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Sample records for backwaters

  1. Backwater development by woody debris

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geertsema, Tjitske; Torfs, Paul; Teuling, Ryan; Hoitink, Ton

    2017-04-01

    Placement of woody debris is a common method for increasing ecological values in river and stream restoration, and is thus widely used in natural environments. Water managers, however, are afraid to introduce wood in channels draining agricultural and urban areas. Upstream, it may create backwater, depending on hydrodynamic characteristics including the obstruction ratio, the Froude number and the surface level gradient. Patches of wood may trigger or counter morphological activity, both laterally, through bank erosion and protection, and vertically, with pool and riffle formation. Also, a permeable construction composed of wood will weather over time. Both morphodynamic activity and weathering cause backwater effects to change in time. The purpose of this study is to quantify the time development of backwater effects caused by woody debris. Hourly water levels gauged upstream and downstream of patches and discharge are collected for five streams in the Netherlands. The water level drop over the woody debris patch relates to discharge in the streams. This relation is characterized by an increasing water level difference for an increasing discharge, up to a maximum. If the discharge increases beyond this level, the water level difference reduces to the value that may represent the situation without woody debris. This reduction depends primarily on the obstruction ratio of the woody debris in the channel cross-section. Morphologic adjustments in the stream and reorientation of the woody material reduce the water level drop over the patches in time. Our results demonstrate that backwater effects can be reduced by optimizing the location where woody debris is placed and manipulating the obstruction ratio. Current efforts are focussed on representing woody debris in a one-dimensional numerical model, aiming to obtain a generic tool to achieve a stream design with woody debris that minimizes backwater.

  2. Discharge estimation in a backwater affected meandering river

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hidayat, H.; Vermeulen, B.; Sassi, M.G.; Torfs, P.J.J.F.; Hoitink, A.J.F.

    2011-01-01

    Variable effects of backwaters complicate the development of rating curves at hydrometric measurement stations. In areas influenced by backwater, single-parameter rating curve techniques are often inapplicable. To overcome this, several authors have advocated the use of an additional downstream

  3. Breathing Cochin backwaters: Need for conservation

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Nair, K.K.C.

    with regard to deterioration of Cochin backwaters and consequent loss of supportive functions of this wetland system, especially due to urbanization, industrialization and agricultural activities in the downstream zones of the rivers. The 16 major... processing. The fertilizer consumption in Kuttanad region (the main agricultural field draining to Cochin backwaters) alone is reported to be 20,239 ty-1. The main factors affecting the coastal waters apart from sewage are fish processing, navigational...

  4. Backwaters in the upper reaches of reservoirs produce high densities of age-0 crappies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dagel, Jonah D.; Miranda, Leandro E.

    2012-01-01

    Reservoir backwaters are aquatic habitats in floodplains of reservoir tributaries that are permanently or periodically flooded by the reservoir. Like many reservoir arms, backwaters are commonly shallow, littoral habitats, but they differ from arms in various respects, including their support of primarily wetland plant assemblages that are tolerant to flooding. Elsewhere, the reservoir floods mainly upland plants that are less tolerant to flooding, producing a band of barren shoreline along the fluctuation zone. We investigated differences in relative abundance of age-0 crappies Pomoxis spp. in backwaters and arms of widely fluctuating flood control reservoirs, examined the effect of water level, and estimated the likelihood and timing with which these habitats are flooded annually. Higher catch rates of age-0 crappies were obtained in backwater habitats than in arm habitats. When inundated during the crappie spawning season, backwaters provided vegetated habitat at lower water levels than arms. Backwaters flooded earlier than arms and remained flooded longer to provide prolonged nursery habitat. Whereas vegetated habitat was inundated almost yearly in backwaters and arms, inundation that was timed to the onset of spawning occurred less regularly. Because of differences in water elevation, vegetated habitats were flooded in time for crappie spawning about every other year in backwaters but only every third year in arms. Recruitment of age-0 crappies was inversely correlated with high water levels during the months preceding the spawning period, perhaps because early flooding degraded the vegetation. Our results suggest that water levels may be managed during late winter and spring to regularly flood wetland vegetation communities in backwaters; however, water levels should be maintained at or below normal pool and should only irregularly flood upland vegetation in reservoir arms to promote the preservation of such vegetation. Furthermore, management efforts to

  5. The Influence of Backwater Al3+ on Diaspore Bauxite Flotation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chaojun Fang

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The effect of Al3+ in backwater on the flotation of diaspore bauxite was investigated by micro-flotation tests and the underlying mechanisms were investigated by inductively coupled plasma (ICP measurement, zeta potential measurements, solution chemistry analyses, and synchrotron near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS analyses. The ICP measurement results show the concentration of Al3+ in backwater was up to 1 × 10−4 mol/L. The micro-flotation results indicated that backwater Al3+ reduced the flotation recovery of diaspore and improved the flotation recovery of kaolinite at pH 9, which was the pH value used in the industrial flotation. The adsorption of Al3+ species changed the zeta potential, the Al atomic abundance, and the number of active sites on the mineral surface. In particular, the result of solution chemistry analyses and synchrotron NEXAFS analyses show that the Al3+ in backwater was adsorbed on the mineral surface in the form of Al(OH3 (s, and the bond of –Al–O–Al–(OH2 or –Al/Si–O–Al–(OH2 was formed at pH 9. It changed the intensity of hydrogen bond force between minerals and collectors, and resulted in the depression of diaspore flotation and the activation of kaolinite flotation. This study can be used to guide the application of backwater in the flotation of diaspore bauxite in industry.

  6. Hyalella azteca (Saussure) responses to Coldwater River backwater sediments in Mississippi, USA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knight, Scott S; Lizotte, Richard E; Shields, F Douglas

    2009-10-01

    Sediment from three Coldwater River, Mississippi backwaters was examined using 28 day Hyalella azteca bioassays and chemical analyses for 33 pesticides, seven metals and seven PCB mixtures. Hydrologic connectivity between the main river channel and backwater varied widely among the three sites. Mortality occurred in the most highly connected backwater while growth impairment occurred in the other two. Precopulatory guarding behavior was not as sensitive as growth. Fourteen contaminants (seven metals, seven pesticides) were detected in sediments. Survival was associated with the organochlorine insecticide heptachlor.

  7. Indicator organisms of pollution in Cochin backwaters

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Remani, K.N.; Devi, K.S.; Venugopal, P.; Unnithan, R.V.

    Indicator organisms of organic pollution in two localities in the Cochin backwaters are identified The two sites have different sources of pollution, one from retting of coconut husk and the other from discharge of municipal wastes @i...

  8. Discharge estimation in a backwater affected meandering river

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. Hidayat

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Variable effects of backwaters complicate the development of rating curves at hydrometric measurement stations. In areas influenced by backwater, single-parameter rating curve techniques are often inapplicable. To overcome this, several authors have advocated the use of an additional downstream level gauge to estimate the longitudinal surface level gradient, but this is cumbersome in a lowland meandering river with considerable transverse surface level gradients. Recent developments allow river flow to be continuously monitored through velocity measurements with an acoustic Doppler current profiler (H-ADCP, deployed horizontally at a river bank. This approach was adopted to obtain continuous discharge estimates at a cross-section in the River Mahakam at a station located about 300 km upstream of the river mouth in the Mahakam delta. The discharge station represents an area influenced by variable backwater effects from lakes, tributaries and floodplain ponds, and by tides. We applied both the standard index velocity method and a recently developed methodology to obtain a continuous time-series of discharge from the H-ADCP data. Measurements with a boat-mounted ADCP were used for calibration and validation of the model to translate H-ADCP velocity to discharge. As a comparison with conventional discharge estimation techniques, a stage-discharge relation using Jones formula was developed. The discharge rate at the station exceeded 3250 m3 s−1. Discharge series from a traditional stage-discharge relation did not capture the overall discharge dynamics, as inferred from H-ADCP data. For a specific river stage, the discharge range could be as high as 2000 m3 s−1, which is far beyond what could be explained from kinematic wave dynamics. Backwater effects from lakes were shown to be significant, whereas interaction of the river flow with tides may impact discharge variation in the fortnightly frequency band

  9. Nutrients from the mangrove areas of Cochin backwaters

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Sheeba, P.; Devi, K.S.; Sankaranarayanan, V.N.

    Nutrient like ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and inorganic phosphate and some hydrographic parameters were estimated for one year from two distinct mangrove ecosystems of Cochin backwaters viz. Puduvypeen and Nettoor. The ammonia values showed higher...

  10. Nitrification in Kochi backwaters

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Miranda, J.; Balachandran, K.K.; Ramesh, R.; Wafar, M.

    unspecifiable quantities of wastes from agricultural and aquaculture farms. Among the inorganic wastes thus generated, ammonium is important since its concentrations in the estuary generally exceed several tens of mmol L C01 , attaining as high as >100 mmol L C... and Nixon, 1993). 2. Materials and methods The Kochi backwaters constitute a microtidal estuarine sys- tem with a tidal amplitude of C201 m. They receive w20 C2 10 9 m 3 of freshwater annually from six rivers, with >90% of it in the monsoon months (Junee...

  11. Studies on the benthic fauna of Cochin backwater

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Desai, B.N.; Kutty, M.K.

    Studies on the macrofauna from the five selected stations spread over a distance of about 25 km in the Cochin backwaters showed that the benthic biomass was greater in the region which were near the sea The abundance of organisms decreased...

  12. Nutrients of the Cochin backwater in relation to environmental characteristics

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Sankaranarayanan, V.N.; Qasim, S.Z.

    The nutrient distribution of the Cochin Backwater was studied at 6 stations throughout the year The depth profiles of phosphorus (inorganic and organic), nitrogen (nitrate and nitrite) and silicon, showed a marked seasonal rhythm, induced...

  13. Contrasts between channels and backwaters in a large, floodplain river: Testing our understanding of nutrient cycling, phytoplankton abundance, and suspended solids dynamics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Houser, Jeff N.

    2016-01-01

    In floodplain rivers, variability in hydraulic connectivity interacts with biogeochemistry to determine the distribution of suspended and dissolved substances. Nutrient, chlorophyll a, and suspended solids data spanning longitudinal (5 study reaches across 1300 river km), lateral (main channel and backwaters), and temporal (1994–2011) gradients in the Upper Mississippi River (UMR) were used to examine the extent to which observed differences between the main channel and backwaters were consistent with expectations based on current understanding of biogeochemical processes in large rivers. For N and P, the results largely conformed to expectations. N concentrations were greater in the main channel than in the backwaters in 82 to 96% of the observations across river reaches. Maximum TP concentrations generally occurred in backwaters during summer, when backwater TP often exceeded that of the main channel. Flux of P from sediments may be a substantial source of water-column P in UMR backwaters in summer. The data for suspended solids and chlorophyll a suggest that some refinements are needed of our understanding of ecosystem processes in large rivers. During low-discharge conditions, concentrations of inorganic suspended solids often were greater in backwaters than in the main channel, suggesting the importance of sediment resuspension. Chlorophyll a concentrations were usually greater in backwaters than in the main channel, but exceptions indicate that phytoplankton abundance in the main channel of the UMR can sometimes be greater than is typically expected for large rivers.

  14. The complex estuarine formation of six rivers (Cochin backwaters system on west coast of India) - Sources and distribution of trace metals and nutrients

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Balachandran, K.K.; Joseph, T.; Nair, K.K.C.; Nair, M.; Joseph, P.S.

    The largest backwater system on the western coast of India is the Cochin Backwaters to which 16 major industries discharge nearly 0.104 M m super(3) d super(-1) of wastes containing organic wastes at 260 t d super(-1). The backwater receives...

  15. Basal Resources in Backwaters of the Colorado River Below Glen Canyon Dam-Effects of Discharge Regimes and Comparison with Mainstem Depositional Environments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Behn, Katherine E.; Kennedy, Theodore A.; Hall, Robert O.

    2010-01-01

    Eight species of fish were native to the Colorado River before the closure of Glen Canyon Dam, but only four of these native species are currently present. A variety of factors are responsible for the loss of native fish species and the limited distribution and abundance of those that remain. These factors include cold and constant water temperatures, predation and competition with nonnative fish species, and food limitation. Backwaters are areas of stagnant flow in a return-current channel and are thought to be critical rearing habitat for juvenile native fish. Backwaters can be warmer than the main channel and may support higher rates of food production. Glen Canyon Dam is a peaking hydropower facility and, as a result, has subdaily variation in discharge because of changes in demand for power. Stable daily discharges may improve the quality of nearshore rearing habitats such as backwaters by increasing warming, stabilizing the substrate, and increasing food production. To evaluate whether backwaters have greater available food resources than main-channel habitats, and how resource availability in backwaters is affected by stable flow regimes, we quantified water-column and benthic food resources in backwaters seasonally for 1 year using both standing (organic matter concentration/density; chlorophyll a concentration/density; zooplankton concentration; benthic invertebrate density and biomass) and process measurements (chamber estimates of ecosystem metabolism). We compared backwater resource measurements with comparable data from main-channel habitats, and compared backwater data collected during stable discharge with data collected when there was subdaily variation in discharge. Rates of primary production in backwaters (mean gross primary production of 1.7 g O2/m2/d) and the main channel (mean gross primary production of 2.0 g O2/m2/d) were similar. Benthic organic matter standing stock (presented as ash-free dry mass-AFDM) was seven times higher in backwaters

  16. Non-conservative controls on distribution of dissolved silicate in Cochin Backwaters

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Balachandran, K.K.; Sankaranarayanan, V.N.; Joseph, T.; Nair, M.

    Cochin backwater system was studied with regard to dissolved silicate (DSi) to understand its seasonal distribution and behaviour during estuarine mixing. Silicate had a linear relationship with salinity during the high river discharge period...

  17. Benthic fauna of Kakinada bay and backwaters, east coast of India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Rathod, V.; Ansari, Z.A.; Parulekar, A.H.

    . Nematodes, polychaetes, foraminifera and turbellarians were the major groups constituting the bulk of meiofauna, both in the backwaters and near-shore region. Macrofaunal diversity was higher in the near-shore region. Impoverishment of fauna...

  18. Exploring the Application of Optical Remote Sensing as a Method to Estimate the Depth of Backwater Nursery Habitats of the Colorado Pikeminnow

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hamada, Yuki [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); LaGory, Kirk E. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

    2016-02-01

    Low-velocity channel-margin habitats serve as important nursery habitats for the endangered Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius) in the middle Green River between Jensen and Ouray, Utah. These habitats, known as backwaters, are associated with emergent sand bars, and are shaped and reformed annually by peak flows. A recent synthesis of information on backwater characteristics and the factors that influence inter-annual variability in those backwaters (Grippo et al. 2015) evaluated detailed survey information collected annually since 2003 on a relatively small sample of backwaters, as well as reach-wide evaluations of backwater surface area from aerial and satellite imagery. An approach is needed to bridge the gap between these detailed surveys, which estimate surface area, volume, and depth, and the reach-wide assessment of surface area to enable an assessment of the amount of habitat that meets the minimum depth requirements for suitable habitat.

  19. Trace metal levels in the sediments of the Cochin backwaters

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Venugopal, P.; Devi, K.S.; Remani, K.N.; Unnithan, R.V.

    Levels of Cu, Mn, Co, Ni and Zn at four stations in the northern arm of the Cochin backwaters, Kerala, India, which runs through an industrial belt is reported. All metals showed some degree of variation over the area studied. Co showed the lowest...

  20. Nitrate Uptake Capacity and Efficiency of Upper Mississippi River Flow-Regulated Backwaters

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    James, William F; Richardson, William B; Soballe, David M

    2007-01-01

    In-stream uptake and processing of nitrate nitrite-N may be improved in large river systems by increasing hydrological connectivity between the main channel and adjoining backwaters, wetlands, and floodplain areas...

  1. Suspended-sediment flux and retention in a backwater tidal slough complex near the landward boundary of an estuary

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morgan-King, Tara L.; Schoellhamer, David H.

    2013-01-01

    Backwater tidal sloughs are commonly found at the landward boundary of estuaries. The Cache Slough complex is a backwater tidal region within the Upper Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta that includes two features that are relevant for resource managers: (1) relatively high abundance of the endangered fish, delta smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus), which prefers turbid water and (2) a recently flooded shallow island, Liberty Island, that is a prototype for habitat restoration. We characterized the turbidity around Liberty Island by measuring suspended-sediment flux at four locations from July 2008 through December 2010. An estuarine turbidity maximum in the backwater Cache Slough complex is created by tidal asymmetry, a limited tidal excursion, and wind-wave resuspension. During the study, there was a net export of sediment, though sediment accumulates within the region from landward tidal transport during the dry season. Sediment is continually resuspended by both wind waves and flood tide currents. The suspended-sediment mass oscillates within the region until winter freshwater flow pulses flush it seaward. The hydrodynamic characteristics within the backwater region such as low freshwater flow during the dry season, flood tide dominance, and a limited tidal excursion favor sediment retention.

  2. Dissolved Oxygen Dynamics in Backwaters of North America's Largest River Swamp

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bueche, S. M.; Xu, Y. J.; Reiman, J. H.

    2017-12-01

    The Atchafalaya River (AR) is the largest distributary of the Mississippi River flowing through south-central Louisiana, creating North America's largest river swamp basin - the Atchafalaya River Basin (ARB). Prior to human settlement, the AR's main channel was highly connected to this large wetland ecosystem. However, due to constructed levee systems and other human modifications, much of the ARB is now hydrologically disconnected from the AR's main channel except during high flow events. This lack of regular inputs of fresh, oxygenated water to these wetlands, paired with high levels of organic matter decomposition in wetlands, has caused low oxygen-deprived hypoxic conditions in the ARB's back waters. In addition, due to the incredibly nutrient-rich and warm nature of the ARB, microbial decomposition in backwater areas with limited flow often results in potentially stressful, if not lethal, levels of DO for organisms during and after flood pulses. This study aims to investigate dynamics of dissolved oxygen in backwaters of the Atchafalaya River Basin, intending to answer a crucial question about hydrological and water quality connectivity between the river's mainstem and its floodplain. Specifically, the study will 1) conduct field water quality measurements, 2) collect composite water samples for chemical analysis of nutrients and carbon, 3) investigate DO dynamics over different seasons for one year, and 4) determine the major factors that affect DO dynamics in this unique swamp ecosystem. The study is currently underway; therefore, in this presentation we will share the major findings gained in the past several months and discuss backwater effects on river chemistry.

  3. Evaluation of melioration area damage on the river Danube caused by the hydroelectric power plant 'Djerdap 1' backwater.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pajic, P; Andjelic, L; Urosevic, U; Polomcic, D

    2014-01-01

    Construction of the hydroelectric power plant (HPP) 'Djerdap 1' formed a backwater effect on the Danube and its tributaries, which had an inevitable influence on groundwater level, causing it to rise and thus creating additional threats to all melioration areas on more than 300 km of the Danube riversides, as well as on the riversides of its tributaries: the Sava (100 km) and the Tisa (60 km). In this paper, the HPP 'Djerdap 1' backwater effect on some characteristic melioration areas (34 in all) has been analyzed. In most of these areas intensive agricultural activity has always been present. An assessment of agricultural production damage was carried out by complex hydrodynamic calculations (60 calculation profiles) for different backwater regimes, with the aim to precisely quantify the HPP 'Djerdap 1' backwater effect on groundwater piezometric levels. Combining them with complex agroeconomic analyses, the aim is to quantify agricultural production damage and to consider the perspective of melioration area users. This method, which combines two different, but compatible, aspects of the melioration area threat assessment (hydrodynamic and agroeconomic), may present a quality base for further agricultural production threat assessment on all melioration areas on the Danube riversides, with the final aim to consider the economic effects and the importance of its further protection.

  4. A Conceptual Framework and Classification for the Fluvial-Backwater-Marine Transition in Coastal Rivers Globally

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howes, N. C.; Georgiou, I. Y.; Hughes, Z. J.; Wolinsky, M. A.

    2012-12-01

    Channels in fluvio-deltaic and coastal plain settings undergo a progressive series of downstream transitions in hydrodynamics and sediment transport, which is consequently reflected in their morphology and stratigraphic architecture. Conditions progress from uniform fluvial flow to backwater conditions with non-uniform flow, and finally to bi-directional tidal flow or estuarine circulation at the ocean boundary. While significant attention has been given to geomorphic scaling relationships in purely fluvial settings, there have been far fewer studies on the backwater and tidal reaches, and no systematic comparisons. Our study addresses these gaps by analyzing geometric scaling relationships independently in each of the above hydrodynamic regimes and establishes a comparison. To accomplish this goal we have constructed a database of planform geometries including more than 150 channels. In terms of hydrodynamics studies, much of the work on backwater dynamics has concentrated on the Mississippi River, which has very limited tidal influence. We will extend this analysis to include systems with appreciable offshore tidal range, using a numerical hydrodynamic model to study the interaction between backwater dynamics and tides. The database is comprised of systems with a wide range of tectonic, climatic, and oceanic forcings. The scale of these systems, as measured by bankfull width, ranges over three orders of magnitude from the Amazon River in Brazil to the Palix River in Washington. Channel centerlines are extracted from processed imagery, enabling continuous planform measurements of bankfull width, meander wavelength, and sinuosity. Digital terrain and surface models are used to estimate floodplain slopes. Downstream tidal boundary conditions are obtained from the TOPEX 7.1 global tidal model, while upstream boundary conditions such as basin area, relief, and discharge are obtained by linking the databases of Milliman and Meade (2011) and Syvitski (2005). Backwater

  5. 2008 High-Flow Experiment at Glen Canyon Dam-Morphologic Response of Eddy-Deposited Sandbars and Associated Aquatic Backwater Habitats along the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grams, Paul E.; Schmidt, John C.; Andersen, Matthew E.

    2010-01-01

    The March 2008 high-flow experiment (HFE) at Glen Canyon Dam resulted in sandbar deposition and sandbar reshaping such that the area and volume of associated backwater aquatic habitat in Grand Canyon National Park was greater following the HFE. Analysis of backwater habitat area and volume for 116 locations at 86 study sites, comparing one month before and one month after the HFE, shows that total habitat area increased by 30 percent to as much as a factor of 3 and that volume increased by 80 percent to as much as a factor of 15. These changes resulted from an increase in the area and elevation of sandbars, which isolate backwaters from the main channel, and the scour of eddy return-current channels along the bank where the habitat occurs. Because of this greater relief on the sandbars, backwaters were present across a broader range of flows following the HFE than before the experiment. Reworking of sandbars during diurnal fluctuating flow operations in the first 6 months following the HFE caused sandbar erosion and a reduction of backwater size and abundance to conditions that were 5 to 14 percent greater than existed before the HFE. In the months following the HFE, erosion of sandbars and deposition in eddy return-current channels caused reductions of backwater area and volume. However, sandbar relief was still greater in October 2008 such that backwaters were present across a broader range of discharges than in February 2008. Topographic analyses of the sandbar and backwater morphologic data collected in this study demonstrate that steady flows are associated with a greater amount of continuously available backwater habitat than fluctuating flows, which result in a greater amount of intermittently available habitat. With the exception of the period immediately following the HFE, backwater habitat in 2008 was greater for steady flows associated with dam operations of relatively lower monthly volume (about 227 m3/s) than steady flows associated with dam operations

  6. Auto-correlograms and auto-regressive models of trace metal distributions in Cochin backwaters

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Jayalakshmy, K.V.; Sankaranarayanan, V.N.

    Auto-correlation technique has been applied to study fluctuations in concentration profiles of chemical species in Cochin Backwaters (Kerala, India). No stability in time can be detected for particulate Mn at all stations, for Fe at stations 1...

  7. An iterative and integrative approach to modeling the morphological alterations in backwater condition: A case study of Darby Creek, PA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hosseiny, S. M. H.; Smith, V.

    2017-12-01

    Darby Creek is an urbanized highly flood-prone watershed in Metro-Philadelphia, PA. The floodplain and the main channel are composed of alluvial sediment and are subject to frequent geomorphological changes. The lower part of the channel is within the coastal zone, subjugating the flow to a backwater condition. This study applies a multi-disciplinary approach to modeling the morphological alteration of the creek and floodplain in presence of the backwater using an iteration and integration of combined models. To do this, FaSTMECH (a two-dimensional quasi unsteady flow solver) in International River Interface Cooperative software (iRIC) is coupled with a 1-dimensional backwater model to calculate hydraulic characteristics of the flow over a digital elevation model of the channel and floodplain. One USGS gage at the upstream and two NOAA gages at the downstream are used for model validation. The output of the model is afterward used to calculate sediment transport and morphological changes over the domain through time using an iterative process. The updated elevation data is incorporated in the hydraulic model again to calculate the velocity field. The calculations continue reciprocally over discrete discharges of the hydrograph until the flood attenuates and the next flood event occurs. The results from this study demonstrate how to incorporate bathymetry and flow data to model floodplain evolution in the backwater through time, and provide a means to better understanding the dynamics of the floodplain. This work is not only applicable to river management, but also provides insight to the geoscience community concerning the development of landscapes in the backwater.

  8. Benthos and substratum characteristics of prawn culture fields in and around the Cochin backwater

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Aravindakshan, P.N.; Balasubramanian; Devi, C.B.L.; Nair, K.K.C.; Gopalakrishnan, T.C.; Jayalakshmy; Kutty, M.K.

    Benthic ecology of certain selected seasonal and perennial prawn fields in the Cochin Backwaters, Kerala, India was studied for understanding the environmental factors controlling the abundance of the major groups of macrobenthos which form...

  9. Experimental river delta size set by multiple floods and backwater hydrodynamics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ganti, Vamsi; Chadwick, Austin J; Hassenruck-Gudipati, Hima J; Fuller, Brian M; Lamb, Michael P

    2016-05-01

    River deltas worldwide are currently under threat of drowning and destruction by sea-level rise, subsidence, and oceanic storms, highlighting the need to quantify their growth processes. Deltas are built through construction of sediment lobes, and emerging theories suggest that the size of delta lobes scales with backwater hydrodynamics, but these ideas are difficult to test on natural deltas that evolve slowly. We show results of the first laboratory delta built through successive deposition of lobes that maintain a constant size. We show that the characteristic size of delta lobes emerges because of a preferential avulsion node-the location where the river course periodically and abruptly shifts-that remains fixed spatially relative to the prograding shoreline. The preferential avulsion node in our experiments is a consequence of multiple river floods and Froude-subcritical flows that produce persistent nonuniform flows and a peak in net channel deposition within the backwater zone of the coastal river. In contrast, experimental deltas without multiple floods produce flows with uniform velocities and delta lobes that lack a characteristic size. Results have broad applications to sustainable management of deltas and for decoding their stratigraphic record on Earth and Mars.

  10. Cochin backwaters: An introduction to the system, prior studies, historical trends and future implication

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    DineshKumar, P.K.; Sankaranarayanan, V.N.; Devi, K.S.

    Studies over the last 2 decades in the Cochin backwater system in India are reviewed to have an integrated profile with a point to evaluate future development projects in terms of potential consequences to the estuarine ecosystem. The trends...

  11. Chlorophyll 'a' particulate organic carbon and suspended load from the mangrove areas of Cochin backwaters

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Sheeba, P.; Devi, K.S.; Balasubramanian, T.; Sankaranarayanan, V.N.

    Chlorophyll 'a' Particulate Organic Carbon and suspended load were estimated for one year from two distinct mangrove areas of Cochin backwaters, viz. Puthuvypeen and Nettoor. Environmental parameters like tau degrees C, S ppt and pH were also...

  12. Foraminiferal fauna from the Cochin backwaters: Biological indicators of man-made changes in the environment

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Rao, K.K.

    Sixty foraminiferal species belonging to 38 genera and 23 families have been recorded from grab sediments of the Cochin backwaters. Of all the species Ammonia baccarii is the most dominant and successful form in the throes of fluctuating salinities...

  13. Eutrophication induced changes in benthic community structure of a flow-restricted tropical estuary (Cochin backwaters), India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Martin, G.D.; Nisha, P.A.; Balachandran, K.K.; Madhu, N.V.; Nair, M.; Shaiju, P.; Joseph, T.; Srinivas, K.; Gupta, G.V.M.

    The influence of anthropogenic loading on the distribution of soft bottom benthic organisms of a tropical estuary (Cochin backwaters) was examined. The industrial activities were found to be high in the northern and central part of the estuary...

  14. Ecological evaluation of two prawn culture fields in the Cochin Backwater based on premonsoon diurnal observations

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Balasubramanian, T.; Viswakumar, M.; Venugopal, P.

    29 degrees and 35 degrees C during the main prawn culture season from December to April and provide ecological conditions distinct in many respects from that of the main backwater. They are given a high rating in terms of their suitability for culture...

  15. Sediment accumulation owing to backwater effect in the lower reach of the Stung Sen River, Cambodia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagumo, Naoko; Kubo, Sumiko; Sugai, Toshihiko; Egashira, Shinji

    2017-11-01

    We examined channel bars at two sites in the lower reach of the Stung Sen River, which flows into Lake Tonle Sap, Cambodia, to identify sediment transport and accumulation processes during monsoon-related flood events and to investigate how sediment transport capacity changes as a result of enhanced backwater effect of the lake. Channel bars in the lower reach of the Stung Sen River that emerge in the dry season were classified into type A (lateral bars), type B (point bars), type C (concave-bank benches) and type D (diagonal and island bars, or fluvial dunes) based on Nagumo et al.'s previous study. Type B, type C, and type D channel bars were at our study sites of SEN-01 and SEN-02, about 83 and 77 km from the river mouth respectively. Computation of water surface profiles showed that sediment transport capacity of the Stung Sen River decreased abruptly after the peak flow stage because of the backwater effect from Lake Tonle Sap during the decreasing flow stage. Our observations suggest that alternating layers of sand and silt to clay layers accumulate to form type C channel bars, corresponding to changes in sediment transport capacity controlled by backwater effects from Lake Tonle Sap and by changes in flow depths and associated slackwater systems. The accumulation of alternating silt and sand layers of type B channel bars results from lateral sediment transportation that is accelerated with an increase of secondary flow, whereas development of type D channel bars is related to bedload mobility.

  16. Potential role of propagule banks in the development of aquatic vegetation in backwaters along navigation canals

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Boedeltje, G; Bakker, JP; ter Heerdt, GNJ

    The diversity and abundance of plant species in propagule banks of backwaters along two navigation canals in The Netherlands were studied in order to assess the relationship with the standing vegetation and the potential role of propagule banks in the establishment of (submerged) aquatic vegetation.

  17. Length-weight relation and condition factor of @iPenaeus indicus@@ and @iMetapenaeus dobsoni@@ in the Cochin Backwater

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Devi, C.B.L.; Nair, K.K.C.; Balasubramanian, T.; Gopalakrishnan, T.C.; Aravindakshan, P.N.; Kutty, M.K.

    Length-weight relation and condition factor of @iPenaeus indicus@@ and @iMetapenaeus dobsoni@@ were estimated using samples from Cochin backwater. Statistical tests support the view that the length-weight exponent of these species may be species...

  18. Annual dynamics of the fish stock in a backwater of the River Dyje

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Lusk, Stanislav; Halačka, Karel; Lusková, Věra; Horák, Václav

    2001-01-01

    Roč. 17, 4-5 (2001), s. 571-581 ISSN 0886-9375. [International Symposium on Regulated Streams /8./. Toulouse, 17.07.2000-21.07.2000] R&D Projects: GA ČR GA206/99/1519; GA ČR GA206/00/0668; GA AV ČR IBS6093007; GA AV ČR KSK6005114 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z6093917 Keywords : backwater * fish communities * River Dyje Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 1.169, year: 2001

  19. Plankton food web and its seasonal dynamics in a large monsoonal estuary (Cochin backwaters, India)-significance of mesohaline region

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Sooria, P.M.; Jyothibabu, R; Anjusha, A.; Vineetha, G.; Vinita, J.; Lallu, K.R; Paul, M.; Jagadeesan, L.

    The paper presents the ecology and dynamics of plankton food web in the Cochin backwaters (CBW), the largest monsoonal estuary along the west coast of India. The data source is a time series measurement carried out in the CBW during the Spring...

  20. Nutrient cycling, connectivity, and free-floating plant abundance in backwater lakes of the Upper Mississippi River

    Science.gov (United States)

    Houser, Jeff N.; Giblin, Shawn M.; James, William F.; Langrehr, H.A.; Rogala, James T.; Sullivan, John F.; Gray, Brian R.

    2013-01-01

    River eutrophication may cause the formation of dense surface mats of free floating plants (FFP; e.g., duckweeds and filamentous algae) which may adversely affect the ecosystem. We investigated associations among hydraulic connectivity to the channel, nutrient cycling, FFP, submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV), and dissolved oxygen concentration (DO) in ten backwater lakes of the Upper Mississippi River (UMR) that varied in connectivity to the channel. Greater connectivity was associated with higher water column nitrate (NO3-N) concentration, higher rates of sediment phosphorus (P) release, and higher rates of NO3-N flux to the sediments. Rates of sediment P and N (as NH4-N) release were similar to those of eutrophic lakes. Water column nutrient concentrations were high, and FFP tissue was nutrient rich suggesting that the eutrophic condition of the UMR often facilitated abundant FFP. However, tissue nutrient concentrations, and the associations between FFP biomass and water column nutrient concentrations, suggested that nutrients constrained FFP abundance at some sites. FFP abundance was positively associated with SAV abundance and negatively associated with dissolved oxygen concentration. These results illustrate important connections among hydraulic connectivity, nutrient cycling, FFP, SAV, and DO in the backwaters of a large, floodplain river.

  1. Waning of plankton food web in the upstream region of the Cochin backwaters during the southwest monsoon

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Jyothibabu, R; Madhu, N.V.; Martin, G.D.; Aneesh, C.; Sooria, P.M.; Vineetha, G.

    > and av 3 � 1 No L-1) as compared to the downstream region (av 6 � 3 x 106 No L-1 and av 3222 � 3619 No L-1) This clearly indicated a weak microbial food web in a major part of the Cochin backwaters during...

  2. Movement of fish between a river and its backwater: diel activity and relation to environmental gradient

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Hohausová, Eva; Copp, G.; Jankovský, P.

    2003-01-01

    Roč. 12, č. 2 (2003), s. 107-117 ISSN 0906-6691 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA206/93/0734; GA ČR GA206/97/0162; GA AV ČR IAA6087503; GA AV ČR KSK3046108; GA AV ČR KSK6005114 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z6017912 Keywords : river-backwater connection * behaviour * traps Subject RIV: EH - Ecology , Behaviour Impact factor: 0.949, year: 2003

  3. The characteristic of a zooplankton in the contaminated bottom stream of the Pripyat' river and backwaters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zarubaw, A.I.; Malatkow, D.V.

    1994-01-01

    The researches of zooplankton are conducted on two stations on the Pripyat' river, but also on two backwaters which are in the Chernobyl NPP contamination zone. The rotifera is dominant group of zooplankton. Their quantity is more than 10 samples/litter. An absolute and relative fertility of rotifera is determined. It is established an structural and functional reorganization of the rotifera dominant complexes occurs. Any influence of contamination on a zooplankton condition is not found out. 5 refs., 2 tabs., 2 figs

  4. A new genus and species of Heteromysini (Crustacea- Mysidacea) from the backwater of Kochi (Kerala, India)

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Panampunnayil, S.U.; Buju, A.

    minor inlets. The water is saline (5–32 psu) during the dry season and almost fresh water during the monsoon (May to October). The salinity gradient in the Kochi backwater supports diverse species of flora and fauna depending on their capacity....1080/00222930701515553 Downloaded By: [CSIR Order] At: 10:52 24 October 2007 Genus Kochimysis gen. nov. Diagnosis General form small and slender. Carapace broadly triangular in front. Eyes normal. Male lobe of antennule reduced to small setiferous lobe; antennal scale oval...

  5. Impact of freshwater influx on microzooplankton mediated food web in a tropical estuary (Cochin backwaters - India)

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Jyothibabu, R; Madhu, N.V.; Jayalakshmi, K.V.; Balachandran, K.K.; Shiyas, C.C.; Martin, G.D.; Nair, K.K.C.

    -1 Impact of fresh water influx on microzooplankton mediated food web in a tropical estuary (Cochin backwaters - India) R. Jyothibabu A, B, N.V. Madhu A, K.V. Jayalakshmi A, K. K. Balachandran A, C. A. Shiyas A, G. D. Martin A and K. K. C. Nair A A... in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean. Deep Sea Research 40, 479 ? 493. Burkill, P. H., Leaky, R. J. G., Owens, N. J. P., and Mantoura, R. F. C., 1993b. Synechococcus and its importance to the microbial food web of the northwestern Indian Ocean, In: Biogeochemical...

  6. Short-term variability of water quality and its implications on phytoplankton production in a tropical estuary (Cochin backwaters - India)

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Madhu, N.V.; Balachandran, K.K.; Martin, G.D.; Jyothibabu, R; Thottathil, S.D.; Nair, M.; Joseph, T.; Kusum, K.K.

    , C.A., Martin, G.D & Nair, K.K.C., (2006). Impact of fresh water influx on microzooplankton mediated food web in a tropical estuary (Cochin backwaters - India). Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 69, 505 - 518. Madhu. N.V., Jyothibabu, R..., Y., Wetzel, R.L., Anderson, I.C., 1999. Spatial and temporal characteristics of nutrient and phytoplankton dynamics in the York River Estuary, Virginia: analyses of long-term data. Estuaries 22, 260-275. Srinivas. K, Revichandran, C., Maheswaran...

  7. Backwater Flooding in San Marcos, TX from the Blanco River

    Science.gov (United States)

    Earl, Richard; Gaenzle, Kyle G.; Hollier, Andi B.

    2016-01-01

    Large sections of San Marcos, TX were flooded in Oct. 1998, May 2015, and Oct. 2015. Much of the flooding in Oct. 1998 and Oct. 2015 was produced by overbank flooding of San Marcos River and its tributaries by spills from upstream dams. The May 2015 flooding was almost entirely produced by backwater flooding from the Blanco River whose confluence is approximately 2.2 miles southeast of downtown. We use the stage height of the Blanco River to generate maps of the areas of San Marcos that are lower than the flood peaks and compare those results with data for the observed extent of flooding in San Marcos. Our preliminary results suggest that the flooding occurred at locations more than 20 feet lower than the maximum stage height of the Blanco River at San Marcos gage (08171350). This suggest that the datum for either gage 08171350 or 08170500 (San Marcos River at San Marcos) or both are incorrect. There are plans for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to construct a Blanco River bypass that will divert Blanco River floodwaters approximately 2 miles farther downstream, but the $60 million price makes its implementation problematic.

  8. Biodiversity of Three Backwaters in the South West Coast of India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Beslin Leena Grace

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available For the conservation of biodiversity, it is not sufficient to preserve the living organisms or their gametes alone, because keeping fishes in aquaria or their gametes in freezers cannot conserve the full range of biodiversity which is due to the loss of the ecological complexity in their original habitats. For promoting richer biodiversity in the future, more complexity in biological communities is essential in their natural environments. In order to prevent depletion of biodiversity due to environmental alterations or other ways, it is necessary to understand how the diversity of life particularly at the species level is maintained and it is equally necessary to know how the terminal extinction of species takes place under natural conditions. Moreover, a database on fishery resources of the concerned environment is essential to make decision about specific programmes on conservation of fish germplasm resources. Hence, the present study aims to quantify the fish and shellfish resources of the selected backwaters such as Kadinamkulam, Veli, and Poonthura to know the real stocks present in such environments.

  9. Skelental anomalies in fishes collected from Korangi Creek and back-water of Sandspit along the coast of Karachi (Pakistan)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hussain, S.M.

    2004-01-01

    Vertebral anomalies have been reported in Liza carinata, Valamugil cunnesiusand Therapon jarbua from Korangi Creek and L. carinata collected frombackwaters of Sandspit. Detail examination of external morphology and X-rays offishes showed kypholordosis and scoliosis in the vertebral column. It is presumed that these effects are results of pollutants in the coastal systems of Korangi Creek and Sandspit backwaters where heavy pollutants and domestic sewage of the Karachi city is discharged untreated. This study suggests the need of effective management measures to save fisheries resources of the creeks and coastal waters

  10. Hydrobiological studies in the catchment of Vaal dam, South Africa part 3. Notes on the Cladocera and Copepoda of stones-in-current, marginal vegetation and stony backwater biotopes

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Chutter, FM

    1971-01-01

    Full Text Available A general description of the study area be found in part 1(Chutter, 1970), where the fauna other than Cladocera and Copera of store-in-current, marginal vegetation and story backwater has been described. It was found that the streams and rivers...

  11. Impact of eutrophication on the occurrence of Trichodesmium in the Cochin backwaters, the largest estuary along the west coast of India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Martin, G.D.; Jyothibabu, R.; Madhu, N.V.; Balachandran, K.K.; Nair, M.; Muraleedharan, K.R.; Arun, P.K.; Haridevi, C.K.; Revichandran, C.

    fluxes at BATS. Deep Sea Research II, 48, 1609 – 1648. Joseph, P.S. (1974). Nutrient distribution in Cochin hrbour and its vicinity. Indian Journal of Marine Sciences, 3, 28-32. Joseph, S. (2005). Ecological and biochemical studies on cyanobacteria... environmental features of cochin backwaters a Tropical estuary. Proceedings of the Indian Academy of Science, 69, 336-348. Qasim, S.Z. (1970). Some characteristics of a Trichodesmium bloom in the Laccadives. Deep Sea Research, 17, 655-660. Qasim, S.Z. (2003...

