column) of bio-degrading bacteria and as a carbon-rich environment for bacteria to proliferate and metabolize microcystin and other biogenic toxins produced by cyanobacteria. These, and other, data provide important information that may be applied to management strategies for improvement of water quality in lakes, reservoirs and other water bodies. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modelling algal blooms in Lake Dianchi, China using neural networks

Lake Dianchi is one of the most extensively impacted freshwater lakes by algal blooms. To investigate the response of dominant algal genera, neural networks were applied to model the relationship between water quality parameters and the biomass of four dominant genera (Microcystic spp., Anabaena sp., Quadricauda (Turp.) Breb, Pediastrum Mey) in Dianchi. Results showed that the timing and magnitude of algal blooms of Microcystic spp., nabaena sp., Quadricauda (Turp.) Breb, and Pediastrum Mey in Dianchi could be successfully predicted. The evaluation of environmental factors showed that pH had more significant impact on concentrations of all the four dominant algal genera than the nutrient factors, such as total phosphorus and total nitrogen.

Effects of seasonal succession and water pollution on the protozoan community structure in an eutrophic lake

The purpose of the research is to study the seasonal succession of protozoa community and the effect of water quality on the protozoa community to characterize biochemical processes occurring at a eutrophic Lake Donghu, a large shallow lake in Wuhan City, China. Samples of protozoa communities were obtained monthly at three stations by PFU (polyurethane foam unit) method over a year. Synchronously, water samples also were taken from the stations for the water chemical quality analysis. Six major variables were examined in a principal component analysis (PCA), which indicate the fast changes of water quality in this station I and less within-year variation and a comparatively stable water quality in stations II and III. The community data were analyzed using multivariate techniques, and we show that clusters are rather mixed and poorly separated, suggesting that the community structure is changing gradually, giving a slight merging of clusters form the summer to the autumn and the autumn to the winter. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) was used to infer the relationship between water quality variables and phytoplankton community structure, which changed substantially over the survey period. From the analysis of cluster and CCA, coupled by community pollution value (CPV), it is concluded that the key factors driving the change in protozoa community composition in Lake Donghu was water qualities rather than seasons. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estimation of the natural purification rate of a eutrophic lake after pollutant removal

Pollution resulting from increased human activities is threatening Lake Donghu, its effects being characterized by serious eutrophication. A steady increase of phosphorus loading is the most important factor of the lake eutrophication. Pollution external control projects are being implemented and will be accomplished before the year 2010. In order to predict the restoration rate by the lake's self-purification after the projects of external control, a model of predicting the removal rate of total phosphorus (TP) from lake water is developed, and a brief method of estimating the release and export rate of sediment phosphorus is suggested. Results show that, on the premise of external loading fully controlled. The restoration needs about 55 years or more. Obviously, the great P pool in the sediment will be a limiting factor of preventing the improvement of water quality after the external loading is under control. Based on the estimation we conclude that after the external control projects before 2010, in order to restore the lake in a few years, although highly cost, the first step must be the sediment dredging to remove internal loading. The second step is diverting water of River Changjiang into the lake to accelerate the improvement of lake water. Otherwise, removal of pollutant sources will become meaningless. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Use of the aquatic protozoa to formulate a community biotic index for an urban water system

Protozoan were collected from 16 stations in water system of Changde City (China) using the PFU method. Sampling programs were conduced on a yearly basis, with seasonal frequency at diverse sites in the water system and 488 species of protozoa was identified. At the same time, Water sampling from these stations was conducted and various water chemical parameters, including DO, COD, BOD5, NH3, TP, and Volatile Phenol, were analyzed. The aim of the research was, on one hand, using chemical method to take an investigation to the water pollution status of Changde City; on the other hand, using protozoan to make an evaluation to the water quality. With the chemical water parameters and protozoa data, a biotic index was derived for the investigated region. The species pollution value (SPV) of 469 protozoa species was established, and the community pollution value (CPV) calculated from SPV was used to evaluate water quality. The method of the biotic index was tested and the result showed that CPV calculated from SPV had a close correlation with the degree of water pollution (p < 0.00001). This indicated that the method of the biotic index is reliable. The water quality degrees divided by CPV were suggested. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Application and validation of a new biotic index using data from several water systems

