Redistribution of organic pollutants in river sediments and alluvial soils related to major floods

Background, Aims, and Scope  More frequent occurrence of stronger floods in Europe as well as in other parts of the world in recent years raises major concern about the material damages, but also an important issue of contamination of the affected areas through flooding. The effects of major floods on levels and distribution of contamination with hydrophobic organic pollutants were examined from the continuous set of data for floodplain soils and sediments from a model industrial area in the Czech Republic where a 100-year flood occurred in 1997. The goal of this study was to evaluate the risk related to contamination associated with such extensive natural events and characterize the spatial and temporal distribution and dynamics of pollutants related to a major flooding shortly after the floods and also in the time period several years after floods. Methods  Sediments and alluvial soils from fourteen sites each were repeatedly sampled during the period from 1996 until 2005. The sampling sites represented five regions. Collected top-layer sediment and soil samples were characterized and analyzed for hydrophobic organic pollutants PCBs, OCPs and HCB using GC-ECD and PAHs using a GC-MS instrument. Spatial and temporal differences as well as the relative distribution of the pollutants were examined in detail by statistical analysis including multivariate methods with special emphases placed on the changes related to floods. Results  The organic pollutants levels in both alluvial soils and sediments exceeded the safe environmental limits at numerous sites. Pollutants concentrations and relative distribution as well as organic carbon content in both sediment and floodplain soils were significantly affected by the flooding, which resulted in a decrease of all studied contaminants in sediments and significant rise of the PAH pollution in the flooded soils. There was a unique and highly conserved PAH pattern in soils regardless of the floods and greater changes in PAH pattern in sediments related to floods. The relative distribution of individual PAHs reflected a combustion generated PAH profile. PAH levels in the river sediments rose again at the sites with continuous sources several years after floods. Discussion  The results showed different dynamics of PAHs and PCBs during the floods when PAHs were redistributed from the sediments to alluvial soils while PCBs have been washed out of the study regions. The data reveal longer contamination memory and consistent contamination pattern in soils, whereas sediments showed more dynamic changes responding strongly to the actual situation. The stable PAH pattern within the regions also indicates that a relative amount of all compounds is comparable across the samples and, thus, that the sources at different sites have similar character. Conclusions  Sediments have the potential to function as a secondary source of contamination for the aquatic ecosystem, but also for the floodplain soils and other flooded areas. The floods served as a vector of PAHs contamination from sediments to soils. The reloading of river sediments in time, namely with PAHs, due to present sources increases their risk as a potential source in the next bigger flood event both to the downstream river basin and affected alluvial soils. Recommendations and Perspectives  The results stress the importance of including the floodplain soil contamination in the risk assessment focused on flood effects. Floodplain soils have stable long-term environmental memory related to contamination levels, pattern and distribution, whereby they can provide relevant information on the overall contamination of the area. The sediments will continue to serve as a potential source of contaminants and alluvial soils as the catchment media reflecting the major flood events, especially until effective measures are taken to limit contamination sources. ESS-Submission Editor: Dr. Henner Hollert (Hollert@uni-heidelberg.de) This article is openly accessible!     

A simple method for estimating nitrate removal from floodwaters in river marginal wetlands

Abstract. Soil cores from river marginal wetlands in the UK, France and Ireland, sampled and contained within PVC piping, were flooded with nitrate-N enriched water. Half of the cores were sterilized prior to flooding to destroy the denitrifying bacteria. The change in nitrate-N concentration in the floodwater was measured over time. It is argued that the observed nitrate depletion rates (from 0.4 to 2.3 kg/ha per day) may be identified With microbially-mediated denitrification. The results show the method to be a simple and direct procedure for the assessment of spatial variation in nitrate-sink capacity. The depth of the denitrifying layer at the soil-water interface was confirmed to be of the order of a few mm.     

The measurement and analysis of denitrification rates obtained using soil columns from river marginal wetlands

Abstract. Soil cores from river marginal wetlands from three sites in the UK (Torridge and Severn catchments), sampled and restrained in PVC piping, were flooded with dilute aqueous potassium nitrate. Half of the cores were sterilized prior to flooding to destroy the denitrifying bacteria. The change in nitrate concentration in the flood-water was measured over time. It is argued that the observed nitrate depletion rates (from 1.2 to 4.7 kg ha⁻¹ d⁻¹) is the result of microbially-mediated denitrification. The results show the method to be a simple and direct procedure for the assessment of spatial variation in nitrate-sink capacity. The depth of the denitrifying layer at the soil–water interface was confirmed to be of the order of a few mm only. A one-dimensional model for the diffusive flux in the flooded soil was developed which, on differentiation, gave a predictive expression for denitrification rate in terms of the effective soil diffusion coefficient for nitrate, the flood-water depth and concentration, and the thickness of the microbially active zone.     