  12. Effects of an atrazine, metolachlor and fipronil mixture on Hyalella azteca (Saussure) in a modified backwater wetland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lizotte, Richard E; Knight, Scott S; Shields, F Douglas; Bryant, Charles T

    2009-12-01

    We examined the toxicity mitigation efficiency of a hydrologically modified backwater wetland amended with a pesticide mixture of atrazine, metolachlor, and fipronil, using 96 h survival bioassays with Hyalella azteca. Significant H. azteca 96 h mortality occurred within the first 2 h of amendment at the upstream amendment site but not at any time at the downstream site. H. azteca survival varied spatially and temporally in conjunction with measured pesticide mixture concentrations. Hyalella azteca 96 h survival pesticide mixture effects concentrations ranges were 10.214–11.997, 5.822–6.658, 0.650–0.817, and 0.030–0.048 μg L−1 for atrazine, metolachlor, fipronil, and fipronil-sulfone, respectively.

  13. 1998 Annual Status Report: Status and Trend of Submersed and Floating-leaved Aquatic Vegetation in Thirty-two Backwaters in Pools 4, 8, 13, and 26 and La Grange Pool of the Upper Mississippi River System

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Yin, Yao

    2000-01-01

    .... The status and trend of aquatic vegetation in 1998 varied among the thirty-two backwaters. In upper Pool 4 (above Lake Pepin), where aquatic vegetation has declined since 1991, the trend continued in 1998...

  14. Patterns of foraging and distribution of bluegill sunfish in a Mississippi River backwater: Influence of macrophytes and predation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dewey, M.R.; Richardson, W.B.; Zigler, S.J.

    1997-01-01

    We studied the trophic interactions and spatial distributions of bluegills Lepomis macrochirus and largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides in a macrophyte bed in Lake Onalaska, a backwater lake in the upper Mississippi River. The diets of adult and age-0 bluegills were similar and changed seasonally probably in response to changes in life stages of macroinvertebrates (i.e. emergence of winged adults). Diets and diel patterns of abundance of bluegill suggest that age-0 and adults were feeding in the vegetated, littoral zone. Predation by age-0 largemouth bass appears to influence use of vegetated habitat by age-0 bluegills. In summer, when most age-0 bluegills were vulnerable to predation by age-0 largemouth bass, bluegill abundance was strongly correlated with vegetation biomass. In October and November, piscivory by age-0 largemouth bass was limited by gape. Consequently, the relationship between the abundance of age-0 bluegills and vegetation biomass was weakened because predation risk by age-0 largemouth bass was reduced.

  15. Predicting the aquatic stage sustainability of a restored backwater channel combining in-situ and airborne remotely sensed bathymetric models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jérôme, Lejot; Jérémie, Riquier; Hervé, Piégay

    2014-05-01

    As other large river floodplain worldwide, the floodplain of the Rhône has been deeply altered by human activities and infrastructures over the last centuries both in term of structure and functioning. An ambitious restoration plan of selected by-passed reaches has been implemented since 1999, in order to improve their ecological conditions. One of the main action aimed to increase the aquatic areas in floodplain channels (i.e. secondary channels, backwaters, …). In practice, fine and/or coarse alluvium were dredged, either locally or over the entire cut-off channel length. Sometimes the upstream or downstream alluvial plugs were also removed to reconnect the restored feature to the main channel. Such operation aims to restore forms and associated habitats of biotic communities, which are no more created or maintained by the river itself. In this context, assessing the sustainability of such restoration actions is a major issue. In this study, we focus on 1 of the 24 floodplain channels which have been restored along the Rhône River since 1999, the Malourdie channel (Chautagne reach, France). A monitoring of the geomorphologic evolution of the channel has been conducted during a decade to assess the aquatic stage sustainability of this former fully isolated channel, which has been restored as a backwater in 2004. Two main types of measures were performed: (a) water depth and fine sediment thickness were surveyed with an auger every 10 m along the channel centerline in average every year and a half allowing to establish an exponential decay model of terrestrialization rates through time; (b) three airborne campaigns (2006, 2007, 2012) by Ultra Aerial Vehicle (UAV) provided images from which bathymetry were inferred in combination with observed field measures. Coupling field and airborne models allows us to simulate different states of terrestrialization at the scale of the whole restore feature (e.g. 2020/2030/2050). Raw results indicate that terrestrialization

  16. Assessment of channel changes, model of historical floods, and effects of backwater on flood stage, and flood mitigation alternatives for the Wichita River at Wichita Falls, Texas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Winters, Karl E.; Baldys, Stanley

    2011-01-01

    In cooperation with the City of Wichita Falls, the U.S. Geological Survey assessed channel changes on the Wichita River at Wichita Falls, Texas, and modeled historical floods to investigate possible causes and potential mitigation alternatives to higher flood stages in recent (2007 and 2008) floods. Extreme flooding occurred on the Wichita River on June 30, 2007, inundating 167 homes in Wichita Falls. Although a record flood stage was reached in June 2007, the peak discharge was much less than some historical floods at Wichita Falls. Streamflow and stage data from two gages on the Wichita River and one on Holliday Creek were used to assess the interaction of the two streams. Changes in the Wichita River channel were evaluated using historical aerial and ground photography, comparison of recent and historical cross sections, and comparison of channel roughness coefficients with those from earlier studies. The floods of 2007 and 2008 were modeled using a one-dimensional step-backwater model. Calibrated channel roughness was larger for the 2007 flood compared to the 2008 flood, and the 2007 flood peaked about 4 feet higher than the 2008 flood. Calibration of the 1941 flood yielded a channel roughness coefficient (Manning's n) of 0.030, which represents a fairly clean natural channel. The step-backwater model was also used to evaluate the following potential mitigation alternatives: (1) increasing the capacity of the bypass channel near River Road in Wichita Falls, Texas; (2) removal of obstructions near the Scott Avenue and Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard bridges in Wichita Falls, Texas; (3) widening of aggraded channel banks in the reach between Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard and River Road; and (4) reducing channel bank and overbank roughness. Reductions in water-surface elevations ranged from 0.1 foot to as much as 3.0 feet for the different mitigation alternatives. The effects of implementing a combination of different flood-mitigation alternatives were

  17. 76 FR 45485 - Proposed Flood Elevation Determinations

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-07-29

    ... Creek (backwater effects from Tennessee River), McCormick Creek (backwater effects from Ohio River... effects from Tennessee River), Lee Creek (backwater effects from Tennessee River), McCormick Creek... Tennessee River confluence. McCormick Creek (backwater effects From the Cumberland None +343 Unincorporated...

  18. 77 FR 76998 - Proposed Flood Elevation Determinations

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-12-31

    ... Spring Hollow (backwater effects from Green River), Pitman Creek (backwater effects from Green River... (backwater effects from Green River), Pipe Spring Hollow (backwater effects from Green River), Pitman Creek... Butler County. to approximately 1,550 feet downstream of G. Southerland Road. Pipe Spring Hollow...

  19. Degradation of the river flows and their surroundings under backwater effects of the HPP Iron Gate I - necessary reclamation and rehabilitation measures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Perisic, M.; Mitrovic-Tutundjic, V.

    2002-01-01

    The paper presents an analysis of ecological problems of the river Danube under backwater effects of the hydroenergetic power plant (HPP) Iron Gate I. Data collected during the period of almost two decades offer possibilities for understanding of the relevant phenomena that define the water quality changes and the state of the ecosystem in this part of the river flow, effects of water purification and consequences of this process connected to high level of anthropogenic influences. This long period enables undertaking urgent measures that are necessary for the system in the context of enormous problems that are becoming more complex as time passed by. Attempts to use analyzed information to change the attitude of the authorities which was based on incorrect prognosis and results of systematic, several decades long investigations of official organizations failed to give positive results till now. Since without adequate knowledge it is impossible to plan protection measures and rehabilitation of the system, and also estimate the damage made by NATO bombing, necessity for applying experience and results tested by relevant professionals from the Danubian and broader region is emphasized. (author)

  20. Stream profile analysis using a step backwater model for selected reaches in the Chippewa Creek basin in Medina, Wayne, and Summit Counties, Ohio

    Science.gov (United States)

    Straub, David E.; Ebner, Andrew D.

    2011-01-01

    The USGS, in cooperation with the Chippewa Subdistrict of the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District, performed hydrologic and hydraulic analyses for selected reaches of three streams in Medina, Wayne, Stark, and Summit Counties in northeast Ohio: Chippewa Creek, Little Chippewa Creek, and River Styx. This study was done to facilitate assessment of various alternatives for mitigating flood hazards in the Chippewa Creek basin. StreamStats regional regression equations were used to estimate instantaneous peak discharges approximately corresponding to bankfull flows. Explanatory variables used in the regression equations were drainage area, main-channel slope, and storage area. Hydraulic models were developed to determine water-surface profiles along the three stream reaches studied for the bankfull discharges established in the hydrologic analyses. The HEC-RAS step-backwater hydraulic analysis model was used to determine water-surface profiles for the three streams. Starting water-surface elevations for all streams were established using normal depth computations in the HEC-RAS models. Cross-sectional elevation data, hydraulic-structure geometries, and roughness coefficients were collected in the field and (along with peak-discharge estimates) used as input for the models. Reach-averaged reductions in water-surface elevations ranged from 0.11 to 1.29 feet over the four roughness coefficient reduction scenarios.

  1. [Influence of 175-m-impoundment in Three Gorges Reservoir area on the food web energy sources of main commercial fishes in backwater area of xiaojiang River].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Bin; Wang, Zhi-Jian; Yue, Xing-Jian; Wang, Yong-Ming; Jin, Li; Zhang, Yao-Guang

    2013-06-01

    The impoundment in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area (TGRA) was first reached 175 m in 2010. To approach the influence of this impoundment on the food web energy sources of fishes in the tributaries of TRGA, an analysis was made on the food web energy sources of seven economically important fishes (Carassius auratus, Cyprinus carpio, Silurus asotus, Culter mongolicus mongolicus, Mystus macropterus, Pelteobagrus vachelli, and Pelteobagrus nitidus) in the backwater area of Xiaojiang River by using stable isotope method in combining with IsoSource Model. The results showed that before this impoundment (July 2010), microalgae were the main energy sources for the seven species. After this impoundment (December 2010), the contribution ratio of the microalgae decreased somewhat, while the relative contribution of terrestrial C4 plants had an obvious increase. Especially for crucian carp (C. auratus) and catfish (S. asotus), the contribution rate of the C4 plants reached 38-54% and 32-50%, respectively. After the impoundment, at least 30% of the energy resources of these two fishes were come from terrestrial C4 plants, suggesting that the impoundment in TGRA increased the contribution rate of exogenous terrestrial C4 plants as the energy sources of fishes.

  2. PROFIL MUKA AIR DI HULU GROUNDSILL TIPE AMBANG LEBAR DAN OGEE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wahyu Widiyanto

    2007-08-01

    Full Text Available A Groundsill is built with main purpose to control river bed. When groundsill is placed in a river there will cause water surface raises and creates backwater in upstream of the groundsill. It influences elevation of flood and inundation. The backwater will inundate riverbank or structures along backwater distance, and drainage become difficultier as well as cause dangerous spill. Different type of groundsill will give different inundation impact. Therefore it needs to analyse water surface raises caused by different type of groundsill. This study is aimed to analyse water surface profile in upstream of groundsill with two different type, i.e. broadcrested and ogee. Serang River data is used to analyse. HEC-RAS Version 4 Beta assist the calculation and analysis. The calculation result shows that at the same height of sill, Ogee type give higher backwater level than broadcrested type. Nevertheless, the backwater distance is not different significantly.

  3. 78 FR 48813 - Final Flood Elevation Determinations

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-08-12

    ... Road. Approximately 1.16 miles +292 upstream of Giffords Church Road. Poentic Kill At the Mohawk River... mile upstream of Johnson Cemetery Road. Big Reedy Creek (Backwater effects from From the confluence.... approximately 935 feet upstream of Penrod Road. Deerlick Creek Tributary 6 (Backwater From the confluence with...

  4. 76 FR 70397 - Proposed Flood Elevation Determinations

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-11-14

    ... Branch Road. Salt Lick Branch (backwater effects At the Licking River None +924 Unincorporated Areas of... upstream of West County Road 100 North. Goose Creek At the upstream side of None +591 City of Logansport.... Approximately 355 feet None +901 upstream of Clyde Holliday Cemetery Road. Brushy Fork (backwater effects from...

  5. Water pressure and ground vibrations induced by water guns at a backwater pond on the Illinois River near Morris, Illinois

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koebel, Carolyn M.; Egly, Rachel M.

    2016-09-27

    Three different geophysical sensor types were used to characterize the underwater pressure waves and ground velocities generated by the underwater firing of seismic water guns. These studies evaluated the use of water guns as a tool to alter the movement of Asian carp. Asian carp are aquatic invasive species that threaten to move into the Great Lakes Basin from the Mississippi River Basin. Previous studies have identified a threshold of approximately 5 pounds per square inch (lb/in2) for behavioral modification and for structural limitation of a water gun barrier.Two studies were completed during August 2014 and May 2015 in a backwater pond connected to the Illinois River at a sand and gravel quarry near Morris, Illinois. The August 2014 study evaluated the performance of two 80-cubic-inch (in3) water guns. Data from the 80-in3 water guns showed that the pressure field had the highest pressures and greatest extent of the 5-lb/in2 target value at a depth of 5 feet (ft). The maximum recorded pressure was 13.7 lb/in2, approximately 25 ft from the guns. The produced pressure field took the shape of a north-south-oriented elongated sphere with the 5-lb/in2 target value extending across the entire study area at a depth of 5 ft. Ground velocities were consistent over time, at 0.0067 inches per second (in/s) in the transverse direction, 0.031 in/s in the longitudinal direction, and 0.013 in/s in the vertical direction.The May 2015 study evaluated the performance of one and two 100-in3 water guns. Data from the 100-in3 water guns, fired both individually and simultaneously, showed that the pressure field had the highest pressures and greatest extent of the 5-lb/in2 target value at a depth of 5 ft. The maximum pressure was 57.4 lb/in2, recorded at the underwater blast sensor closest to the water guns (at a horizontal distance of approximately 3 ft), as two guns fired simultaneously. Pressures and extent of the 5-lb/in2 target value decrease above and below this 5-ft depth

  6. Monitorování úrovně hladin akumulovaných vod v Dole Jeroným

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Lednická, Markéta; Kaláb, Zdeněk; Knejzlík, Jaromír

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 19, č. 2 (2012), s. 54-68 ISSN 1803-1447 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA105/09/0089 Institutional support: RVO:68145535 Keywords : mining backwater * water level fluctuation * dynamics of backwater Subject RIV: DC - Siesmology, Volcanology, Earth Structure http://www.caag.cz/egrse/2012-2/07_lednicka-r.pdf

  7. Assessing predation risks for small fish in a large river ecosystem between contrasting habitats and turbidity conditions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dodrill, Michael J.; Yard, Mike; Pine, William E.

    2016-01-01

    This study examined predation risk for juvenile native fish between two riverine shoreline habitats, backwater and debris fan, across three discrete turbidity levels (low, intermediate, high) to understand environmental risks associated with habitat use in a section of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, AZ. Inferences are particularly important to juvenile native fish, including the federally endangered humpback chub Gila cypha. This species uses a variety of habitats including backwaters which are often considered important rearing areas. Densities of two likely predators, adult rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss and adult humpback chub, were estimated between habitats using binomial mixture models to examine whether higher predator density was associated with patterns of predation risk. Tethering experiments were used to quantify relative predation risk between habitats and turbidity conditions. Under low and intermediate turbidity conditions, debris fan habitat showed higher relative predation risk compared to backwaters. In both habitats the highest predation risk was observed during intermediate turbidity conditions. Density of likely predators did not significantly differ between these habitats. This information can help managers in Grand Canyon weigh flow policy options designed to increase backwater availability or extant turbidity conditions.

  8. Copepod carcasses in a tropical estuary during different hydrographical settings

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Jyothibabu, R.; Jagadeesan, L.; Lallu, K.R.

    at the other end determines the salinity and other physicochemical characteristics of the Cochin backwaters (Madhupratap 1987; Jyothibabu et al. 2006; Balachandran et al. 2008). Since the CBW is geographically located in the tropical region, seasonal...-interval locations were sampled along the salinity gradients in the Cochin backwaters (Fig. 1). First sampling was conducted on May 26, 2011 (Pre-Monsoon) to represent typical stratified/high saline conditions of the Pre-Southwest Monsoon. The second sampling...

  9. Unintended consequences of restoration: loss of riffles and gravel substrates following weir installation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salant, Nira L; Schmidt, John C; Budy, Phaedra; Wilcock, Peter R

    2012-10-30

    We used pre- and post-restoration channel surveys of the Donner und Blitzen River, Oregon, to evaluate the effects of grade-control structures on channel morphology and baseflow habitat conditions for native redband trout and other aquatic biota. Six years after installation, we found that the channel had a smaller proportion of riffles and pools and less gravel substrate, combined with an increase in the proportion of flat waters and consolidated clay on the bed surface. Both local scour downstream from weirs and backwater effects upstream from weirs appear to have caused the general flattening and fining of the channel. A direct-step backwater calculation indicates that backwaters extended to the upstream weir at both low and high flows, creating long sections of flat water separated by short, steep drops. Despite backwater effects, a comparison of longitudinal profiles before and six years after weir installation showed bed erosion downstream of nearly all weirs, likely a consequence of the cohesive clay material that dominates the channel bed and banks. A deep inner channel reflects the cohesive nature of the clay and the mechanisms of abrasion, and indicates that sediment load is low relative to the transport capacity of the flow. Unfortunately, weirs were problematic in this system because of the cohesive clay substrate, limited sediment supply, and low channel gradient. Although deeper flows due to backwaters might be more favorable for resident trout, less gravel and fewer riffles are likely to negatively impact trout spawning habitat, macroinvertebrate communities, and biofilm productivity. Our results demonstrate the potential limitations of a single-feature approach to restoration that may be ineffective for a given geomorphic context and may overlook other aspects of the ecosystem. We highlight the need to incorporate geomorphic characteristics of a system into project design and predictions of system response. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights

  10. Experimental investigation of channel avulsion frequency on river deltas under rising sea levels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silvestre, J.; Chadwick, A. J.; Steele, S.; Lamb, M. P.

    2017-12-01

    River deltas are low-relief landscapes that are socioeconomically important; they are home to over half a billion people worldwide. Many deltas are built by cycles of lobe growth punctuated by abrupt channel shifts, or avulsions, which often reoccur at a similar location and with a regular frequency. Previous experimental work has investigated the effect of hydrodynamic backwater in controlling channel avulsion location and timing on deltas under constant sea level conditions, but it is unclear how sea-level rise impacts avulsion dynamics. We present results from a flume experiment designed to isolate the role of relative sea-level rise on the evolution of a backwater-influenced delta. The experiment was conducted in the river-ocean facility at Caltech, where a 7m long, 14cm wide alluvial river drains into a 6m by 3m "ocean" basin. The experimental delta grew under subcritical flow, a persistent backwater zone, and a range of sea level rise rates. Without sea level rise, lobe progradation produced in-channel aggradation and periodic avulsions every 3.6 ± 0.9 hours, which corresponded to when channels aggraded to approximately one-half of their flow depth. With a modest rate of sea-level rise (0.25 mm/hr), we observed enhanced aggradation in the backwater zone, causing channels to aggrade more quickly and avulse more frequently (every 2.1 ± 0.6 hours). In future work, we expect further increases in the rate of relative sea-level rise to cause avulsion frequency to decrease as the delta drowns and the backwater zone retreats upstream. Experimental results can serve as tests of numerical models that are needed for hazard mitigation and coastal sustainability efforts on drowning deltas.

  11. Effectiveness Using Circular Fibre Steel Flap Gate As a Control Structure Towards the Hydraulic Characteristics in Open Channel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adib, M. R. M.; Amirza, A. R. M.; Wardah, T.; Junaidah, A.

    2016-07-01

    Hydraulic control gate structure plays an important role in regulating the flow of water in river, canal or water reservoir. One of the most appropriate structures in term of resolving the problem of flood occured is the construction of circular fibre steel flap gate. Therefore, an experiment has been conducted by using an open channel model at laboratory. In this case, hydraulic jump and backwater were the method to determined the hydraulic characteristics of circular fibre steel flap gate in an open channel model. From the experiment, the opening angle of flap gate can receive discharges with the highest flow rate of 0.035 m3/s with opening angle was 47°. The type of jump that occurs at the slope of 1/200 for a distance of 5.0 m is a standing jump or undulating wave. The height of the backwater can be identified based on the differences of specific force which is specific force before jump, F1 and specific force after jump, F2 from the formation of backwater. Based on the research conducted, the tendency of incident backwater wave occurred was high in every distance of water control location from water inlet is flap slope and the slope of 1/300 which is 0.84 m/s and 0.75 m/s of celerity in open channel model.

  12. Soil erosion and deposition in the new shorelines of the Three Gorges Reservoir.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Su, Xiaolei; Nilsson, Christer; Pilotto, Francesca; Liu, Songping; Shi, Shaohua; Zeng, Bo

    2017-12-01

    During the last few decades, the construction of storage reservoirs worldwide has led to the formation of many new shorelines in former upland areas. After the formation of such shorelines, a dynamic phase of soil erosion and deposition follows. We explored the factors regulating soil dynamics in the shorelines of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) on the Yangtze River in China. We selected four study sites on the main stem and three on the tributaries in the upstream parts of the reservoir, and evaluated whether the sites close to the backwater tail (the point at which the river meets the reservoir) had more soil deposition than the sites far from the backwater tail. We also tested whether soil erosion differed between the main stem and the tributaries and across shorelines. We found that soil deposition in the new shorelines was higher close to the backwater tail and decreased downstream. Soil erosion was higher in the main stem than in the tributaries and higher at lower compared to higher shoreline altitudes. In the tributaries, erosion did not differ between higher and lower shoreline levels. Erosion increased with increasing fetch length, inundation duration and distance from the backwater tail, and decreased with increasing soil particle fineness. Our results provide a basis for identifying shorelines in need of restorative or protective measures. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. A Study of Sedimentation at the River Estuary on the Change of Reservoir Storage

    OpenAIRE

    Iskahar; Suripin; Isdiyana

    2018-01-01

    Estuary of the river that leads to the reservoir has characteristics include: relatively flat, there is a change in the increase of wet cross-sectional area and backwater. The backwater will cause the flow velocity to be reduced, so that the grains of sediment with a certain diameter carried by the flow will settle in the estuary of the river. The purpose of this research is to know the distribution and sedimentation pattern at the river estuary that leads to the reservoir with the change of ...

  14. Source and composition of surface water dissolved organic matter (DOM) and the effect of flood events on the organic matter cycling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bondar-Kunze, Elisabeth; Welti, Nina; Tritthart, Michael; Baker, Andrew; Pinay, Gilles; Hein, Thomas

    2014-05-01

    Floodplains are often simultaneously affected by land use change, river regulation and loss of hydrological dynamics which alter the surface water connectivity between floodplain and river main channel. These alterations can have significant impacts on the sources of organic matter and their degradation and thus, the carbon cycling of riverine landscapes. Although floodplains are known to be important sources of dissolved organic matter (DOM) within watersheds, reduced hydrological connectivity impair their role. The key questions of our research were to determine i) to what extent the degree of connection between the Danube River and its floodplain controlled the DOM composition with its backwater systems, and ii) what were the effects of the DOM changes on carbon cycling in floodplains during two flood events with different magnitude? In this study we report on the variations in DOM spectrophotometric properties of surface waters in different connected floodplain areas and during two flood events of different magnitude in a section of the Alluvial Zone National Park of the Danube River downstream Vienna, Austria. Two backwater floodplain systems were studied, one backwater system mostly disconnected from the fluvial dynamics except during high flood events (Lower Lobau) and the second one, recently restored and connected even during mean flow conditions (Orth). Fluorescence excitation-emission matrix (EEM) spectrophotometry and water chemical analyses were applied to investigate the DOM dynamics. In both backwater systems 15 sites were sampled monthly for two years and every second day during a flood event.

  15. The shrinking backwaters of Kerala

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Gopalan, U.K.; Vengayil, D.T.; Varma, P.U.; Kutty, M.K.

    together with other environmental alterations have adversely affected the fishery resources in this region. The carrying capacity of the system has been further threatened by the growing inflow of effluents from domestic, agricultural and industrial sources...

  16. An account on the assemblage of fish larvae in Ponnani estuary, South India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ranjeet Kutty

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Estuarine environments are one of the most dynamic aquatic ecosystems and serve many important functions in coastal waters. Larval fish dynamics contribute significantly to understanding the ecology of fish populations as they can indicate the spawning-stock biomass and recruitment in adult fish stocks. Initial development stages of fishes are particularly vulnerable and are influenced by physical and biological processes. Hence the present study was aimed to characterize ichthyoplankton assemblages, to evaluate environmental influence in its structure. Ponnani backwater fish larvae assemblages displayed a clear seasonal pattern presenting higher abundances and diversities during warmer months. Throughout the year there is a wide fluctuation in salinity, temperature and primary productivity in these backwaters enabling it to be classified under stressful environment for larval forms of certain economically important marine fishes.  A detailed analysis made to study the interaction of selected environmental parameters with ichthyofaunal diversity in Ponnani backwater provided a clear understanding on the influence of these variables on the distribution of marine fish larvae in the region. The results of the present analysis provided a model for the prediction of larval diversity from the prevailing environmental parameters.

  17. Bayesian analysis of stage-fall-discharge rating curves and their uncertainties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mansanarez, Valentin; Le Coz, Jérôme; Renard, Benjamin; Lang, Michel; Pierrefeu, Gilles; Le Boursicaud, Raphaël; Pobanz, Karine

    2016-04-01

    Stage-fall-discharge (SFD) rating curves are traditionally used to compute streamflow records at sites where the energy slope of the flow is variable due to variable backwater effects. Building on existing Bayesian approaches, we introduce an original hydraulics-based method for developing SFD rating curves used at twin gauge stations and estimating their uncertainties. Conventional power functions for channel and section controls are used, and transition to a backwater-affected channel control is computed based on a continuity condition, solved either analytically or numerically. The difference between the reference levels at the two stations is estimated as another uncertain parameter of the SFD model. The method proposed in this presentation incorporates information from both the hydraulic knowledge (equations of channel or section controls) and the information available in the stage-fall-discharge observations (gauging data). The obtained total uncertainty combines the parametric uncertainty and the remnant uncertainty related to the model of rating curve. This method provides a direct estimation of the physical inputs of the rating curve (roughness, width, slope bed, distance between twin gauges, etc.). The performance of the new method is tested using an application case affected by the variable backwater of a run-of-the-river dam: the Rhône river at Valence, France. In particular, a sensitivity analysis to the prior information and to the gauging dataset is performed. At that site, the stage-fall-discharge domain is well documented with gaugings conducted over a range of backwater affected and unaffected conditions. The performance of the new model was deemed to be satisfactory. Notably, transition to uniform flow when the overall range of the auxiliary stage is gauged is correctly simulated. The resulting curves are in good agreement with the observations (gaugings) and their uncertainty envelopes are acceptable for computing streamflow records. Similar

  18. Is Canyon Width a Diagnostic Indicator of the Discharge of Megafloods on Earth and Mars?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lapotre, M. G.; Lamb, M. P.

    2013-12-01

    On Earth, large floods have carved steep-walled and amphitheater-headed canyons from the Pleistocene (e.g. Box Canyon, ID) through the Holocene (e.g. Asbyrgi Canyon, Iceland), to historic times (e.g. Canyon Lake Gorge, TX). The geologic record on Mars suggests that similar floods have carved canyons by waterfall retreat about 3.5 billion years ago, when the red planet was wetter and possibly warmer. We currently lack robust paleo-hydraulic tools to reconstruct the discharge of ancient floods, especially on Mars where sediment sizes are obscured from observation. To address this issue, we hypothesize that the width of canyon escarpment is controlled by the hydraulics of the canyon-carving flood due to focusing of the flood into the canyon head. We compiled field data from multiple canyons and floods on Earth and Mars and show that there is a correlation between estimated flood discharge and canyon headwall width. To explore what sets this relationship, we identified five important parameters using dimensional analysis: the Froude number, the ratio of backwater length to canyon length, the ratio of backwater length to flood width, the ratio of canyon width to flood width, and the topographic slope upstream of the canyon. We used the hydraulic numerical modeling suite ANUGA to simulate overland flow over different canyon geometries and flood parameters to systematically explore the relative bed shear stresses along the canyon rim as a metric for flow focusing. Results show that canyons that exceed a certain length, scaling with the hydraulic backwater length, have shear stresses at their heads that are significantly higher than near the canyon mouth. Shear stresses along the rim of the canyon sidewalls are limited, in comparison to stresses along the canyon head, when the flood width is of the order of the backwater length. Flow focusing only occurs for subcritical flow. Together, these results suggest that canyons may only grow from a perturbation that is large

  19. The backwaters of glory and hardship

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Dong Hun

    2001-07-01

    This book starts the background of this writing, the letter to his father, a brief summary of his career. It is Dr. Kim Dong Hun's an autobiographical report about introduction into nuclear power, building TRIGA Mark-III and propel the business of research reactor, establishing nuclear safe center, beginning and president Lee, Seung Man, passion over TRIGA. It deals with carrying out building the HANARO about background, the process of the business.

  20. Hydrocarbons degrading yeasts from Cochin backwater

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Prabhakaran, N.; Sivadas, P.

    stream_size 5 stream_content_type text/plain stream_name J_Mar_Biol_Assoc_India_37_226.pdf.txt stream_source_info J_Mar_Biol_Assoc_India_37_226.pdf.txt Content-Encoding ISO-8859-1 Content-Type text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 ...

  1. 75 FR 32684 - Proposed Flood Elevation Determinations

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-06-09

    ... feet downstream of Duff Road. West Cane Run (Backwater effects From the confluence None +466 Unincorpor... Building, Leitchfield, KY 42754. Baltimore County, Maryland, and Incorporated Areas Gwynns Falls Just...

  2. Weaver Bottoms Wildlife Habitat Restoration: A Case Study

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Davis, Mary M; Damberg, Carol

    1994-01-01

    .... Backwater areas of the Upper Mississippi River provide important feeding and resting areas for migratory waterfowl, and habitat quality deterioration of these highly productive marshes has been a cause of great concern...

  3. 75 FR 77762 - Final Flood Elevation Determinations

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-12-14

    .... approximately 1.1 mile upstream of the confluence with Green River Lake. Snake Creek (backwater effects from... Mason Road. Pine Run Approximately 400 feet +752 City of Mason. downstream of Kings Mill Road...

  4. Habitats of 0+ fry in an English lowland river

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Duncan, A.; Kubečka, Jan; Kett, S.; Hanna, N.; Skeldon, J.

    2001-01-01

    Roč. 12, 2-4 (2001), s. 153-171 ISSN 0945-3784 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z6017912 Keywords : 0+ fish communities * lowland river * connected backwater Subject RIV: DA - Hydrology ; Limnology

  5. 76 FR 19018 - Proposed Flood Elevation Determinations

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-04-06

    ...). confluence. At the downstream side +179 +181 of National Avenue. Coffee Creek (backwater effects from At the..., Centralia, WA 98531. City of Chehalis Maps are available for inspection at 1321 South Market Boulevard...

  6. Length scale hierarchy and spatiotemporal change of alluvial morphologies over the Selenga River delta, Russia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, T. Y.; Nittrouer, J.; McElroy, B. J.; Ma, H.; Czapiga, M. J.; Il'icheva, E.; Pavlov, M.; Parker, G.

    2017-12-01

    The movement of water and sediment in natural channels creates various types of alluvial morphologies that span length scales from dunes to deltas. The behavior of these morphologies is controlled microscopically by hydrodynamic conditions and bed material size, and macroscopically by hydrologic and geological settings. Alluvial morphologies can be modeled as either diffusive or kinematic waves, in accordance with their respective boundary conditions. Recently, it has been shown that the difference between these two dynamic behaviors of alluvial morphologies can be characterized by the backwater number, which is a dimensionless value normalizing the length scale of a morphological feature to its local hydrodynamic condition. Application of the backwater number has proven useful for evaluating the size of morphologies, including deltas (e.g., by assessing the preferential avulsion location of a lobe), and for comparing bedform types across different fluvial systems. Yet two critical questions emerge when applying the backwater number: First, how do different types of alluvial morphologies compare within a single deltaic system, where there is a hydrodynamic transition from uniform to non-uniform flow? Second, how do different types of morphologies evolve temporally within a system as a function of changing water discharge? This study addresses these questions by compiling and analyzing field data from the Selenga River delta, Russia, which include measurements of flow velocity, channel geometry, bed material grain size, and channel slope, as well as length scales of various morphologies, including dunes, island bars, meanders, bifurcations, and delta lobes. Data analyses reveal that the length scale of morphologies decrease and the backwater number increases as flow transitions from uniform to non-uniform conditions progressing downstream. It is shown that the evaluated length scale hierarchy and planform distribution of different morphologies can be used to

  7. Discharge controls on the sediment and dissolved nutrient transport flux of the lowermost Mississippi River: Implications for export to the ocean and for delta restoration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allison, Mead A.; Pratt, Thad C.

    2017-12-01

    Lagrangian longitudinal surveys and fixed station data are utilized from the lowermost Mississippi River reach in Louisiana at high and low discharge in 2012-2013 to examine the changing stream power, sediment transport capacity, and nitrate conveyance in this backwater reach of the river. Nitrate appears to remain conservative through the backwater reach at higher discharges (>15,000 m3/s), thus, nitrate levels supplied from the catchment are those exported to the Gulf of Mexico, fueling coastal hypoxia. At lower discharges, interaction with fine sediments and organic matter stored on the bed due to estuarine and tidal processes, likely elevates nitrate levels prior to entering the Gulf: a further 1-2 week long spike in nitrate concentrations is associated with the remobilization of this sediments during the rising discharge phase of the Mississippi. Backwater characteristics are clearly observed in the study reach starting at river kilometer 703 (Vicksburg) in both longitudinal study periods. Stream power at the lowermost station is only 16% of that at Vicksburg in the high discharge survey, and 0.6% at low flow. The high-to-low discharge study differential in unit stream power at a station increases between Vicksburg and the lowermost station from a factor of 3 to 47-50 times. At high discharge, ∼30% of this energy loss can be ascribed to the removal of water to the Atchafalaya at Old River Control. Suspended sediment flux decreases downstream in the studied reach in both studies: the lowermost station has 75% of the flux at Vicksburg in the high discharge study, and 0.9% in the low discharge study. The high discharge values, given that this study was conducted during the highest rising hydrograph of the water year, are augmented by sediment resuspended from the bed that was deposited in the previous low discharge phase. Examination of this first detailed field observation studies of the backwater phenomenon in a major river, shows that observed suspended

  8. 75 FR 78650 - Proposed Flood Elevation Determinations

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-12-16

    .... west and south, the William M. Whittington Channel Levee to the east, and the confluence with Silver.... north, west, and south, and the William M. Whittington Canal Levee to the east. Yazoo River (backwater...

  9. Download this PDF file

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2017-08-08

    Aug 8, 2017 ... Through spatial analysis in GIS, this system was believed to be able .... Muttukadu Backwater and further analyze water quality using the interpolation method in ..... (Eds.), Decision making support systems: Achievements and ...

  10. Biochemical changes in relation to the breeding cycles of Nausitora hedleyi Schepman (Bivalvia: Teredinidae)

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Saraswathy, M.; Nair, N.B.

    backwaters, Kerala, India. Water content, ash content, glycogen, protein, total nitrogen and non-protein nitrogen, lipids, calcium, chloride and phosphorus contents were estimated. Monthly variations in the average salinity of the ambient water in relation...

  11. Pollutant dispersion studies - An update on the problems in Indian coastal waters

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Swamy, G.N.

    Pollutant dispersion problems along the Indian coastal waters are characterisEd. by site-specificity, as a result of seasonal and physiographic variabilities. Presence of large rivers, estuaries and backwaters add to the problems of waste disposal...

  12. Fate and source distribution of organic constituents in a river ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    status of the Cochin estuarine system, southwest coast of India. Sediment samples were ... water layers and in the sediments (Cotano and. Villate 2006). ...... sity loss in Cochin backwaters; Technical report, Cochin. University of Science and ...

  13. Seagrasses - The forgotton marine habitat

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Jagtap, T.G.; Rodrigues, R.S.

    Seagrasses, a specialized group of flowering plants, submerged in the marine, estuarine, bay and backwater regions of the world. Though seagrass beds are of great ecological and socio economic importance, they are mostly unknown to Indians. Seagrass...

  14. Diseases and parasites of laboratory reared and wild population of banded pearl spot Etroplus suratensis (Cichlidae) in Goa

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Rattan, P.; Parulekar, A.H.

    Banded Pearl spot Etroplus suratensis, the inhabitant of coastal backwaters and lagoons is one among the few finfish species identified for brackishwater farming. Common diseases and parasites from the wild population of Goa and from the laboratory...

  15. Contraction rate, flow modification and bed layering impact on scour at the elliptical guide banks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gjunsburgs, B.; Jaudzems, G.; Bizane, M.; Bulankina, V.

    2017-10-01

    Flow contraction by the bridge crossing structures, intakes, embankments, piers, abutments and guide banks leads to general scour and the local scour in the vicinity of the structures. Local scour is depending on flow, river bed and structures parameters and correct understanding of the impact of each parameter can reduce failure possibility of the structures. The paper explores hydraulic contraction, the discharge redistribution between channel and floodplain during the flood, local flow modification and river bed layering on depth, width and volume of scour hole near the elliptical guide banks on low-land rivers. Experiments in a flume, our method for scour calculation and computer modelling results confirm a considerable impact of the contraction rate of the flow, the discharge redistribution between channel and floodplain, the local velocity, backwater and river bed layering on the depth, width, and volume of scour hole in steady and unsteady flow, under clear water condition. With increase of the contraction rate of the flow, the discharge redistribution between channel and floodplain, the local velocity, backwater values, the scour depth increases. At the same contraction rate, but at a different Fr number, the scour depth is different: with increase in the Fr number, the local velocity, backwater, scour depth, width, and volume is increasing. Acceptance of the geometrical contraction of the flow, approach velocity and top sand layer of the river bed for scour depth calculation as accepted now, may be the reason of the structures failure and human life losses.

  16. Conflicting interests in the use of Kerala's penaeid shrimp resources: A case question

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Stephen, D.; David, J.; Anand, P.E.V.

    , overfishing has contributed to reduced catches. Further, loss of nursery grounds due to large scale encloses for mariculture, will greatly reduce the natural ingress and survival of postlarvae in the backwaters. Hence, the government policy on the promotion...

  17. Destruction of mangrove vegetation by Sphaeroma terebrans along Kerala coast

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Santhakumari, V.

    Extent of damage causEd. by wood boring isopod crustaceans to mangrove vegetation off Kerala Coast, India has been evaluated in this study, based on a survey and monthly collections from two localities in Cochin backwaters system. Eventhough...

  18. Ecological Studies in the Coastal Waters of Kalpakkam, Southeast Coast of India, in the Vicinity of a Nuclear Island

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Satpathy, K. K.; Mohanty, A. K.; Sahu, Gouri; Prasad, M. V.R.; Bramha, S. N. [Environmetal Safety Division, Radiological and Environmental Safety Group, REG, Indira Gandhi Center for Atomic Research, Tamil Nadu (India); Smita Achary, M.; Samantara, M. K.; Biswas, S.; Selvanayagam, M. [Loyola Institute of Frontier Energy, Loyola College, Chennai (India)

    2013-07-15

    Ecological monitoring of the coastal waters at Kalpakkam, which presently harbour various nuclear facilities, has been in progress for the last four years to create a benchmark dataset on water quality, phytoplankton, zooplankton, fisheries, sedentary organisms and molluscan species diversity. Results indicated a significant impact of monsoonal rain and backwaters on the coastal water quality. About 325 phytoplankton, 140 zooplankton, 350 fish, 130 molluscs and 100 species of sedentary organisms have been catalogued. Two fish species, which are native to Indonesia, were recorded for the first time in Indian coastal water. The study indicated that the coastal water is rich in biodiversity. Similarly, results of studies on costal sediment characteristics indicated the influence of monsoonal rain and backwater discharge. Overall, the study indicated little impact of nuclear activity on coastal water biodiversity and water quality. (author)

  19. Cochin backwaters: A sad story of manipulation

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    DineshKumar, P.K.

    to those in more 'developed' similar ecosystems worldwide and recognizing the importance of the significant role played in the socio-economic aspects of the region, it is emphasised that investigations with a thrust on modern sediment budget techniques only...

  20. Benthos of Cochin backwaters receiving industrial effluents

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Devi, K.S.; Venugopal, P.

    into the river. This stretch with a station 2 km further upstream forms the area of study. Faunal groups/species are rich at barmouth (st 1), gradually decline upstream and record lowest density at the effluent discharge point (st 8). Five major and 26 other...

  1. Estuarine biology and management

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Madhupratap, M.; Parulekar, A.H.

    large dosage of industrial effluents and domestic sewage. India is blessed with a large number of rivers and estuaries, but very few have received scientific attention or proper management. The case of the Cochin backwaters which has been fairly well...

  2. Solar radiation and its penetration in a tropical estuary

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Qasim, S.Z.; Bhattathiri, P.M.A.; Abidi, S.A.H.

    The Cochin Backwater which is an estuarine area on the west coast of India receives maximum solar radiation from December to March and minimum from June to September. During the monsoon months the estuary becomes highly turbid as a result...

  3. Aspects of productivity of mangroves

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Wafar, S.

    The term 'mangroves' refers to an assemblage of different flowering plants which can grow in saline brackish water areas like creeks, backwaters, estuaries and deltas. Mangrove forest cover in the tropical area is about 0.5 million km sup(2...

  4. Happiness quantified: a satisfaction calculus approach

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Praag, B.; Ferrer-i-Carbonell, A.