Protozoans of Lake Donghu were collected from five stations using the PFU method. The sampling was conducted for one year and two times a month. The aim of this research was to test the applicability of a new protozoa biotic index, species pollution value (SPV) and community pollution value (CPV), established by the authors using data from the River Hanjiang. Each station's CPV was calculated from the SPV and the correlation analysis between the CPV and the comprehensive chemical index of stations I, II, III showed a significant correlation between them. The pollution status of the five stations was correctly evaluated by the CPV. These results suggested that the biotic index could be applied in water systems other than the River Hanjiang. The SPV of some protozoa species in Lake Donghu, not observed in the River Hanjiang were established. In order to further test the applicability of the biotic index, protozoan and chemistry data from the Rivers Torrente Stirone and Parma of Italy were used. The results showed that the CPV for the two rivers had a close relationship with the chemical water quality, which indicated that the biotic index could be applied in other parts of the world for the monitoring and estimating of water quality. Since the results of testing and verifying the biotic index in some other water systems in China were also satisfactory, this indicated that the biotic index has an extensive suitability for freshwater ecosystems. As long as more than 50% of the species in a sample have a SPV, the CPV calculated from the SPV is reliable for monitoring and evaluating water quality.

活性炭纤维(ACF)吸附法处理河流突发污染事故模拟研究

环境突发污染事故给人民生活、经济发展和生态环境造成重大影响，研究污染物泄漏造成河流突发污染事故的应急处理方法十分必要。本论文选取苯酚、苯胺和亚甲基蓝等典型污染物为实验对象，采用吸附容量大、密度与水接近的活性炭纤维(ACF)为吸附剂。在自制的河流模型中，研究了ACF以苯酚、苯胺和亚甲基蓝为典型污染物的吸附过程，考察了吸附剂投加量、污染物浓度、吸附剂比表面积、吸附剂投加方式、水流速度与水质等对吸附速率与吸附效果的影响。实验结果表明，ACF能以较快的速率吸附苯酚、苯胺和亚甲基蓝，吸附率都在95％以上； ACF投加量是影响吸附速率最重要的因素，当一次性投加ACF质量之比为 1:2:4时，吸附速率常数之比近似为1:2:4；污染物浓度对吸附速率的影响显著，浓度较低时吸附速率较高。苯酚初始浓度为7mg·L-1时，经过86分钟的吸附，处理后的浓度可以达到地表水Ⅴ类水中挥发酚的限值要求(0.1mg·L-1)；在吸附11分钟左右追加适量的ACF，能够明显提高吸附速率；河水流速和河流中的天然有机物、浊度、河水硬度对ACF吸附都不产生显著影响，这说明ACF作为河流突发污染事故应急处理的吸附剂，有广泛的适应性。在实际河水中，ACF对苯酚的吸附过程与在模拟河水中相似，吸附效果显著。实验结果还表明，ACF对苯酚的吸附是放热反应，符合Freundlich模型和Langmuir模型。事故应急处理后，应该及时将吸附了污染物的ACF打捞上来，有利于进行后续处理。 Emergency environmental pollution accidents pose significant impacts on our living, economic development and ecological environment. The study on the approach of emergency control for the contingency caused by leakage of pollutants in rivers is very necessary. In the experiment, phenol, aniline and methylene blue were selected as representative pollutant and activated carbon fiber (ACF) was selected as adsorbent, which has strong adsorption capacity and similar density to water. In the self-made river model, the effects of ACF dosage, pollutant concentration, ACF surface area, ACF adding ways, water flow rate and water quality on adsorption courses were investigated. The experimental results showed that ACF could adsorb pollutant quickly and effectively. The ACF dosage was the most important factor that affected adsorption rate .When the ACF dosage rate was 1:2:4, the constants of adsorption rate was approximately 1:2:4. The effect of pollutant concentrations on the adsorption rate was notable. Faster adsorption rates were achieved at low pollutant concentrations. Phenol concentration reached the limits of volatile phenol in Category Ⅴ surface water (0.1 mg·L-1) after 86 minutes of adsorption with initial phenol concentration of 7 mg·L-1. After 11 minutes of adsorption, certain amount of ACF was added and the adsorption rate was improved significantly. River flow rate and water quality have little effect on the adsorption rate. The adsorption results obtained in actual river water were comparable with that in simulating river water. The results also showed that, ACF on the absorption of phenol is exothermic reaction, witch matched with the Freundlich model and the Langmuir model. After emergency treatment, the ACF absorbed pollutants should be promptly salvaged for follow-up treatment.