1951-2006年丹东地区旱涝特征初步分析

通过对丹东地区4个雨量站1951-2006年降水资料的统计和分析,探讨了丹东地区降水的时空分布特征及其变化趋势.在此基础上,分别运用降水距平百分率、Z指数和降水温度均一化指标3种方法对丹东地区的旱涝特征进行了初步分析.结果表明:丹东地区的多年平均降雨量为1 006.8 mm,雨量充沛,但降水年际、年内变化均较大,分配不均匀.运用三种旱涝指标对丹东地区的旱涝特征进行分析,结果可以看出,尽管三种指标的计算结果均能体现出丹东地区的旱涝等级的变化趋势,但Z指标法的计算结果更为接近实际情况.     

洪水资源化的实现途径及手段探讨

洪水具有水害与兴利双重属性。随着经济社会的发展和人口的不断增长,为充分利用水资源,需要树立科学的防汛理念,改过去的视洪水为猛兽向人与洪水和谐共处转变,从过去单一的控制洪水向全面管理洪水转变,实行控制洪水与利用洪水相结合,实现洪水资源化管理。增加水库调蓄能力拦蓄洪水、丰水枯用,利用汛期洪水进行流域水量的配置,跨流域配置洪水资源,利用洪水输送泥沙和进行生态应急补水,用洪水资源补充地下水资源和农业灌溉用水,是实现洪水资源化的重要途径。介绍了洪水资源化实现的手段。     

河南省农业水旱灾害风险评估与时空分布特征

为了加强河南省农业水旱灾害的风险评估和管理,该文利用信息扩散模型和风险等级划分,对河南省农业水旱灾害风险进行评估与时空特征研究,从而得出不同程度水旱灾害发生的可能性及其时空特点。研究结果表明:河南省17个市的农业水旱灾害风险概率均较大,且旱灾风险概率、风险等级、成灾面积均大于水灾;农业水灾风险空间分布表现出西北到东南风险概率增加的特点,低风险区为豫西、豫北区,高风险区主要是豫东、豫南区,尤其是黄淮4市风险较高;旱灾风险空间分布表现出西部、南部大于东部和北部的特点,豫北区的安阳、新乡、濮阳风险较小,豫西、豫南区则处于高风险。该研究为河南省粮食核心区战略地位的提升及灾害防治提供了依据。     

陇南山区春末夏初旱涝指数的确定与预测研究

春末夏初正值陇南山区玉米播种、出苗关键期,该时段旱涝直接影响着玉米产量的高低。通过分析1963~2003年气象及玉米产量资料,制定衡量陇南春末夏初旱涝特征的旱涝指数;用EOF方法分析陇南春末夏初旱涝状况,时空分布特征和对农业生产的影响规律,分片建立春末夏初旱涝均生函数预测模型。由于该旱涝指数考虑到前期旱段、降水量和同期降水量、蒸发量等因子,与玉米产量相关密切。对春末夏初旱涝指数的分析和预报,也就是对玉米产量的分析和预报,它较传统统计方法更全面,更客观。通过2004年业务应用,预报准确率及服务效益有较大提高。     

华北段农牧交错带气候变化特征及其响应

依据华北段农牧交错带1961-2010年气象资料,利用标准化降水指数(SPI)、Mann-Kendall检验等方法对研究区的气候变化特征进行了分析。结果显示:1)近50a来,华北段农牧交错带以1987年为界划分为两个时期,此前为冷期,此后为暖期。其年平均气温线性增温速率为0.35℃/10a,冬季增温最显著,其次为春季、秋季、夏季。气温在1993年发生突变。2)年降水量呈下降趋势,倾向率为-6.51mm/10a,夏季降水的减少对其贡献率最大。3)气温突变后,极端旱涝灾害事件减少,中旱灾害频率在增加,气候变化整体呈现暖干趋势。     

岷江流域降水特征与旱涝灾害趋势分析

基于岷江流域14个气象站点1961—2012年逐月降水资料,采用数理统计方法结合GIS空间分析技术,对流域降水量时空演变特征进行了分析,利用不同尺度的标准化降水指数（SPI）对流域旱涝特征进行了研究。结果表明:（1）近52 a来,岷江流域年平均降水量呈显著减少趋势,减少倾向率为20.18 mm/10 a;流域年均降水量在1993年发生突变,降水量显著减少。（2）该流域降水量由东南向西北呈递减趋势,以松潘—小金—康定为界,该线以西地区年降水量为616～1 000 mm;该界线以东地区年降水量为1 000～1 732 mm。（3）以松潘—小金—康定为界,该界线以西降水量呈增加趋势,增加倾向率为0～27.11 mm/10 a的范围内;该界线以东降水量呈减少趋势,减少倾向率在0～80 mm/10 a的范围内。（4）岷江流域旱涝灾害阶段性变化趋势明显,1961—1967年涝灾频繁,1968—1972年干旱频率高,旱灾严重;1973—1993年涝灾频繁;1994—2012年旱灾程度与频次均呈增加趋势,旱灾严峻。（5）岷江流域旱涝灾害总体以1990年为转折点,1990年以前该区多涝灾,1990年后多旱灾,岷江流域由涝灾向旱灾转化的趋势明显,在未来一段时间应做好防旱抗旱工作。