    2004-01-01

    One of the most interesting subjects for a scientific researcher is people themselves. Humankind is the subject of the social sciences; namely, psychology, sociology, economics, anthropology, and political sciences. But these are still scientific backwaters, beyond the mainstream. This change can

  5. Study of changes in bacterial and viral abundance in formaldehyde - Fixed water samples by epifluorescence microscopy

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Parvathi, A.; Radhakrishnan, S.; Sajila, M.P.; Jacob, B.

    of bacteria and viruses in water samples from Cochin Backwater was determined by SYBR Green I staining and epifluorescence microscopy. The counts were determined for 45 days in samples fixed with 1–6% formaldehyde. The results suggest rapid decline in counts...

  6. Organic carbon in the sediments of the lower reaches of Periar River

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Devi, K.S.; Venugopal, P.; Sankaranarayanan, V.N.

    reaches of Periyar River an area in Cochin Backwater, India which is polluted from different sources were studied for one year during 1981. Variations in colour and texture of sediments were brought about by changes in the grain size and state of oxidation...

  7. 77 FR 76420 - Final Flood Elevation Determinations

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-12-28

    ... Road. Salt Lick Branch (backwater effects At the Licking River +924 Unincorporated Areas from Licking... +3206 At the intersection of Slide Road and 58th Street......... +3256 * National Geodetic Vertical...). confluence. of Magoffin County. Approximately 355 feet +901 upstream of Clyde Holliday Cemetery Road. [[Page...

  8. Contrasting morphodynamics in alluvial fans and fan deltas: effect of the downstream boundary

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dijk, M. van; Kleinhans, M.G.; Postma, G.; Kraal, E.

    2012-01-01

    Alluvial fans and fan deltas can, in principle, have exactly the same upstream conditions, but fan deltas by definition have ponding water at their downstream boundary. This ponding creates effects on the autogenic behaviour of fan deltas, such as backwater adaptation, mouth bars and backward

  9. 77 FR 49360 - Final Flood Elevation Determinations

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-08-16

    ... confluence. Casey Branch (backwater effects from From the Dale Hollow Lake +663 Unincorporated Areas of Dale Hollow Lake). confluence to Cumberland County. approximately 0.5 mile upstream of the Dale Hollow Lake.... Dale Hollow Lake (Obey River) Entire shoreline within +663 Unincorporated Areas of community...

  10. The African migration and wintering grounds of the Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schäffer, Norbert; Walther, Bruno A.; Gutteridge, Kim

    2006-01-01

    the edges of backwaters, flood basins, lagoons, lakes, ponds, rivers and wadis. Recent research suggests that at least some Aquatic Warblers may actually winter further south than the present data suggest, in countries such as The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana...

  11. 76 FR 29656 - Final Flood Elevation Determinations

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-05-23

    ..., Unincorporated Areas of Canyon County. Just upstream of Lone +2450 Tree Lane/Ustick Road. Renshaw Canal Just... with +632 Unincorporated Areas of Kentucky River). Cow Creek to Estill County. approximately 0.7 mile... of Clearcreek Road. Cow Creek (backwater effects from From the confluence with +632 Unincorporated...

  12. 75 FR 31377 - Proposed Flood Elevation Determinations

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-06-03

    ... that the community is required either to adopt or to show evidence of having in effect in order to... (Backwater effects from Walnut with Walnut Creek. of Fairfield County, Creek). Village of Thurston... County. Approximately 250 None +918 feet downstream of Refugee Road. Wilson Creek At the confluence None...

  13. Variability Matters: New Insights into Mechanics of River Avulsions on Deltas and Their Deposits

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ganti, V.

    2015-12-01

    River deltas are highly dynamic, often fan-shaped depositional systems that form when rivers drain into a standing body of water. They host over a half billion people and are currently under threat of drowning and destruction by relative sea-level rise, subsidence, and anthropogenic interference. Deltas often develop planform fan shapes through avulsions, whereby major river channel shifts occur via "channel jumping" about a spatial node, thus determining their fundamental length scale. Emerging theories suggest that the size of delta lobes is set by backwater hydrodynamics; however, these ideas are difficult to test on natural deltas, which evolve on centennial to millennial timescales. In this presentation, I will show results from the first laboratory delta built through successive deposition of lobes that maintain a constant size that scales with backwater hydrodynamics. The characteristic size of deltas emerges because of a preferential avulsion node that remains fixed spatially relative to the prograding shoreline, and is a consequence of multiple river floods that produce persistent morphodynamic river-bed adjustment within the backwater zone. Moreover, river floods cause erosion in the lowermost reaches of the alluvial river near their coastline, which may leave erosional boundaries in the sedimentary record that may appear similar to those previously interpreted to be a result of relative sea-level fall. I will discuss the implications of these findings in the context of sustainability management of deltas, decoding their stratigraphic record, and identifying ancient standing bodies of water on other planets such as Mars. Finally, I will place this delta study in a broader context of recent work that highlights the importance of understanding and quantifying variability in sedimentology and geomorphology.

  14. Hazard evaluation of inorganics, singly and in mixtures, to Flannelmouth Sucker Catostomus latipinnis in the San Juan River, New Mexico

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamilton, S.J.; Buhl, K.J.

    1997-01-01

    Larval flannelmouth sucker (Catostomus latipinnis) were exposed to arsenate, boron, copper, molybdenum, selenate, selenite, uranium, vanadium, and zinc singly, and to five mixtures of five to nine inorganics. The exposures were conducted in reconstituted water representative of the San Juan River near Shiprock, New Mexico. The mixtures simulated environmental ratios reported for sites along the San Juan River (San Juan River backwater, Fruitland marsh, Hogback East Drain, Mancos River, and McElmo Creek). The rank order of the individual inorganics, from most to least toxic, was: copper > zinc > vanadium > selenite > selenate > arsenate > uranium > boron > molybdenum. All five mixtures exhibited additive toxicity to flannelmouth sucker. In a limited number of tests, 44-day-old and 13-day-old larvae exhibited no difference in sensitivity to three mixtures. Copper was the major toxic component in four mixtures (San Juan backwater, Hogback East Drain, Mancos River, and McElmo Creek), whereas zinc was the major toxic component in the Fruitland marsh mixture, which did not contain copper. The Hogback East Drain was the most toxic mixture tested. Comparison of 96-h LC50values with reported environmental water concentrations from the San Juan River revealed low hazard ratios for arsenic, boron, molybdenum, selenate, selenite, uranium, and vanadium, moderate hazard ratios for zinc and the Fruitland marsh mixture, and high hazard ratios for copper at three sites and four environmental mixtures representing a San Juan backwater, Hogback East Drain, Mancos River, and McElmo Creek. The high hazard ratios suggest that inorganic contaminants could adversely affect larval flannelmouth sucker in the San Juan River at four sites receiving elevated inorganics.

  15. Phytoplankton distribution in Cochin backwaters - a seasonal study

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Jayalakshmy, K.V.; Kumaran, S.; Vijayan, M.

    's measure of equitability which was used to find species diversity, indicated that sample community has a species diversity "appropriate" to a community of only 40%, 20% & 27% of the species actually observed in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd station respectively....

  16. Some aspects of prawn ecology in Cochin backwaters

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Paulinose, V.T.; Balasubramanian, T.; Aravindakshan, P.N.; Menon, P.G.; Kutty, M.K.

    and nutrients especially phosphorus. Primary production during the premonsoon months was considerably lower than during the monsoon months, chlorophyll a values often being less than 20 mu g/l whereas the monsoon values were as high as 300 mu g/l in Pond 2...

  17. Population dynamics of estuarine amphipods in Cochin backwaters

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Nair, K.K.C.; Gopalakrishnan, T.C.; Venugopal, P.; Peter, G.; Jayalakshmy, K.V.; Rao, T.S.S.

    is the most widespread species inhabiting all stations with maximum numerical abundance. The coefficient of correlation of different groups with temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, C/N ratio and phosphorus revealed that representatives of the families...

  18. 76 FR 73537 - Proposed Flood Elevation Determinations

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-11-29

    ... Hollow Lane. Ivy Branch (backwater effects from At the downstream side None +683 City of Chelsea, North.... Approximately 469 feet None +683 upstream of County Road 280 (Old Highway 280). Lee Branch Approximately 884... of Shelby County. Approximately 350 feet None +608 upstream of Hugh Daniel Drive. Lee Brook At the...

  19. Untitled

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    . 60-70%. Mullets w 11%. Pearl spot 10%. Catfish A 4 9%. Others v. 1%. For the entire Kerala backwaters the composition of the local catch in 1970 was. 14,000 to 17,000 tons of fish, 88,000 tons of claims and 1,70,000 tons of molluscan shells.

  20. Economic impacts of avian influenza outbreaks in Kerala, India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Govindaraj, G; Sridevi, R; Nandakumar, S N; Vineet, R; Rajeev, P; Binu, M K; Balamurugan, V; Rahman, H

    2018-04-01

    This study assessed the short-run impact to poultry farmers, duck hatcheries, control costs, compensation paid to stakeholders (transfer payments) and market reactions on own and substitute product prices and backwater tourism (boat operators) due to avian influenza (AI) outbreaks in Kuttanad region of Kerala, India, during 2014. The primary data from 91 poultry farms (duck farms, broiler chicken and backyard poultry), four hatcheries and 90 backwater boat owners were collected through pre-tested schedules. The secondary data on transfer payments and expenditure incurred to control AI were collected from developmental departments and were analysed. The estimated loss (culling live birds, eggs and feed destruction) per duck farm was USD 9,181, USD 3,889 and USD 156 in case of commercial farms reared for meat, dual-purpose and backyard farms, respectively. The loss incurred by small-scale broiler and backyard poultry farms was USD 453 and USD 40, respectively. The loss incurred by large and small duck hatcheries was USD 11,963 and USD 5,790, respectively, due to culling of hatchlings, young birds and destroying eggs. The government invested USD 744,890 to contain the disease spread through massive culling, surveillance and monitoring of poultry and humans due to zoonotic nature of the disease. A sharp market reaction on own and substitute product prices and eight weeks' time lag in price recovery was observed. The consequential impact on tourism especially for the backwater boat operators amounted to a loss of USD 2,280/boat due to fall in tourist inflow. Since, control measures are post-incidence, it is necessary to adopt appropriate preventive bio-security measures at the farm level besides periodical screening of domestic birds in migratory birds' flyway locations like Kuttanad to reduce the AI burden on various stakeholders including government. © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  1. Upstream effects of dams on alluvial channels: state-of-the-art and future challenges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liro, Maciej

    2017-04-01

    More than 50,000 large dams (with the height above 15 m) operate all over the world and, thus, they significantly disturb water and sediment transport in river systems. These disturbances are recognized as one of the most important factors shaping river morphology in the Anthropocene. Downstream effects of dams have been well documented in numerous case studies and supported by predictions from existing models. In contrast, little is known on the upstream effects of dams on alluvial channels. This review highlights the lack of studies on sedimentological, hydromorphological and biogeomorphological adjustments of alluvial rivers in the base-level raised zones of backwater upstream of dam reservoirs where water level fluctuations occur. Up to date, it has been documented that backwater effects may facilitate fine and coarse sediment deposition, increase groundwater level, provide higher and more frequent channel and floodplain inundation and lead to significant morphological changes. But there have been no studies quantifying short- and long-term consequences of these disturbances for the hydromorphological and biogeomorphological feedbacks that control development of alluvial channels. Some recent studies carried out on gravel-bed and fine-grained bed rivers show that the above mentioned disturbances facilitate vegetation expansion on exposed channel sediments and floodplain influencing river morphology, which suggests that backwater area of alluvial rivers may be treated as the hotspot of bio-geomorphological changes in a fluvial system. To set the stage for future research on upstream effects of dams, this work presents the existing state-of-art and proposes some hypotheses which may be tested in future studies. This study was carried out within the scope of the Research Project 2015/19/N/ST10/01526 financed by the National Science Centre of Poland

  2. Baseline surveys of Lac Bay benthic and fish communities, Bonaire

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Debrot, A.O.; Hylkema, A.; Vogelaar, W.; Meesters, H.W.G.; Engel, M.S.; Leon, R.; Prud'homme van Reine, W.F.; Nagelkerken, I.

    2012-01-01

    Lac Bay is a clear-water, 5 m deep shallow tropical lagoon of 7 km2 opening onto the wave and wind exposed east coast of the island of Bonaire, southern Caribbean. Over the last decades land reclamation by mangroves in Lac has been expanding the surface of turbid, saline backwaters into the bay at

  3. Hainan - State, Society, and Business in a Chinese Province

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brødsgaard, Kjeld Erik

    This book examines the complex relationship between the state, society and business in China, focusing on the experience of the island province of Hainan. This island, for many years a provincial backwater, was given provincial rank in 1988 and became the testing ground for experiments of an econ......This book examines the complex relationship between the state, society and business in China, focusing on the experience of the island province of Hainan. This island, for many years a provincial backwater, was given provincial rank in 1988 and became the testing ground for experiments...... of an economic, political, and social nature that have received great attention from Beijing, in particular the "small government, big society" project. This book provides a full account of this transition, showing how Hainan casts important light on a number of highly topical issues in contemporary China...... studies: central-local relations, institutional reform, state-society relations, and economic development strategies. It provides detailed evidence of how relations between party cadres, state bureaucrats, businesses, foreign investors and civil society play out in practice in China today. It argues...

  4. Hydraulic survey and scour assessment of Bridge 524, Tanana River at Big Delta, Alaska

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heinrichs, Thomas A.; Langley, Dustin E.; Burrows, Robert L.; Conaway, Jeffrey S.

    2007-01-01

    Bathymetric and hydraulic data were collected August 26–28, 1996, on the Tanana River at Big Delta, Alaska, at the Richardson Highway bridge and Trans-Alaska Pipeline crossing. Erosion along the right (north) bank of the river between the bridge and the pipeline crossing prompted the data collection. A water-surface profile hydraulic model for the 100- and 500-year recurrence-interval floods was developed using surveyed information. The Delta River enters the Tanana immediately downstream of the highway bridge, causing backwater that extends upstream of the bridge. Four scenarios were considered to simulate the influence of the backwater on flow through the bridge. Contraction and pier scour were computed from model results. Computed values of pier scour were large, but the scour during a flood may actually be less because of mitigating factors. No bank erosion was observed at the time of the survey, a low-flow period. Erosion is likely to occur during intermediate or high flows, but the actual erosion processes are unknown at this time.

  5. Ecology of the coexisting copepod species in Cochin backwaters

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Madhupratap, M.

    of the high saline species. The degree of ecological differentiation between them was not very clear. Probably the peculiarities of the estuarine system allowed them to survive as competitors, since it is conceivable that the competing species expand...

  6. A Study of Sedimentation at the River Estuary on the Change of Reservoir Storage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iskahar

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Estuary of the river that leads to the reservoir has characteristics include: relatively flat, there is a change in the increase of wet cross-sectional area and backwater. The backwater will cause the flow velocity to be reduced, so that the grains of sediment with a certain diameter carried by the flow will settle in the estuary of the river. The purpose of this research is to know the distribution and sedimentation pattern at the river estuary that leads to the reservoir with the change of water level in the reservoir storage, so the solution can be found to remove / reduce sediment before entering the reservoir. The method used is the experimental, by making the physical model of the river estuary leading to the reservoir. This study expects a solution to reduce sedimentation, so that sedimentation can be removed / minimized before entering the reservoir. This research tries to apply bypass channel to reduce the sedimentation at the river estuary. Bypass channels can be applied to overcome sedimentation at the river estuary, but in order for the sediment to be removed optimally, it is necessary to modify the mouth of bypass channel and channel angle.

  7. Accumulation of heavy metals in sediments of marine environments along the southwest coast of India

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Manjunatha, B.R.; Yeats, P.A.; Smith, J.N.; Shankar, R.; Narayana, A.C.; Prakash, T.N.

    1999-01-01

    In order to estimate the rate of excessive sediment accumulation that causes navigational problems and the impacts of urban and industrial development on sediment quality, concentrations of Cu, Ni, Zn, Cr, Mn, Fe and Ca, and radioactivity levels of 210 Pb and 137 Cs have been measured in nineteen sediment cores from estuarine, lagoonal, marsh, backwater and inner shelf areas along the southwest coast of India. Sediment accumulation rates in estuarine, lagoonal, marshy areas of the Karnataka coast (ELMKC) and Cochin Backwaters (CBw) are three to six times higher than those in the adjacent inner shelf areas, consistent with the deposition of terrigenous sediments in the river-sea interaction zones. Hydrogen sulphide was detected in most of the samples; sediment colour varied from shades of gray to dark green. Sediments have lower elemental concentrations and element enrichment factors (EFs) particularly for redox sensitive elements such as Mn due to prevalence of reducing conditions in the sedimentary column. Sediments of ELMKC and CBw have a predominantly terrigenous source. They contain low Ca contents, characteristic of tropical river sediments. In contrast, a higher Ca content of inner shelf sediments off both Karnataka State (ISKS-1) and Kerala State (ISKS-2) implies the importance of additional sediment (CaCO 3 ) flux from the marine biota. Measured Cu, Ni and Zn concentrations are generally low, perhaps reflecting the pristine nature of sediments. However, higher concentrations of Cr at all stations and of Zn at CBw indicate the input of Cr enriched minerals like amphibole and pyroxene from the catchment as well as Zn from anthropogenic sources. Heavy metal accumulation rates are high in estuarine, lagoonal, marsh and backwater areas along the southwest coast of India. This is not only due to the proximity of sources, but also due to high sediment accumulation rates because of the reduction of river flow in river-sea interaction zones owing to particle

  8. Integrating Interdisciplinary Studies Across a Range of Spatiotemporal Scales for the Design of Effective Flood Mitigation and Habitat Restoration Strategies, Green Valley Creek, California

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kobor, J. S.; O'Connor, M. D.; Sherwood, M. N.

    2014-12-01

    Green Valley Creek provides some of the most critical habitat for endangered coho salmon in the Russian River Watershed. Extensive changes in land-use over the past century have resulted in a dynamic system characterized by ongoing incision in the upper watershed and deposition and increased flood risk in the lower watershed. Effective management requires a watershed-scale understanding of the underlying controls on sediment erosion and transport as well as site-specific studies to understand local habitat conditions and flood dynamics. Here we combine an evaluation of historical changes in watershed conditions with a regional sediment source assessment and detailed numerical hydraulic and sediment transport models to find a sustainable solution to a chronic flooding problem at the Green Valley Road bridge crossing. Ongoing bank erosion in the upper watershed has been identified as the primary source of coarse sediment being deposited in the rapidly aggrading flood-prone reach upstream of the bridge. Efforts at bank stabilization are part of the overall strategy, however elevated sediment loads can be expected to continue in the near-term. The cessation of historical vegetation removal and maintenance dredging has resulted in a substantial increase in channel roughness as riparian cover has expanded. A positive feedback loop has been developed whereby increased vegetation roughness reduces sediment transport capacity, inducing additional deposition, and providing fresh sediment for continued vegetation recruitment. Our analysis revealed that traditional engineering approaches are ineffective. Dredging is not viable owning to the habitat impacts and short timeframes over which the dredged channel would be maintained. Roadway elevation results in a strong backwater effect increasing flood risk upstream. Initial efforts at designing a bypass channel also proved ineffective due to backwater effects below the bridge. The only viable solution involved reducing the

  9. Upper Mississippi River Land Use Allocation Plan. Master Plan for Public Use Development and Resource Management. Parts 1 and 2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1983-09-01

    most common understo wood nettle , poison ivy, wild grape, Dominant overstory species in better-di BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES are American elm, silver maple...aquatic vegetation associated with er of commonness. The most backwater areas are examples of such low-capability es are woodbine, wood nettle , class...and of aquatic invertebrates. Benthic organisms, partic- River) in the river’s side chani ularly aquatic insects and freshwater mussels, are border

  10. Archaeological Reconnaissance of the Lower Ohio River Navigation Area, Illinois and Kentucky

    Science.gov (United States)

    1981-01-01

    Pulaski Counties, Illinois. O.L. Baskins and Company, Historical Publishers: Chicago, IL. Robbins , Chandles S., Bertel Brunn, and Herbert S. Zim 196b...woodpecker (Campephllus principalis) ( Robbins et^ al . 1966). Faunal resources available from the Ohio River, the levee flank lakes, and the backwater...the area, occasional raids occurred (Müller and Davy 1977:31). These Indian raids were often bloody and cruel ( Baskin 1883:536-537) as rage and

  11. Attraction to and Avoidance of instream Hydrokinetic Turbines by Freshwater Aquatic Organisms

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cada, Glenn F [ORNL; Bevelhimer, Mark S [ORNL

    2011-05-01

    The development of hydrokinetic (HK) energy projects is under consideration at over 150 sites in large rivers in the United States, including the Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee, and Atchafalaya Rivers. These waterbodies support numerous fish species that might interact with the HK projects in a variety of ways, e.g., by attraction to or avoidance of project structures. Although many fish species inhabit these rivers (about 172 species in the Mississippi River alone), not all of them will encounter the HK projects. Some species prefer low-velocity, backwater habitats rather than the high-velocity, main channel areas that would be the best sites for HK. Other, riverbank-oriented species are weak swimmers or too small to inhabit the main channel for significant periods of time. Some larger, main channel fish species are not known to be attracted to structures. Based on a consideration of habitat preferences, size/swim speed, and behavior, fish species that are most likely to be attracted to HK structures in the main channel include carps, suckers, catfish, white bass, striped bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, and sauger. Proper siting of the project in order to avoid sensitive fish populations, backwater and fish nursery habitat areas, and fish migration corridors will likely minimize concerns about fish attraction to or avoidance of HK structures.

  12. Nitrogen Processing Efficiency of an Upper Mississippi River Backwater Lake

    Science.gov (United States)

    2006-08-01

    with denitrification accounting for ~32 percent. By subtraction, assimilation (bacteria, periphyton , phytoplankton , and macrophyte uptake) must...later release and processing or transport. Phytoplankton and periphyton can assimilate considerable nitrate for growth in the absence of ammonia in...over the relatively short period of this study. As with phytoplankton and periphyton biomass, the macrophyte N pool is subject to N transformation

  13. The biology of Nausitora hedleyi (Schepman) in the Cochin backwaters

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Nair, N.B.; Saraswathy, M.

    between 33.63 ppt and 0.65 ppt. The reactions and nature of activity of N. hedleyi in different salinities are described, the lethal salinity determined and the effects of gradual acclimatisation ascertained. The most suitable salinity range for the early...

  14. Particulate trace metals in Cochin backwaters: Distribution of seasonal indices

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Sankaranarayanan, V.N.; Jayalakshmy, K.V.; Joseph, T.

    that surface distribution pattern of the trace metal concentration of cobalt, nickel and iron was almost similar at the four stations thereby stressing the fact that seasonal fluctuations contributed a major part in the surface distribution of these metals...

  15. Marine actinobacteria showing phosphate-solubilizing efficiency in Chorao Island, Goa, India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Dastager, S.G.; Damare, S.R.

    . 2005, Isolation and characterization of phosphate solubilizing bacteria from the rhizosphere of crop plants of Korea. Soil Biology & Biochemistry. 37, 1970–1974. 6. Collins C.H., Lyne P.M., 1980, Microbiological methods. London: Butterworth and Co..., Studies on phosphobacteriain Cochin Backwater. J. Mar. Biolog Associ. India. 29, 297–305. 21. Ramachandran K., Srinivasan V., Hamza S., Anandaraj M., 2007, Phosphate solubilizing bacteria isolated from the rhizosphere soil and its growth promotion...

  16. Tourism Marketing: A Service Marketing perspective

    OpenAIRE

    Kannan, Srinivasan

    2009-01-01

    Tourism is a service sector which earns a substantial foreign exchange to developing countries. In India, Kerala is one of the important destination for the international tourists with its unique nature beauty with backwaters, mountains and beaches. To make the tourism a great success one has to take advantage of the modern technology to full extent. Present paper is an attempt to market tourism by adapting the service marketing approach for achieving great success.

  17. THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF TOURISM AND ITS IMPACT ON THE LIVELIHOOD IN SOUTH ASIA : Case Rangamati, Bangladesh

    OpenAIRE

    Rhaman, M Rezaur

    2016-01-01

    South Asia offers the world’s best places for vacations and chilling out. From beautiful beaches to incredible hill stations, fabulous backwaters, intricately carved temples and gorgeous heritage and culture but the situation of practicing tourism is not fully satisfied. The aim of this thesis was to identify the social and economic impacts of tourism on the livelihood and describe the ways to the development of tourism in Bangladesh and south Asian countries. This thesis also evaluated the p...

  18. Seasonal distribution and abundance of Ohio River fishes at the J.M. Stuart Electric Generating Station

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoder, C.O.; Gammon, J.R.

    1976-01-01

    Distributions of Ohio River fishes were studied in the vicinity of a 2400-Mw coal-fired electric generating plant. Three thermally elevated zones, two ambient river zones, and a backwater zone were sampled intensively from June 1974 through February 1975 following the completion of all four units of the power plant. Less intensive collections were made preceding and during construction from 1970 to 1973. Overall variations in water temperature in 1974 to 1975 ranged from 6 to 40 0 C in the heated zones, 4 to 30 0 C in the ambient river zones, and 5 to 27 0 C in the backwater zone. Seasonal and spatial differences in abundance, diversity, and faunal associations were largely influenced by temperature. Notable changes in species populations from 1970 to 1975 were observed which were attributed to power-plant operation. Although seasonal definitions in terms of summer, fall, and winter were generally used, they were of very limited value, as demonstrated by annual fluctuations in community parameters. Apparently near-freezing temperatures in the ambient river zones, as well as high summer temperatures in the effluent canal, limit the time fish can spend in these areas and force them to seek more hospitable temperatures. This suggests that there are critical winter as well as summer months, with spring/fall transitional periods in between in the vicinity of thermal effluents

  19. Summer monsoon onset-induced changes of autotrophic pico- and nanoplankton in the largest monsoonal estuary along the west coast of India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Mohan, A.P.; Jyothibabu, R; Jagadeesan, L.; Lallu, K.R; Karnan, C.

    to the microbial food web of the northwestern Indian Ocean.Deep sea research part II. 40: 773–782. Callieri, C., E. Amicucci, R. Bertoni, and L. Voros. 1996. Fluorometric characterization of two picocyanobacteria strains from different underwater light quality.... 2014. Waning of plankton food web in the upstream region of the Cochin backwaters during the Southwest Monsoon. Indian Journal of Marine Sciences (In Press). Jyothibabu, R., N. V. Madhu, L. Jagadeesan, A. Anjusha, A. P. Mohan , N.Ullas, N. Sudheesh...

  20. Communities and coexistence of benthos in northern limb of Cochin Backwaters

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Devi, K.S.; Jayalakshmy, K.V.; Venugopal, P.

    be considered as a pollution resistant species. Lycastis indica, Paraheteromastus tenuis, Telehspia annandalei, chironimid larvae and Pendora flexousa present at st 8, even though in very low numbers, can be treated as pollution tolerant species. The number...

  1. Restoration of a river backwater and its influence on fish assemblage

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Hohausová, Eva; Jurajda, Pavel

    2005-01-01

    Roč. 50, č. 10 (2005), s. 473-482 ISSN 1212-1819 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA206/93/0734; GA ČR(CZ) GA206/97/0162; GA AV ČR(CZ) IAA6087503 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60170517 Keywords : rehabilitation and restoration * long-term monitoring * colonisation Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour Impact factor: 0.254, year: 2005 http://www.cazv.cz/attachments/CJAS_50_473_482.pdf

  2. HEC-RAS 2.2 for backwater and scour analysis - phase one

    Science.gov (United States)

    2000-09-01

    The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) and most bridge consultants in Kansas have been using the DOS-WSPRO program and the KDOT scour spreadsheets to perform bridge hydraulics and scour analysis for the past several years. Unfortunately, DOS-...

  3. Anomalous behaviour of uranium isotopes in backwater sediments of Zuari river

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Joshi, L.U; Zingde, M.D.; Abidi, S

    The surface leaching of the labile component of uranium has been carried out in estuarine sediments of Zuari River in Goa, India The measurements of alpha activities of sup(238) U, sup(235) U and sup(234) U in the leachates indicated a remarkable...

  4. Nutrient biogeochemistry of the eastern Arabian Sea during the southwest monsoon retreat

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    George, R; Muraleedharan, K.R; Martin, G.D.; Sabu, P.; Gerson, V.J.; Dineshkumar, P.K.; Nair, S.M.; Chandramohanakumar, N.; Nair, K.K.C.

    and adjoining southeastern Arabian Sea. Curr Sci 96:364–375 Jyothibabu R, Madhu NV, Jayalakshmi KV, Balachandran KK, Shiyas CA, Martin GD, Nair KKC (2006) Impact of freshwater influx on microzooplankton mediated food web in a tropical estuary (Cochin backwaters... ARTICLE Nutrient biogeochemistry of the eastern Arabian Sea during the southwest monsoon retreat Rejomon George • K. R. Muraleedharan • G. D. Martin • P. Sabu • Vijay John Gerson • P. K. Dineshkumar • S. M. Nair • N. Chandramohanakumar • K. K. C. Nair...

  5. Analysis of Hydraulic Flood Control Structure at Putat Boro River

    OpenAIRE

    Ruzziyatno, Ruhban

    2015-01-01

    Putat Boro River is one of the main drainage systems of Surakarta city which drains into Bengawan Solo river. The primary problem when flood occur is the higher water level of Bengawan Solo than Boro River and then backwater occur and inundates Putat Boro River. The objective of the study is to obtain operational method of Putat Boro River floodgate to control both inflows and outflows not only during flood but also normal condition. It also aims to know the Putat Boro rivers floodgate op...

  6. COMPEREHENSIVE TECHNICAL STUDIES OF FLOOD CONTROL OVER SOLO CITY AREA (CASE STUDY IN DEMANGAN BARRAGE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Trusharyanto

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available City of Surakarta, known as Solo City is one of cities in Central Java Province traversed by Bengawan Solo River. Heavy rainfall in upstream area of Bengawan Solo River causes increase in high water level at downstream. Bengawan Solo River will be higher than water level in drainage system which may induce a backwater flow. Since Colonization era, the government has built dikes and barrages against backwater flow and inundation problem. One of the barrages was Demangan Barrage dividing river flow into Bengawan Solo River and Pepe River. It was equipped with total capacity pump of 12,3 m3/s. The inundation is not only caused by the backwater flow coming from Bengawan Solo River, but also surface runoff as the result of the excess rainfall which cannot be drained gravitationally to the main river if the gate was closed. Therefore, comprehensive study combining hydrology and hydraulics analysis is highly needed in order to achieve more effective flood control management. Hydrology analysis was done to estimate the direct runoff hydrograph from catchment area in Solo City to downstream of Pepe River. While in hydraulics case, hydraulic parameter in downstream of Pepe River influenced by Bengawan Solo River stream was analyzed. Both studies were simulated using software HEC-RAS 4.1.0 version. The simulation considered drainage channel, gate, pump system and dike in Pepe River downstream. Simulation using 10 years of return period in Solo City and average annual water level in Bengawan Solo River showed that Pepe River can flow through the gate, while the highest water level is still below the dike. Simulation considering 10 years of return period, water level hydrograph of Bengawan Solo River, existing pump, and gate operation inferred that Pepe River surpassed top of dike. Capacity of required pump should be more than 168,3 m3/s in order to pass 10 years of return period. By combining operational of existing pump and dike elevated up to +87,63 m

  7. Morphodynamics of the Final 500 Kilometers of the Mississippi River

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, B.; Xu, Y. J.

    2017-12-01

    Channel dynamics of alluvial rivers in their lower reaches can strongly influence deltaic development. In this study, we analyzed over 6,000 single-beam cross-sectional measurements surveyed in 1992, 2004, and 2013 in the last 500-km reach of the highly engineered Mississippi River, a.k.a. the lowermost Mississippi River (LmMR), starting from the river's Gulf outlet to its avulsion into the Atchafalaya River. We applied Inverse Distance Weighted interpolation to downscale the survey records into 10 x 10 m Digital Elevation Models. We assessed riverbed deformation from bank to bank and quantified georeferenced changes in riverbed sediment volume and mass. We intended to test the hypothesis that the lower reach of a large alluvial river can function as a conduit for sediment transport under the current engineering focus of navigation safety and flood control. Our analysis shows that in the past two decades, nearly 70% of the riverine sand is trapped within the LmMR, and that continuous riverbed aggradation occurred below the Mississippi-Atchafalaya diversion, presenting favorable backwater conditions for avulsion. Backwater effects have mainly controlled riverbed deformation in the LmMR, while flow reduction may have also contributed to channel aggradation in the uppermost and lowermost reaches. The study reveals the considerable complexity of geomorphic responses of a large alluvial river to human interventions, strongly suggesting that future river engineering and management need also to focus on strategies that will improve sediment transport to the downstream river delta.

  8. The Graded Alluvial River: Variable Flow and the Dominant Discharge

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blom, A.; Arkesteijn, L.; Viparelli, E.

    2016-12-01

    We derive analytical formulations for the graded or equilibrium longitudinal profile of a mixed-sediment alluvial river under variable flow. The formulations are applicable to reaches upstream from the backwater zone. The model is based on the conservation equations for the mass of two distinct sediment modes, sand and gravel, at the bed surface to account for the effects of grain size selective transport and abrasion of gravel particles. The effects of a variable flow rate are included by (a) treating the flow as a continuously changing yet steady water discharge (i.e. here termed an alternating steady discharge) and (b) assuming the time scale of changes in channel slope and bed surface texture to be much larger than the one of changes in flow rate. The equations are simplified realizing that at equilibrium the river profile finds itself in a dynamic steady state with oscillations around constant mean values of channel slope and bed surface texture. A generalized sediment transport relation representing the stochastic nature of sediment transport allows for explicit or analytical solutions to the streamwise decrease of both the channel slope and the bed surface mean grain size under variable flow for reaches unaffected by backwater effects. This modelling approach also provides a definition of a channel-forming or dominant water discharge, i.e., that steady water discharge that is equivalent in its effect on the equilibrium channel slope to the full hydrograph.

  9. Kinetic speciation of mercury–humate complexes in aqueous solutions by using competing ligand exchange method

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Vudamala, K.; Chakraborty, P.

    with ultrapure water (of resistivity 18.2 MΩ cm-1) acidified to contain 1 % (v/v) ultrapure HNO3 (Merck, Germany). Stock solutions of humic acid (HA) was prepared using HA from Fluka (commercialized by Sigma-Aldrich, cat. No. 53680, Sigma-Aldrich, Inc... river emptying into Cochin backwaters, Indian J. Mar. Sci. 15 (1986) 253–259. http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=8219806 (accessed September 4, 2015). [25] P.K. Krishnakumar, V.K. Pillai, Mercury Near a Caustic Soda plant at karwar,India, Mar...

  10. Sedimentation in Lake Onalaska, Navigation Pool 7, upper Mississippi River, since impoundment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Korschgen, C.E.; Jackson, G.A.; Muessig, L.F.; Southworth, D.C.

    1987-01-01

    Sediment accumulation was evaluated in Lake Onalaska, a 2800-ha backwater impoundment on the Upper Mississippi River. Computer programs were used to process fathometric charts and generate an extensive data set on water depth for the lake. Comparison of 1983 survey data with pre-impoundment (before 1937) data showed that Lake Onalaska had lost less than 10 percent of its original mean depth in the 46 years since impoundment. Previous estimates of sedimentation rates based on Cesium-137 sediment core analysis appear to have been too high. (DBO)

  11. Activity of soil fungi of Mangalvan, the mangrove ecosystem of Cochin backwater

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Prabhakaran, N.; Gupta, R.

    stream_size 6504 stream_content_type text/plain stream_name Fish_Technol_27_157.pdf.txt stream_source_info Fish_Technol_27_157.pdf.txt Content-Encoding UTF-8 Content-Type text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Activity of Soil Fungi..., although it is presumably similar to that of other forest and swamp ecosystems (Findlay et at, 1986). This paper presents the results of the screening of fungal flora of the soil for production of degradative exoenzymes which play an important role...

  12. Tidal cycle and the environmental features of Cochin backwater (a tropical estuary)

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Qasim, S.Z.; Gopinathan, C.K.

    . The magnitudes of variation are not consistent and largely depend upon the time of the year. Diurnal changes in dissolved oxygen followed the course of daily sunlight intensity. Gross primary production gave a similar day and night cycle. Because of high...

  13. Estuarine characteristics of the lower reaches of the River Periyar (Cochin backwater)

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Sankaranarayanan, V.N.; Varma, P.U.; Balachandran, K.K.; Pylee, A.; Joseph, T.

    Lower reaches of river Periyar were studied to assess longitudinal extent of salt water intrusion into the system during different seasons and also its effect on the flushing of pollutants introduced by the industries. During SW monsoon season due...

  14. Amplified Msf tides at Kochi backwaters on the southwest coast of India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Joseph, A.; Balachandran, K.K.; Mehra, P.; Desai, R.G.P.; VijayKumar, K.; Agarvadekar, Y.; Revichandran, C.; Dabholkar, N.

    represents depth. well represents the features of tidal motion at a place. The harmonic analysis of tidal observations consists essen- tially in the dissection of the aggregate tidal oscillations into a number of partial constituent waves. The tidal con... on the tidal motion experienced at that location. From this, it is possible to determine the amplitude and phase (known as ‘tidal con- stants’) of each tidal constituent (i.e. partial tide). These constants remain unaltered as long as the geometry...

  15. Variations in zooplankton density in the Cochin backwater consequent to environmental changes

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Stephen, R.

    stream_size 2 stream_content_type text/plain stream_name Proc_Kerala_Sci_Cong_1991_57.pdf.txt stream_source_info Proc_Kerala_Sci_Cong_1991_57.pdf.txt Content-Encoding ISO-8859-1 Content-Type text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 ...

  16. Recommended Determination of Region IV Concerning the Yazoo Backwater Area Pumps Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    This document explains the basis for EPA Region IV’s recommendation to prohibit the specification of certain waters of the United States as a discharge site for dredge site for dredged or fill material.

  17. Atypical behaviour of dissolved silicate in the Cochin backwater and Periyar river

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Sankaranarayanan, V.N.; Joseph, T.; Jayalakshmy, K.V.; Balachandran, K.K.

    was fitted and it gave a good fit at 5% level (P 0.05). The expected removal of silicate at salinity range 0-5 and 5-35 x 10/3 given by linear relationship was 28.8 and 51.1% respectively. In 5-20 and 20-30 x 10/3 salinity the expected removal as given...

  18. Relationship of weed shiner and young-of-year bluegill and largemouth bass abundance to submersed aquatic vegetation in Navigation Pools 4, 8, and 13 of the Upper Mississippi River, 1998-2012

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeLain, Steven A.; Popp, Walter A.

    2014-01-01

    Aquatic vegetation provides food resources and shelter for many species of fish. This study found a significant relationship between increases in submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV) in four study reaches of the Upper Mississippi River (UMR) and increases in catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) of weed shiners (Notropis texanus) and age-0 bluegills (Lepomis macrochirus) and largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) when all of the study reaches were treated collectively using Long Term Resource Monitoring Program (LTRMP) vegetation and fish data for 1998–2012. The selected fishes were more abundant in study reaches with higher SAV frequencies (Pool 8 and Lower Pool 4) and less abundant in reaches with lower SAV frequencies (Pool 13 and Upper Pool 4). When each study reach was examined independently, the relationship between SAV frequency and CPUE of the three species was not significant in most cases, the primary exception being weed shiners in Lower Pool 4. Results of this study indicate that the prevalence of SAV does affect relative abundance of these vegetation-associated fish species. However, the poor annual relationship between SAV frequency and age-0 relative abundance in individual study reaches indicates that several other factors also govern age-0 abundance. The data indicate that there may be a SAV frequency threshold in backwaters above which there is not a strong relationship with abundance of these fish species. This is indicated by the high annual CPUE variability of the three selected fishes in backwaters of Pool 8 and Lower Pool 4 when SAV exceeded certain frequencies.

  19. Numerical modelling of admixture transport in a turbulent flow at river confluence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lyubimova, T; Parshakova, Ya; Konovalov, V; Shumilova, N; Lepikhin, A; Tiunov, A

    2013-01-01

    The paper is concerned with the development of the hydrodynamic model of the Chusovskoy water intake located in the confluence zone of two rivers with essentially different hydrochemical regimes and in the backwater zone of the Kamskaya hydroelectric power station. The proposed model is used for numerical simulation in the framework of two-and three-dimensional approaches for the annual average, minimal and maximal values of the water flow rates in two rivers. The data for water mineralization in the water intake zone have been obtained. The recommendations for optimization of the water intake structure have been formulated.

  20. Three Gorges Reservoir Area: soil erosion under natural condition vs. soil erosion under current land use

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schönbrodt, Sarah; Behrens, Thorsten; Scholten, Thomas

    2010-05-01

    Apparently, the current most prominent human-induced example for large scale environmental impact is the Three Gorges Dam in China. The flooding alongside the Yangtze River, and its tributaries results in a vast loss of settlement and farmland area with productive, fertile valley soils. Due to the associated high land use dynamic on uphill-sites, the soil resources are underlying high land use pressure. Within our study, the soil erosion under natural conditions is compared to the soil erosion under current land use after the impoundment. Both were modeled using the empirical Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) which is able to predict long-term annual soil loss with limited data. The database consists of digital terrain data (45 m resolution DEM, erosive slope length based on Monte-Carlo-Aggregation according to Behrens et al. (2008)), field investigations of recent erosion forms, and literature studies. The natural disposition to soil erosion was calculated considering the USLE factors R, S, and K. The soil erosion under current land use was calculated taking into account all USLE factors. The study area is the catchment of the Xiangxi River in the Three Gorges Reservoir area. Within the Xiangxi Catchment (3,200 km²) the highly dynamic backwater area (580 km²), and two micro-scale study sites (Xiangjiaba with 2.8 km², and Quyuan with 88 km²) are considered more detailed as they are directly affected by the river impoundment. Central features of the Xiangxi Catchment are the subtropical monsoon climate, an extremely steep sloping relief (mean slope angle 39°, SD 22.8°) artificially fractured by farmland terraces, and a high soil erodibility (mean K factor 0.37, SD 0.13). On the catchment scale the natural disposition to soil erosion makes up to mean 518.0 t ha-1 a-1. The maximum potential soil loss of 1,730.1 t ha-1 a-1 under natural conditions is reached in the Quyuan site (mean 635.8 t ha-1 a-1) within the backwater area (mean 582.9 t ha-1 a-1). In the

  1. Floods, Bottlenecks and Backwaters: An Analysis of Expansion in Higher Education in Norway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aamodt, Per O.