水体质量综合评价的物元模型

对水体的可拓性做了充分地分析和研究,说明了利用可拓学方法对水体质量进行分析评价的适宜性。并且应用可拓学的理论和方法,对水体的物征和质量特性进行了全面分析,建立了相应的物元模型,为水体的质量评价提供了一种新的科学方法。

Numerical modeling of water wave interaction with a soft mud bed

A vertical 2-D numerical model is presented for simulating the interaction between water waves and a soft mud bed. Taking into account nonlinear rheology, a semi-empirical rheological model is applied to this water-mud model, reflecting the combined visco-elasto-plastic properties of soft mud under such oscillatory external forces as water waves. In order to increase the resolution of the flow in the neighborhood of both sides of the inter-surface, a logarithmic grid in the vertical direction is employed for numerical treatment. Model verifications are given through comparisons between the calculated and the measured mud mass transport velocities as well as wave height changes.

Mud mass transport due to waves based on an empirical rheology model featured by hysteresis loop

A vertical 2-D water-mud numerical model is developed for estimating the rate of mud mass transport under wave action. A nonlinear semi-empirical rheology model featured by remarkable hysteresis loops in the relationships of the shear stress versus both the shear strain and the rate of shear strain of mud is applied to this water mud model. A logarithmic grid in the vertical direction is employed for numerical treatment, which increases the resolution of the flow in the neighborhood of both sides of the interface. Model verifications are given through comparisons between the calculated and the measured mud mass transport velocities as well as wave height changes. (C) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

板北断块油藏储层均质特征与剩余油分布研究

With the growing development and perfection of reservoir describing technology, its research achievements have played an increasingly important role in old oilfields in recent years. Reservoir description quantitatively describes, characterizes and predicts every kind of reservoir characters in 3D space. The paper takes Banbei block reservoir as an object, studies the reservoir characters and residual oil distributing characteristics of gravity flow genetic reservoir, and definitudes potential adjustment direction of reservoir development. Main achievements are gained as follows. Through fine correlation of strati graphic sequence, the classification of layers and single sands of main payzones in Banbei block is ascertained, the classifying methods of sedimentary unit in gravity flow reservoir characterized with picked cyclical marker bed are formed. On the basis of comprehensive logging evaluation, depositional characters of Banbei block are studied, and classifying methods of sedimentary microfacies in gravity flow reservoir are described. The sedimentary background of main oil layers in Banbei block is open lake with shallow water, and belongs to lacustrine underwater gravity flow- lacustrine phase depositional system. Main microfacies types are underwater water course^ water course side-wing, underwater floodplain, between two water courses, and lacustrine mud, etc. Reservoir sands mainly are underwater water course sands. Influenced by distributing characters of gravity flow underwater water course, sand shapes in plane mainly are stripe, finger-shape, tongue-shape. Sand distribution shows obvious split property. Sands overlap each other. According to comprehensive analysis of lithologic data, logging parameters, and dynamic production data, the researching threads and methods of reservoir heterogeneous characters are perfected. The depositional characters of gravity flow underwater water course in Banbei block determine its high reservoir heterogeneity. Macroscopic heterogeneity is studied in many aspects such as the scale of layers, the scale of single sands, in-situ scale, the distribution of interlayer types, the interlayer scale, and heterogeneity in plane. Thus, heterogeneous characters of reservoir are thoroughly analyzed. Through microscopic research of reservoir, the types of porous structure and related parameters are determined. According to the analysis of dynamic production data, the reaction and inner influential factors of reservoir heterogeneity in waterflood development are further revealed. Started with the concept and classifying methods of flow unit, clustering classification which can better meet the requirements of production is formed. The flow unit of Banbei block can be classified into four types. According to comprehensive evaluation, the first and second type of flow unit have better percolating capability and reserving capability. Research thread of 3D model-building and reservoir numerical simulation combined as an integral is adopted. The types and characters of residual oil distribution are determined. Residual oil of Banbei block mainly distributes in the boundary of sands, near the faults, areas with non-perfect injection-production well pattern , undeveloped sands, vertically poor developed layers. On the basis of comprehensive reservoir study, the threads and methods of improving development effect towards reservoir with high water cut, high recovery percent, serious heterogeneity are ascertained. The whole waterflood development effect of Banbei block reservoir is good. Although its water cut and recovery percent is relatively high, there is still some potential to develop. According to depositional characters of gravity flow and actual production situation? effective means of further improving development level are as follows. We should drill new wells in every kind of areas abounding with residual oil, implement comprehensive measures such as increasing liquid discharge, cyclic waterflood, changing fluid direction when injection-production well pattern is perfected, improve water quality, enhance displacement efficiency in flooding.