    1995-01-01

    Discussion of the pressures for expansion in Norwegian higher education looks at both long-term trends (need for a better-educated workforce and rising level in parents' education) and current demographic, individual, and political forces (a deteriorating labor market, younger students, competition for admission). Whether this situation is unique…

  2. Application of 2-D sediment model to fluctuating backwater area of Yangtze River

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yong Fan

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available Based on the characteristics of backflow, a two-dimensional mathematical model of sediment movement was established. The complexity of the watercourse boundary at the confluence of the main stream and the tributary was dealt with using a boundary-fitting orthogonal coordinate system. The basic equation of the two-dimensional total sediment load model, the numerical calculation format, and key problems associated with using the orthogonal curvilinear coordinate system were discussed. Water and sediment flow in the Chongqing reach of the Yangtze River were simulated. The calculated water level, flow velocity distribution, amount of silting and scouring, and alluvial distribution are found to be in agreement with the measured data, which indicates that the numerical model and calculation method are reasonable. The model can be used for calculation of flow in a relatively complicated river network.

  3. Vulnerability of Cochin Backwaters to meteorological disturbances with special reference to tidal propagation

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Joseph, A.; Balachandran, K.K.; Mehra, P.; Desai, R.G.P.; Dabholkar, N.; Kumar, V.; Revichandran, C.; Agarvadekar, Y.

    to meteorological disturbances has significant implications on its ecological and environmental health. Spectral analysis of tides revealed some of the special features of a complex shallow estuary. As the tide propagates into the interior estuary, it undergoes...

  4. Observed thermohaline structure and cooling of Kochi backwaters and adjoining southeastern Arabian Sea

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Joseph, A.; Mehra, P.; Prabhudesai, R.G.; Sivadas, T.K.; Balachandran, K.K.; Vijaykumar, K.; Revichandran, C.; Agarvadekar, Y.; Francis, R.; Martin, G.D.

    and salinity. The southernmost location was the most sensitive, and the easternmost location the least sensitive to meteorological changes. Thermohaline stratification was greater at the mouth region during monsoon, where a cap of (approx 4 m) low-saline water...

  5. Salinity-induced survival strategy of Vibrio cholerae associated with copepods in Cochin backwaters

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Thomas, K.U.; Joseph, N.; Raveendran, O.; Nair, S.

    ). This communalis- tic and symbiotic relationship enables V. cholerae, to sur- vive in unfavorable environmental conditions (Deborah et al., 2001; Menon et al., 2000). Some strains under certain conditions assume spore like or dormant forms (viable but non...

  6. Solar research in the Third Reich

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seiler, Michael P.

    Within the six years of the Second World War, German solar research succeeded in advancing from a mere provincial backwater to the forefront of this science. This has to be attributed to the joint effort of two very different men: Hans Plendl (1900-1991), a seasoned researcher who was a key figure in devising precision bombing aids for the Luftwaffe and who would eventually become Field Marshal Göring's Plenipotentiary for High Frequency Research before finally falling in disgrace, and Karl-Otto Kiepenheuer (1910-1975), a charismatic young astrophysicist, the son of a renowned publisher whose books were burned when the Nazi party came to power in 1933.

  7. A Combined Approach to Measure Micropollutant Behaviour during Riverbank Filtration

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Driezum, Inge; Saracevic, Ernis; Derx, Julia; Kirschner, Alexander; Sommer, Regina; Farnleitner, Andreas; Blaschke, Alfred Paul

    2016-04-01

    Riverbank filtration (RBF) systems are widely used as natural treatment process. The advantages of RBF over surface water abstraction are the elimination of for example suspended solids, biodegradable compounds (like specific micropollutants), bacteria and viruses (Hiscock and Grischek, 2002). However, in contrast to its importance, remarkably less is known on the respective external (e.g. industrial or municipal sewage) and the internal (e.g. wildlife and agricultural influence) sources of contaminants, the environmental availability and fate of the various hazardous substances, and its potential transport during soil and aquifer passage. The goal of this study is to get an insight in the behaviour of various micropollutants and microbial indicators during riverbank filtration. Field measurements were combined with numerical modelling approaches. The study area comprises an alluvial backwater and floodplain area downstream of Vienna. The river is highly dynamic, with discharges ranging from 900 m3/s during low flow to 11000 m3/s during flood events. Samples were taken in several monitoring wells along a transect extending from the river towards a backwater river in the floodplain. Three of the piezometers were situated in the first 20 meters away from the river in order to obtain information about micropollutant behaviour close to the river. A total of 9 different micropollutants were analysed in grab samples taken under different river flow conditions (n=33). Following enrichment using SPE, analysis was performed using high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Faecal indicators (E. coli and enterococci) and bacterial spores were enumerated in sample volumes of 1 L each using cultivation based methods (ISO 16649-1, ISO 7899-2:2000 and ISO 6222). The analysis showed that some compounds, e.g. ibuprofen and diclofenac, were only found in the river. These compounds were already degraded in the first ten meters away from the river. Analysis of

  8. A combined chemical and biological assessment of industrial contamination in an estuarine system in Kerala, India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dsikowitzky, Larissa; Nordhaus, Inga; Sujatha, C H; Akhil, P S; Soman, Kunjupilai; Schwarzbauer, Jan

    2014-07-01

    The Cochin Backwaters in India are part of the Vembanad-Kol system, which is a protected wetland and one of the largest estuarine ecosystems in South Asia. The backwaters are a major supplier of fisheries resources and are developed as tourist destination. Periyar River discharges into the northern arm of the system and receives effluents from chemical, petrochemical and metal processing industries which release huge amounts of wastewaters after little treatment. We investigated water and sediment contamination in the industrial vicinity and at one station further away including organic and inorganic contaminants. In total 83 organic contaminants were found, e.g. well known priority pollutants such as endosulfan, hexachlorobenzene, DDT, hexachlorocyclohexane and their metabolites, which likely stem from the industrial manufacturing of organochlorine pesticides. Furthermore, several benzothiazole, dibenzylamine and dicyclohexylamine derivatives were detected, which indicated inputs from rubber producing facilities. Several of these compounds have not been reported as environmental contaminants so far. A comparison of organic contaminant and trace hazardous element concentrations in sediments with reported sediment quality guidelines revealed that adverse effects on benthic species are likely at all stations. The chemical assessment was combined with an investigation of macrobenthic diversity and community composition. Benthic organisms were completely lacking at the site with the highest trace hazardous element concentrations. Highest species numbers, diversity indices and abundances were recorded at the station with the greatest distance to the industrial area. Filter feeders were nearly completely lacking, probably leading to an impairment of the filter function in this area. This study shows that a combination of chemical and biological methods is an innovative approach to achieve a comprehensive characterization of industrial contamination, to evaluate

  9. Fish stomach contents in benthic macroinvertebrate assemblage assessments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    TH. Tupinambás

    Full Text Available The choice of sampling gears to assess benthic macroinvertebrate communities depends on environmental characteristics, study objectives, and cost effectiveness. Because of the high foraging capacity and diverse habitats and behaviors of benthophagous fishes, their stomach contents may offer a useful sampling tool in studies of benthic macroinvertebrates, especially in large, deep, fast rivers that are difficult to sample with traditional sediment sampling gear. Our objective was to compare the benthic macroinvertebrate communities sampled from sediments with those sampled from fish stomachs. We collected benthic macroinvertebrates and fish from three different habitat types (backwater, beach, riffle in the wet season, drying season, and dry season along a single reach of the Grande River (Paraná River Basin, southeast Brazil. We sampled sediments through use of a Petersen dredge (total of 216 grabs and used gill nets to sample fish (total of 36 samples. We analyzed the stomach contents of three commonly occurring benthophagous fish species (Eigenmannia virescens, Iheringichthys labrosus, Leporinus amblyrhynchus. Chironomids dominated in both sampling methods. Macroinvertebrate taxonomic composition and abundances from fish stomachs differed from those from sediment samples, but less so from riffles than from backwater and beach habitats. Macroinvertebrate taxa from E. virescens stomachs were more strongly correlated with sediment samples from all three habitats than were those from the other two species. The species accumulation curves and higher mean dispersion values, compared with with sediment samples suggest that E. virescens is more efficient than sediment samples and the other fish studied at collecting benthic taxa. We conclude that by analyzing the stomach contents of benthophagous fishes it is possible to assess important characteristics of benthic communities (dispersion, taxonomic composition and diversity. This is especially true

  10. Acoustic Doppler current profiler applications used in rivers and estuaries by the U.S. Geological Survey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gotvald, Anthony J.; Oberg, Kevin A.

    2009-01-01

    The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has collected streamflow information for the Nation's streams since 1889. Streamflow information is used to predict floods, manage and allocate water resources, design engineering structures, compute water-quality loads, and operate water-control structures. The current (2007) size of the USGS streamgaging network is over 7,400 streamgages nationwide. The USGS has progressively improved the streamgaging program by incorporating new technologies and techniques that streamline data collection while increasing the quality of the streamflow data that are collected. The single greatest change in streamflow measurement technology during the last 100 years has been the development and application of high frequency acoustic instruments for measuring streamflow. One such instrument, the acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP), is rapidly replacing traditional mechanical current meters for streamflow measurement (Muste and others, 2007). For more information on how an ADCP works see Simpson (2001) or visit http://hydroacoustics.usgs.gov/. The USGS has used ADCPs attached to manned or tethered boats since the mid-1990s to measure streamflow in a wide variety of conditions (fig. 1). Recent analyses have shown that ADCP streamflow measurements can be made with similar or greater accuracy, efficiency, and resolution than measurements made using conventional current-meter methods (Oberg and Mueller, 2007). ADCPs also have the ability to measure streamflow in streams where traditional current-meter measurements previously were very difficult or costly to obtain, such as streams affected by backwater or tides. In addition to streamflow measurements, the USGS also uses ADCPs for other hydrologic measurements and applications, such as computing continuous records of streamflow for tidally or backwater affected streams, measuring velocity fields with high spatial and temporal resolution, and estimating suspended-sediment concentrations. An overview

  11. Lattice Boltzmann Study on Seawall-Break Flows under the Influence of Breach and Buildings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mei, Qiu-Ying; Zhang, Wen-Huan; Wang, Yi-Hang; Chen, Wen-Wen

    2017-10-01

    In the process of storm surge, the seawater often overflows and even destroys the seawall. The buildings near the shore are usually inundated by the seawater through the breach. However, at present, there is little study focusing on the effects of buildings and breach on the seawall-break flows. In this paper, the lattice Boltzmann (LB) model with nine velocities in two dimensions (D2Q9) for the shallow water equations is adopted to simulate the seawall-break flows. The flow patterns and water depth distributions for the seawall-break flows under various densities, layouts and shapes of buildings and different breach discharges, sizes and locations are investigated. It is found that when buildings with a high enough density are perpendicular to the main flow direction, an obvious backwater phenomenon appears near buildings while this phenomenon does not occur when buildings with the same density are parallel to the main flow direction. Moreover, it is observed that the occurrence of backwater phenomenon is independent of the building shape. As to the effects of breach on the seawall-break flows, it is found that only when the breach discharge is large enough or the breach size is small enough, the effects of asymmetric distribution of buildings on the seawall-break flows become important. The breach location only changes the flow pattern in the upstream area of the first building that seawater meets, but has little impact on the global water depth distribution. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No. 11502124, the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province under Grant No. LQ16A020001, the Scientific Research Fund of Zhejiang Provincial Education Department under Grant No. Y201533808, the Natural Science Foundation of Ningbo under Grant No. 2016A610075, and is sponsored by K.C. Wong Magna Fund in Ningbo University.

  12. Surgery in remote and rural Scotland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sim, Andrew J W; Grant, Fiona; Ingram, Annie K

    2009-12-01

    Over the past 15 years, rural surgery in Scotland has emerged from the backwaters of the Scottish Health service to a recognized and important part of overall health care provision in Scotland. No longer is the rural surgeon regarded by his city colleague as the eccentric poor relation of the urban specialist. The rural surgeon is now more likely to have the skills and experience necessary for the work that must be done. Training pathways are defined to ensure succession planning. The support of the Scottish Government, Health Boards, and the Royal Colleges has been essential; their continued involvement will ensure safe surgery for those who dwell in the more isolated areas of Scotland.

  13. Description of two new apseudomorphan Tanaidacea (Crustacea: Malacostraca: Peracarida) from the Kochi Backwaters, India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    PandiyaRajan, R.S.; Jyothibabu, R.; Arunpandi, N.; Biju, A.

    the Southwest Monsoon and Post-Southwest Monsoon periods. A total of 109 individuals of P. kochindica and 180 individuals of C. indiana were examined. P. kochindica and C. indiana are distinguished from all the known species of their respective congeners...

  14. Burma: Strategic Backwater or Strategic Fulcrum? U.S. Choices in the Bay of Bengal

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-05-01

    Ne Win’s dictatorship lasted until 1988. Isolation, socialism, ongoing conflict with the hill tribes, and pervasive repression and censorship all...Concern in the regime grew in the 2000s as sanctions mounted and the country’s financial situation worsened. The ruling party extended censorship ...Cooperation, which establishes a free trade area encompassing China, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia , the Philippines, Singapore, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and

  15. Occurrence of fungi in the primary film on glass slides submerged in Cochin backwaters

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Meenakumari, B.; Gupta, R.; Nair

    pseudokoningii Rifas and Phomopsis spp. were found only during the low saline period prevailing in the monsoon season. The presence of fungi in the primary film is of importance in the context of its probable role in the biochemistry of the slime film and also...

  16. 49. and 50. annual meeting of the Civil Defence Commission of the Federal Ministry of the Interior. Proceedings; 49. und 50. Jahrestagung der Schutzkommission beim Bundesminister des Innern. Vortraege

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2003-07-01

    The publication contains the proceedings of the 2000 and 2001 annual meetings. Subjects were: Disaster medicine, public alarm, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, epidemic hygiene and control, therapy of organophosphate poisoning, airborne energy and dose equivalent profiles by microdosimetry, zoning system for floods, backwater, heavy rains, health services, information security in transition, heavy-duty concretes, building and infrastructure protection. [German] Der Band umfasst die Vortraege der Jahrestagungen 2000 und 2001 der Schutzkommission beim Bundesminister des Innern. Die Vortraege beschaeftigten sich mit folgenden Themen: Katastrophenmedizin, Warnung der Bevoelkerung, Proliferation von Massenvernichtungswaffen, Seuchenhygiene und Seuchenbekaempfung, Therapie von Organophosphatvergiftung, Energie- und Aequivalentdosisleistungsprofile mittels Microdosimetrie in Flugzeugen, Zonierungssystem Ueberschwemmung Rueckstau Starkregen, Gesundheitsdienst, Informationssicherheit im Wandel, Hochleistungsbetone, Baulicher Schutz und Schutz von Infrastruktur. (uke)

  17. Synechococcus as an indicator of trophic status in the Cochin backwaters, west coast of India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Rajaneesh, K.M.; Mitbavkar, S.; Anil, A.C.; Sawant, S.S.

    that these organisms can serve as good indicators of the trophic status of the water column. 2. Materials and methods 2.1. Study Area Sampling was carried out in an area within the CB, along the west coast (9o 34’ 48” N, 76o 08’ 24” E) of India (Fig.1... of the estuarine system (Jyothibabu et al., 2006). CB is a very important 4    estuarine system of Kerala in terms of fishing and extensive transportation of goods. It is also used for dumping industrial as well as domestic wastes. It has three dredged channels...

  18. Monsoonal impact on planktonic standing stock and abundance in a tropical estuary (Cochin backwaters - India)

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Madhu, N.V.; Jyothibabu, R; Balachandran, K.K.; Honey, U.K.; Martin, G.D.; Vijay, J.G.; Shiyas, C.A.; Gupta, G.V.M.; Achuthankutty, C.T.

    and post monsoon seasons, but became low during premonsoon season (<5). Hence, it is suggested that during the periods of fresh water dominance, the trophic food web of Cochin estuarine system is characterized by substantial amount of unconsumed carbon...

  19. Impacts of mute swans (Cygnus olor) on submerged aquatic vegetation in Illinois River Valley backwaters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stafford, Joshua D.; Michael W. Eichholz,; Adam C. Phillips,

    2012-01-01

    Wetland loss in North America has been considerable and well documented, and the establishment of exotic species in remaining wetlands can further reduce their ability to support native flora and fauna. In the Chesapeake Bay and Great Lakes ecosystems, exotic mute swans (Cygnus olor) have been found to negatively impact wetlands through degradation of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) communities. Mute swan populations have expanded into many areas of mid-continental North America outside the Great Lakes ecosystem, but the environmental impact of these populations is not well known. Mid-continental wetlands in North America differ in physical characteristics (e.g., size, depth, and permanency) and aquatic vegetation species composition compared to wetlands in other areas where mute swans have been studied and, thus, may be more or less susceptible to degradation from swan herbivory. To investigate the impact of mute swan herbivory on SAV communities in mid-continent wetlands, we used exclosures to prevent swans from foraging in 2 wetland complexes in central Illinois. Above-ground biomass of vegetation did not differ between exclosures and controls; however, mean below-ground biomass was greater in exclosures (52.0 g/m2, SE = 6.0) than in controls (34.4 g/m2 SE = 4.0). Thus, although swan densities were lower in our study region compared to that of previous studies, we observed potentially detrimental impacts of swan herbivory on below-ground biomass of SAV. Our results indicate that both above-ground and below-ground impacts of herbivory should be monitored, and below-ground biomass may be most sensitive to swan foraging.

  20. Ohio River backwater flood-inundation maps for the Saline and Wabash Rivers in southern Illinois

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murphy, Elizabeth A.; Sharpe, Jennifer B.; Soong, David T.

    2012-01-01

    Digital flood-inundation maps for the Saline and Wabash Rivers referenced to elevations on the Ohio River in southern Illinois were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The inundation maps, accessible through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/, depict estimates of the areal extent of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (gage heights) at the USGS streamgage at Ohio River at Old Shawneetown, Illinois-Kentucky (station number 03381700). Current gage height and flow conditions at this USGS streamgage may be obtained on the Internet at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?03381700. In addition, this streamgage is incorporated into the Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) flood warning system (http://water.weather.gov/ahps/) by the National Weather Service (NWS). The NWS forecasts flood hydrographs at many places that are often co-located at USGS streamgages. That NWS forecasted peak-stage information, also shown on the Ohio River at Old Shawneetown inundation Web site, may be used in conjunction with the maps developed in this study to show predicted areas of flood inundation. In this study, eight water-surface elevations were mapped at 5-foot (ft) intervals referenced to the streamgage datum ranging from just above the NWS Action Stage (31 ft) to above the maximum historical gage height (66 ft). The elevations of the water surfaces were compared to a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) by using a Geographic Information System (GIS) in order to delineate the area flooded at each water level. These maps, along with information on the Internet regarding current gage heights from USGS streamgages and forecasted stream stages from the NWS, provide emergency management personnel and residents with information that is critical for flood response activities such as evacuations and road closures, as well as for post-flood recovery efforts.

  1. Summer co-existence of small-sized cyprinid and percid individuals in natural and impounded stretches of a lowland river: food niche partitioning among fishes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lik, J; Dukowska, M; Grzybkowska, M; Leszczyńska, J

    2017-04-01

    Due to changes of discharge regime downstream of a dam reservoir, an alluvial natural stretch of the Warta River changed to a macrophyte-dominated ecosystem. Large patches of submersed, aquatic macrophytes appeared in summer and their effect is analysed in this study. These patches contained enriched macroinvertebrate assemblages (epiphyton and benthos) and they were refuge for both zooplankton and young fishes released from the reservoir. Despite these altered conditions in this stretch, roach Rutilus rutilus, perch Perca fluviatilis and ruffe Gymnocephalus cernua dominated, as they did in the natural backwater. Fishes were sampled every 2 weeks from June to August, together with their food resources to assess the partitioning of the diet among small individuals of the three species in both stretches (the natural and affected ones). The aim of the analysis was to answer how animal food associated with water plants was partitioned between the species. In both stretches, G. cernua were primarily benthivorous, but epiphytic fauna, zooplankton and large-sized benthic chironomid larvae replaced lack of many large, benthic insects in the tailwater. Levins' food breath index decreased from 0·36 in the backwater to 0·29 in the tailwater. An opposite trend was observed for P. fluviatilis occurring among macrophytes. Perca fluviatilis were competitors of R. rutilus and took food not only in or on the river bed, but also in the water column. They ate zooplankton and epiphytic fauna and Levins' index increased from 0·32 to 0·44 in the tailwater. Rutilus rutilus fed on adult insects, algae and plant fragments in the natural stretch. In the tailwater, these food types were chiefly complemented by zooplankton. Despite this, the niche breadth of R. rutilus was similar at the two sites. Abundance of food associated with the macrophytes appeared to facilitate cohabitation in the abundant fish populations, but P. fluviatilis appeared to benefit the most in the altered river

  2. Geomorphic and hydraulic controls on large-scale riverbank failure on a mixed bedrock-alluvial river system, the River Murray, South Australia: a bathymetric analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Carli, E.; Hubble, T.

    2014-12-01

    During the peak of the Millennium Drought (1997-2010) pool-levels in the lower River Murray in South Australia dropped 1.5 metres below sea level, resulting in large-scale mass failure of the alluvial banks. The largest of these failures occurred without signs of prior instability at Long Island Marina whereby a 270 metre length of populated and vegetated riverbank collapsed in a series of rotational failures. Analysis of long-reach bathymetric surveys of the river channel revealed a strong relationship between geomorphic and hydraulic controls on channel width and downstream alluvial failure. As the entrenched channel planform meanders within and encroaches upon its bedrock valley confines the channel width is 'pinched' and decreases by up to half, resulting in a deepening thalweg and channel bed incision. The authors posit that flow and shear velocities increase at these geomorphically controlled 'pinch-points' resulting in complex and variable hydraulic patterns such as erosional scour eddies, which act to scour the toe of the slope over-steepening and destabilising the alluvial margins. Analysis of bathymetric datasets between 2009 and 2014 revealed signs of active incision and erosional scour of the channel bed. This is counter to conceptual models which deem the backwater zone of a river to be one of decelerating flow and thus sediment deposition. Complex and variable flow patterns have been observed in other mixed alluvial-bedrock river systems, and signs of active incision observed in the backwater zone of the Mississippi River, United States. The incision and widening of the lower Murray River suggests the channel is in an erosional phase of channel readjustment which has implications for riverbank collapse on the alluvial margins. The prevention of seawater ingress due to barrage construction at the Murray mouth and Southern Ocean confluence, allowed pool-levels to drop significantly during the Millennium Drought reducing lateral confining support to the

  3. The oil boom in Equatorial Guinea

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Frynas, J.G.

    2004-01-01

    In less than a decade, Equatorial Guinea has transformed itself from an African backwater into one of the world's fastest growing economies and a sought-after political partner in the Gulf of Guinea. The sole reason for this transformation has been the discovery of oil and gas. This article outlines the rise of Equatorial Guinea as one of Africa's leading oil-producing countries and investigates the political, economic and social effects of becoming a petro-state. The article is based on the author's field research in Equatorial Guinea in the autumn of 2003 and interviews with senior oil company staff, government officials and staff of international organizations as well as secondary sources. This research demonstrates how reliance on oil and gas exports can lead to profound changes in a country's political economy. (author)

  4. Environmental conditions of some paddy cum prawn culture fields of Cochin backwaters, southwest coast of India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Nair, K.K.C.; Sankaranarayanan, V.N.; Gopalakrishnan, T.C.; Balasubramanian, T.; Devi, C.B.L.; Aravindakshan, P.N.; Kutty, M.K.

    ecological distortions because of its proximity to the sea. The results indicate that the fields in areas 1 and 3 have environmental conditions highly suited for prawn culture whereas in area 2 the salinity conditions are not very conducive for prawn growth...

  5. Temporal and spatial variations in particulate matter, particulate organic carbon and attenuation coefficient in Cochin Backwaters

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Devi, K.S.

    Nine stations over a stretch of 21 km of Periyar river estuary were sampled during January to December 1981. Particulate matter varied from 3-253 mg.1 super(1) at the surface and 24.8-257mg.1 super(1) at the bottom. Particulate organic carbon ranged...

  6. 'The geriatric hospital felt like a backwater': aspects of older people's nursing in Britain, 1955-1980.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brooks, Jane

    2009-10-01

    The aim of this article is to examine the experiences of ward-level nurses who cared for older people in general hospitals between 1955-1980. There is very little published on the history of older adult nursing and no recent material from the United Kingdom. There are, however, the works of Cecily Hunter in Australia and Erica Roberts in Canada. It is the intention of this study to contribute to this important area of research. This is an oral history project in which 20 nurses who had worked on older adults ward between 1955-1980 were interviewed. All the interviews were taped, transcribed and data-themed. Ethical clearance for the project was obtained from the University Ethics Committee and all participants were anonymised. Many of the nurses found the experience very difficult, though there were exceptions. Several participants had worked on older adults ward during their training and then had never wanted to return. Most described a paucity of resources and longevity of staff on the wards. Using the sociological theory of Erving Goffman, this article introduces a novel method of understanding nursing history, although his ideas have been used in medical history. The value of his theories for this study is in the identification of nurses as being part of the same system as the patients themselves. IMPLICATIONS FOR CONTEMPORARY POLICY, RESEARCH AND/OR PRACTICE: For nurses to care effectively for their patients, nurses themselves must be valued. Subordination and regimentation tend to dehumanise the carers which, in turn, dehumanises the cared for.

  7. Fungal infection in the tiger prawn (Penaeus monodon) and in other crustaceans from the Cochin Backwaters

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Gopalan, U.K.; Meenakshikunjamma, P.P.; Purushan, K.S.

    Infection of the two species of fungi (Phycomycetes) in the tiger prawn (Penaeus monodon) and three species in amphipods (Gammarus sp.) and tanaeidaceans (Apseudes sp.) was observed. Of the two pathogens in the shrimp, Leptolegnia marina produced...

  8. Software sensors based on the grey-box modelling approach

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Carstensen, J.; Harremoës, P.; Strube, Rune

    1996-01-01

    In recent years the grey-box modelling approach has been applied to wastewater transportation and treatment Grey-box models are characterized by the combination of deterministic and stochastic terms to form a model where all the parameters are statistically identifiable from the on......-box model for the specific dynamics is identified. Similarly, an on-line software sensor for detecting the occurrence of backwater phenomena can be developed by comparing the dynamics of a flow measurement with a nearby level measurement. For treatment plants it is found that grey-box models applied to on......-line measurements. With respect to the development of software sensors, the grey-box models possess two important features. Firstly, the on-line measurements can be filtered according to the grey-box model in order to remove noise deriving from the measuring equipment and controlling devices. Secondly, the grey...

  9. Hydraulic modelling at the Piedra del Aguila dam

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bruschin, J

    1985-01-01

    Piedra del Aguila is a major hydroelectric scheme in Argentina. Extensive tests, aimed to help and check the design of the main hydraulic structures, were run for more than two years on five models at scales from 1:20 to 1:130. High priority problems were identified as: the river diversion and closure; spillway capacity, chute flows, hydraulic jump sweepout, jet impact location and flow aeration; bottom outlet free surface flows, aeration, jet impact location and discharge capacity at various impact location and discharge capacity at various reservoir levels during impoundment; erosion-deposition pattern of alluvium and weathered rocks at jet impact locations, back-water effects and their prevention and/or elimination; and, vibration risks of the very large spillway crest taintergates, specifically suppression of air entraining vortices. Much attention is given to the prevention of cavitation. 12 references, 7 figures, 1 table.

  10. Innovative reregulation weirs for dam releases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hauser, G.E.; Shane, R.M.; Niznik, J.A.; Brock, W.G.

    1991-01-01

    In this paper two different reregulation weir designs for dam release improvement are discussed. A porous timber crib is favored for applications where increased minimum flow is needed, and a labyrinth with vertical walls is favored where both minimum flow and aeration are needed. Weirs constructed below hydropower dams can improve minimum flows between generating periods and increase tailwater dissolved oxygen (DO) content during generation. TVA has developed two distinct functional designs: a timber crib weir for minimum flow and a labyrinth weir for minimum flow and aeration. A target minimum flow is sustained by slow drainage of the weir pool between periodic refills. With the labyrinth weir, aeration occurs during generation via overtopping. Both weirs are designed to maximize the value of the tailwater while minimizing backwater on the upstream turbine, unsafe hydraulic conditions, and environmental disturbance

  11. The impact of a tributary that carries high amounts of bed-load on the deposition of sediment downstream of a run-of river plant; Die Auswirkungen eines Geschiebe fuehrenden Zubringers auf die Verlandungssituation im Unterwasser eines Laufkraftwerkes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schneider, Josef; Sindelar, Christine; Feldbacher, Rupert; Knoblauch, Helmut [TU Graz (Austria). Inst. fuer Wasserbau und Wasserwirtschaft

    2011-07-01

    For guaranteeing a sustainable sediment management on a chain of run-of river plants in the Salzach valley in Austria nearly annual flushings have been performed. The sediments that are removed out of the reservoirs tend to deposit immediately downstream of the dams mainly at the outlet of the turbines due to widening or reduced slope. During the physical model tests, which were performed for the hydro power plant St. Veit, it could be observed that the boundary conditions were obviously wrong because in the prototype much more sediment was settled as in the model. A downstream located tributary was found responsible because of its dumping of high amounts of bed load into the river Salzach. This led to a backwater flow respectively reduced shear stresses. Further model tests resulted in a successful solution which mitigates the situation substantially. (orig.)

  12. Hydrologic and hydraulic analyses for the Black Fork Mohican River Basin in and near Shelby, Ohio

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huitger, Carrie A.; Ostheimer, Chad J.; Koltun, G.F.

    2016-05-06

    Hydrologic and hydraulic analyses were done for selected reaches of five streams in and near Shelby, Richland County, Ohio. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District, conducted these analyses on the Black Fork Mohican River and four tributaries: Seltzer Park Creek, Seltzer Park Tributary, Tuby Run, and West Branch. Drainage areas of the four stream reaches studied range from 0.51 to 60.3 square miles. The analyses included estimation of the 10-, 2-, 1-, and 0.2-percent annual-exceedance probability (AEP) flood-peak discharges using the USGS Ohio StreamStats application. Peak discharge estimates, along with cross-sectional and hydraulic structure geometries, and estimates of channel roughness coefficients were used as input to step-backwater models. The step-backwater water models were used to determine water-surface elevation profiles of four flood-peak discharges and a regulatory floodway. This study involved the installation of, and data collection at, a streamflow-gaging station (Black Fork Mohican River at Shelby, Ohio, 03129197), precipitation gage (Rain gage at Reservoir Number Two at Shelby, Ohio, 405209082393200), and seven submersible pressure transducers on six selected river reaches. Two precipitation-runoff models, one for the winter events and one for nonwinter events for the headwaters of the Black Fork Mohican River, were developed and calibrated using the data collected. With the exception of the runoff curve numbers, all other parameters used in the two precipitation-runoff models were identical. The Nash-Sutcliffe model efficiency coefficients were 0.737, 0.899, and 0.544 for the nonwinter events and 0.850 and 0.671 for the winter events. Both of the precipitation-runoff models underestimated the total volume of water, with residual runoff ranging from -0.27 inches to -1.53 inches. The results of this study can be used to assess possible mitigation options and define flood hazard areas that

  13. Modeling surface water dynamics in the Amazon Basin using MOSART-Inundation v1.0: impacts of geomorphological parameters and river flow representation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Xiangyu; Li, Hong-Yi; Leung, L. Ruby; Tesfa, Teklu K.; Getirana, Augusto; Papa, Fabrice; Hess, Laura L.

    2017-03-01

    In the Amazon Basin, floodplain inundation is a key component of surface water dynamics and plays an important role in water, energy and carbon cycles. The Model for Scale Adaptive River Transport (MOSART) was extended with a macroscale inundation scheme for representing floodplain inundation. The extended model, named MOSART-Inundation, was used to simulate surface hydrology of the entire Amazon Basin. Previous hydrologic modeling studies in the Amazon Basin identified and addressed a few challenges in simulating surface hydrology of this basin, including uncertainties of floodplain topography and channel geometry, and the representation of river flow in reaches with mild slopes. This study further addressed four aspects of these challenges. First, the spatial variability of vegetation-caused biases embedded in the HydroSHEDS digital elevation model (DEM) data was explicitly addressed. A vegetation height map of about 1 km resolution and a land cover dataset of about 90 m resolution were used in a DEM correction procedure that resulted in an average elevation reduction of 13.2 m for the entire basin and led to evident changes in the floodplain topography. Second, basin-wide empirical formulae for channel cross-sectional dimensions were refined for various subregions to improve the representation of spatial variability in channel geometry. Third, the channel Manning roughness coefficient was allowed to vary with the channel depth, as the effect of riverbed resistance on river flow generally declines with increasing river size. Lastly, backwater effects were accounted for to better represent river flow in mild-slope reaches. The model was evaluated against in situ streamflow records and remotely sensed Envisat altimetry data and Global Inundation Extent from Multi-Satellites (GIEMS) inundation data. In a sensitivity study, seven simulations were compared to evaluate the impacts of the five modeling aspects addressed in this study. The comparisons showed that

  14. Stage-discharge rating curves based on satellite altimetry and modeled discharge in the Amazon basin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paris, Adrien; Dias de Paiva, Rodrigo; Santos da Silva, Joecila; Medeiros Moreira, Daniel; Calmant, Stephane; Garambois, Pierre-André; Collischonn, Walter; Bonnet, Marie-Paule; Seyler, Frederique

    2016-05-01

    In this study, rating curves (RCs) were determined by applying satellite altimetry to a poorly gauged basin. This study demonstrates the synergistic application of remote sensing and watershed modeling to capture the dynamics and quantity of flow in the Amazon River Basin, respectively. Three major advancements for estimating basin-scale patterns in river discharge are described. The first advancement is the preservation of the hydrological meanings of the parameters expressed by Manning's equation to obtain a data set containing the elevations of the river beds throughout the basin. The second advancement is the provision of parameter uncertainties and, therefore, the uncertainties in the rated discharge. The third advancement concerns estimating the discharge while considering backwater effects. We analyzed the Amazon Basin using nearly one thousand series that were obtained from ENVISAT and Jason-2 altimetry for more than 100 tributaries. Discharge values and related uncertainties were obtained from the rain-discharge MGB-IPH model. We used a global optimization algorithm based on the Monte Carlo Markov Chain and Bayesian framework to determine the rating curves. The data were randomly allocated into 80% calibration and 20% validation subsets. A comparison with the validation samples produced a Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (Ens) of 0.68. When the MGB discharge uncertainties were less than 5%, the Ens value increased to 0.81 (mean). A comparison with the in situ discharge resulted in an Ens value of 0.71 for the validation samples (and 0.77 for calibration). The Ens values at the mouths of the rivers that experienced backwater effects significantly improved when the mean monthly slope was included in the RC. Our RCs were not mission-dependent, and the Ens value was preserved when applying ENVISAT rating curves to Jason-2 altimetry at crossovers. The cease-to-flow parameter of our RCs provided a good proxy for determining river bed elevation. This proxy was validated

  15. INTERACTION BETWEEN NATIVE AND ALIEN SPECIES OF CRAYFISH IN AUSTRIA: CASE STUDIES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    PÖCKL M.

    2002-07-01

    Full Text Available In Austria, three indigenous crayfish species occur: the noble crayfish (Astacus astacus, the stone crayfish (Austropotamobius torrentium, and the white-clawed crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes. It is not known if Astacus leptodactylus is autochthonous in the very eastern part of Austria, near the border with Hungary and Slovakia. In other parts of Austria the Turkish crayfish has been transplanted into several gravel pits and ponds. Up to now, the red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii is not known to occur in the wild, but can be bought alive in fish markets, restaurants, and the aquarium trade. The Nearctic spiny-cheek crayfish (Orconectes limosus and the signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus have been introduced since the 1970s by crayfish farmers because these species are resistant to the crayfish plague fungus (Aphanomyces astaci. There are just a few populations of O. limosus, and the species is not spreading actively. However, P. leniusculus is widespread all over Austria, and was illegally introduced from one water body to another. It can be characterized as an aggressive, invasive North American species, spreading actively and acting as a vector of the crayfish plague. Unfortunately the habitat requirements of the native noble crayfish and the alien signal crayfish are nearly the same. Case studies are given in the following chapters: the first group of examples refers to water bodies where the alien signal crayfish is most probably the cause of displacement of the indigenous noble crayfish: 1 Hintersee, 2 Irrsee (« Zeller See », 3 north-western Lower Austria (« Waldviertel », 4 Merzenstein (aquacultural enterprise, 5 Neufelder See. The second group of examples refers to water bodies where alien and indigenous species are able to coexist: a the confluence of the main course of the Danube River, the Ölhafen and the Neue Donau in the southeast part of Vienna, b the Schönauer Wasser, a backwater of the Danube River downstream

  16. The Story of Helium and the Birth of Astrophysics

    CERN Document Server

    Nath, Biman B

    2013-01-01

    Biman Nath The Story of Helium and the Birth of Astrophysics Helium was the first element ever discovered by astronomers. Its presence was first indicated in the Sun and not on Earth. Further, its discovery marked the birth of the new science of astrophysics. However, it turns out that the events leading to the discovery of helium have been rather misrepresented in books, journals, and even encyclopedias. The usual story about its joint discovery during a solar eclipse in 1868 by French astronomer Pierre Janssen and late in England by Norman Lockyer, is far from the truth. Janssen never mentioned any new spectral line in his reports. The actual story turns out to be as dramatic as in fiction. This book tells the story without jargon, using the words of the scientists themselves (from their letters and reports), and rescues the real story from the backwaters of history.

  17. Nevada Test Site flood inundation study: Part of US Geological Survey flood potential and debris hazard study, Yucca Mountain Site for USDOE, Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blanton, J.O. III.

    1992-01-01

    The Geological Survey (GS), as part of the Yucca Mountain Project (YMP), is conducting studies at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. The purposes of these studies are to provide hydrologic and geologic information to evaluate the suitability of Yucca Mountain for development as a high-level nuclear waste repository, and to evaluate the ability of the mined geologic disposal system (MGDS) to isolate the waste in compliance with regulatory requirements. The Bureau of Reclamation was selected by the GS as a contractor to provide probable maximum flood (PMF) magnitudes and associated inundation maps for preliminary engineering design of the surface facilities at Yucca Mountain. These PMF peak flow estimates and associated inundation maps are necessary for successful waste repository design and construction. The standard step method for backwater computations, incorporating the Bernouli energy equation and the results of the PMF study were chosen as the basis for defining the areal extent of flooding

  18. Analysis and Application of River Surface Line in Hilly Area based on Hec-ras Model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yang Congshan

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available For example—Cixian Fuyang River Regulation Project. Due to the character that Fuyang River is located in hilly areas of Cixian, we use the Hex-ras software to calculate the status of the river water surface line for the goal of determining the final treatment plan. We maintain the present situation of the river channel design as principle, select the most appropriate pushed water level and roughnessas the basic, and we combine the classification calculation of crossing structures of backwater and the encryption calculation section to get the more accurate result. We compare the water level elevation and the calculation of cross strait, analyze the design parameters, calculate repeated the water line section, analyze the rationality of the design plan, and then finally determine the applicability of Hex-rac software in the large continuous variation of cross section of embankment of river river surface line.

  19. Sediment Oxygen Demand in Cochin backwaters, a tropical estuarine system in the south-west coast of India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Abhilash, K.R.; Raveendran, T.V.; LimnaMol, V.P.; Deepak, M.P.

    , Malaysia (21.4 gO 2 m -2 day -1 ; Bowie et al. 1985; Ling et al. 2009). While the high SOD in eastern US rivers was mostly due to high organic matter input from river discharge, the study site in Semariang Batu River recorded high values as a... consequence of effluent discharge from shrimp farms, residential areas and boat jetty. In the study conducted at Semariang Batu River, Malaysia, significantly low SOD was observed for stations with no human interference. This emphasizes the fact...

  20. Responses of Hyalella azteca and phytoplankton to a simulated agricultural runoff event in a managed backwater wetland

    Science.gov (United States)

    We assessed the aqueous toxicity mitigation capacity of a hydrologically managed floodplain wetland following a synthetic runoff event amended with a mixture of sediments, nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), and pesticides (atrazine, S-metolachlor, and permethrin) using 48-h Hyalella azteca surviva...

  1. Ecological studies on the seasonal production of the edible oyster, Crassostrea madrasensis (Preston) in Cochin Backwater, Kerala

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Purushan, K.S.; Gopalan, U.K.; Rao, T.S.S.

    the intertidal ones, but as regards percentage meat weight the latter out-weighed the former. Among environmental variables, salinity seemed to be the foremost factor in influencing the production of oysters. A large majority (90-98%) of the intertidal oysters...

  2. Effect of Residence Time on Net Nitrate Retention in Flow-Regulated Backwaters of the Upper Mississippi River

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    James, William F; Richardson, William B; Soballe, David M; Barko, John W; Eakin, Harry L

    2006-01-01

    ... (Justic et al. 1995, Vitousek et al. 1997, Goolsby and Battaglin 2001). A consequence of accelerated N mobilization and transport has been water quality degradation of coastal areas and estuaries which are sensitive to N inputs (Nixon 1995...

  3. Spatial and Seasonal Studies of Sedimentological and Neoichnological Characteristics from Mangrove areas of Karachi, Pakistan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Noor Us Saher

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to appraise the physicochemical properties of mangrove sediments and their influence on neoichnological properties produced by different crab species from Korangi Creek (S1 and Sandspit backwater areas (S2 and S3, Karachi. The significant spatial, seasonal and tidal differences (p <0.05 were examined in %moisture, %porosity and sorting coefficient Φ.The significant spatial and seasonal variations were observed in total organic matter, mean Φ, skewness Φ and kurtosis Φ of sediment. Neoichnological properties (burrow number, diameter and total burrow opening area were observed with significant differences among the macrohabitat (stations and microhabitat (tidal levels. The correlation analysis indicated that the neoichnological properties are strongly linked with sedimentological properties such as water contents, total organic matter and textural parameters. This study could be employed to distinguish between different paleoenvironmental controlling factors, predicated on similar paleoichnological features made by similar fossil organisms in a mangrove environment.

  4. 10 years after the largest river restoration project in Northern Europe

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Astrup Kristensen, Esben Astrup; Kronvang, B.; Wiberg-Larsen, P.

    2014-01-01

    that erosion and sedimentation have changed the cross-sectional profiles over the last 10 years, resulting in a net input of sediment to the lower reaches of the river. However, the change of channel form was a slow process and predicted bank retreat over a 100 year period was only up to 6.8 m. Hence......The lower river Skjern (Denmark) historically contained a large variation in habitats and the river ran through large areas with wetlands, many backwaters, islands and oxbow lakes. During the 1960s the river was channelized and the wetland drained. A restoration during 2001–2002 transformed 19 km...... of channelized river into 26 km meandering river. The short-term effects of this restoration have previously been reported and for this study we revisited the river and with new data evaluated the long-term (10 years) hydrological effects of the restoration. The evaluation was done on three different scales: (1...

  5. Flood-inundation maps for the Hoosic River, North Adams and Williamstown, Massachusetts, from the confluence with the North Branch Hoosic River to the Vermont State line

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lombard, Pamela J.; Bent, Gardner C.

    2015-01-01

    A series of nine digital flood-inundation maps were developed for an 8-mile reach of the Hoosic River in North Adams and Williamstown, Massachusetts, by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The coverage of the maps extends from the confluence with the North Branch Hoosic River to the Vermont State line. Peak flows with 20-, 10-, 4-, 2-, 1-, 0.5-, and 0.2-percent annual exceedance probabilities were computed for the reach from updated flood-frequency analyses. These peak flows were routed through a one-dimensional step-backwater hydraulic model to obtain the corresponding peak water-surface elevations, and to place the tropical storm Irene flood of August 28, 2011 into historical context. The hydraulic model was calibrated by using the current (2014) stage-discharge relation at the USGS streamgage Hoosic River near Williamstown, Massachusetts (01332500), and from documented high-water marks from the tropical storm Irene flood, which had approximately a 1-percent annual exceedance probability.

  6. Seasonal fluctuation in the distribution of eggs and larvae of flat fishes (Pleuronectiformes - Pisces) in the Cochin Backwater

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Devi, C.B.L.

    Attempts have been made to correlate the abundance of eggs and larvae of flat fishes belonging to families Cynoglossidae and Soleidae with the hydrographical parameters of the environment, particularly the salinity. The eggs and larvae were found...

  7. Toxic metals enrichment in the surficial sediments of a eutrophic tropical estuary (Cochin Backwaters, Southwest coast of India)

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Martin, G.D.; Rejomon G.; Shaiju, P.; Muraleedharan, K.R.; Nair, S.M.; Chandramohanakumar, N.

    changes. Enrichments factors using Fe as a normalizer showed that metal contamination was the product of anthropogenic activities. An assessment of degree of pollution-categorized sediments as moderately polluted with Cu and Pb, moderately...

  8. STRUCTURAL CHARACTERISTIC OF ICHTHYOPLANKTON IN A SMALL RIVER FLOWING WITHIN A BAR PLAIN OF THE DNIPRO RIVER

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I. Abramiuk

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Purpose. Using as an example of a small river, which flows through a bar plain of the Dnipro, to study species composition of the littoral ichthyoplankton, dynamics of its structure during the season and its diversity in different parts of the river. Methodology. The littoral ichthyoplankton was investigated during four seasons of 2011-2014 on the Vita river, a right tributary of the Dnipro affected by the operation of Kaniv HPP. The research covered the main channel, a permanent backwater connected with the channel, as well as temporarily flooded areas of the floodplain and separated from the channel oxbow lakes. Samples were collected with standard sweep nets and Bagenal buoyant nets. Identification of young fish was carried out under binocular microscope MBS-9. Early life stages of larvae were determined according to the system of V. Vasnetsov. Species diversity of ichthyoplankton was assessed by the Shannon index. Findings. The littoral ichthyoplankton during May-July mostly consisted of limnophilic fish larvae belonging to a family Cyprinidae. In the river channel and the backwater at the beginning of the period the larvae of roach (Rutilus rutilus prevailed, later they were substituted by larvae of more thermophilic species, among which the rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus was the most abundant. In the oxbow lakes and temporarily flooded areas in spring the coastal ichthyoplankton was mainly structured by larvae of Carassius sp. and the rudd, in summer the larvae assemblages of oxbow lakes were quantitatively dominated by the sunbleak (Leucaspius delineatus. In areas covered with vegetation the larvae of invasive Chinese sleeper (Perccottus glenii were firstly found. Rheophilic species among young fish were absent, which indicates unfavorable conditions for their spawning at present hydrologic regime of the river. Originality. For the first time the coastal communities of early young fish in a small tributary of the Dnipro were

  9. Size stratification in a Gilbert delta due to a varying base level: flume experiments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chavarrias, Victor; Orru, Clara; Viparelli, Enrica; Vide, Juan Pedro Martin; Blom, Astrid

    2014-05-01

    A foreset-dominated Gilbert delta is a delta that is dominated by sediment avalanches (i.e., discontinuous grain flows) over its front. It forms when a river flows into a basin or sea characterized by a flow depth that is much larger than the one in the fluvial reach, and the conditions are such that the transported sediment passing the brinkpoint forms a wedge at the topmost part of the foreset, which results in avalanches down the foreset and a fining upward pattern within the foreset deposit. A Gilbert delta is typically described in terms of a low-slope topset (resulting from deposition over the fluvial reach), a steep-slope foreset (resulting from sediment avalanches over the lee face), and a bottomset (resulting from deposition of fine sediment passing the brinkpoint as suspended load). The objective of the present study is to gain insight into the mechanisms taking part in Gilbert delta formation and progradation under variable base level conditions. In order to do so, three flume experiments were conducted in which the water discharge and sediment feed rate were maintained constant but the base level varied between the experiments: (I) constant base level, (II) a gradually rising base level, and (III) a slowly varying base level. The stratigraphy within the delta deposit was measured using image analysis combined with particle coloring. A steady base level resulted in aggradation over the fluvial reach in order to maintain a slope required to transport the supplied sediment downstream. Sea level rise enhanced the amount of aggradation over the fluvial reach due to the presence of an M1 backwater curve. The aggrading flux to the substrate was slightly coarser than the fed sediment. The sediment at the base of the foreset deposit appeared to become coarser in streamwise direction. Eventually, a fall of the base level induced an M2 backwater curve over the fluvial reach that caused degradation of the fluvial reach. Base level fall first induced erosion of the

  10. Mapping of coastal aquifer vulnerable zone in the south west coast of Kanyakumari, South India, using GIS-based DRASTIC model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaliraj, S; Chandrasekar, N; Peter, T Simon; Selvakumar, S; Magesh, N S

    2015-01-01

    The south west coast of Kanyakumari district in Tamil Nadu, India, is significantly affected by seawater intrusion and diffusion of pollutants into the aquifers due to unregulated beach placer mining and other anthropogenic activities. The present study investigates the vulnerability of the coastal aquifers using Geographic Information System (GIS)-based DRASTIC model. The seven DRASTIC parameters have been analyzed using the statistical equation of this model to demarcate the vulnerable zones for aquifer contamination. The vulnerability index map is prepared from the weighted spatial parameters, and an accounting of total index value ranged from 85 to 213. Based on the categorization of vulnerability classes, the high vulnerable zones are found near the beach placer mining areas between Manavalakurichi and Kodimanal coastal stretches. The aquifers associated with settlements and agricultural lands in the middle-eastern part have experienced high vulnerability due to contaminated water bodies. Similarly, the coastal areas of Thengapattinam and Manakudi estuary and around the South Tamaraikulam have also been falling under high vulnerability condition due to backwater and saltpan. In general, the nearshore region except the placer mining zone and the backwater has a moderately vulnerable condition, and the vulnerability index values range from 149 to180. Significantly, the northern and northeastern uplands and some parts of deposition zones in the middle-south coast have been identified as low to no vulnerable conditions. They are structurally controlled by various geological features such as charnockite, garnet biotite gneiss and granites, and sand dunes, respectively. The aquifer vulnerability assessment has been cross-verified by geochemical indicators such as total dissolved solids (TDS), Cl(-), HCO₃(-), and Cl(-)/HCO₃(-) ratio. The high ranges of TDS (1,842--3,736 mg/l) and Cl(-) (1,412--2,112 mg/l) values are well correlated with the observed high

  11. Modeling Surface Water Dynamics in the Amazon Basin Using Mosart-Inundation-v1.0: Impacts of Geomorphological Parameters and River Flow Representation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Xiangyu; Li, Hong-Yi; Leung, Ruby; Tesfa, Teklu K.; Getirana, Augusto; Papa, Fabrice; Hess, Laura L.

    2017-01-01

    , as well as accounting for backwater effects could evidently affect local and upstream inundation, which consequently affected flood waves and inundation of the downstream 30 area. It was also shown that the river stage was sensitive to local channel morphology and Manning roughness coefficients, as well as backwater effects. The understanding obtained in this study could be helpful to improving modeling of surface hydrology in basins with evident inundation, especially at regional or larger scales.

  12. Pen Rearing and Imprinting of Fall Chinook Salmon, 1986 Annual Report.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Novotny, Jerry F.; Macy, Thomas L.; Gardenier, James T.; Beeman, John W.

    1986-12-01

    Pen rearing studies during 1986 completed the second of three years intended for rearing and releasing upriver bright fall chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) from two study sites, a backwater and a pond, adjacent to the Columbia River; both areas are located in the Jonn Day Reservoir. Results of this study in 1984 and 1985 showed that fish could be successfully reared in net pens and that growth and physiological development of the off-station reared fish proceeded at a faster rate than in fish reared at a hatchery. Transfer of fish from the hatchery to off-station sites at Social Security Pond (pond) and Rock Creek (backwater) during early March increased the period of rearing in 1986 by about four weeks. The increased period of rearing allowed all treatments of fed fish to reach a minimum weight of YU fish/lb by release. Differences in growth of fed fish between regular density treatments and additional, high density treatments (double and triple the regular densities) were not significantly different (P > 0.05), but growth of all fed fish reared off-station was again significantly better than that of hatchery reared fish (P < 0.05), Mortalities in all groups of fed fish were low. Physiological development of fed fish was similar in all treatments. At release, development of fish at Social Security Pond appeared to be somewhat ahead of fish at Rock Creek on the same dates however, none of the groups of fed fish achieved a high state of smoltification by release. Unfed fish grew poorly over the redring period, and at release were significantly smaller than either fed groups at the off-station sites, or the control groups reared at the hatchery (P < 0.05). Development of unfed fish toward smoltification was much slower than of fed fish. Mortality of all groups of unfed fish, including the barrier net, was relatively low. Health of all fish reared off-station remained good over the rearing period, and no outbreaks of disease were noted. On-site marking and

  13. Distribution, reproductive biology and biochemical composition of Rhopalophthalmus indicus (Crustacea: Mysida) from a tropical estuary (Cochin backwater) in India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Biju, A.; Gireesh, R.; Panampunnayil, S.U.

    females- incompletely developed marsupium. Adult females with or without eggs or larvae in the marsupium were separated into a different category; female with egg, female with eyeless larvae, female with eyed larvae and females with fully exposed... larvae and eyed larvae were measured from the anterior to the posterior end when straightened (Hanamura, 1999). The egg diameter was measured along the longest. Brood size (number of eggs or larvae) was determined only for those females...

  14. Distribution and food habits of young-of-the-year fishes in a backwater lake of the upper Mississippi River

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holland, L.E.; Huston, M.L.

    1985-01-01

    The distribution patterns and food habits of young-of-the-year (YOY) fishes in a lentic area adjacent to the main channel of Pool 7 of the upper Mississippi River were studied. Habitats sampled grouped distinctly based on percent composition and abundance of YOY fishes with those having submergent vegetation dominated by a number of important sport species. In late spring, the grouping of stations depended on the presence or absence of newly transformed northern pike (Esox lucius). In early summer, stations did not differ as distinctly in composition, but in total abundance of young. Those stations with submergent vegetation had total catches which were more than double those elsewhere. By late summer, submergent and mixed vegetation stations formed a distinct assemblage influenced by the preponderance of three species of sunfishes. (DBO).

  15. Staying in the Global City: Patterns of Luxury Hotel Localization in Santiago de Chile

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rodrigo Hidalgo

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Chile, for a long time a backwater of international tourism, is about to turn itself into a top–end destination, with the capital Santiago taking a leading role. In recent decades, international chains have constructed numerous luxury hotels aimed at the requirements of international city and business tourists. The continuing bicentric orientation of the city (core city and ‘modern town’, which has withstood all fragmentation processes, has led to a polycentric distribution of luxury hotels, with the largest, most expensive and most luxurious hotels situated in the ‘modern town’. The airport, the innovation centers and business parks, as well as the city center, have also seen investment. When compared with models of hotel localization in cities, it is evident that Santiago has overcome the traditional model of city tourism under the influence of globalization trends. Today the needs of global travelers, both city and business tourists, transport links and the surroundings of the hotels play an important role. This is reflected in the pricing structure and the distribution of luxury hotels across the city.

  16. Mario Bunge: Physicist and Philosopher

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matthews, Michael R.

    Mario Bunge was born in Argentina in the final year of the First World War.He learnt atomic physics and quantum mechanics from an Austrian refugee who had been a student of Heisenberg. Additionally he taught himself modern philosophy in an environment that was a philosophical backwater. He was the first South American philosopher of science to be trained in science. His publications in physics, philosophy, psychology, sociology and the foundations of biology, are staggering in number, and include a massive 8-volume Treatise on Philosophy. The unifying thread of his scholarship is the constant and vigorous advancement of the Enlightenment Project, and criticism of cultural and academic movements that deny or devalue the core planks of the project: namely its naturalism, the search for truth, the universality of science, rationality, and respect for individuals. At a time when specialisation is widely decried, and its deleterious effects on science, philosophy of science, educational research and science teaching are recognised - it is salutary to see the fruits of one person's pursuit of the Big'' scientific and philosophical picture.

  17. Hydrodynamic and Sediment Responses of Open Channels to Exposed Pipe Encasements.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J Q Mao

    Full Text Available The effects of exposed pipe encasements on the local variation of hydrodynamic and sediment conditions in a river channel are examined. Laboratory experiments are performed to assess the response of water level, flow regime and bed deformation to several representative types of concrete encasements. The experimental conditions considered are: three types of exposed pipe encasements exposed on the bed, including trapezoidal shape, circular-arc shape and polygonal shape, and three sets of discharges, including annual discharge, once-in-3-year flood, and once-in-50-year flood. Our experiments show that: (1 the amount of backwater definitely depends on the encasement geometric shape and the background discharge; (2 smaller discharges generally tend to induce local scour of river bed downstream of the encasement, and the order of sensitivity of bed deformation to the encasement geometric shape is trapezoidal > circular-arc > polygonal; (3 comparatively speaking, the polygonal encasement may be considered as a suitable protective structure for pipelines across alluvial rivers, with relatively modest effects on the local hydrodynamic conditions and bed stabilization.

  18. Hydrodynamic and Sediment Responses of Open Channels to Exposed Pipe Encasements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mao, J Q; Zhang, H Q; Dai, H C; Yuan, B H; Hu, T F

    2015-01-01

    The effects of exposed pipe encasements on the local variation of hydrodynamic and sediment conditions in a river channel are examined. Laboratory experiments are performed to assess the response of water level, flow regime and bed deformation to several representative types of concrete encasements. The experimental conditions considered are: three types of exposed pipe encasements exposed on the bed, including trapezoidal shape, circular-arc shape and polygonal shape, and three sets of discharges, including annual discharge, once-in-3-year flood, and once-in-50-year flood. Our experiments show that: (1) the amount of backwater definitely depends on the encasement geometric shape and the background discharge; (2) smaller discharges generally tend to induce local scour of river bed downstream of the encasement, and the order of sensitivity of bed deformation to the encasement geometric shape is trapezoidal > circular-arc > polygonal; (3) comparatively speaking, the polygonal encasement may be considered as a suitable protective structure for pipelines across alluvial rivers, with relatively modest effects on the local hydrodynamic conditions and bed stabilization.

  19. Effect of Impact Angle on the Erosion Rate of Coherent Granular Soil, with a Chernozemic Soil as an Example

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larionov, G. A.; Bushueva, O. G.; Gorobets, A. V.; Dobrovol'skaya, N. G.; Kiryukhina, Z. P.; Krasnov, S. F.; Kobylchenko Kuksina, L. V.; Litvin, L. F.; Sudnitsyn, I. I.

    2018-02-01

    It has been shown in experiments in a hydraulic flume with a knee-shaped bend that the rate of soil erosion more than doubles at the flow impact angles to the channel side from 0° to 50°. At higher channel bends, the experiment could not be performed because of backwater. Results of erosion by water stream approaching the sample surface at angles between 2° and 90° are reported. It has been found that the maximum erosion rate is observed at flow impact angles of about 45°, and the minimum rate at 90°. The minimum soil erosion rate is five times lower than the maximum erosion rate. This is due to the difference in the rate of free water penetration into the upper soil layer, and the impact of the hydrodynamic pressure, which is maximum at the impact angle of 90°. The penetration of water into the interaggregate space results in the breaking of bonds between aggregates, which is the main condition for the capture of particles by the flow.

  20. FLOOD MODELING OF THE VUKA RIVER SECTION UPSTREAM OF ITS CONFLUENCE WITH THE DANUBE RIVER

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dario Marić

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, a section of the Vuka River from its confluence with the Danube River in Vukovar to 3 + 630 rkm was modeled. The possibility and size of floods in the surrounding area were analyzed for different return periods (2, 5, 10, 50, and 100 yrs. Although the high-water levels of the Danube River are lower than the terrain elevation of Vukovar, they cause backwater in the Vuka River and in its tributary, the Bobotski canal. In that indirect way, the surrounding area is endangered and the efficiency of drainage systems is reduced. The existing riverbed of the analyzed Vuka River section was digitalized based on a digital terrain model using the geographic information system (GIS software ArcGIS and the HEC-GeoRAS toolbar. A mathematical model of the steady-state flow of the Vuka river section using the digitized riverbed was executed in the HEC-RAS software using different return periods. The obtained velocities and water levels were analyzed using HEC-RAS, and the sizes of the flooded areas were calculated and observed in ArcGIS.

  1. Construction and maintenance of the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna delta: linking process, morphology, and stratigraphy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Carol A; Goodbred, Steven L

    2015-01-01

    We present a review of the processes, morphology, and stratigraphy of the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna delta (GBMD), including insights gained from detailed elevation data. The review shows that the GBMD is best characterized as a composite system, with different regions having morphologic and stratigraphic attributes of an upland fluvial fan delta; a lowland, backwater-reach delta; a downdrift tidal delta plain; and an offshore subaqueous-delta clinoform. These distinct areas of upland and lowland fluvial reaches and tidal dominance vary in time and space, and we distinguish late-Holocene phases of delta construction, maintenance, and decline similar to delta-lobe cycling in other systems. The overall stability of the GBMD landform, relative to many deltas, reflects the efficient, widespread dispersal of sediment by the large monsoon discharge and high-energy tides that affect this region. However, we do identify portions of the delta that are in decline and losing elevation relative to sea level owing to insufficient sediment delivery. These areas, some of which are well inland of the coast, represent those most at risk to the continued effect of sea-level rise.

  2. Flood-Inundation Maps for the North River in Colrain, Charlemont, and Shelburne, Massachusetts, From the Confluence of the East and West Branch North Rivers to the Deerfield River

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bent, Gardner C.; Lombard, Pamela J.; Dudley, Robert W.

    2015-10-27

    A series of 10 digital flood-inundation maps were developed for a 3.3-mile reach of the North River in Colrain, Charlemont, and Shelburne, Massachusetts, by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The coverage of the maps extends from the confluence of the East and West Branch North Rivers to the Deerfield River. Peak-flow estimates at the 50-, 20-, 10-, 4-, 2-, 1-, 0.5-, and 0.2-percent annual exceedance probabilities were computed for the reach from updated flood-frequency analyses. These peak flows were routed through a one-dimensional step-backwater hydraulic model to obtain the corresponding peak water-surface elevations and to place the tropical storm Irene flood of August 28, 2011, into historical context. The hydraulic model was calibrated by using the current [2015] stage-discharge relation at the U.S. Geological Survey streamgage North River at Shattuckville, MA (station number 01169000), and from documented high-water marks from the tropical storm Irene flood, which had a peak flow with approximately a 0.2-percent annual exceedance probability.

  3. Use of aerial videography to evaluate the effects of Flaming Gorge Dam operations on natural resources of the Green River

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Snider, M.A.; Hayse, J.W.; Hlohowskyj, I.; LaGory, K.E.; Greaney, M.M.; Kuiper, J.A.; Van Lonkhuyzen, R.A.

    1993-01-01

    Peaking hydropower operations can profoundly alter natural stream flow and thereby affect the natural resources dependent on these flows. In this paper, we describe how aerial videography was used to collect environmental data and evaluate impacts of hydropower operations at Flaming Gorge Dam on natural resources of the Green River. An airborne multispectral video/radiometer remote sensing system was used to collect resource data under four different flow conditions from seven sites (each about one mile in length) located downstream from the dam. Releases from Flaming Gorge Dam during data collection ranged from approximately 800 to 4,000 cubic feet/sec (cfs), spanning most of the normal operating range for this facility. For each site a series of contiguous, non-overlapping images was prepared from the videotapes and used to quantify surface water area, backwater habitats, and areas of riparian vegetation under varying flow conditions. From this information, relationships between flow and habitat parameters were developed and used in conjunction with hydrologic modeling and ecological information to evaluate impacts of various modes of operation

  4. Simulation modelling: educational development roles for learning technologists

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David Riley

    2002-12-01

    Full Text Available Simulation modelling was in the mainstream of CAL development in the 1980s when the late David Squires introduced this author to the Dynamic Modelling System. Since those early days, it seems that simulation modelling has drifted into a learning technology backwater to become a member of Laurillard's underutilized, 'adaptive and productive' media. Referring to her Conversational Framework, Laurillard constructs a pedagogic case for modelling as a productive student activity but provides few references to current practice and available resources. This paper seeks to complement her account by highlighting the pioneering initiatives of the Computers in the Curriculum Project and more recent developments in systems modelling within geographic and business education. The latter include improvements to system dynamics modelling programs such as STELLA®, the publication of introductory textbooks, and the emergence of online resources. The paper indicates several ways in which modelling activities may be approached and identifies some educational development roles for learning technologists. The paper concludes by advocating simulation modelling as an exemplary use of learning technologies - one that realizes their creative-transformative potential.

  5. Hydrologic and Hydraulic Analyses of Selected Streams in Lorain County, Ohio, 2003

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jackson, K. Scott; Ostheimer, Chad J.; Whitehead, Matthew T.

    2003-01-01

    Hydrologic and hydraulic analyses were done for selected reaches of nine streams in Lorain County Ohio. To assess the alternatives for flood-damage mitigation, the Lorain County Engineer and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) initiated a cooperative study to investigate aspects of the hydrology and hydraulics of the nine streams. Historical streamflow data and regional regression equations were used to estimate instantaneous peak discharges for floods having recurrence intervals of 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 years. Explanatory variables used in the regression equations were drainage area, main-channel slope, and storage area. Drainage areas of the nine stream reaches studied ranged from 1.80 to 19.3 square miles. The step-backwater model HEC-RAS was used to determine water-surface-elevation profiles for the 10-year-recurrence-interval (10-year) flood along a selected reach of each stream. The water-surface pro-file information was used then to generate digital mapping of flood-plain boundaries. The analyses indicate that at the 10-year flood elevation, road overflow results at numerous hydraulic structures along the nine streams.

  6. Mario Bunge: Physicist, philosopher and defender of science

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael R. Matthews

    2009-04-01

    Full Text Available Mario Bunge was born in Argentina in the final year of the First World War. He learnt atomic physics andquantum mechanics from an Austrian refugee who had been a student of Heisenberg. Additionally he taughthimself modern philosophy in an environment that was a philosophical backwater. He was the first SouthAmerican philosopher of science to be trained in science. His publications in physics, philosophy, psychology,sociology and the foundations of biology, are staggering in number, and include a massive 8-volume Treatise onPhilosophy. The unifying thread of his scholarship is the constant and vigorous advancement of theEnlightenment Project, and criticism of cultural and academic movements that deny or devalue the core planksof the project: namely its naturalism, the search for truth, the universality of science, rationality, and respect forindividuals. At a time when specialisation is widely decried, and its deleterious effects on science, philosophy ofscience, educational research and science teaching are recognised – it is salutary to see the fruits of one person’spursuit of the ‘Big’ scientific and philosophical picture.

  7. Zooplankton structure in two interconnected ponds: similarities and differences

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Špoljar Maria

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The research of zooplankton diversity, abundance and trophic structure was conducted during the summer period in pelagial zone on the longitudinal profile of the Sutla River Backwater. Investigated site consists of two interconnected basins: transparent Upper Basin with submerged macrophytes and turbid Lower Basin without macrophytes in the littoral zone. In the Upper Basin, abundance and diversity of zooplankton in the pelagial was higher in comparison to the Lower Basin, with prevailing species of genus Keratella as microfilter-feeder, and genera of Polyartha and Trihocerca as macrofilter-feeder rotifers. On the contrary, in the Lower Basin, crustaceans dominated in abundance. Microfilter-feeder cladoceran (Bosmina longirostris and larval and adult stages of macrofilter-feeder copepod (Macrocyclops albidus prevailed in the Lower Basin. Fish predation pressure was more pronounced in the pelagial of the Upper Basin, indicated by low cladoceran abundance in the surface layer. Although the studied basins were interconnected, results indicate significant (Mann-Whitney U test, p < 0.05 differences in the zooplankton structure as a potential result of the macrophyte impact on environmental conditions and fish predation pressure.

  8. Hole-in-the-Rock Backwater Excavation Missouri River Fish and Wildlife Mitigation Project, Thurston County, Nebraska, Missouri River Mile 706

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-04-01

    8  7.0  ENVIROMENTAL CONSEQUENCES...13  9.0  ENVIROMENTAL COMPLIANCE...area. 7.0 ENVIROMENTAL CONSEQUENCES The environmental consequences of the proposed project on many of the resources within the affected environment

  9. SCARDINIUS GENUS IN MOLECULAR STUDIES – A REVIEW

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ovidiu Popescul

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Scardinius is a genus of ray-finned fish in the Cyprinidae family commonly called rudds. The common rudd(Scardinius erithrophthalmus is a bentho-pelagic freshwater fish that occurs mainly in nutrient-rich, well vegetatedlowland rivers, backwaters, oxbows, ponds and lakes and it is widespread in Europe and middle Asia. It has a mediumlength of 20-30 cm, but it can reach 50 cm. The classification of cyprinids has always been controversial the morphologicaltraits have an unclear homology this led to the idea that the recognized monophyletic groups are surely misinterpreted. Thispaper aims to assess the current level of molecular data regarding Scardinius genera. Some of the molecular data obtainedfor Scardinius genus is from DNA barcoding studies on fresh water fishes, but studies regarding this genus and Cyprinidaefamily used mitochondrial genes like cytochrome b (cyt b and cytochrome oxidase (CO, but nuclear genes or nuclearmicrosatellites were also used. We found that molecular data exists for both nuclear and mitochondrial genes, but this genuswasn’t studied separately and as many of the researchers suggest more taxonomic studies are required in order to solve theuncertainties within it.

  10. The effects of Hurricane Hugo on suspended-sediment loads, Lago Loiza Basin, Puerto Rico

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gellis, A.

    1993-01-01

    In the two main tributaries that enter Lago Loiza, Rio Grande de Loiza and Rio Gurabo, 99 600 tonnes of suspended sediment was transported by 58.2??106 m3 of runoff in a 48 h period. The storm-average suspended-sediment concentration in the Rio Grande de Loiza for Hurricane Hugo was 2290 mgl-1, the second lowest for the 12 storms that have been monitored at this site. In Rio Gurabo the storm-average suspended-sediment concentration was 1420 mg l -1, the sixth lowest recorded out of 15 monitored storms. In Quebrada Salvatierra, a small tributary to Rio Grande de Loiza, suspended-sediment concentrations were as low as 33 mg l-1 during peak runoff of 20m3s-1. Normally the suspended-sediment concentrations at this discharge are 300 mg l-1. Hurricane force winds seem to be the most important factor contributing to the lower than expected suspended-sediment loads. High winds caused vegetation and debris to be dislodged and displaced. Debris accumulated on hillslopes and in small channels, blocked bridges and formed debris dams. These dams caused local backwater effects that reduced stream velocities and decreased suspended-sediment loads. -from Author

  11. USGS Activities at Lake Roosevelt and the Upper Columbia River

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barton, Cynthia; Turney, Gary L.

    2010-01-01

    Lake Roosevelt (Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake) is the impoundment of the upper Columbia River behind Grand Coulee Dam, and is the largest reservoir within the Bureau of Reclamation's Columbia Basin Project (CBP). The reservoir is located in northeastern Washington, and stretches 151 miles from Grand Coulee Dam north to the Canadian border. The 15-20 miles of the Columbia River downstream of the border are riverine and are under small backwater effects from the dam. Grand Coulee Dam is located on the mainstem of the Columbia River about 90 miles northwest of Spokane. Since the late 1980s, trace-element contamination has been known to be widely present in Lake Roosevelt. Trace elements of concern include arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, and zinc. Contaminated sediment carried by the Columbia River is the primary source of the widespread occurrence of trace-element enrichment present in Lake Roosevelt. In 2001, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiated a preliminary assessment of environmental contamination of the Lake Roosevelt area (also referred to as Upper Columbia River, UCR site, or UCR/LR site) and has subsequently begun remedial investigations of the UCR site.

  12. Providing Aquatic Organism Passage in Vertically Unstable Streams

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    JanineM Castro

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Aquatic organism passage barriers have been identified as one of the key impediments to recovery of salmonids and other migratory aquatic organisms in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. As such, state and federal agencies invest millions of dollars annually to address passage barriers. Because many barriers function as ad hoc grade control structures, their removal and/or replacement can unwittingly set off a cascade of effects that can negatively impact the very habitat and passage that project proponents seek to improve. The resultant vertical instability can result in a suite of effects that range from floodplain disconnection and loss of backwater and side channel habitat, to increased levels of turbidity. Risk assessment, including an evaluation of both the stage of stream evolution and a longitudinal profile analysis, provides a framework for determining if grade control is warranted, and if so, what type of structure is most geomorphically appropriate. Potential structures include placement of large wood and roughness elements, and constructed riffles, step-pools, and cascades. The use of structure types that mimic natural reach scale geomorphic analogues should result in improved aquatic organism passage, increased structural resilience, and reduced maintenance.

  13. Hydraulic alterations resulting from hydropower development in the Bonneville Reach of the Columbia River

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hatten, James R.; Batt, Thomas R.

    2010-01-01

    We used a two-dimensional (2D) hydrodynamic model to simulate and compare the hydraulic characteristics in a 74-km reach of the Columbia River (the Bonneville Reach) before and after construction of Bonneville Dam. For hydrodynamic modeling, we created a bathymetric layer of the Bonneville Reach from single-beam and multi-beam echo-sounder surveys, digital elevation models, and navigation surveys. We calibrated the hydrodynamic model at 100 and 300 kcfs with a user-defined roughness layer, a variable-sized mesh, and a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers backwater curve. We verified the 2D model with acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) data at 14 transects and three flows. The 2D model was 88% accurate for water depths, and 77% accurate for velocities. We verified a pre-dam 2D model run at 126 kcfs using pre-dam aerial photos from September 1935. Hydraulic simulations indicated that mean water depths in the Bonneville Reach increased by 34% following dam construction, while mean velocities decreased by 58%. There are numerous activities that would benefit from data output from the 2D model, including biological sampling, bioenergetics, and spatially explicit habitat modeling.

  14. Flood-inundation Maps for the Deerfield River, Franklin County, Massachusetts, from the Confluence with the Cold River Tributary to the Connecticut River

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lombard, Pamela J.; Bent, Gardner C.

    2015-09-02

    The U.S. Geological Survey developed flood elevations in cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency for a 30-mile reach of the Deerfield River from the confluence of the Cold River tributary to the Connecticut River in the towns of Charlemont, Buckland, Shelburne, Conway, Deerfield, and Greenfield in Franklin County, Massachusetts to assist land owners, and emergency management workers prepare for and recover from floods. Peak flows with 50-, 20-, 10-, 4-, 2-, 1-, 0.5-, and 0.2-percent annual exceedance probabilities were computed for the reach from updated flood-frequency analyses. These peak flows were routed through a one-dimensional step-backwater hydraulic model to obtain the corresponding peak water-surface elevations and to place the tropical storm Irene flood of August 28, 2011 into historical context. The hydraulic model was calibrated by using current [2015] stage-discharge relations at two U.S. Geological Survey streamgages in the study reach—Deerfield River at Charlemont, MA (01168500) and Deerfield River near West Deerfield, MA (01170000)—and from documented high-water marks from the tropical storm Irene flood, which had between a 1- and 0.2-percent AEP.

  15. Hydraulic model and flood-inundation maps developed for the Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Douglas G.; Wagner, Chad R.

    2016-04-08

    A one-dimensional step-backwater model was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina, to provide a means for predicting flood-plain inundation. The model was developed for selected reaches of the Pee Dee River, Brown Creek, and Rocky River, using the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Hydrologic Engineering Center River Analysis System (HEC-RAS) software. Multiple cross sections were defined on each modeled stream, and hydrologic data were collected between August 2011 and August 2013 at selected locations on the Pee Dee River and on its tributaries Brown Creek, Rocky River, and Thoroughfare Creek. Cross-section, stage, and flow data were used to develop the model and simulate water-surface profiles at 1.0-foot increments at the USGS streamgage Pee Dee River at Pee Dee Refuge near Ansonville, N.C. The profiles were produced for 31 selected water levels that ranged from approximately 193.0 feet to 223.0 feet in elevation at the Pee Dee River at Pee Dee Refuge streamgage.

  16. A compact wet end for the papermachine; Paperikoneen kompakti maerkaepaeae - EKY 06

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Meinander, P.O. [POM Technology Oy Ab, Helsinki (Finland)

    1998-12-31

    The heaviness of the lateral processes in papermaking cause major costs for the papermaking industry. These processes delay grade changes, cause instabilities in the process, collect dirt, build slime, consume energy and so on. The POM Concept aims at minimising the detrimental effects of backwater and other circulations in the paper mill. The concept comprises the principles of a compact, airless, hydraulic, integrated circulation system without or with few tanks for water. A pump for deareation, the pomp, which may be characterized as a pumping centrifuge has been developed to its third generation and provides an energy efficient means for deareation of the process water. A pilot installation is working since May 1997 at MD Albbruck Papier in Germany and provides an efficient and easy to operate process. The air content in the head box is as low as with conventional vacuum deaeration. The system keeps significantly cleaner, and the process is as stable as a conventional one. Grade change times are shorter than before. A homogeniser for wet broke and a processor for stock, substituting for the conventional mixing-/machine-chest combination are further developments. A pomp with a capacity of 500 l/s will be finalised for use on large paper machines. (orig.)

  17. Thresholds in the response of free-floating plant abundance to variation in hydraulic connectivity, nutrients, and macrophyte abundance in a large floodplain river

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giblin, Shawn M.; Houser, Jeffrey N.; Sullivan, John F.; Langrehr, H.A.; Rogala, James T.; Campbell, Benjamin D.

    2014-01-01

    Duckweed and other free-floating plants (FFP) can form dense surface mats that affect ecosystem condition and processes, and can impair public use of aquatic resources. FFP obtain their nutrients from the water column, and the formation of dense FFP mats can be a consequence and indicator of river eutrophication. We conducted two complementary surveys of diverse aquatic areas of the Upper Mississippi River as an in situ approach for estimating thresholds in the response of FFP abundance to nutrient concentration and physical conditions in a large, floodplain river. Local regression analysis was used to estimate thresholds in the relations between FFP abundance and phosphorus (P) concentration (0.167 mg l−1L), nitrogen (N) concentration (0.808 mg l−1), water velocity (0.095 m s−1), and aquatic macrophyte abundance (65 % cover). FFP tissue concentrations suggested P limitation was more likely in spring, N limitation was more likely in late summer, and N limitation was most likely in backwaters with minimal hydraulic connection to the channel. The thresholds estimated here, along with observed patterns in nutrient limitation, provide river scientists and managers with criteria to consider when attempting to modify FFP abundance in off-channel areas of large river systems.

  18. Biofilm scrubbing for restoration—algae community composition and succession in artificial streams

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Magdalena Mayr

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Photoautotrophic biofilms play a pivotal role in self-purification of rivers. We took advantage of the biofilm’s cleaning capacity by applying artificial stream mesocosms, called algae turf scrubberTM (ATS, to reduce the nutrient load of a highly eutrophicated backwater in Vienna (Austria. Since purification strongly depends on benthic algae on the ATS, we focused on the algae community composition and succession. Estimation of coverage, photographic documentation for micromapping, species identification and pigment analyses were carried out. Already one week after exposition, 20–30 different taxa were recorded, suggesting a rapid colonization of the substrate. In total around 200 taxa were identified, mainly belonging to Chlorophyta, Bacillariophyceae and Cyanoprokaryota. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling implied that season and succession strongly influenced species composition on the ATS and a minimum turnover of 0.28 indicates a development towards a more stable community at the end of experiments. We measured maximum biomass production of ~250 g m−2 in June and August and during a period of 5 months nearly 19 kg ha−1 phosphorus could be removed. ATS systems proved to retain nutrients and produce algae biomass in an environmentally friendly and cost effective way and thus support restoration of highly eutrophicated water bodies.

  19. A stable isotope approach for the quantification of sewer infiltration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kracht, Oliver; Gresch, Markus; Gujert, Willi

    2007-08-15

    Extraneous flows in wastewater collection systems are conventionally evaluated solely on the consideration of discharge hydrographs, which often involves a great degree of subjectivity and oversimplification. To obtain reliable information on the material fluxes within the urban environment, the use of intrinsic tracers can be the optimal choice. We demonstrate the successful use of naturally occurring stable isotopes of water (18O/16O and D/H) to accurately quantify extraneous discharge of groundwater in a combined sewer network. Fresh water supply from a distant hydrological regime provided usable isotopic separations between drinking water (proxy for real foul sewage) and local groundwater (proxy for sewer infiltration) of 1.8 per thousand in delta18O and 11.7 per thousand in 62H. Diurnal variation of wastewater isotopic composition reflected both the varying rates of foul sewage production and irregular dispersion effects in the pipe network. The latter suggest the existence of larger cumulative backwater zone volumes, which have not been attended to yet. Infiltrating groundwater contributed 39% (95% confidence interval = +/- 2.5%) of the total daily dry weather wastewater discharge. This paper discusses all relevant aspects for practical application of the method. It presents a comprehensive framework for uncertainty analysis and details on the detection and discrimination of possibly interfering effects.

  20. Effects on the upstream flood inundation caused from the operation of Chao Phraya Dam

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sutham Visutimeteegorn

    2007-11-01

    Full Text Available During the flooding events, the operation of Chao Phraya Dam to control downstream water discharge is one of the causes of the inundation occuring over the upstream area. The purposes of this research are to study the effects of the operation of Chao Phraya Dam upon the upstream flood inundation and to find out the new measures of the flood mitigation in the upstream areas of Chao Phraya Dam by using a hydrodynamic model. The results show that Manning's n in the Chao Phraya River and its tributaries is 0.030-0.035 in the main channels and 0.050-0.070 in the flood plain areas. The backwater due to the operation of the Chao Praya dam affects as far as 110 kilometers upstream. New methods of water diversion can mitigate the flood inundation without the effect on the floating rice fields. The construction of reservoirs in the Upper Sakaekang River Basin and the Upper Yom River Basin will mitigate the flood not only in their own basins but also in the Lower Chao Phraya River Basin. The coordinated operation of the Chao Phraya Dam, the regulators and the upper basin reservoirs will efficiently mitigate the flood inundation.

  1. Flood hazard mapping of Palembang City by using 2D model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farid, Mohammad; Marlina, Ayu; Kusuma, Muhammad Syahril Badri

    2017-11-01

    Palembang as the capital city of South Sumatera Province is one of the metropolitan cities in Indonesia that flooded almost every year. Flood in the city is highly related to Musi River Basin. Based on Indonesia National Agency of Disaster Management (BNPB), the level of flood hazard is high. Many natural factors caused flood in the city such as high intensity of rainfall, inadequate drainage capacity, and also backwater flow due to spring tide. Furthermore, anthropogenic factors such as population increase, land cover/use change, and garbage problem make flood problem become worse. The objective of this study is to develop flood hazard map of Palembang City by using two dimensional model. HEC-RAS 5.0 is used as modelling tool which is verified with field observation data. There are 21 sub catchments of Musi River Basin in the flood simulation. The level of flood hazard refers to Head Regulation of BNPB number 2 in 2012 regarding general guideline of disaster risk assessment. The result for 25 year return per iod of flood shows that with 112.47 km2 area of inundation, 14 sub catchments are categorized in high hazard level. It is expected that the hazard map can be used for risk assessment.