Is China's fifth-largest inland lake to dry-up? Incorporated hydrological and satellite-based methods for forecasting Hulun Lake water levels

Hulun Lake, China’s fifth-largest inland lake, experienced severe declines in water level in the period of 2000-2010. This has prompted concerns whether the lake is drying up gradually. A multi-million US dollar engineering project to construct a water channel to transfer part of the river flow from a nearby river to maintain the water level was completed in August 2010. This study aimed to advance the understanding of the key processes controlling the lake water level variation over the last five decades, as well as investigate the impact of the river transfer engineering project on the water level. A water balance model was developed to investigate the lake water level variations over the last five decades, using hydrological and climatic data as well as satellite-based measurements and results from land surface modelling. The investigation reveals that the severe reduction of river discharge (- 364±64 mm/yr, ~70% of the five-decade average) into the lake was the key factor behind the decline of the lake water level between 2000 and 2010. The decline of river discharge was due to the reduction of total runoff from the lake watershed. This was a result of the reduction of soil moisture due to the decrease of precipitation (-49±45 mm/yr) over this period. The water budget calculation suggests that the groundwater component from the surrounding lake area as well as surface run off from the un-gauged area surrounding the lake contributed ~ net 210 Mm3/yr (equivalent to ~ 100 mm/yr) water inflows into the lake. The results also show that the water diversion project did prevent a further water level decline of over 0.5 m by the end of 2012. Overall, the monthly water balance model gave an excellent prediction of the lake water level fluctuation over the last five decades and can be a useful tool to manage lake water resources in the future.

An Autonomous Sailing Robot for Ocean Observation

Sauze, C. and Neal, M. 'An Autonomous Sailing Robot for Ocean Observation', in proceedings of TAROS 2006, Guildford, UK, Sept 4-6th 2006, pages 190-197.

Climate change, water resources, and the politics of adaptation in the Middle East and North Africa

Through an examination of global climate change models combined with hydrological data on deteriorating water quality in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), we elucidate the ways in which the MENA countries are vulnerable to climate-induced impacts on water resources. Adaptive governance strategies, however, remain a low priority for political leaderships in the MENA region. To date, most MENA governments have concentrated the bulk of their resources on large-scale supply side projects such as desalination, dam construction, inter-basin water transfers, tapping fossil groundwater aquifers, and importing virtual water. Because managing water demand, improving the efficiency of water use, and promoting conservation will be key ingredients in responding to climate-induced impacts on the water sector, we analyze the political, economic, and institutional drivers that have shaped governance responses. While the scholarly literature emphasizes the importance of social capital to adaptive governance, we find that many political leaders and water experts in the MENA rarely engage societal actors in considering water risks. We conclude that the key capacities for adaptive governance to water scarcity in MENA are underdeveloped. © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.