  2. Concurrent assessment of fish and habitat in warmwater streams in Wyoming

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quist, M.C.; Hubert, W.A.; Rahel, F.J.

    2006-01-01

    Fisheries research and management in North America have focused largely on sport fishes, but native non-game fishes have attracted increased attention due to their declines. The Warmwater Stream Assessment (WSA) was developed to evaluate simultaneously both fish and habitat in Wyoming streams by a process that includes three major components: (1) stream-reach selection and accumulation of existing information, (2) fish and habitat sampling and (3) summarisation and evaluation of fish and habitat information. Fish are sampled by electric fishing or seining and habitat is measured at reach and channel-unit (i.e. pool, run, riffle, side channel, or backwater) scales. Fish and habitat data are subsequently summarised using a data-matrix approach. Hierarchical decision trees are used to assess critical habitat requirements for each fish species expected or found in the reach. Combined measurements of available habitat and the ecology of individual species contribute to the evaluation of the observed fish assemblage. The WSA incorporates knowledge of the fish assemblage and habitat features to enable inferences of factors likely influencing both the fish assemblage and their habitat. The WSA was developed for warmwater streams in Wyoming, but its philosophy, process and conceptual basis may be applied to environmental assessments in other geographical areas. ?? 2006 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  3. Potential effects of elevated base flow and midsummer spike flow experiments on riparian vegetation along the Green River

    Science.gov (United States)

    Friedman, Jonathan M.

    2018-01-01

    The Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program has requested experimental flow releases from Flaming Gorge Dam for (1) elevated summer base flows to promote larval endangered Colorado pikeminnow, and (2) midsummer spike flows to disadvantage spawning invasive smallmouth bass. This white paper explores the effects of these proposed flow modifications on riparian vegetation and sediment deposition downstream along the Green River. Although modest in magnitude, the elevated base flows and possible associated reductions in magnitude or duration of peak flows would exacerbate a long-term trend of flow stabilization on the Green River that is already leading to proliferation of vegetation including invasive tamarisk along the channel and associated sediment deposition, channel narrowing and channel simplification. Midsummer spike flows could promote establishment of late-flowering plants like tamarisk. Because channel narrowing and simplification threaten persistence and quality of backwater and side channel features needed by endangered fish, the proposed flow modifications could lead to degradation of fish habitat. Channel narrowing and vegetation encroachment could be countered by increases in peak flows or reductions in base flows in some years and by prescription of rapid flow declines following midsummer spike flows. These strategies for reducing vegetation encroachment would need to be balanced with flow

  4. The Other Major 2010 Oil Spill: Oil weathering after the Kalamazoo River Dilbit Spill

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swarthout, B.; Reddy, C. M.; Nelson, R. K.; Hamilton, S. K.; Aeppli, C.; Valentine, D. L.; Fundaun, S. E.; Oliveira, A. H.

    2016-02-01

    Diluted bitumen (dilbit) from the oil sands (tar sands) of western Canada is increasingly being transported to US markets. North America's largest inland oil spill and the first major oil sands spill in a freshwater environment occurred in 2010, when at least 843,000 gallons leaked from a pipeline into the Kalamazoo River of southwest Michigan. Cleanup of this oil was unusually difficult and protracted, lasting through 2014 and costing over a billion dollars, largely because a substantial fraction of the oil became submersed and deposited in slack water areas over 60 km of river channel, reservoirs, and floodplain backwaters. To investigate the fate of the spilled dilbit from the 2010 Kalamazoo River release, black rings, presumably oil residues, on the bark of dead trees were collected in 2015. These residues were deposited on the trees during high flood levels that have not been observed since the spill and represent an opportunity to constrain weathering processes excluding dissolution. This material contained a major non-GC amenable fraction of 90-95%, presumably oxygenated hydrocarbons. The GC amenable portion was consistent with laboratory weathered dilbit. We used a variety of analytical tools to characterize the dilbit residues, as well as to identify dilbit weathering processes that occurred since the spill.

  5. Range estimates and habitat use of invasive Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix): Evidence of sedentary and mobile individuals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prechtel, Austin R.; Coulter, Alison A.; Etchison, Luke; Jackson, P. Ryan; Goforth, Reuben R.

    2018-01-01

    Unregulated rivers provide unobstructed corridors for the dispersal of both native and invasive species. We sought to evaluate range size and habitat use of an invasive species (Silver Carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) in an unimpounded river reach (Wabash River, IN), to provide insights into the dispersal of invasive species and their potential overlap with native species. We hypothesized that range size would increase with fish length, be similar among sexes, and vary annually while habitats used would be deeper, warmer, lower velocity, and of finer substrate. Silver Carp habitat use supported our hypotheses but range size did not vary with sex or length. 75% home range varied annually, suggesting that core areas occupied by individuals may change relative to climate-based factors (e.g., water levels), whereas broader estimates of range size remained constant across years. Ranges were often centered on landscape features such as tributaries and backwaters. Results of this study indicate habitat and landscape features as potential areas where Silver Carp impacts on native ecosystems may be the greatest. Observed distribution of range sizes indicates the presence of sedentary and mobile individuals within the population. Mobile individuals may be of particular importance as they drive the spread of the invasive species into new habitats.

  6. A compact wet end for the papermachine; Paperikoneen kompakti maerkaepaeae - EKY 06

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Meinander, P O [POM Technology Oy Ab, Helsinki (Finland)

    1999-12-31

    The heaviness of the lateral processes in papermaking cause major costs for the papermaking industry. These processes delay grade changes, cause instabilities in the process, collect dirt, build slime, consume energy and so on. The POM Concept aims at minimising the detrimental effects of backwater and other circulations in the paper mill. The concept comprises the principles of a compact, airless, hydraulic, integrated circulation system without or with few tanks for water. A pump for deareation, the pomp, which may be characterized as a pumping centrifuge has been developed to its third generation and provides an energy efficient means for deareation of the process water. A pilot installation is working since May 1997 at MD Albbruck Papier in Germany and provides an efficient and easy to operate process. The air content in the head box is as low as with conventional vacuum deaeration. The system keeps significantly cleaner, and the process is as stable as a conventional one. Grade change times are shorter than before. A homogeniser for wet broke and a processor for stock, substituting for the conventional mixing-/machine-chest combination are further developments. A pomp with a capacity of 500 l/s will be finalised for use on large paper machines. (orig.)

  7. Flow Patterns and Morphological Changes in a Sandy Meander Bend during a Flood—Spatially and Temporally Intensive ADCP Measurement Approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elina Kasvi

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available The fluvio-geomorphological processes in meander bends are spatially uneven in distribution. Typically, higher velocities and erosion take place near the outer bank beyond the bend apex, while the inner bend point bar grows laterally towards the outer bank, increasing the bend amplitude. These dynamics maintain the meander evolution. Even though this development is found in meandering rivers independent of soil or environmental characteristics, each river still seems to behave unpredictably. The special mechanisms that determine the rate and occasion of morphological changes remain unclear. The aim of this study is to offer new insights regarding flow-induced morphological changes in meander using a novel study approach. We focused on short-term and small-spatial-scale changes by conducting a spatially and temporally (daily intensive survey during a flood (a period of nine days with an ADCP attached to a remotely controlled mini-boat. Based on our analysis, the flood duration and the rate of discharge increase and decrease seems to play key roles in determining channel changes by controlling the flow velocities and depth and the backwater effect may have notable influence on the morphological processes. We discuss themes such as the interaction of inner and outer bend processes and the longer-term development of meander bends.

  8. High-speed limnology: using advanced sensors to investigate spatial variability in biogeochemistry and hydrology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crawford, John T; Loken, Luke C; Casson, Nora J; Smith, Colin; Stone, Amanda G; Winslow, Luke A

    2015-01-06

    Advanced sensor technology is widely used in aquatic monitoring and research. Most applications focus on temporal variability, whereas spatial variability has been challenging to document. We assess the capability of water chemistry sensors embedded in a high-speed water intake system to document spatial variability. This new sensor platform continuously samples surface water at a range of speeds (0 to >45 km h(-1)) resulting in high-density, mesoscale spatial data. These novel observations reveal previously unknown variability in physical, chemical, and biological factors in streams, rivers, and lakes. By combining multiple sensors into one platform, we were able to detect terrestrial-aquatic hydrologic connections in a small dystrophic lake, to infer the role of main-channel vs backwater nutrient processing in a large river and to detect sharp chemical changes across aquatic ecosystem boundaries in a stream/lake complex. Spatial sensor data were verified in our examples by comparing with standard lab-based measurements of selected variables. Spatial fDOM data showed strong correlation with wet chemistry measurements of DOC, and optical NO3 concentrations were highly correlated with lab-based measurements. High-frequency spatial data similar to our examples could be used to further understand aquatic biogeochemical fluxes, ecological patterns, and ecosystem processes, and will both inform and benefit from fixed-site data.

  9. Flood-inundation maps for Peachtree Creek from the Norfolk Southern Railway bridge to the Moores Mill Road NW bridge, Atlanta, Georgia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Musser, Jonathan W.

    2012-01-01

    Digital flood-inundation maps for a 5.5-mile reach of the Peachtree Creek from the Norfolk Southern Railway bridge to the Moores Mill Road NW bridge, were developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the City of Atlanta, Georgia. The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/, depict estimates of the areal extent and depth of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) at the USGS streamgage at Peachtree Creek at Atlanta, Georgia (02336300) and the USGS streamgage at Chattahoochee River at Georgia 280, near Atlanta, Georgia (02336490). Current water level (stage) at these USGS streamgages may be obtained at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ and can be used in conjunction with these maps to estimate near real-time areas of inundation. The National Weather Service (NWS) is incorporating results from this study into the Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) flood warning system (http:/water.weather.gov/ahps/). The NWS forecasts flood hydrographs at many places that commonly are collocated at USGS streamgages. The forecasted peak-stage information for the USGS streamgage at Peachtree Creek, which is available through the AHPS Web site, may be used in conjunction with the maps developed in this study to show predicted areas of flood inundation. A one-dimensional step-backwater model was developed using the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers HEC–RAS software for a 6.5-mile reach of Peachtree Creek and was used to compute flood profiles for a 5.5-mile reach of the creek. The model was calibrated using the most current stage-discharge relations at the Peachtree Creek at Atlanta, Georgia, streamgage (02336300), and the Chattahoochee River at Georgia 280, near Atlanta, Georgia, streamgage (02336490) as well as high water marks collected during the 2010 annual peak flow event. The hydraulic model was then used to determine 50 water

  10. Seasonal abundance, ecology, reproductive biology, and biochemical composition of Mesopodopsis orientalis W.M. Tattersall (Mysidacea) from a tropical estuary (Cochin Backwater) in India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Biju, A.; Gireesh, R.; Jayalakshmi, K.J.; Haridevi, C.K.; Panampunnayil, S.U.

    respiratorio de los componentes bioquimicos. In: Actina equina L. Actas do IVº Simpósio Ibérico de estudos do Benthos Marinho, 321-332. PANAMPUNNAYIL, S. U., 1999. Studies on Mysidaceae (Crustacea) of the Indian Ocean with reference to Indian waters. pp. 1...

  11. Eco-distribution Mapping of Invasive Weed Limnocharis flava (L. Buchenau Using Geographical Information System: Implications for Containment and Integrated Weed Management for Ecosystem Conservation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P. C. Abhilash

    2008-03-01

    Full Text Available Exotic weed invasion has been identified as one of the serious environmental problem impacting the structure, composition and function of biological diversity. They are aggressive colonizers, which have flexible habitat requirement and ability to outcompete native species. The present paper describes the distribution and autecology of an exotic weed Limnocharis flava (L. Buchenau (an emergent aquatic weed of ‘Limnocharitaceae’ in Kumarakom Grama Panchayat, one of the well known tourist spot of South India famous for its vast stretches of paddy fields, wetlands and backwaters. The mapping of L. flava in the entire study area has been done using Geographical Information System (Arc-info 8.3 version. The growth and distribution pattern of L. flava were studied quantitatively. Data on distribution, abundance, biomass, ecological associations and root zone nutrient quality of water and sediment samples were collected from different sampling points of Kumarakom. The study reflected that nutrients, water depth and land use patterns were the major factors responsible for the growth and proliferation of this exotic weed. The strategies for controlling L. flava invasion are discussed in detail. If early steps are not taken to eradicate this weed, it will become a problematic weed in the same way as other noxious aquatic weeds like Salvinia molesta D. Mitch and Eichhornia crassipes (C. Martius Solms-Laub.

  12. Large dams and alluvial rivers in the Anthropocene: The impacts of the Garrison and Oahe Dams on the Upper Missouri River

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skalak, Katherine; Benthem, Adam J.; Schenk, Edward R.; Hupp, Cliff R.; Galloway, Joel M.; Nustad, Rochelle A.; Wiche, Gregg J.

    2013-01-01

    The Missouri River has had a long history of anthropogenic modification with considerable impacts on river and riparian ecology, form, and function. During the 20th century, several large dam-building efforts in the basin served the needs for irrigation, flood control, navigation, and the generation of hydroelectric power. The managed flow provided a range of uses, including recreation, fisheries, and habitat. Fifteen dams impound the main stem of the river, with hundreds more on tributaries. Though the effects of dams and reservoirs are well-documented, their impacts have been studied individually, with relatively little attention paid to their interaction along a river corridor. We examine the morphological and sedimentological changes in the Upper Missouri River between the Garrison Dam in ND (operational in 1953) and Oahe Dam in SD (operational in 1959). Through historical aerial photography, stream gage data, and cross sectional surveys, we demonstrate that the influence of the upstream dam is still a major control of river dynamics when the backwater effects of the downstream reservoir begin. In the “Anthropocene”, dams are ubiquitous on large rivers and often occur in series, similar to the Garrison Dam Segment. We propose a conceptual model of how interacting dams might affect river geomorphology, resulting in distinct and recognizable morphologic sequences that we term “Inter-Dam sequence” characteristic of major rivers in the US.

  13. Multiyear Downstream Response to Dam Removal on the White Salmon River, WA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilcox, A. C.; O'Connor, J. E.; Major, J. J.

    2017-12-01

    The 2011 removal of the 38 m tall Condit Dam on the White Salmon River, Washington was one of the largest dam removals to date, in terms of both dam height and sediment release. We examined the multiyear geomorphic response to this event, through 2015, including in a bedrock-confined canyon and in a less-confined, backwater-influenced pool reach near the river's mouth, to the large, rapid influx of fine reservoir sediment produced by the breach and to subsequent sediment transfer in the free-flowing White Salmon River. In the canyon reach, aggraded sediments were rapidly eroded from riffles, returning them toward pre-breach bed elevations within weeks, but pool aggradation persisted for longer. The downstream, less-confined reach transformed from a deep pool to a narrower pool-riffle channel with alternate bars; multiyear observations showed persistence of bars and of this new and distinct morphology. This downstream reach marks a rare case in post-dam removal channel response; in most dam removals, channels have rapidly reverted toward pre-removal morphology, as in the canyon reach here. Comparison of the multiyear geomorphic evolution of the White Salmon River to other recent large dam removals in the U.S. allows evaluation of the relative influences of antecedent channel morphology, post-breach hydrology, and dam removal style, as well as providing a basis for predicting responses to future dam removals.

  14. Radium-228 and -226 levels in a river environment and its modification by human activities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Paul, A.C.; Londhe, V.S.; Pillai, K.C.

    1978-01-01

    The river Periyar is of prime importance in the economy of Kerala State due to the anifold utility of its waters. Consistently high background levels of radium-228 in the river water amounting to 10% of (MPC)sub(w) during the peak and lean flow periods suggest geochemical transport from the drainage areas. Industrial discharges enhance Ra levels by an order of magnitude in downstream locations. Monazite and rockp2hosphate processes, predominently contributing radium-228 and radium-226 respectively, change the nuclide ratio in the river environment due to differential inputs. Contribution of radium-226 through liquid effluents to the river from either process is of the same order of magnitude which together account for only 5% of the process output, the remaining 95%, held in the fertilizer sludges of CaCO 3 /CaCO 4 , disposed off on land, is a potential source of this activity in the environment. River bed sediments carrying bulk of Ra get displaced to backwaters where partial solubilisation takes place due to monsoon flushes. Uptake of Ra by fish in industrial and downstream locations in the river were evident. Analysis of paddy indicates higher uptake by soil and hay due to irrigation by river water drawn from downstream and marginal increase of activity in the fertilizer applied field. (author)

  15. Gradients in Catostomid assemblages along a reservoir cascade

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miranda, Leandro E.; Keretz, Kevin R.; Gilliland, Chelsea R.

    2017-01-01

    Serial impoundment of major rivers leads to alterations of natural flow dynamics and disrupts longitudinal connectivity. Catostomid fishes (suckers, family Catostomidae) are typically found in riverine or backwater habitats yet are able to persist in impounded river systems. To the detriment of conservation, there is limited information about distribution of catostomid fishes in impounded rivers. We examined the longitudinal distribution of catostomid fishes over 23 reservoirs of the Tennessee River reservoir cascade, encompassing approximately 1600 km. Our goal was to develop a basin-scale perspective to guide conservation efforts. Catostomid species composition and assemblage structure changed longitudinally along the reservoir cascade. Catostomid species biodiversity was greatest in reservoirs lower in the cascade. Assemblage composition shifted from dominance by spotted sucker Minytrema melanops and buffalos Ictiobus spp. in the lower reservoirs to carpsuckers Carpiodes spp. midway through the cascade and redhorses Moxostoma spp. in the upper reservoirs. Most species did not extend the length of the cascade, and some species were rare, found in low numbers and in few reservoirs. The observed gradients in catostomid assemblages suggest the need for basin-scale conservation measures focusing on three broad areas: (1) conservation and management of the up-lake riverine reaches of the lower reservoirs, (2) maintenance of the access to quality habitat in tributaries to the upper reservoirs and (3) reintroductions into currently unoccupied habitat within species' historic distributions

  16. Hydrographic and navigational analysis of Lower Oder shipping conditions – case study of the backflow occurrence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Medyna Piotr

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available One of the significant limitations of inland waterway transport on the Oder River is the water level. Its variability determines the minimum clearance under the bridges and thus the maximum drought of moving vessels. An important factor affecting the water level in the Oder River is the phenomenon of wind backwater. Certain pressure field distribution situations may affect in an increase of water level on the coast and thereby block the outflow of river waters. In this paper an example of the limitations of inland navigation in the estuarine part of the Lower Oder under the weather conditions on the southern Baltic Sea in autumn 2016 is presented. For the analysis area of Szczecin Waterway Node and section of Oder River from Szczecin to Gryfino was chosen. Based on data the weather and navigational conditions of the area of the Lower Oder were assessed. Occurring winds, currents and changes in water level has been analyzed. In the situations of unfavorable raise of the water level in the river, inland navigation is redirected to the section of Regalica River, and a section of the port of Szczecin region is closed. This causes obvious difficulties and results in prolonged ships routes. Additional obstacle that take place here is an arbitrarily determined time of railway bridge span lifting in Szczecin Podjuchy.

  17. Habitat preferences of common native fishes in a tropical river in Southeastern Brazil

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    Marcus Rodrigues da Costa

    Full Text Available We determined in this study the habitat preferences of seven native fish species in a regulated river in Southeastern Brazil. We tested the hypothesis that fishes differ in habitat preference and that they use stretches of the river differing in hydraulic characteristics and substrate type. We surveyed fishes in four 1-km long river stretches encompassing different habitat traits, where we also measured water depth, velocity, and substrate type. We investigated preference patterns of four Siluriformes (Loricariichthys castaneus, Hoplosternum littorale, Pimelodus maculatus, and Trachelyopterus striatulus and three Characiformes (Astyanax aff. bimaculatus, Oligosarcus hepsetus, and Hoplias malabaricus, representing approximately 70% of the total number of fishes and 64% of the total biomass. We classified fishes into four habitat guilds: (1 a slow-flowing water guild that occupied mud-sand substrate, composed of two Siluriformes in either shallow ( 8 m, L. castaneus waters; (2 a run-dwelling guild that occurs in deep backwaters with clay-mud substrate, composed of the Characiformes A. aff. bimaculatus and O. hepsetus; (3 a run-dwelling guild that occurs in sandy and shallow substrate, composed of T. striatulus; and (4 a fast-flowing guild that occurs primarily along shorelines with shallow mud bottoms, composed of H. malabaricus and P. maculatus. Our hypothesis was confirmed, as different habitat preferences by fishes appear to occur in this regulated river.

  18. Feeding Activity, Rate of Consumption, Daily Ration and Prey Selection of Major Predators in John Day Reservoir, 1985: Annual Report.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Palmer, Douglas E.; United States. Bonneville Power Administration; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; National Fishery Research Center (U.S.)

    1986-10-01

    This report summarizes activities in 1985 to determine the extent of predation on juvenile salmonids in John Day Reservoir. To estimate consumption of juvenile salmonids we used the composition of the natural diet of predators and in the laboratory determined rate of gastric evacuation by predators. Salmonids were the single most important food item for northern squawfish (Ptychocheilus oregonensis) at McNary tailrace during all sampling periods and at John Day forebay during July. Salmonids accounted for 11.6% of the diet of walleye (Stizostedion vitreum vitreum) in 1985 which was about twice that found in previous years. Salmonids contributed little to smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieui) diet but comprised about 25% of the diet of channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus). Composition of prey taxa in beach seine catches in 1985 was similar to 1983 and 1984 with chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tschawytscha), northern squawfish, largescale sucker (Catostomus macrocheilus), and sand roller (Percopsis transmontana) dominating the catch at main channel stations and crappies (Pomoxis spp.) and largescale sucker dominating at backwater stations. Preliminary results of beach seine efficiency studies suggest that seine efficiency varied significantly among prey species and between substrate types in 1985. Results of digestion rate experiments indicate that gastric evacuation in northern squawfish can be predicted using water temperature, prey weight, predator weight and time. 19 refs., 19 figs., 13 tabs.

  19. The influence of floodplain geomorphology and hydrologic connectivity on alligator gar (Atractosteus spatula) habitat along the embanked floodplain of the Lower Mississippi River

    Science.gov (United States)

    van der Most, Merel; Hudson, Paul F.

    2018-02-01

    The floodplain geomorphology of large lowland rivers is intricately related to aquatic ecosystems dependent upon flood pulse dynamics. The alligator gar (Atractosteus spatula) is native to the Lower Mississippi River and dependent upon floodplain backwater areas for spawning. In this study we utilize a geospatial approach to develop a habitat suitability index for alligator gar that explicitly considers hydrologic connectivity and the floodplain geomorphology along a frequently inundated segment of the Lower Mississippi River. The data sets include Landsat imagery, a high-resolution LiDAR digital elevation model (DEM), National Hydrography Dataset (NHD), and hydrologic and geomorphic data. A habitat suitability index is created based on the extent and frequency of inundation, water depth, temperature, and vegetation. A comparison between the remote sensing approach and the NHD revealed substantial differences in the area and location of water bodies available for alligator gar spawning. The final habitat suitability index indicates that a modest proportion (19%) of the overall embanked floodplain is available for alligator gar spawning. Opportunities exist for management efforts to utilize engineered and natural geomorphic features to facilitate hydrologic connectivity at flow levels below flood stage that would expand the habitat of alligator gar across the floodplain. The study results have direct implications regarding environmental restoration of the Lower Mississippi, an iconic example of an embanked meandering river floodplain.

  20. Inundation Analysis of Reservoir Flood Based on Computer Aided Design (CAD and Digital Elevation Model (DEM

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    Jiqing Li

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available GIS (Geographic Information System can be used to combine multiple hydrologic data and geographic data for FIA (Flood Impact Assessment. For a developing country like China, a lot of geographic data is in the CAD (Computer Aided Design format. The commonly used method for converting CAD into DEM may result in data loss. This paper introduces a solution for the conversion between CAD data and DEM data. The method has been applied to the FIA based on the topographic map of CAD in Hanjiang River. When compared with the other method, the new method solves the data loss problem. Besides, the paper use GIS to simulate the inundation range, area, and the depth distribution of flood backwater. Based on the analysis, the author concludes: (1 the differences of the inundation areas between the flood of HQ100 and the flood of HQ50 are small. (2 The inundation depth shows a decreasing trend along the upstream of the river. (3 The inundation area less than 4 m in flood of HQ50 is larger than that in flood of HQ100, the result is opposite when the inundation depth is greater than 4 m. (4 The flood loss is 392.32 million RMB for flood of HQ50 and 610.02 million RMB for flood of HQ100. The method can be applied to FIA.

  1. Active Urbanization and Channel Adjustment in Apple Creek, Appleton, WI

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clark, J. J.

    2002-12-01

    Headwaters of the Apple Creek watershed have been and continue to be rapidly developed as part of the City of Appleton's long-term growth plan. Concurrent with early development, and prior to development over the past 4 years, two regional stormwater management facilities were constructed. Cross-sectional surveys and core transects were used to determine channel response to urbanization mitigated by stormwater management. The reach immediately downstream of the first pond complex has a narrow, but well established, wooded riparian zone and has not changed in size or shape over the past two years. An engineered reach approximately one mile downstream, however has exhibited widespread bed aggradation. Cross-sectional area decreased an average of 51% over the past four years. Despite the use of sediment and erosion control BMPs, sediment concentrations exceeding 1000 mg/L during base flow are not uncommon downstream of construction sites adjacent to the stream. The artificially widened channel, a reduction in stream gradient, and the backwater effect from downstream ponds caused much of this sediment to remain within the engineered reach. It is estimated that approximately 21,000 Mg of sediment is stored in this mile-long reach. As this sediment migrates downstream, the forebay of the second set of stormwater ponds will begin to fill, reducing storage capacity and thereby limiting its effectiveness in mitigating peak discharges and sequestering nutrients.

  2. Determination of time-of-travel, dispersion characteristics, and oxygen reaeration coefficients during low streamflows--Lower Tacony/Frankford Creek, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

    Science.gov (United States)

    Senior, Lisa A.; Gyves, Matthew C.

    2010-01-01

    Time-of-travel, dispersion characteristics, and oxygen reaeration coefficients were determined by use of dye and gas tracing for a 2-mile reach of Tacony/Frankford Creek in Philadelphia, southeastern Pennsylvania. The reach frequently has concentrations of dissolved oxygen (DO) below the water-quality standard of 4 milligrams per liter during warm months. Several large combined sewer overflows (CSOs), including one of the largest in Philadelphia (former Wingohocking Creek), discharge to the study reach in this urbanized watershed, affecting water quality and the timing and magnitude of storm peaks. In addition, a dam that commonly results in backwater conditions and reduced natural reaeration is present a few hundred feet from the end of the study reach. Time-of-travel and reaeration data were collected under base-flow conditions in August and September 2009 for three sub-reaches from Roosevelt Boulevard (U.S. Route 1) to Castor Avenue. Determination of traveltimes to the centroid of the dye cloud were needed for calculation of the reaeration coefficients. Results of the dye study in Tacony/Frankford Creek indicate that traveltimes were affected by the presence of man-made structures, such as the large scour hole and pool developed at the outfall of the T14 CSO and the dam, both of which reduce stream velocities. Mean stream velocities during the dye-tracer tests ranged from a maximum of 0.44 to 0.04 foot per second through a large pool. The dispersion efficiency of the stream was determined from relations between normalized unit concentrations to time to peak for use in water-quality modeling. Oxygen reaeration coefficients determined by a constant rate-injection method using propane as the tracer gas were as low as 0.04 unit per hour in a long pool affected by backwater conditions behind a dam. The highest reaeration coefficient was 2.29 units per hour for a steep-gradient reach with multiple winding channels through gravel deposits, just downstream of a large

  3. Mario Bunge, Systematic Philosophy and Science Education: An Introduction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matthews, Michael R.

    2012-10-01

    Mario Bunge was born in Argentina in 1919 and is now in his mid-90s. He studied atomic physics and quantum mechanics with Guido Beck (1903-1988), an Austrian refugee and student of Heisenberg. Additionally he studied modern philosophy in an environment that was a philosophical backwater becoming the first South American philosopher of science to be trained in science. His publications in physics, philosophy, psychology, sociology and the foundations of biology, are staggering in number, and include a massive 8-volume Treatise on Philosophy. The unifying thread of his scholarship is the constant and vigorous advancement of the Enlightenment Project, and criticism of cultural and academic movements that deny or devalue the core planks of the project: namely its naturalism, the search for truth, the universality of science, the value of rationality, and respect for individuals. At a time when specialisation is widely decried, and its deleterious effects on science, philosophy of science, educational research and science teaching are recognised, and at a time when `grand narratives' are thought both undesirable and impossible—it is salutary to appraise the fruits of one person's pursuit of the `Big' scientific and philosophical picture or grand narrative. In doing so this special issue brings together philosophers, physicists, biologists, sociologists, logicians, cognitive scientists, economists and mathematicians to examine facets of Mario Bunge's systematic philosophy and to appraise its contribution to important issues in current philosophy and, by implication, education.

  4. Flow-sediment-large woody debris interplay: Introducing an appropriately scaled laboratory experiment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Friedrich, H.; Spreitzer, G.; Tunnicliffe, J. F.

    2017-12-01

    The morphology of steep (>0.01 m/m) forested streams is governed not only by water-sediment interplay, but also by accumulations of coarse and fine organic debris. In this project we look at the jamming dynamics (formation, persistence and hydraulic feedbacks) of large woody debris with the help of scaled laboratory experiments. In New Zealand, the recruitment of wood from both natural tree-fall and forest harvesting has led to obstruction of culverts, bridges and other river constrictions. Understanding the dynamics of jam formation and persistence is important for harvest practice guidelines, management of sediment accumulation, as well as establishing impacts to habitat and infrastructure. In this study, we provide the context of our work, present our experimental setup for studying the complex flow-sediment-wood interactions and present some initial results. In our experimental setup, we varied feed rates of sediment and organic fine material in order to establish concentration thresholds for jam formation, and development of sediment retention capacity upstream of the jam. Large woody debris accumulation is studied for different blocking scenarios, and the effect on sediment transport is measured. Sediment quantities and changes in channel bed morphology upstream of the critical cross section are evaluated, together with resulting backwater effects, and associated energy losses. In the long term, our results will inform our understanding of the processes that take place from the mobilization of woody debris to accumulation.

  5. A checklist of the vertebrates of Kerala State, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P. O. Nameer

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Following the first publication on vertebrates of India (Blanford 1888–1890, a huge wealth of information has been compiled on the vertebrate fauna of various biogeographic zones of the country, especially the Western Ghats.  The state of Kerala comprising of a land area of 38,863km2, 590km coastline, an intricate system of backwaters along the coast, tropical moist forests of the Western Ghats, the highly undulating terrain, and the tropical monsoon is a unique geographical and environmental entity rich in biodiversity.  A region-specific checklist that summarises and documents the current status of vertebrate diversity provides benchmark data for documentation and appreciation of biodiversity at regional level.  Further, with the current rate of global biodiversity loss and concordant conservation efforts, the taxonomic community has a greater responsibility to make scientific information available to scientists, policy makers, politicians, research students and all relevant stakeholders, an attempt that has been made in the present paper.  The State of Kerala has 1847 species of vertebrates in 330 families and 81 orders, of which 386 are endemic to the Western Ghats region (of the Western Ghats - Sri Lanka Hotspot, and 205 species as threatened. Six hundred and eighty species of vertebrates of Kerala have been listed in the various schedules of the Indian Wildlife (Protection Act, while 148 are listed in the different appendices of CITES.  

  6. Predictive models for fish assemblages in eastern USA streams: implications for assessing biodiversity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meador, Michael R.; Carlisle, Daren M.

    2009-01-01

    Management and conservation of aquatic systems require the ability to assess biological conditions and identify changes in biodiversity. Predictive models for fish assemblages were constructed to assess biological condition and changes in biodiversity for streams sampled in the eastern United States as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water Quality Assessment Program. Separate predictive models were developed for northern and southern regions. Reference sites were designated using land cover and local professional judgment. Taxonomic completeness was quantified based on the ratio of the number of observed native fish species expected to occur to the number of expected native fish species. Models for both regions accurately predicted fish species composition at reference sites with relatively high precision and low bias. In general, species that occurred less frequently than expected (decreasers) tended to prefer riffle areas and larger substrates, such as gravel and cobble, whereas increaser species (occurring more frequently than expected) tended to prefer pools, backwater areas, and vegetated and sand substrates. In the north, the percentage of species identified as increasers and the percentage identified as decreasers were equal, whereas in the south nearly two-thirds of the species examined were identified as decreasers. Predictive models of fish species can provide a standardized indicator for consistent assessments of biological condition at varying spatial scales and critical information for an improved understanding of fish species that are potentially at risk of loss with changing water quality conditions.

  7. THE HIDROLOGICAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DANUBE ARMS AND LAKE COMPLEXIS IN THE DANUBE DELTA

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    Basarab Victor DRIGA

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available The Danube Delta, which is an open system, is permanently exchanging matter and energy with the external environment. The hydrological sub-system, basically the water circulation represents the vital component of the existence of the delta space. In view of the ecological requirements of this delta space, of the present and prospective situation of various managements, of the present legal framework and the future of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve, it is advisable to make some changes to the water circulation system within the Letea unit as follows: to close down or undersize the Mila 35 Canal and the Mila 22 Canal, to reduce the Crânjală Canal flow section or close the canal, to secure the ecological reconstruction of inefficient dammed enclosures (e.g. Pardina by ensuring normal water circulation inside them, to reopen the Sireasa Canal at its junction with the Chilia Arm. The fact is that the water circulation system throughout the Caraorman unit will suffer essential changes, so that is recommendable to: revitalise the Litcov Canal and close the Filat canal, downsize the Crişan-Caraorman flow section, open up the Gorgova and Ceamurlia canals, revigorate the Ivancea and the Erenciuc canals (between the Puiu and the Erenciuc lakes, respectively, make 2 – 3 openings in the littoral dam and in the Împuţita Backwater, placing the weir level at + 70-80 cm, in order to facilitate the depression water outflow into the sea.

  8. Spatial Patterns of Mercury Bioaccumulation in the Upper Clark Fork River Basin, MT

    Science.gov (United States)

    Staats, M. F.; Langner, H.; Moore, J. N.

    2010-12-01

    The Upper Clark Fork River Basin (UCFRB) in Montana has a legacy of historic gold/silver mine waste that contributes large quantities of mercury into the watershed. Mercury bioaccumulation at higher levels of the aquatic food chain, such as the mercury concentration in the blood of pre-fledge osprey, exhibit an irregular spatial signature based on the location of the nests throughout the river basin. Here we identify regions with a high concentration of bioavailable mercury and the major factors that allow the mercury to bioaccumulate within trophic levels. This identification is based on the abundance of mercury sources and the potential for mercury methylation. To address the source term, we did a survey of total mercury in fine sediments along selected UCFRB reaches, along with the assessment of environmental river conditions (percentage of backwaters/wetlands, water temperature and pH, etc). In addition, we analyzed the mercury levels of a representative number of macroinvertebrates and fish from key locations. The concentration of total mercury in sediment, which varies from reach to reach (tributaries of the Clark Fork River, 5mg/kg) affects the concentration of mercury found at various trophic levels. However, reaches with a low supply of mine waste-derived mercury can also yield substantial concentrations of mercury in the biota, due to highly favorable conditions for mercury methylation. We identify that the major environmental factor that affects the methylation potential in the UCFRB is the proximity and connectivity of wetland areas to the river.

  9. Investigating extreme flood response to Holocene palaeoclimate in the Chinese monsoonal zone: A palaeoflood case study from the Hanjiang River

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Yongqiang; Huang, Chun Chang; Pang, Jiangli; Zha, Xiaochun; Zhou, Yali; Wang, Longsheng; Zhang, Yuzhu; Hu, Guiming

    2015-06-01

    Palaeoflood events recorded by slackwater deposits (SWDs) were investigated extensively by sedimentological criteria of palaeohydrology along the upper Hanjiang River valley. Modern flood SWDs were collected for comparison with palaeoflood SWD in the same reaches. Three typical palaeoflood SWDs were observed within Holocene loess-soil blanket on the first river terrace land. The grain size distributions of palaeoflood SWDs are similar to modern flood SWDs, whereas they are different from eolian loess and soil. Palaeoflood SWD lies in three major pedo-stratigraphic boundaries (TS/L0, L0/S0, and S0/Lt) in the Holocene loess-soil profiles. The chronology of three palaeoflood episodes was established by OSL dating and pedo-stratigraphic correlation with the well-dated Holocene loess-soil profiles in the upper Hanjiang River basin. Holocene palaeoflood events were dated to 9500-8500, 3200-2800, and 1800-1700 a B.P., respectively. Palaeoflood discharges were estimated by the palaeoflood model (i.e., slope-area method and step-backwater method). The highest discharges are 51,680-53,950 m3 s- 1 at the 11,500-time scale in the Xunyang reach of the upper Hanjiang River valley. Holocene extraordinary hydroclimatic events in the Hanjiang River often result from abnormal atmospheric circulations from Southwest monsoons in the Chinese monsoonal zone. These results provide a regional expression of extreme flood response to Holocene palaeoclimate to understand the effects of global climatic variations on the river system dynamics.

  10. Metal impacts on microbial biomass in the anoxic sediments of a contaminated lake

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gough, Heidi L.; Dahl, Amy L.; Nolan, Melissa A.; Gaillard, Jean-Francois; Stahl, David A.

    2008-04-26

    Little is known about the long-term impacts of metal contamination on the microbiota of anoxic lake sediments. In this study, we examined microbial biomass and metals (arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, manganese, and zinc) in the sediments of Lake DePue, a backwater lake located near a former zinc smelter. Sediment core samples were examined using two independent measures for microbial biomass (total microscopic counts and total phospholipid-phosphate concentrations), and for various fractions of each metal (pore water extracts, sequential extractions, and total extracts of all studied metals and zinc speciation by X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS). Zinc concentrations were up to 1000 times higher than reported for sediments in the adjacent Illinois River, and ranged from 21,400 mg/kg near the source to 1,680 mg/kg near the river. However, solid metal fractions were not well correlated with pore water concentrations, and were not good predictors of biomass concentrations. Instead, biomass, which varied among sites by as much as two-times, was inversely correlated with concentrations of pore water zinc and arsenic as established by multiple linear regression. Monitoring of other parameters known to naturally influence biomass in sediments (e.g., organic carbon concentrations, nitrogen concentrations, pH, sediment texture, and macrophytes) revealed no differences that could explain observed biomass trends. This study provides strong support for control of microbial abundance by pore water metal concentrations in contaminated freshwater sediments.

  11. Morphological Analyses and Simulated Flood Elevations in a Watershed with Dredged and Leveed Stream Channels, Wheeling Creek, Eastern Ohio

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sherwood, James M.; Huitger, Carrie A.; Ebner, Andrew D.; Koltun, G.F.

    2008-01-01

    -sectional area, the mean percentage differences between the measured and estimated values were -16.0 and -11.2, respectively. The predominantly negative bias in differences between the measured and estimated values indicates that bankfull mean depths and cross-sectional areas in studied reaches generally are smaller than the regional trend. This may be an indication of channel filling and over widening or it may reflect insufficient representation in the regional dataset of basins with characteristics like that of Wheeling Creek. Step-backwater models were constructed for four previously dredged reaches to determine the height of levees required to contain floods with recurrence intervals of 2, 10, 50, and 100 years. Existing levees (all of which are uncertified) were found to contain the 100-year flood at only 20 percent of the surveyed cross sections. At the other 80 percent of the surveyed cross sections, levee heights would have to be raised an average of 2.5 feet and as much as 6.3 feet to contain the 100-year flood. Step-backwater models also were constructed for three undredged reaches to assess the impacts of selected dredging and streambed aggradation scenarios on water-surface elevations corresponding to the 2-, 10-, 50-, and 100-year floods. Those models demonstrated that changes in water-surface elevations associated with a given depth of dredging were proportionately smaller for larger floods due to the fact that more of the flood waters are outside of the main channel. For example, 2.0 feet of dredging in the three study reaches would lower the water-surface elevation an average of 1.30 feet for the 2-year flood and 0.64 feet for the 100-year flood.

  12. Centering Panama in Global Modernity: The Search for National Identity and the Imagining of the Orient in Rogelio Sinán’s “Sin novedad en Shanghai”

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Junyoung Verónica Kim

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Since its independence from Colombia in 1903 backed by the United States government, which resulted in a treaty that granted the US free rein to build, administer and control what would be known as the Panama Canal, Panama’s quest for modern nationhood has been severely called into question. More often than not it is posited as an artificial state with little organic unity and limited sovereignty: a state that is literally made in the USA. Panamanian intellectuals, such as Rogelio Sinán, responded to these discourses on the Panamanian nation-state by actively constructing a Panamanian national identity, and by calling attention to the central significance of Panama in the twentieth-century world of global modernity. Questioning the widespread narrative of Panama as a peripheral North American neo-colony that was at best a marginal actor in international history, Sinán positioned Panama at the center of the modern world where World Wars, international migrations and global capitalism connected. By exploring Sinán’s short story “Sin novedad en Shanghai” that takes place in East Asia during World War II, this study argues that the writer’s deployment of the Orient—as a geopolitical, cultural, symbolic and imaginary space—allows him to reposition Panama. In its symbolic relation to this Orient, Panama emerges not as the backwaters of global modernity, but at its center—a cosmopolis between the Orient and the Occident that reveals a microcosm of the modern world.

  13. Energy recovery in SUDS towards smart water grids: A case study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ramos, Helena M.; Teyssier, Charlotte; Samora, Irene; Schleiss, Anton J.

    2013-01-01

    The development of a methodology for urban flood adaptation and energy recovery solutions is resting on the concept of Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) as a measure to reduce risks of urban flooding while fully utilizing the available resources. Flood drainage systems are infrastructures essential in urban areas, which include retention ponds that can be used as water storage volumes to damp floods and simultaneously to produce energy, constituting innovative solutions to be integrated in future smart water grid′s designs. The consideration of urban flooding as a problem caused by excess water that can be harvested and re-used is expected to provide a comprehensive representation of a water-energy nexus for future urban areas. The study comprises an optimization of energy recovery in SUDS of a small district area of Lisbon down-town through the use of a low-head hydropower converter. The status-quo solution based on a basin catchment for the average expected runoff is analysed, with influence of the tidal backwater effect of the Atlantic Ocean which causes difficulties to the drainage of excess flow. The methodology used to reach the flow damping and the optimized solution for energy production is presented. -- Highlights: •An innovative solution for Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS). •Use of retention ponds to reduce risks of urban flooding while producing energy. •Use of recently developed hydropower converters for low heads. •Solution to be integrated in future smart water networks for increasing efficiency. •Water and energy nexus for sustainable operation towards future smart cities

  14. Channel-morphology data for the Tongue River and selected tributaries, southeastern Montana, 2001-02

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chase, Katherine J.

    2004-01-01

    Coal-bed methane exploration and production have begun within the Tongue River watershed in southeastern Montana. The development of coal-bed methane requires production of large volumes of ground water, some of which may be discharged to streams, potentially increasing stream discharge and sediment load. Changes in stream discharge or sediment load may result in changes to channel morphology through changes in erosion and vegetation. These changes might be subtle and difficult to detect without baseline data that indicate stream-channel conditions before extensive coal-bed methane development began. In order to provide this baseline channel-morphology data, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management, collected channel-morphology data in 2001-02 to document baseline conditions for several reaches along the Tongue River and selected tributaries. This report presents channel-morphology data for five sites on the mainstem Tongue River and four sites on its tributaries. Bankfull, water-surface, and thalweg elevations, channel sections, and streambed-particle sizes were measured along reaches near streamflow-gaging stations. At each site, the channel was classified using methods described by Rosgen. For six sites, bankfull discharge was determined from the stage- discharge relation at the gage for the stage corresponding to the bankfull elevation. For three sites, the step-backwater computer model HEC-RAS was used to estimate bankfull discharge. Recurrence intervals for the bankfull discharge also were estimated for eight of the nine sites. Channel-morphology data for each site are presented in maps, tables, graphs, and photographs.

  15. Ad vesice dolorem et ad eos qui urinam non faciunt (For bladder pain and when a person cannot urinate): nephrological disorders in Anglo-Saxon medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Aronco, Maria A

    2009-01-01

    The attitude of 19th century (and even of 20th century) scholars toward medieval and, particularly, Anglo-Saxon medicine has been of severe criticism. According to them it was filled with superstition and stupidities. However, in these last fifty years research has proved that, compared with the Continent, Anglo-Saxon England was not a backwater. At the end of the ninth century, medical compendia in Old English began to appear, similar in structure and contents to the Latin dynamidia and to the Latin herbals. These medical treatises were written in the vernacular of the Anglo-Saxons, not in Latin, the western European language for all significant and valuable works on medicine. Bladder, kidney and urinating problems are mentioned throughout the Old English medical treatises together with their cures, that is remedies from herbs and animals. These texts contain no theoretical reflections, only very concise descriptions of symptoms (pain in the bladder, in the kidneys, difficulty in urinating etc.), while prognosis is limited to affirmations such as "he will heal very quickly," "soon there will be no pain," "it will soon be healed," etc. Remedies are made basically out of a body of medicinal plants and materials which can be traced to Greek and Roman medicine. The remedies from plants reflect a wide rational and practical knowledge of medicinal herbs. As a matter of fact, not only there is no amuletic use of plants, but most of the herbs that appear in these recipes have diuretic or analgesic properties and have been in use for centuries.

  16. Diet of otters (Lutra lutra in various habitat types in the Pannonian biogeographical region compared to other regions of Europe

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    József Lanszki

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Knowledge of the effect of habitat type and region on diet and feeding behaviours of a species facilitates a better understanding of factors impacting populations, which contributes to effective conservation management. Using spraint analysis and relative frequency of occurrence data from the literature, we described the dietary patterns of Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra in 23 study sites within the Pannonian biogeographical region in Hungary. Our results indicated that diet composition varied by habitat type and is therefore context dependant. The differences among habitat types were however lower than expected. We noticed a decline in the fish consumption with a concomitant increase in trophic niche breadth and amphibian consumption in rivers, ponds (fish farms, backwaters, marshes and small watercourses. The main differences in diet were not attributed to the consumption of primary and secondary food types (fish and amphibians, but rather to differences in other, less important food types (mammals, birds. Using hierarchical cluster analysis, rivers and ponds could clearly be separated from other habitat types. We found the main fish diet of otters in most of these areas consisted of small (<100 g, eurytopic, littoral and non-native, mostly invasive species. Dietary studies from 91 sites in six European biogeographical regions showed that fish are consumed most frequently in the Atlantic and Boreal, less in the Continental and Pannonian, and least in the Alpine and Mediterranean regions. Comparative analysis indicated that the Mediterranean region (with frequent crayfish consumption and Alpine region (frequent amphibian consumption cluster separate from the other regions.

  17. Grain-size evolution in suspended sediment and deposits from the 2004 and 2008 controlled-flood experiments in Marble and Grand Canyons, Arizona

    Science.gov (United States)

    Draut, Amy E.; Topping, David J.; Rubin, David M.; Wright, Scott A.; Schmidt, John C.

    2010-01-01

    Since the closure of Glen Canyon Dam in 1963, the hydrology, sediment supply, and distribution and size of modern alluvial deposits in the Colorado River through Grand Canyon have changed substantially (e.g., Howard and Dolan, 1981; Johnson and Carothers, 1987; Webb et al., 1999; Rubin et al., 2002; Topping et al., 2000, 2003; Wright et al., 2005; Hazel et al., 2006). The dam has reduced the fluvial sediment supply at the upstream boundary of Grand Canyon National Park by about 95 percent. Regulation of river discharge by dam operations has important implications for the storage and redistribution of sediment in the Colorado River corridor. In the absence of natural floods, sediment is not deposited at elevations that regularly received sediment before dam closure. There has been a systemwide decrease in the size and number of subaerially exposed fluvial sand deposits since the 1960s, punctuated by episodic aggradation during the exceptional high-flow intervals in the early 1980s and by sediment input from occasional tributary floods (Beus and others, 1985; Schmidt and Graf, 1990; Kearsley et al., 1994; Schmidt et al., 2004; Wright et al., 2005; Hazel et al., 2006). Fluvial sandbars are an important component of riparian ecology that, among other functions, enclose eddy backwaters that form native-fish habitat, provide a source for eolian sand that protects some archaeological sites, and are used as campsites by thousands of river-runners annually (Rubin et al., 1990; Kearsley et al., 1994; Neal et al., 2000; Wright et al., 2005; Draut and Rubin, 2008).

  18. Paleoecological insights from fossil freshwater mollusks of the Kanapoi Formation (Omo-Turkana Basin, Kenya).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Bocxlaer, Bert

    2017-09-13

    The Early Pliocene Kanapoi Formation of the Omo-Turkana Basin consists of two fluvial/deltaic sedimentary sequences with an intermediate lacustrine sequence that was deposited in Paleolake Lonyumun, the earliest large lake in the basin. Overall, the geology and vertebrate paleontology of the Kanapoi Formation are well studied, but its freshwater mollusks, despite being a major component of the benthic ecosystem, have not been subjected to in-depth study. Here I present the first treatment of these mollusks, which have been retrieved mainly from the lacustrine but also from the upper fluvial sediments, with a focus on paleoecological implications. Overall, the freshwater mollusk fauna is reasonably diverse and contains the gastropods Bellamya (Viviparidae), Melanoides (Thiaridae), Cleopatra (Paludomidae) and Gabbiella (Bithyniidae), as well as the unionoid bivalves Coelatura, Pseudobovaria (Unionidae), Aspatharia, Iridina (Iridinidae) and Etheria (Etheriidae). Material is typically recrystallized and lithified and its taphonomy suggests deposition in a system with intermediate energy, such as a beach, with post-depositional deformation and abrasion. The mollusk assemblage is indicative of perennial, fresh and well-oxygenated waters in the Kanapoi region. It suggests that Paleolake Lonyumun had largely open shores with limited vegetation and that swampy or ephemeral backwaters were rare. Overall, these findings support earlier paleoecological interpretations based on the fish assemblage of Paleolake Lonyumun at Kanapoi. Moreover, mollusk assemblages from this lake are very similar across the Omo-Turkana Basin (Nachukui, Usno, Mursi and Koobi Fora Formations) suggesting that the lacustrine paleoecological conditions found in the Kanapoi Formation existed throughout the basin. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Modification of Turbulent Pipe Flow Equations to Estimate the Vertical Velocity Profiles Under Woody Debris Jams

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cervania, A.; Knack, I. M. W.

    2017-12-01

    The presence of woody debris (WD) jams in rivers and streams increases the risk of backwater flooding and reduces the navigability of a channel, but adds fish and macroinvertebrate habitat to the stream. When designing river engineering projects engineers use hydraulic models to predict flow behavior around these obstructions. However, the complexities of flow through and beneath WD jams are still poorly understood. By increasing the ability to predict flow behavior around WD jams, landowners and engineers are empowered to develop sustainable practices regarding the removal or placement of WD in rivers and flood plains to balance the desirable and undesirable effects to society and the environment. The objective of this study is to address some of this knowledge gap by developing a method to estimate the vertical velocity profile of flow under WD jams. When flow passes under WD jams, it becomes affected by roughness elements on all sides, similar to turbulent flows in pipe systems. Therefore, the method was developed using equations that define the velocity profiles of turbulent pipe flows: the law of the wall, the logarithmic law, and the velocity defect law. Flume simulations of WD jams were conducted and the vertical velocity profiles were measured along the centerline. A calculated velocity profile was fit to the measured profile through the calibration of eight parameters. An optimal value or range of values have been determined for several of these parameters using cross-validation techniques. The results indicate there may be some promise to using this method in hydraulic models.

  20. Succession of phytoplankton assemblages in response to large-scale reservoir operation: a case study in a tributary of the Three Gorges Reservoir, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Yan; Li, Zhe; Guo, Jinsong; Fang, Fang; Smith, Val H

    2016-03-01

    The Three Gorges Dam (TGD) has greatly altered ecological and environmental conditions within the reservoir region, but it is not known how these changes affect phytoplankton structure and dynamics. Here, a bimonthly monitoring program was implemented from 2007 to 2009 to study the impact of damming on phytoplankton assemblages in the backwater area of the Pengxi River (PBA). By application of the phytoplankton functional group (C strategists, competitive species; S strategists, stress-tolerant species; R strategists, rapid propagation species), seasonal changes in phytoplankton relative to environmental variations were evaluated using ordination analysis. Seasonal patterns of phytoplankton dynamics were detected during this study, with CS/S strategists causing algal blooms from mid-spring to early summer, CS/CR strategists often observed during flood season, and CS strategists dominant during mid-autumn. CR/R groups dominated during winter and caused algal blooms in February. Our results indicated that phytoplankton assemblages were directly related to reservoir operation effects. Generally, the TGD had a low water level during flood season, resulting in a relatively short hydraulic retention time and intensive variability, which supported the cooccurrence of CS and CR species. During the winter drought season, water storage in the TGD increased the water level and the hydraulic retention time in the PBA, enabling R/CR strategists to overcome the sedimentation effect and to out-compete S/CS species in winter. As expected, these diversity patterns were significantly correlated with the hydraulic retention time and nutrient limitation pattern in the PBA. This study provides strategic insight for evaluating the impacts of reservoir operations on phytoplankton adaptation.

  1. Reservoir floodplains support distinct fish assemblages

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miranda, Leandro E.; Wigen, S. L.; Dagel, Jonah D.

    2014-01-01

    Reservoirs constructed on floodplain rivers are unique because the upper reaches of the impoundment may include extensive floodplain environments. Moreover, reservoirs that experience large periodic water level fluctuations as part of their operational objectives seasonally inundate and dewater floodplains in their upper reaches, partly mimicking natural inundations of river floodplains. In four flood control reservoirs in Mississippi, USA, we explored the dynamics of connectivity between reservoirs and adjacent floodplains and the characteristics of fish assemblages that develop in reservoir floodplains relative to those that develop in reservoir bays. Although fish species richness in floodplains and bays were similar, species composition differed. Floodplains emphasized fish species largely associated with backwater shallow environments, often resistant to harsh environmental conditions. Conversely, dominant species in bays represented mainly generalists that benefit from the continuous connectivity between the bay and the main reservoir. Floodplains in the study reservoirs provided desirable vegetated habitats at lower water level elevations, earlier in the year, and more frequently than in bays. Inundating dense vegetation in bays requires raising reservoir water levels above the levels required to reach floodplains. Therefore, aside from promoting distinct fish assemblages within reservoirs and helping promote diversity in regulated rivers, reservoir floodplains are valued because they can provide suitable vegetated habitats for fish species at elevations below the normal pool, precluding the need to annually flood upland vegetation that would inevitably be impaired by regular flooding. Published 2013. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  2. Characteristics and causal factors of hysteresis in the hydrodynamics of a large floodplain system: Poyang Lake (China)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, X. L.; Zhang, Q.; Werner, A. D.; Tan, Z. Q.

    2017-10-01

    A previous modeling study of the lake-floodplain system of Poyang Lake (China) revealed complex hysteretic relationships between stage, storage volume and surface area. However, only hypothetical causal factors were presented, and the reasons for the occurrence of both clockwise and counterclockwise hysteretic functions were unclear. The current study aims to address this by exploring further Poyang Lake's hysteretic behavior, including consideration of stage-flow relationships. Remotely sensed imagery is used to validate the water surface areas produced by hydrodynamic modeling. Stage-area relationships obtained using the two methods are in strong agreement. The new results reveal a three-phase hydrological regime in stage-flow relationships, which assists in developing improved physical interpretation of hysteretic stage-area relationships for the lake-floodplain system. For stage-area relationships, clockwise hysteresis is the result of classic floodplain hysteretic processes (e.g., restricted drainage of the floodplain during recession), whereas counterclockwise hysteresis derives from the river hysteresis effect (i.e., caused by backwater effects). The river hysteresis effect is enhanced by the time lag between the peaks of catchment inflow and Yangtze discharge (i.e., the so-called Yangtze River blocking effect). The time lag also leads to clockwise hysteresis in the relationship between Yangtze River discharge and lake stage. Thus, factors leading to hysteresis in other rivers, lakes and floodplains act in combination within Poyang Lake to create spatial variability in hydrological hysteresis. These effects dominate at different times, in different parts of the lake, and during different phases of the lake's water level fluctuations, creating the unique hysteretic hydrological behavior of Poyang Lake.

  3. Crick's gossip test and Watson's boredom principle: A pseudo-mathematical analysis of effort in scientific research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Charlton, Bruce G

    2008-01-01

    Crick and Watson gave complementary advice to the aspiring scientist based on the insight that to do your best work you need to make your greatest possible effort. Crick made the positive suggestion to work on the subject which most deeply interests you, the thing about which you spontaneously gossip - Crick termed this 'the gossip test'. Watson made the negative suggestion of avoiding topics and activities that bore you - which I have termed 'the boredom principle'. This is good advice because science is tough and the easy things have already been done. Solving the harder problems that remain requires a lot of effort. But in modern biomedical science individual effort does not necessarily correlate with career success as measured by salary, status, job security, etc. This is because Crick and Watson are talking about revolutionary science - using Thomas Kuhn's distinction between paradigm-shifting 'revolutionary' science and incremental 'normal' science. There are two main problems with pursuing a career in revolutionary science. The first is that revolutionary science is intrinsically riskier than normal science, the second that even revolutionary success in a scientific backwater may be less career-enhancing than mundane work in a trendy field. So, if you pick your scientific problem using the gossip test and the boredom principle, you might also be committing career suicide. This may explain why so few people follow Crick and Watson's advice. The best hope for future biomedical science is that it will evolve towards a greater convergence between individual effort and career success.

  4. Data Validation Package - June 2015 Groundwater and Surface Water Sampling at the Green River, Utah, Disposal Site

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Linard, Joshua [USDOE Office of Legacy Management, Washington, DC (United States); Price, Jeffrey [Navarro Research and Engineering, Inc., Las Vegas, NV (United States)

    2015-08-01

    Groundwater samples were collected during the 2015 sampling event from point-of-compliance (POC) wells 0171, 0173, 0176, 0179, 0181, and 0813 to monitor the disposition of contaminants in the middle sandstone unit of the Cedar Mountain Formation. Groundwater samples also were collected from alluvium monitoring wells 0188, 0189, 0192, 0194, and 0707, and basal sandstone monitoring wells 0182, 0184, 0185, and 0588 as a best management practice. Surface locations 0846 and 0847 were sampled to monitor for degradation of water quality in the backwater area of Brown’s Wash and in the Green River immediately downstream of Brown’s Wash. The Green River location 0801 is upstream from the site and is sampled to determine background-threshold values (BTVs). Sampling and analyses were conducted as specified in Sampling and Analysis Plan for U.S. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management Sites (LMS/PRO/S04351, continually updated, http://energy.gov/lm/downloads/sampling-and- analysis-plan-us-department-energy-office-legacy-management-sites). Water levels were measured at each sampled well. The analytical data and associated qualifiers can be viewed in environmental database reports and are also available for viewing with dynamic mapping via the GEMS (Geospatial Environmental Mapping System) website at http://gems.lm.doe.gov/#. All six POC wells are completed in the middle sandstone unit of the Cedar Mountain Formation and are monitored to measure contaminant concentrations for comparison to proposed alternate concentration limits (ACLs), as provided in Table 1. Contaminant concentrations in the POC wells remain below their respective ACLs.

  5. Control of Delta Avulsion by Downstream Sediment Sinks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salter, Gerard; Paola, Chris; Voller, Vaughan R.

    2018-01-01

    Understanding how fluxes are partitioned at delta bifurcations is critical for predicting patterns of land loss and gain in deltas worldwide. Although the dynamics of river deltas are influenced from both upstream and downstream, previous studies of bifurcations have focused on upstream controls. Using a quasi-1-D bifurcation model, we show that flow switching in bifurcations is strongly influenced by downstream sediment sinks. We find that coupling between upstream and downstream feedbacks can lead to oscillations in water and sediment flux partitioning. The frequency and initial rate of growth/decay of the oscillations depend on both upstream and downstream conditions, with dimensionless bifurcate length and bypass fraction emerging as key downstream parameters. With a strong offshore sink, causing bypass in the bifurcate branches, we find that bifurcation dynamics become "frozen"; that is, the bifurcation settles on a permanent discharge ratio. In contrast, under depositional conditions, we identify three dynamical regimes: symmetric; soft avulsion, where both branches remain open but the dominant branch switches; and full avulsion. Finally, we show that differential subsidence alters these regimes, with the difference in average sediment supply to each branch exactly compensating for the difference in accommodation generation. Additionally, the model predicts that bifurcations with shorter branches are less asymmetric than bifurcations with longer branches, all else equal, providing a possible explanation for the difference between backwater length distributaries, which tend to be avulsive, and relatively stable mouth-bar-scale networks. We conclude that bifurcations are sensitive both quantitatively and qualitatively to downstream sinks.

  6. River restoration strategies in channelized, low-gradient landscapes of West Tennessee, USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, D.P.; Diehl, T.H.; Turrini-Smith, L. A.; Maas-Baldwin, J.; Croyle, Z.

    2009-01-01

    West Tennessee has a complex history of watershed disturbance, including agricultural erosion, channelization, accelerated valley sedimentation, and the removal and reestablishment of beaver. Watershed management has evolved from fl oodplain drainage via pervasive channelization to include local drainage canal maintenance and local river restoration. Many unmaintained canals are undergoing excessive aggradation and complex channel evolution driven by upland erosion and low valley gradient. The locus of aggradation in fully occluded canals (valley plugs) moves up-valley as sediment continues to accumulate in the backwater behind the plug. Valley plugs that cause canal avulsion can lead to redevelopment of meandering channels in less disturbed areas of the fl oodplain, in a process of passive self-restoration. Some valley plugs have brought restored fl oodplain function, reoccupation of extant historic river channels, and formation of a "sediment shadow" that protects downstream reaches from excess sedimentation. Despite the presence of numerous opportunities, there is presently no mechanism for including valley plugs in mitigation projects. In 1997 a survey of 14 reference reach cross sections documented relations between drainage area and bankfull geometry of relatively unmodified streams in West Tennessee. Reassessment of seven of those sites in 2007 showed that one had been dammed by beaver and that two sites could not be analyzed further because of signifi cant vertical or lateral instability. In contrast to other regions of North America, the results suggest that stream channels in this region fl ood more frequently than once each year, and can remain out of banks for several weeks each year. ?? 2009 Geological Society of America.

  7. Environmental Sciences Laboratory dedication, February 26-27, 1979

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Auerbach, S.I.; Millemann, N.T.

    1980-09-01

    The dedication of the new Environmental Sciences Laboratory coincided with the 25th year of the establishment of the science of ecology at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. That quarter century witnessed the evolution of ecology from an obscure, backwater discipline of biology to a broadly used, everyday household word. The transition reflected broad and basic changes in our social and cultural view of the world. This was brought about as a result of the awareness developed in our society of the importance of the environment, coupled with efforts of ecologists and other environmental scientists who identified, clarified, and formulated the issues and challenges of environmental protection for both the lay public and the scientific community. In many respects, the activities in ecology at ORNL were a microcosm of the broader social scene; the particular problems of the environment associated with atomic energy needed to be defined in scientific terms and articulated in both the specific and general sense for a larger audience which was unfamiliar with the field and somewhat alien to its concepts and philosophy. The success of this effort is reflected in the existence of the new Environmental Sciences Laboratory. This dedication volume brings together the thoughts and reflections of many of these scientists whose efforts contributed in a unique and individualistic fashion not only to ORNL but also to the national identification of ecology and its importance to the achievement of our national goals. Their remarks and presentations are not only a pleasant and personally gratifying recapitulation of the past and of ORNL's contributions to ecology but also portend some of the challenges to ecology in the future

  8. Trophic ecomorphology of Siluriformes (Pisces, Osteichthyes) from a tropical stream.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pagotto, J P A; Goulart, E; Oliveira, E F; Yamamura, C B

    2011-05-01

    The present study analysed the relationship between morphology and trophic structure of Siluriformes (Pisces, Osteichthyes) from the Caracu Stream (22º 45' S and 53º 15' W), a tributary of the Paraná River (Brazil). Sampling was carried out at three sites using electrofishing, and two species of Loricariidae and four of Heptapteridae were obtained. A cluster analysis revealed the presence of three trophic guilds (detritivores, insectivores and omnivores). Principal components analysis demonstrated the segregation of two ecomorphotypes: at one extreme there were the detritivores (Loricariidae) with morphological structures that are fundamental in allowing them to fix themselves to substrates characterised by rushing torrents, thus permitting them to graze on the detritus and organic materials encrusted on the substrate; at the other extreme of the gradient there were the insectivores and omnivores (Heptapteridae), with morphological characteristics that promote superior performance in the exploitation of structurally complex habitats with low current velocity, colonised by insects and plants. Canonical discriminant analysis revealed an ecomorphological divergence between insectivores, which have morphological structures that permit them to capture prey in small spaces among rocks, and omnivores, which have a more compressed body and tend to explore food items deposited in marginal backwater zones. Mantel tests showed that trophic structure was significantly related to the body shape of a species, independently of the phylogenetic history, indicating that, in this case, there was an ecomorphotype for each trophic guild. Therefore, the present study demonstrated that the Siluriformes of the Caracu Stream were ecomorphologically structured and that morphology can be applied as an additional tool in predicting the trophic structure of this group.

  9. Trophic ecomorphology of Siluriformes (Pisces, Osteichthyes from a tropical stream

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    JPA Pagotto

    Full Text Available The present study analysed the relationship between morphology and trophic structure of Siluriformes (Pisces, Osteichthyes from the Caracu Stream (22º 45' S and 53º 15' W, a tributary of the Paraná River (Brazil. Sampling was carried out at three sites using electrofishing, and two species of Loricariidae and four of Heptapteridae were obtained. A cluster analysis revealed the presence of three trophic guilds (detritivores, insectivores and omnivores. Principal components analysis demonstrated the segregation of two ecomorphotypes: at one extreme there were the detritivores (Loricariidae with morphological structures that are fundamental in allowing them to fix themselves to substrates characterised by rushing torrents, thus permitting them to graze on the detritus and organic materials encrusted on the substrate; at the other extreme of the gradient there were the insectivores and omnivores (Heptapteridae, with morphological characteristics that promote superior performance in the exploitation of structurally complex habitats with low current velocity, colonised by insects and plants. Canonical discriminant analysis revealed an ecomorphological divergence between insectivores, which have morphological structures that permit them to capture prey in small spaces among rocks, and omnivores, which have a more compressed body and tend to explore food items deposited in marginal backwater zones. Mantel tests showed that trophic structure was significantly related to the body shape of a species, independently of the phylogenetic history, indicating that, in this case, there was an ecomorphotype for each trophic guild. Therefore, the present study demonstrated that the Siluriformes of the Caracu Stream were ecomorphologically structured and that morphology can be applied as an additional tool in predicting the trophic structure of this group.

  10. Preliminary classification of water areas within the Atchafalaya Basin Floodway System by using landsat imagery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allen, Yvonne C.; Constant, Glenn C.; Couvillion, Brady R.

    2008-01-01

    The southern portion of the Atchafalaya Basin Floodway System (ABFS) is a large area (2,571 km2) in south central Louisiana bounded on the east and west sides by a levee system. The ABFS is a sparsely populated area that includes some of the Nation's most significant extents of bottomland hardwoods, swamps, bayous, and backwater lakes, holding a rich abundance and diversity of terrestrial and aquatic species. The seasonal flow of water through the ABFS is critical to maintaining its ecological integrity. Because of strong interdependencies among species, habitat quality, and water flow in the ABFS, there is a need to better define the paths by which water moves at various stages of the hydrocycle. Although river level gages have collected a long historical record of water level variation, very little synoptic information has been available regarding the distribution and character of water at more remote locations in the basin. Most water management plans for the ABFS strive to improve water quality by increasing water flow and circulation from the main stem of the Atchafalaya River into isolated areas. To describe the distribution of land and water on a basin-wide scale, we chose to use Landsat 5 and Landsat 7 imagery to determine the extent of water distribution from 1985 to 2006 and at a variety of river stages. Because the visual signature of river water is high turbidity, we also used Landsat imagery to describe the distribution of turbid water in the ABFS. The ability to track water flow patterns by tracking turbid waters will enhance the characterization of water movement and aid in planning.

  11. THE RAZIM-SINOIE LACUSTRINE COMPLEX. PROTECTION, RESOURCES, VALORIZATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Petre BREŢCAN

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available The Razim-Sinoie lake complex is situated in northeastern Dobrogea, south of the Danube Delta and on the coast of the Black Sea (44°47’ and 45°01’ northern latitude and 28º30’ and 29°08’ eastern longitude, constituting the largest water surface in our country. It appeared and evolved in a former branched marine gulf, Halmyris, at the basis of a fossilized marine cliff (in the west, being connected to Sfântu Gheorghe branch (in the north by means of several canals and backwaters and separated from the sea by several alignments of low and weakly consolidated marine bank-ridges, all these characteristics conferring it numerous particularities reflected in the hydrological, thermo, dynamical and hydrochemical regime of the lakes’ water. The great diversity of the aquatic ecosystems and their accentuated vulnerability in relation to the anthropic intervention requires that their management and their economic valorization must have as a major desideratum the conservation and the protection of the biodiversity, in order to obtain an ecological balance. In order to attain these desiderata, by means of the Law no. 82 of November 20, 1993/ HG no. 248 of May 27, 1994 concerning the creation of the “Danube Delta” Biosphere Reserve, three types of areas were established within it, namely: strictly-protected areas (with integral protection, namely 18 (50600 ha, out of which in the Razim-Sinoie complex, 6 such areas add up to a total surface of 9123 ha, buffer-zones (223300 ha and economic zones (306100 ha where people currently practice traditional economic activities and which include all the rural and urban localities

  12. Erosion potential from Missoula floods in the Pasco Basin, Washington

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Craig, R.G.; Hanson, J.P.

    1985-12-01

    Localities within the Pasco Basin preserve evidence of Missoula floods. Deposits are 46% sand-sized, 36% gravel-sized, and 18% finer than sand-sized. Mean thickness is 39 meters. High water marks at Wallula Gap require a discharge of approximately 12.5 Mcms. At Sentinel Gap, the slope-area method shows that the high water marks require a discharge of 34.6 Mcms. Since this discharge greatly exceeds any estimated for Missoula floods, there must have been backwater ponding from Wallula Gap. Projecting the slope of the water surface at the upper end of Wallula Gap to the downstream cross section at Gable Mountain leads to a discharge of 9.5 Mcms at Sentinel Gap. The HEC-6 steady state code and four sediment transport equations were applied. Assuming sand-sized particles, DuBoys function estimated 4 to 9 meters of scour. Yang's equation estimated 3 to 4 meters of scour. These are a minimum. A hydrograph synthesized for the boundaries of the Pasco Basin shows the maxima of the flood would occur after 90 h at Sentinel Gap, and at 114 h at Wallula Gap. The 200 areas will remain inundated for four days and six hours. With a quasi-dynamic sediment transport computation, HEC-6 scour estimates range from 0.61 meters to 0.915 meters. This is a minimum amount and erosion is highly variable suggesting reworking of sediment. The Meyer-Peter Meuller equations show less than 1 meter of net scour in the 200 areas. More extensive erosion was achieved during particular time steps of this analysis suggesting that sediment re-working would occur

  13. Use of flood propagation models in real time hydrologic forecast: experiences at Segura River

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Valverde, Angel Luis Aldana; Beato, Ana Martinez Perez

    2004-01-01

    In this paper a case study related to flood propagation forecast in the Segura River in Spain is presented along with the application that was developed for that purpose. Simulation and forecast models ease the work carry out by the watershed organism personnel and may be essential to understand the complexity of some of the propagation phenomena that take place at specific locations such as the study area, a man-made channel at the downstream end of the Segura River (from Contraparada to Guardamar), including the tributaries along the stream. Three different models were used in the previous studies: a steady state numerical model (Hec-Ras), a physical model and two unsteady state numerical models (ISIS and HMS). Also, historical time series were analyzed and some topography works were carried out along the stream. PROC Segura model was conceived for real time flood propagation forecast in the mentioned area using the data collected by the SAIH. A simplified model was developed based on the following methods: Muskingum, Muskingum-Cunge and Modified Puls. To overcome some of these models limitations, such as the one to one discharge-water surface relationships and the impossibility of reproducing downstream backwater, doubled input rating curves were used to estimate the discharge at some of the gauging stations located at the tributaries, i.e. Merancho and Rambia del Derramador, which may be affected by the water level in the Segura River. The advantages of using these simplified models versus a dynamic wave model were studied and reported as well. In general, it can be stated that when several solutions are provided to solve the same problem, the simplest solution is usually the best one.(Author)

  14. Drugs that modulate aging: the promising yet difficult path ahead.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kennedy, Brian K; Pennypacker, Juniper K

    2014-05-01

    Once a backwater in medical sciences, aging research has emerged and now threatens to take the forefront. This dramatic change of stature is driven from 3 major events. First and foremost, the world is rapidly getting old. Never before have we lived in a demographic environment like today, and the trends will continue such that 20% percent of the global population of 9 billion will be over the age of 60 by 2050. Given current trends of sharply increasing chronic disease incidence, economic disaster from the impending silver tsunami may be ahead. A second major driver on the rise is the dramatic progress that aging research has made using invertebrate models such as worms, flies, and yeast. Genetic approaches using these organisms have led to hundreds of aging genes and, perhaps surprisingly, strong evidence of evolutionary conservation among longevity pathways between disparate species, including mammals. Current studies suggest that this conservation may extend to humans. Finally, small molecules such as rapamycin and resveratrol have been identified that slow aging in model organisms, although only rapamycin to date impacts longevity in mice. The potential now exists to delay human aging, whether it is through known classes of small molecules or a plethora of emerging ones. But how can a drug that slows aging become approved and make it to market when aging is not defined as a disease. Here, we discuss the strategies to translate discoveries from aging research into drugs. Will aging research lead to novel therapies toward chronic disease, prevention of disease or be targeted directly at extending lifespan? Copyright © 2014 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Erosion potential from Missoula floods in the Pasco Basin, Washington

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Craig, R.G.; Hanson, J.P.

    1985-12-01

    Localities within the Pasco Basin preserve evidence of Missoula floods. Deposits are 46% sand-sized, 36% gravel-sized, and 18% finer than sand-sized. Mean thickness is 39 meters. High water marks at Wallula Gap require a discharge of approximately 12.5 Mcms. At Sentinel Gap, the slope-area method shows that the high water marks require a discharge of 34.6 Mcms. Since this discharge greatly exceeds any estimated for Missoula floods, there must have been backwater ponding from Wallula Gap. Projecting the slope of the water surface at the upper end of Wallula Gap to the downstream cross section at Gable Mountain leads to a discharge of 9.5 Mcms at Sentinel Gap. The HEC-6 steady state code and four sediment transport equations were applied. Assuming sand-sized particles, DuBoys function estimated 4 to 9 meters of scour. Yang's equation estimated 3 to 4 meters of scour. These are a minimum. A hydrograph synthesized for the boundaries of the Pasco Basin shows the maxima of the flood would occur after 90 h at Sentinel Gap, and at 114 h at Wallula Gap. The 200 areas will remain inundated for four days and six hours. With a quasi-dynamic sediment transport computation, HEC-6 scour estimates range from 0.61 meters to 0.915 meters. This is a minimum amount and erosion is highly variable suggesting reworking of sediment. The Meyer-Peter Meuller equations show less than 1 meter of net scour in the 200 areas. More extensive erosion was achieved during particular time steps of this analysis suggesting that sediment re-working would occur.

  16. Biosorption of Cd(II) and Pb(II) ions by aqueous solutions of novel alkalophillic Streptomyces VITSVK5 spp. biomass

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saurav, Kumar; Kannabiran, Krishnan

    2011-03-01

    Discharge of heavy metals from metal processing industries is known to have adverse effects on the environment. Biosorption of heavy metals by metabolically inactive biomass of microbial organisms is an innovative and alternative technology for removal of these pollutants from aqueous solution. The search of marine actinobacteria with potential heavy metal biosorption ability resulted in the identification of a novel alkalophilic Streptomyces VITSVK5 species. The biosorption property of Streptomyces VITSVK5 spp. was investigated by absorbing heavy metals Cadmium (Cd) and Lead (Pb). Physiochemical characteristics and trace metal concentration analysis of the backwater showed the concentrations of different metals were lead 13±2.1 μg L-1, cadmium 3.1±0.3μg L-1, zinc 8.4±2.6μg L-1 and copper 0.3±0.1μg L-1, whereas mercury was well below the detection limit. The effect of pH and biomass dosage on removal efficiency of heavy metal ions was also investigated. The optimum pH for maximal biosorption was 4.0 for Cd (II) and 5.0 for Pb (II) with 41% and 84% biosorption respectively. The biosorbent dosage was optimized as 3 g L-1 for both the trace metals. Fourier transform infrared absorption spectrum results indicated the chemical interactions of hydrogen atoms in carboxyl (-COOH), hydroxyl (-CHOH) and amine (-NH2) groups of biomass with the metal ions. This could be mainly involved in the biosorption of Cd (II) and Pb (II) onto Streptomyces VITSVK5 spp. The results of our study revealed Streptomyces metabolites could be used to develop a biosorbent for adsorbing metal ions from aqueous environments.

  17. PAI-OFF: A new proposal for online flood forecasting in flash flood prone catchments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmitz, G. H.; Cullmann, J.

    2008-10-01

    SummaryThe Process Modelling and Artificial Intelligence for Online Flood Forecasting (PAI-OFF) methodology combines the reliability of physically based, hydrologic/hydraulic modelling with the operational advantages of artificial intelligence. These operational advantages are extremely low computation times and straightforward operation. The basic principle of the methodology is to portray process models by means of ANN. We propose to train ANN flood forecasting models with synthetic data that reflects the possible range of storm events. To this end, establishing PAI-OFF requires first setting up a physically based hydrologic model of the considered catchment and - optionally, if backwater effects have a significant impact on the flow regime - a hydrodynamic flood routing model of the river reach in question. Both models are subsequently used for simulating all meaningful and flood relevant storm scenarios which are obtained from a catchment specific meteorological data analysis. This provides a database of corresponding input/output vectors which is then completed by generally available hydrological and meteorological data for characterizing the catchment state prior to each storm event. This database subsequently serves for training both a polynomial neural network (PoNN) - portraying the rainfall-runoff process - and a multilayer neural network (MLFN), which mirrors the hydrodynamic flood wave propagation in the river. These two ANN models replace the hydrological and hydrodynamic model in the operational mode. After presenting the theory, we apply PAI-OFF - essentially consisting of the coupled "hydrologic" PoNN and "hydrodynamic" MLFN - to the Freiberger Mulde catchment in the Erzgebirge (Ore-mountains) in East Germany (3000 km 2). Both the demonstrated computational efficiency and the prediction reliability underline the potential of the new PAI-OFF methodology for online flood forecasting.

  18. Anacostia River fringe wetlands restoration project: final report for the five-year monitoring program (2003 through 2007)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krafft, Cairn C.; Hammerschlag, Richard S.; Guntenspergen, Glenn R.

    2009-01-01

    The 6-hectare (ha) freshwater tidal Anacostia River Fringe Wetlands (Fringe Wetlands) were reconstructed along the mainstem of the Anacostia River in Washington, DC (Photograph 1, Figure 1) during the summer of 2003. The Fringe Wetlands consist of two separate planting cells. Fringe A, located adjacent to Lower Kingman Island, on the west bank of the Anacostia River, occupies 1.6 ha; Fringe B, located on the east bank of the Anacostia River, occupies 4.4 ha. This project is the third in a series of freshwater tidal wetland reconstructions on the Anacostia River designed and implemented by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Baltimore District and District Department of the Environment (DDOE) on lands managed by the National Park Service (NPS). The first was Kenilworth Marsh, reconstructed in 1993 (Syphax and Hammerschlag 2005); the second was Kingman Marsh, reconstructed in 2000 (Hammerschlag et al. 2006). Kenilworth and Kingman were both constructed in low-energy backwaters of the Anacostia. However, the Fringe Wetlands, which were constructed on two pre-existing benches along the high-energy mainstem, required sheet piling to provide protection from erosive impacts of increased flow and volume of water associated with storm events during the establishment phase (Photograph 2). All three projects required the placement of dredged sediment materials to increase elevations enough to support emergent vegetation (Photograph 3). The purpose of all three wetland reconstruction projects was to restore pieces of the once extensive tidal freshwater marsh habitat that bordered the Anacostia River historically, prior to the dredge and fill operations and sea wall installation that took place there in the early to mid-1900's (Photograph 4).

  19. Environmental Sciences Laboratory dedication, February 26-27, 1979

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Auerbach, S.I.; Millemann, N.T. (eds.)

    1980-09-01

    The dedication of the new Environmental Sciences Laboratory coincided with the 25th year of the establishment of the science of ecology at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. That quarter century witnessed the evolution of ecology from an obscure, backwater discipline of biology to a broadly used, everyday household word. The transition reflected broad and basic changes in our social and cultural view of the world. This was brought about as a result of the awareness developed in our society of the importance of the environment, coupled with efforts of ecologists and other environmental scientists who identified, clarified, and formulated the issues and challenges of environmental protection for both the lay public and the scientific community. In many respects, the activities in ecology at ORNL were a microcosm of the broader social scene; the particular problems of the environment associated with atomic energy needed to be defined in scientific terms and articulated in both the specific and general sense for a larger audience which was unfamiliar with the field and somewhat alien to its concepts and philosophy. The success of this effort is reflected in the existence of the new Environmental Sciences Laboratory. This dedication volume brings together the thoughts and reflections of many of these scientists whose efforts contributed in a unique and individualistic fashion not only to ORNL but also to the national identification of ecology and its importance to the achievement of our national goals. Their remarks and presentations are not only a pleasant and personally gratifying recapitulation of the past and of ORNL's contributions to ecology but also portend some of the challenges to ecology in the future.

  20. The application of the EMAS-ordinance to small hydro-power-plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Patek, R.

    2000-01-01

    The application of the eco-management and audit scheme ordinance to small hydro-power-plants deals with the possibility to take an environmental-relevant audition on sites of small hydro-power-plants to achieve the environmental EMAS-certificate. Within the realization of the acquired improvement steps also the efficiency of the power plants should be increased that the audit also becomes interesting in economic matters. Contents: after explaining the legal frame being prescribed by the European Community, its interpretation and relevance for the sites of SHP, common impacts of these on the environment are particularized. From these facts a valuation-catalogue has been developed, which will be used by the power plant-owners for the assessment of their sites to take part in the EMAS-system. This catalogue is split up into six modules, which comprise all possible valuation areas which can appear concerning the different kinds of plants. These modules are: MODUL A: backwater area; MODUL B: weir; MODUL C: powerhouse; MODUL D: tail water area; MODUL E: diversion channel / penstock; MODUL F: diversion section. Furthermore three submodules to gather common data concerning plant and river have been created. At the development of the catalogue there was particularly attached importance to a user-friendly application. The goal was to realize the valuation by the plant owners to minimize costs. To take objectiveness into account the module-catalogue was created in a way that auditors (the power plant owners) must not formulate specifications by themselves; the possible assessments only have to be marked with a cross at the corresponding parameters, which have been listed up. (author)

  1. Characterization of phosphorus leaching from phosphate waste rock in the Xiangxi River watershed, Three Gorges Reservoir, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Li-Guo; Liang, Bing; Xue, Qiang; Yin, Cheng-Wei

    2016-05-01

    Phosphate mining waste rocks dumped in the Xiangxi River (XXR) bay, which is the largest backwater zone of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR), are treated as Type I industry solid wastes by the Chinese government. To evaluate the potential pollution risk of phosphorus leaching from phosphate waste rocks, the phosphorus leaching behaviors of six phosphate waste rock samples with different weathering degrees under both neutral and acidic conditions were investigated using a series of column leaching experiments, following the Method 1314 standard of the US EPA. The results indicate that the phosphorus release mechanism is solubility-controlled. Phosphorus release from waste rocks increases as pH decreases. The phosphorus leaching concentration and cumulative phosphorus released in acidic leaching conditions were found to be one order of magnitude greater than that in neutral leaching conditions. In addition, the phosphorus was released faster during the period when environmental pH turned from weak alkalinity to slight acidity, with this accelerated release period appearing when L/S was in the range of 0.5-2.0 mL/g. In both neutral and acidic conditions, the average values of Total Phosphorus (TP), including orthophosphates, polyphosphates and organic phosphate, leaching concentration exceed the availability by regulatory (0.5 mg/L) in the whole L/S range, suggesting that the phosphate waste rocks stacked within the XXR watershed should be considered as Type II industry solid wastes. Therefore, the phosphate waste rocks deposited within the study area should be considered as phosphorus point pollution sources, which could threaten the adjacent surface-water environment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Population dynamics of zebra mussels Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas, 1771) during the initial invasion of the Upper Mississippi River, USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cope, W.G.; Bartsch, M.R.; Hightower, J.E.

    2006-01-01

    The aim of this study was to document and model the population dynamics of zebra mussels Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas, 1771) in Pool 8 of the Upper Mississippi River (UMR), USA, for five consecutive years (1992-1996) following their initial discovery in September 1991. Artificial substrates (concrete blocks, 0.49 m2 surface area) were deployed on or around the first of May at two sites within each of two habitat types (main channel border and contiguous backwater). Blocks were removed monthly (30 ?? 10 d) from the end of May to the end of October to obtain density and growth information. Some blocks deployed in May 1995 were retrieved in April 1996 to obtain information about overwinter growth and survival. The annual density of zebra mussels in Pool 8 of the UMR increased from 3.5/m2 in 1992 to 14,956/m 2 in 1996. The average May-October growth rate of newly recruited individuals, based on a von Bertalanffy growth model fitted to monthly shell-length composition data, was 0.11 mm/d. Model estimates of the average survival rate varied from 21 to 100% per month. Estimated recruitment varied substantially among months, with highest levels occurring in September-October of 1994 and 1996, and in July of 1995. Recruitment and density in both habitat types increased by two orders of magnitude in 1996. Follow-up studies will be necessary to assess the long-term stability of zebra mussel populations in the UMR; this study provides the critical baseline information needed for those future comparisons. ?? Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Malacological Society of London 2006.

  3. Importance of physical and hydraulic characteristics to unionid mussels: A retrospective analysis in a reach of large river

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zigler, S.J.; Newton, T.J.; Steuer, J.J.; Bartsch, M.R.; Sauer, J.S.

    2008-01-01

    Interest in understanding physical and hydraulic factors that might drive distribution and abundance of freshwater mussels has been increasing due to their decline throughout North America. We assessed whether the spatial distribution of unionid mussels could be predicted from physical and hydraulic variables in a reach of the Upper Mississippi River. Classification and regression tree (CART) models were constructed using mussel data compiled from various sources and explanatory variables derived from GIS coverages. Prediction success of CART models for presence-absence of mussels ranged from 71 to 76% across three gears (brail, sled-dredge, and dive-quadrat) and 51% of the deviance in abundance. Models were largely driven by shear stress and substrate stability variables, but interactions with simple physical variables, especially slope, were also important. Geospatial models, which were based on tree model results, predicted few mussels in poorly connected backwater areas (e.g., floodplain lakes) and the navigation channel, whereas main channel border areas with high geomorphic complexity (e.g., river bends, islands, side channel entrances) and small side channels were typically favorable to mussels. Moreover, bootstrap aggregation of discharge-specific regression tree models of dive-quadrat data indicated that variables measured at low discharge were about 25% more predictive (PMSE = 14.8) than variables measured at median discharge (PMSE = 20.4) with high discharge (PMSE = 17.1) variables intermediate. This result suggests that episodic events such as droughts and floods were important in structuring mussel distributions. Although the substantial mussel and ancillary data in our study reach is unusual, our approach to develop exploratory statistical and geospatial models should be useful even when data are more limited. ?? 2007 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

  4. Evaluating the Aquatic Habitat Potential of Flooded Polders in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John R. Durand

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available https://doi.org/10.15447/sfews.2017v15iss4art4Large tracts of land in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta are subsided due to agricultural practices, creating polders up to 10 m below sea level that are vulnerable to flooding. As protective dikes breach, these become shallow, open water habitats that will not resemble any historical state. I investigated physical and biotic drivers of novel flooded polder habitat, using a Native Species Benefit Index (NSBI to predict the nature of future Delta ecosystems. Results suggest that flooded polders in the north Delta will have the ecology and fish community composition of a tidal river plain, those in the Cache-Lindsey Complex will have that of a tidal backwater, those in the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers a brackish estuary, and those in the south Delta a fresh water lake. Flooded east-side Delta polders will likely be a transitional zone between south Delta lake-like ecosystems and north Delta tidal river plains. I compared each regional zone with the limited available literature and data on local fish assemblies to find support for NSBI predictions. Because flood probabilities and repair prioritization analyses suggest that polders in the south Delta are most likely to flood and be abandoned, without extensive intervention, much of the Delta will become a freshwater lake ecosystem, dominated by alien species. Proactive management of flooded tracts will nearly always hedge risks, save money and offer more functional habitats in the future; however, without proper immediate incentives, it will be difficult to encourage strong management practices.

  5. A Three-Year Study of Ichyoplankton in Coastal Plains Reaches of the Savannah River Site and its Tributaries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Martin, D.

    2007-03-05

    Altering flow regimes of rivers has large effects on native floras and faunas because native species are adapted to the natural flow regime, many species require lateral connectivity with floodplain habitat for feeding or spawning, and the change in regime often makes it possible for invasive species to replace natives (Bunn & Arthington 2002). Floodplain backwaters, both permanent and temporary, are nursery areas for age 0+ fish and stable isotope studies indicate that much of the productivity that supports fish larvae is autochthonous to these habitats (Herwig et al. 2004). Limiting access by fish to floodplain habitat for feeding, spawning and nursery habitat is one of the problems noted with dams that regulate flow in rivers and is considered to be important as an argument to remove dams and other flow regulating structures from rivers (Shuman 1995; Bednarek 2001). While there have been a number of studies in the literature about the use of floodplain habitat for fish reproduction (Copp 1989; Killgore & Baker 1996; Humphries, et al. 1999; Humphries and Lake 2000; Crain et al. 2004; King 2004) there have been only a few studies that examined this aspect of stream ecology in more than a cursory way. The study reported here was originally designed to determine whether the Department of Energy's (DOE) Savannah River Site was having a negative effect on fish reproduction in the Savannah River but its experimental design allowed examination of the interactions between the river, the floodplain and the tributaries entering the Savannah River across this floodplain. This study is larger in length of river covered than most in the literature and because of its landscape scale may be in important indicator of areas where further study is required.

  6. A Stratigraphic Pollen Record from a Late Pleistocene Cypress Forest, Northern Gulf of Mexico Continental Shelf

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reese, A.; Harley, G. L.; DeLong, K. L.; Bentley, S. J.; Xu, K.; Gonzalez Rodriguez, S. M.; Truong, J. T.; Obelcz, J.; Caporaso, A.

    2017-12-01

    Stratigraphic pollen analysis was performed on a layer of preserved peat found near the bottom of a 4.75m vibracore taken in 18m of water off the coast of Orange Beach, Alabama. The core was taken from a site where the remains of a previously buried bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) forest was discovered after wave action, likely from Hurricane Ivan in 2004, scoured and removed the overlying Holocene/late Pleistocene sand sheet. Many of the cypress stumps found at the site are still in growth position, and rooted in the preserved terrestrial soils below. Radiocarbon dating of the peat recovered in core DF1 suggests that the sediment is likely Marine Isotope Stage 3 (MIS 3), or earlier. We hypothesize that the site was quickly buried and preserved by floodplain aggradation associated with sea-level rise that occurred near the end of MIS 3. This rare find provides an opportunity to study in situ fossil pollen from a glacial refugium in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. Pollen results from the lowermost sections within the peat layer show an assemblage consistent with a bald cypress/tupelo gum (Nyssa aquatica) backwater. This is eventually replaced by a more open, possibly brackish, environment, dominated by grasses (Poaceae) and sedges (Cyperaceae). During this change however, there is a brief but very interesting period where the pollen assemblage is likely analogous to the modern day Atlantic Coastal Plain Blackwater Levee/Bar Forests of North and South Carolina. In this modern assemblage, as well as the core samples, birch (Betula), oak (Quercus) and bald cypress are the dominant taxa, along with a strong presence of alder (Alnus), grasses and sedges. We hypothesize that these bar forests formed on areas of higher ground, which resulted from floodplain aggradation that accompanied sea level rise at the end of MIS 3.

  7. Water guns affect abundance and behavior of bigheaded carp and native fish differently

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rivera, Jose; Glover, David C.; Kocovsky, Patrick; Garvey, James E.; Gaikowski, Mark; Jensen, Nathan R.; Adams, Ryan F.

    2017-01-01

    Water guns have shown the potential to repel nuisance aquatic organisms. This study examines the effects of exposure to a 1966.4 cm3 seismic water gun array (two guns) on the abundance and behavior of Bighead Carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis, Silver Carp H. molitrix (collectively referred to as bigheaded carp) and native fishes (e.g., Smallmouth Buffalo Ictiobus bubalus). Water guns were deployed in a channel that connects the Illinois River to backwater quarry pits that contained a large transient population of bigheaded carp. To evaluate the effect of water guns, mobile side-looking split-beam hydroacoustic surveys were conducted before, during and between replicated water gun firing periods. Water guns did not affect abundance of bigheaded carp, but abundance of native fish detected during the firing treatment was 43 and 34% lower than the control and water guns off treatments, respectively. The proximity of bigheaded carp to the water gun array was similar between the water guns on and water guns off treatments. In contrast, the closest detected native fish were detected farther from the water guns during the water guns on treatment (mean ± SE, 32.38 ± 3.32 m) than during the water guns off treatment (15.04 ± 1.59 m). The water gun array had a greater impact on native fish species than on bigheaded carp. Caution should be taken to the extrapolation of these results to other fish species and to fish exposed to water guns in different environments (e.g., reduced shoreline interaction) or exposure to a larger array of water guns, or for use of water guns for purposes other than a barrier.

  8. Cumulative effects of restoration efforts on ecological characteristics of an open water area within the Upper Mississippi River

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gray, B.R.; Shi, W.; Houser, J.N.; Rogala, J.T.; Guan, Z.; Cochran-Biederman, J. L.

    2011-01-01

    Ecological restoration efforts in large rivers generally aim to ameliorate ecological effects associated with large-scale modification of those rivers. This study examined whether the effects of restoration efforts-specifically those of island construction-within a largely open water restoration area of the Upper Mississippi River (UMR) might be seen at the spatial scale of that 3476ha area. The cumulative effects of island construction, when observed over multiple years, were postulated to have made the restoration area increasingly similar to a positive reference area (a proximate area comprising contiguous backwater areas) and increasingly different from two negative reference areas. The negative reference areas represented the Mississippi River main channel in an area proximate to the restoration area and an open water area in a related Mississippi River reach that has seen relatively little restoration effort. Inferences on the effects of restoration were made by comparing constrained and unconstrained models of summer chlorophyll a (CHL), summer inorganic suspended solids (ISS) and counts of benthic mayfly larvae. Constrained models forced trends in means or in both means and sampling variances to become, over time, increasingly similar to those in the positive reference area and increasingly dissimilar to those in the negative reference areas. Trends were estimated over 12- (mayflies) or 14-year sampling periods, and were evaluated using model information criteria. Based on these methods, restoration effects were observed for CHL and mayflies while evidence in favour of restoration effects on ISS was equivocal. These findings suggest that the cumulative effects of island building at relatively large spatial scales within large rivers may be estimated using data from large-scale surveillance monitoring programs. Published in 2010 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  9. Riparian spiders as sentinels of polychlorinated biphenyl contamination across heterogeneous aquatic ecosystems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kraus, Johanna M.; Gibson, Polly P.; Walters, David M.; Mills, Marc A.

    2017-01-01

    Riparian spiders are being used increasingly to track spatial patterns of contaminants in and fluxing from aquatic ecosystems.However, our understanding of the circumstances under which spiders are effective sentinels of aquatic pollution is limited. The present study tests the hypothesis that riparian spiders may be effectively used to track spatial patterns of sediment pollution by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in aquatic ecosystems with high habitat heterogeneity. The spatial pattern of ΣPCB concentrations in 2 common families of riparian spiders sampled in 2011 to 2013 generally tracked spatial variation in sediment ΣPCBs across all sites within the Manistique River Great Lakes Area of Concern (AOC), a rivermouth ecosystem located on the south shore of the Upper Peninsula, Manistique (MI,USA) that includes harbor, river, backwater, and lake habitats. Sediment ΣPCB concentrations normalized for total organic carbon explained 41% of the variation in lipid-normalized spider ΣPCB concentrations across 11 sites. Furthermore, 2 common riparian spider taxa (Araneidae and Tetragnathidae) were highly correlated (r2> 0.78) and had similar mean ΣPCB concentrations when averaged acrossall years. The results indicate that riparian spiders may be useful sentinels of relative PCB availability to aquatic and riparian food webs in heterogeneous aquatic ecosystems like rivermouths where habitat and contaminant variability may make the use of aquatic taxa lesseffective. Furthermore, the present approach appears robust to heterogeneity in shoreline development and riparian vegetation that support different families of large web-building spiders. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;9999:1–9. Published 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC. This article is a US government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.

  10. Spatial patterns of aquatic habitat richness in the Upper Mississippi River floodplain, USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Jager, Nathan R.; Rohweder, Jason J.

    2012-01-01

    Interactions among hydrology and geomorphology create shifting mosaics of aquatic habitat patches in large river floodplains (e.g., main and side channels, floodplain lakes, and shallow backwater areas) and the connectivity among these habitat patches underpins high levels of biotic diversity and productivity. However, the diversity and connectivity among the habitats of most floodplain rivers have been negatively impacted by hydrologic and structural modifications that support commercial navigation and control flooding. We therefore tested the hypothesis that the rate of increase in patch richness (# of types) with increasing scale reflects anthropogenic modifications to habitat diversity and connectivity in a large floodplain river, the Upper Mississippi River (UMR). To do this, we calculated the number of aquatic habitat patch types within neighborhoods surrounding each of the ≈19 million 5-m aquatic pixels of the UMR for multiple neighborhood sizes (1–100 ha). For all of the 87 river-reach focal areas we examined, changes in habitat richness (R) with increasing neighborhood length (L, # pixels) were characterized by a fractal-like power function R = Lz (R2 > 0.92 (P z) measures the rate of increase in habitat richness with neighborhood size and is related to a fractal dimension. Variation in z reflected fundamental changes to spatial patterns of aquatic habitat richness in this river system. With only a few exceptions, z exceeded the river-wide average of 0.18 in focal areas where side channels, contiguous floodplain lakes, and contiguous shallow-water areas exceeded 5%, 5%, and 10% of the floodplain respectively. In contrast, z was always less than 0.18 for focal areas where impounded water exceeded 40% of floodplain area. Our results suggest that rehabilitation efforts that target areas with <5% of the floodplain in side channels, <5% in floodplain lakes, and/or <10% in shallow-water areas could improve habitat diversity across multiple scales in the UMR.

  11. British military operation at Sheikh Sa‘id in the First World War

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdol Rauh Yaccob

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available It is a difficult task to measure the importance of South West Arabia to the Ottomans and the British prior to and during World War I. Early history of imperial expansion in the area which followed by constant conflicts and involved a considerable amount of diplomacy and intrigues with the natives may suggest that South West Arabia was considered as equally as important to other areas within the empire. However from the beginning of the 20th century South West Arabia was considered something of a backwater. It may also be observed that during the First World War the position of South West Arabia to these powers in relation to other war theatres remained practically the same except in the episodes of British action at Sheikh Said and the Ottomans advance at Lahej. The Indian authorities who believed that the Ottomans were contemplating a move to Sheikh Sa‘id with the aim of acting against British Perim with the telegraphic communication, convoys and shipping, only two miles away, took the opportunity of the movement of the troops through the Red Sea to attack the fort of Sheikh Sa‘id. The action was quickly taken before obtaining official approval from the Admiralty and the India Office in London. The action was taken due to the persistent reports of the Ottoman reinforcement with guns had been sent to Sheikh Sa‘id, further to take advantage of the presence of transports with troops for Egypt. Subsequently future military operations at Sheikh Sa‘id and the Red Sea appeared to dominate the discussions among the authorities at the India Office, the Admiralty, the Indian authorities and the Resident at Aden throughout the war without materializing any further military action.

  12. Organo chlorine pesticides (OCPs) contaminants in sediments from Karachi harbour, Pakistan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khan, N.; Khan, S.H.; Amjad, S.; Muller, J.; Nizamani, S.; Bhanger, M.I.

    2010-01-01

    Mangrove swamps, inter tidal mud flats and creeks of backwaters represent main feature of Karachi harbour area. Karachi harbour sediment is under continuous influence of untreated industrial effluents and domestic waste discharged into the Harbour area via Lyari River. Sediment samples from sixteen locations were collected to evaluate the levels of contamination of organo chlorine pesticides (OCPs) in Karachi harbour and adjoining areas. It has been observed that residual concentrations of various organo chlorine pesticides were considerably higher in the semi-enclosed area of the upper Harbour in the vicinity of the discharge point of Lyari River. The residue of DDT mainly its metabolites (DDE and DDD) were widely distributed and have been detected in most of the sediment samples in relatively higher concentrations as compared to other OCPs. The higher levels of the DDTs would attribute to low tidal flushing of the area. The high proportion of pp'-DDE in the most sediment sampled (41-95%) suggested old inputs of DDTs in the environment. Ratio of sigma DDT and DDT was in the range of 0.04 - 0.24 at all locations which also reflects that the discharges of DDT were negligible in the Harbour area. This may be due to the restrictions being implemented on the use of DDTs and Pakistan has also switched over to natural pest control or using safer formulas. The data obtained during the study showed that concentration levels of other pesticides such as HCHs, HCB and Cyclodienes in the sediment were generally lower than the threshold levels known to harm wildlife by OCPs. The results clearly indicate that elevated concentration of organo chlorine pesticides (OCPs) in the marine sediment of Karachi harbour and adjoining area was localized and much lower than the concentrations reported from neighbouring and regional countries which suggests/confirms that the present use of pesticide in Pakistan is environmentally safe. (author)

  13. Origin, enzymatic response and fate of dissolved organic matter during flood and non-flood conditions in a river-floodplain system of the Danube (Austria).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sieczko, Anna; Peduzzi, Peter

    2014-01-01

    Spectroscopic techniques and extracellular enzyme activity measurements were combined with assessments of bacterial secondary production (BSP) to elucidate flood-pulse-linked differences in carbon (C) sources and related microbial processes in a river-floodplain system near Vienna (Austria). Surface connection with the main channel significantly influenced the quantity and quality of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in floodplain backwaters. The highest values of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and chromophoric DOM (CDOM) were observed during the peak of the flood, when DOC increased from 1.36 to 4.37 mg l -1 and CDOM from 2.94 to 14.32 m -1 . The flood introduced DOC which consisted of more allochthonously-derived, aromatic compounds. Bacterial enzymatic activity, as a proxy to track the response to changes in DOM, indicated elevated utilization of imported allochthonous material. Based on the enzyme measurements, new parameters were calculated: metabolic effort and enzymatic indices (EEA 1 and EEA 2). During connection, bacterial glucosidase and protease activity were dominant, whereas during disconnected phases a switch to lignin degradation (phenol oxidase) occurred. The enzymatic activity analysis revealed that flooding mobilized reactive DOM, which then supported bacterial metabolism. No significant differences in overall BSP between the two phases were detected, indicating that heterogeneous sources of C sufficiently support BSP. The study demonstrates that floods are important for delivering DOM, which, despite its allochthonous origin, is reactive and can be effectively utilized by aquatic bacteria in this river-floodplain systems. The presence of active floodplains, characterized by hydrological connectivity with the main channel, creates the opportunity to process allochthonous DOC. This has potential consequences for carbon flux, enhancing C sequestration and mineralization processes in this river-floodplain system.

  14. Mimicking floodplain reconnection and disconnection using 15N mesocosm incubations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Welti, N.; Bondar-Kunze, E.; Mair, M.; Bonin, P.; Wanek, W.; Pinay, G.; Hein, T.

    2012-11-01

    Floodplain restoration changes the nitrate delivery pattern and dissolved organic matter pool in backwaters, though the effects these changes have are not yet well known. We performed two mesocosm experiments on floodplain sediments to quantify the nitrate metabolism in two types of floodplains. Rates of denitrification, dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) and anammox were measured using 15N-NO3 tracer additions in mesocosms of undisturbed floodplain sediments originating from (1) restored and (2) disconnected sites in the Alluvial Zone National Park on the Danube River downstream of Vienna, Austria. DNRA rates were an order of magnitude lower than denitrification and neither rate was affected by changes in nitrate delivery pattern or organic matter quality. Anammox was not detected at any of the sites. Denitrification was out-competed by assimilation, which was estimated to use up to 70% of the available nitrate. Overall, denitrification was higher in the restored sites, with mean rates of 5.7 ± 2.8 mmol N m-2 h-1 compared to the disconnected site (0.6 ± 0.5 mmol N m-2 h-1). In addition, ratios of N2O : N2 were lower in the restored site indicating a more complete denitrification. Nitrate addition had neither an effect on denitrification, nor on the N2O : N2 ratio. However, DOM (dissolved organic matter) quality significantly changed the N2O : N2 ratio in both sites. Addition of riverine-derived organic matter lowered the N2O : N2 ratio in the disconnected site, whereas addition of floodplain-derived organic matter increased the N2O : N2 ratio in the restored site. These results demonstrate that increasing floodplains hydrological connection to the main river channel increases nitrogen retention and decreases nitrous oxide emissions.

  15. A unique application of the instream flow incremental methodology (IFIM) to predict impacts on riverine aquatic habitat, resulting from construction of a proposed hydropower reservoir

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Foote, P.S.

    1999-01-01

    The City of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, proposed to construct a new low-head hydroelectric project on the Susquehanna River in the central part of the state in 1986, about 108 km upstream of the river mouth. As part of the licensing process, the city was required by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to carry out studies that would forecast the impacts on riverine aquatic habitat as a result of construction of the proposed 13 km long by 1.5 km wide reservoir. The methodology selected by the city and its consultants was to use the IFIM to model the habitat conditions in the project reach both before and after construction of the proposed reservoir.The IFIM is usually used to model instream flow releases downstream of dams and diversions, and had not been used before to model habitat conditions within the proposed reservoir area. The study team hydraulically modelled the project reach using existing hydraulic data, and a HEC-2 backwater analysis to determine post-project water surface elevations. The IFG-4 model was used to simulate both pre- and post-project water velocities, by distributing velocities across transects based on known discharges and cell depth. Effects on aquatic habitat were determined using the IFIM PHABSIM program, in which criteria for several evaluation species and life stages were used to yield estimates of Weighted Usable Area. The analysis showed, based on trends in WUA from pre- and post-project conditions, that habitat conditions would improve for several species and life stages, and would be negatively affected for fewer life stages and species. Some agency concerns that construction of the proposed reservoir would have significant adverse effects on the resident and anadromous fish populations were responded to using these results

  16. Water guns affect abundance and behavior of bigheaded carp and native fish differently

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rivera, Jose; Glover, David C.; Kocovsky, Patrick; Garvey, James E.; Gaikowski, Mark; Jensen, Nathan R.; Adams, Ryan F.

    2018-01-01

    Water guns have shown the potential to repel nuisance aquatic organisms. This study examines the effects of exposure to a 1966.4 cm3 seismic water gun array (two guns) on the abundance and behavior of Bighead Carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis, Silver Carp H. molitrix (collectively referred to as bigheaded carp) and native fishes (e.g., Smallmouth Buffalo Ictiobus bubalus). Water guns were deployed in a channel that connects the Illinois River to backwater quarry pits that contained a large transient population of bigheaded carp. To evaluate the effect of water guns, mobile side-looking split-beam hydroacoustic surveys were conducted before, during and between replicated water gun firing periods. Water guns did not affect abundance of bigheaded carp, but abundance of native fish detected during the firing treatment was 43 and 34% lower than the control and water guns off treatments, respectively. The proximity of bigheaded carp to the water gun array was similar between the water guns on and water guns off treatments. In contrast, the closest detected native fish were detected farther from the water guns during the water guns on treatment (mean ± SE, 32.38 ± 3.32 m) than during the water guns off treatment (15.04 ± 1.59 m). The water gun array had a greater impact on native fish species than on bigheaded carp. Caution should be taken to the extrapolation of these results to other fish species and to fish exposed to water guns in different environments (e.g., reduced shoreline interaction) or exposure to a larger array of water guns, or for use of water guns for purposes other than a barrier.

  17. In-situ treatment of acid mine waters using fluidized bed ash: Field study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Everett, J.W.; Canty, G.A.

    1999-01-01

    A slurry of mine water and fluidized bed ash (FBA) was injected into an abandoned coal mine in eastern Oklahoma in July 1997. Oil-field technology was used to inject 1.8 Gg (418 tons) of FBA through five wells in 15 hours. Prior to injection the seep water had a pH of 4.4, was net acidic (acidity over 400 mg/L as CaCO 3 ), and had relatively high metal concentrations (in mg/L: Fe-200; Mn-7; and Al-6). After injection, during the period of effective treatment, the seep water had a pH above 6.0, less net acidity, and had lower metals concentrations (in mg/L: Fe-120; Mn-5; and Al-< PQL). When the treated seep water exited the mine, the dissolved metals oxidized and hydrolyzed. As the metals precipitated, the alkalinity introduced by the FBA was consumed and the pH dropped. However, the seep water characteristics upon entering the receiving stream were improved, compared to pre-injection. The resulting seep water quality is such that it is more amenable to further treatment by passive treatment methods, such as anoxic limestone drains or wetlands. Alkaline injection is a finite treatment process. Eventually, the added alkalinity is exhausted, at which time the seep returns to pre-injection conditions, necessitating another injection of ash. For the study discussed in this paper, the treatment lasted approximately 15 months. While the amount of alkalinity added to the mine could have potentially treated much more than a year's volume of seep water, it is believed that much of the injected alkalinity was unavailable in backwater areas in the mine. This alkalinity contributed little, if any, to the treatment of water flowing through the mine. Mine hydrology, especially during injection are crucial to treatment longevity

  18. Flood-inundation maps for the Withlacoochee River From Skipper Bridge Road to St. Augustine Road, within the City of Valdosta, Georgia, and Lowndes County, Georgia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Musser, Jonathan W.

    2018-01-31

    Digital flood-inundation maps for a 12.6-mile reach of the Withlacoochee River from Skipper Bridge Road to St. Augustine Road (Georgia State Route 133) were developed to depict estimates of the areal extent and depth of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) streamgage at Withlacoochee River at Skipper Bridge Road, near Bemiss, Ga. (023177483). Real-time stage information from this streamgage can be used with these maps to estimate near real-time areas of inundation. The forecasted peak-stage information for the USGS streamgage at Withlacoochee River at Skipper Bridge Road, near Bemiss, Ga. (023177483), can be used in conjunction with the maps developed for this study to show predicted areas of flood inundation.A one-dimensional step-backwater model was developed using the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Hydrologic Engineer-ing Center’s River Analysis System (HEC–RAS) software for the Withlacoochee River and was used to compute flood profiles for a 12.6-mile reach of the Withlacoochee River. The hydraulic model was then used to simulate 23 water-surface profiles at 1.0-foot (ft) intervals at the Withlacoochee River near the Bemiss streamgage. The profiles ranged from the National Weather Service action stage of 10.7 ft, which is 131.0 ft above the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88), to a stage of 32.7 ft, which is 153.0 ft above NAVD 88. The simulated water-surface profiles were then combined with a geographic information system digital elevation model—derived from light detection and ranging (lidar) data having a 4.0-ft horizontal resolution—to delineate the area flooded at each 1.0-ft interval of stream stage.

  19. Malaria vectors in Lake Victoria and adjacent habitats in western Kenya.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Noboru Minakawa

    Full Text Available The prevalence of malaria among the residents of the Lake Victoria basin remains high. The environment associated with the lake may maintain a high number of malaria vectors. Lake habitats including water hyacinths have been suspected to be the source of vectors. This study investigated whether malaria vectors breed in the lake habitats and adjacent backwater pools. Anopheline larvae were collected within the littoral zone of the lake and adjacent pools located along approximately 24.3 km of the lakeshore in western Kenya, and their breeding sites characterized. Three primary vector species, Anopheles arabiensis, Anopheles gambiae s.s. and Anopheles funestus s.s., and three potential vectors, were found in the lake habitats. Unexpectedly, An. arabiensis was the most dominant vector species in the lake sampling sites. Its habitats were uncovered or covered with short grass. A potential secondary malaria vector, Anopheles rivulorum, dominated the water hyacinths in the lake. Most breeding sites in the lake were limited to areas that were surrounded by tall emergent plants, including trees, and those not exposed to waves. Nearly half of adjacent habitats were lagoons that were separated from the lake by sand bars. Lagoons contained a variety of microhabitats. Anopheles arabiensis dominated open habitats, whereas An. funestus s.s. was found mainly in vegetated habitats in lagoons. The current study confirmed that several breeding sites are associated with Lake Victoria. Given that Lake Victoria is the second largest lake in the world, the lake related habitats must be extensive; therefore, making targeted vector control difficult. Further exploration is necessary to estimate the effects of lake associated habitats on malaria transmission so as to inform a rational decision-making process for vector control.

  20. Geology of the Carnegie museum dinosaur quarry site of Diplodocus carnegii, Sheep Creek, Wyoming

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brezinski, D.K.; Kollar, A.D.

    2008-01-01

    The holotype of Diplodocus carnegii Hatcher, 1901, consists of a partial skeleton (CM 84) that was recovered, along with a second partial skeleton of the same species (CM 94), from the upper 10 m of the Talking Rock facies of the Brushy Basin Member of the Morrison Formation exposed along Bone Quarry Draw, a tributary of Sheep Creek in Albany County, Wyoming. A composite measured section of the stratigraphic interval exposed adjacent to the quarry indicates that the Brushy Basin Member in this area is a stacked succession of lithofacies consisting of hackly, greenish gray, calcareous mudstone and greenish brown, dense, fine-grained limestone. The more erosion resistant limestone layers can be traced over many hundreds of meters. Thus, these strata do not appear to represent a highly localized deposit such as a stream channel, oxbow lake, or backwater pond. The Sheep Creek succession is interpreted as representing a clastic-dominated lake where high turbidity and sediment influx produced deposition of calcareous mudstone. During drier periods the lake's turbidity decreased and limestone and dolomite precipitation replaced mud deposition. Microkarsting at the top of some limestone/ dolomite layers suggests subaerial deposition may have prevailed during these dry episodes. The quarry of D. carnegii was excavated within the top strata of one of the numerous intervals of hackly, greenish gray, calcareous mudstone that represent an ephemeral freshwater lake. The quarry strata are directly overlain by 0.3 m of dolomite-capped limestone that was deposited shortly after interment of D. carnegii in the lake mudstones. The close vertical proximity of the overlying limestone to the skeleton's stratigraphic: level suggests that the animal's carcass may have been buried beneath the drying lake deposits during a period of decreased rainfall.

  1. Modeling Stochastic Boundary Conditions in a Coastal Catchment using a Bayesian Network: An Application to the Houston Ship Channel, Texas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Couasnon, Anaïs; Sebastian, Antonia; Morales-Nápoles, Oswaldo

    2017-04-01

    Recent research has highlighted the increased risk of compound flooding in the U.S. In coastal catchments, an elevated downstream water level, resulting from high tide and/or storm surge, impedes drainage creating a backwater effect that may exacerbate flooding in the riverine environment. Catchments exposed to tropical cyclone activity along the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coasts are particularly vulnerable. However, conventional flood hazard models focus mainly on precipitation-induced flooding and few studies accurately represent the hazard associated with the interaction between discharge and elevated downstream water levels. This study presents a method to derive stochastic boundary conditions for a coastal watershed. Mean daily discharge and maximum daily residual water levels are used to build a non-parametric Bayesian network (BN) based on copulas. Stochastic boundary conditions for the watershed are extracted from the BN and input into a 1-D process-based hydraulic model to obtain water surface elevations in the main channel of the catchment. The method is applied to a section of the Houston Ship Channel (Buffalo Bayou) in Southeast Texas. Data at six stream gages and two tidal stations are used to build the BN and 100-year joint return period events are modeled. We find that the dependence relationship between the daily residual water level and the mean daily discharge in the catchment can be represented by a Gumbel copula (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient of 0.31) and that they result in higher water levels in the mid- to upstream reaches of the watershed than when modeled independently. This indicates that conventional (deterministic) methods may underestimate the flood hazard associated with compound flooding in the riverine environment and that such interactions should not be neglected in future coastal flood hazard studies.

  2. A crowdsourced valuation of recreational ecosystem services using social media data: An application to a tropical wetland in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sinclair, Michael; Ghermandi, Andrea; Sheela, Albert M

    2018-06-12

    Online social media represent an extensive, opportunistic source of behavioral data and revealed preferences for ecosystem services (ES) analysis. Such data may allow to advance the approach, scale and timespan to which ES are assessed, mapping and valued. This is especially relevant in the context of developing regions whose decision support tools are often limited by a lack of resources and funding. This research presents an economic valuation tool for recreational ES, suitable at wide spatial scales, relying on crowdsourced metadata from social media with a proof of concept tested on an Indian tropical Ramsar wetland. We demonstrate how geotagged photographs from Flickr can be used in the context of a developing country to (i) map nature-based recreation patterns, (ii) value recreational ecosystem services, and (iii) investigate how recreational benefits are affected by changes in ecosystem quality. The case-study application is the Vembanad Lake in Kerala, India, and the adjacent backwaters. Geographic Information Systems are implemented to extract 4328 Flickr photographs that are used to map hot spots of recreation and infer the home location of wetland visitors from within Kerala state with good accuracy. An individual, single-site travel cost demand function is generated and estimated using both Poisson and Negative Binomial regressions, which results in mean consumer surplus estimates between Rs. 2227-3953 ($34-$62) per visit and annual domestic recreation benefits of Rs. 7.53-13.37 billion ($115.5-$205 million) in the investigated wetlands. Improvement in water quality to a level that supports wildlife and fisheries is projected to result in a Rs. 260 million ($4 million) annual increase in recreational benefits, while restoring previously encroached lake area would result in almost Rs. 50 million ($760,000) in yearly value increase. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  3. Sedimentation in the Three Gorges Dam and the future trend of Changjiang (Yangtze River sediment flux to the sea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guogang Li

    2009-11-01

    Full Text Available The Three Gorges Dam (TGD on the upper Changjiang (Yangtze River, China, disrupts the continuity of Changjiang sediment delivery to downstream and coastal areas. In this study, which was based on 54 years of annual water and sediment data from the mainstream and major tributaries of Changjiang, sediment deposition induced by the TGD in 2003–2008 was quantified. Furthermore, we determined the theoretical trapping efficiency of the cascade reservoir upstream of the TGD. Its impact on Changjiang sediment flux in the coming decades is discussed. Results show that about 172 million tons (Mt of sediment was trapped annually by the TGD in 2003–2008, with an averaged trapping efficiency of 75%. Most of the total sediment deposition, as induced by the TGD (88%, accumulated within the region between the TGD site and Cuntan. However, significant siltation (12% of the total sediment deposition also occurred upstream of Cuntan as a consequence of the upstream extended backwater region of the TGD. Additionally, the Changjiang sediment flux entered a third downward step in 2001, prior to operation of the TGD. This mainly resulted from sediment reduction in the Jinshajiang tributary since the late 1990s. As the cascade reservoir is put into full operation, it could potentially trap 91% of the Jinshajiang sediment discharge and, therefore, the Jinshajiang sediment discharge would most likely further decrease to 14 Mt/yr in the coming decades. Consequently, the Changjiang sediment flux to the sea is expected to continuously decrease to below 90 Mt/yr in the near future, or only 18% of the amount observed in the 1950s. In the presence of low sediment discharge, profound impacts on the morphology of estuary, delta and coastal waters are expected.

  4. The critical role of the routing scheme in simulating peak river discharge in global hydrological models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, F.; Veldkamp, T.; Frieler, K.; Schewe, J.; Ostberg, S.; Willner, S. N.; Schauberger, B.; Gosling, S.; Mueller Schmied, H.; Portmann, F. T.; Leng, G.; Huang, M.; Liu, X.; Tang, Q.; Hanasaki, N.; Biemans, H.; Gerten, D.; Satoh, Y.; Pokhrel, Y. N.; Stacke, T.; Ciais, P.; Chang, J.; Ducharne, A.; Guimberteau, M.; Wada, Y.; Kim, H.; Yamazaki, D.

    2017-12-01

    Global hydrological models (GHMs) have been applied to assess global flood hazards, but their capacity to capture the timing and amplitude of peak river discharge—which is crucial in flood simulations—has traditionally not been the focus of examination. Here we evaluate to what degree the choice of river routing scheme affects simulations of peak discharge and may help to provide better agreement with observations. To this end we use runoff and discharge simulations of nine GHMs forced by observational climate data (1971-2010) within the ISIMIP2a project. The runoff simulations were used as input for the global river routing model CaMa-Flood. The simulated daily discharge was compared to the discharge generated by each GHM using its native river routing scheme. For each GHM both versions of simulated discharge were compared to monthly and daily discharge observations from 1701 GRDC stations as a benchmark. CaMa-Flood routing shows a general reduction of peak river discharge and a delay of about two to three weeks in its occurrence, likely induced by the buffering capacity of floodplain reservoirs. For a majority of river basins, discharge produced by CaMa-Flood resulted in a better agreement with observations. In particular, maximum daily discharge was adjusted, with a multi-model averaged reduction in bias over about 2/3 of the analysed basin area. The increase in agreement was obtained in both managed and near-natural basins. Overall, this study demonstrates the importance of routing scheme choice in peak discharge simulation, where CaMa-Flood routing accounts for floodplain storage and backwater effects that are not represented in most GHMs. Our study provides important hints that an explicit parameterisation of these processes may be essential in future impact studies.

  5. Energy and exergy analysis of integrated system of ammonia–water Kalina–Rankine cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Yaping; Guo, Zhanwei; Wu, Jiafeng; Zhang, Zhi; Hua, Junye

    2015-01-01

    The integrated system of AWKRC (ammonia–water Kalina–Rankine cycle) is a novel cycle operated on KC (Kalina cycle) for power generation in non-heating seasons and on AWRC (ammonia–water Rankine cycle) for cogeneration of power and heating water in winter. The influences of inlet temperatures of both heat resource and cooling water on system efficiencies were analyzed based on the first law and the second law of thermodynamics. The calculation is based on following conditions that the heat resource temperature keeps 300 °C, the cooling water temperature for the KC or AWRC is respectively 25 °C or 15 °C; and the temperatures of heating water and backwater are respectively 90 °C and 40 °C. The results show that the evaluation indexes of the power recovery efficiency and the exergy efficiency of KC were respectively 18.2% and 41.9%, while the composite power recovery efficiency and the composite exergy efficiency of AWRC are respectively 21.1% and 43.0% accounting both power and equivalent power of cogenerated heating capacity, including 54.5% heating recovery ratio or 12.4% heating water exergy efficiency. The inventory flow diagrams of both energy and exergy gains and losses of the components operating on KC or AWRC are also demonstrated. - Highlights: • An integrated system of AWKRC (ammonia–water Kalina–Rankine cycle) is investigated. • NH_3–H_2O Rankine cycle is operated for cogenerating power and heating-water in winter. • Heating water with 90 °C and capacity of 54% total reclaimed heat load is cogenerated. • Kalina cycle is operated for power generation in other seasons with high efficiency. • Energy and exergy analysis draw similar results in optimizing the system parameters.

  6. Modelling travel and residence times in the eastern Irish Sea

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dabrowski, T.; Hartnett, M.

    2008-01-01

    The Irish Sea, which lies between 51 deg. N-56 deg. N and 2 deg. 50'W-7 deg. W, provides a sheltered environment to exploit valuable fisheries resource. Anthropogenic activity is a real threat to its water quality. The majority of freshwater input down rivers flows into the eastern Irish Sea. The structure of the water circulation was not well understood during the planning of Sellafield nuclear plant outfall site in the eastern Irish Sea. A three-dimensional primitive equation numerical model was applied to the Irish Sea to simulate both barotropic and baroclinic circulation within the region. High accuracy was achieved with regard to the prediction of both tidal circulation and surface and nearbed water temperatures across the region. The model properly represented the Western Irish Sea Gyre, induced by thermal stratification and not known during planning Sellafield. Passive tracer simulations based on the developed hydrodynamic model were used to deliver residence times of the eastern Irish Sea region for various times of the year as well as travel times from the Sellafield outfall site to various locations within the Irish Sea. The results indicate a strong seasonal variability of travel times from Sellafield to the examined locations. Travel time to the Clyde Sea is the shortest for the autumnal tracer release (90 days); it takes almost a year for the tracer to arrive at the same location if it is released in January. Travel times from Sellafield to Dublin Bay fall within the range of 180-360 days. The average residence time of the entire eastern Irish Sea is around 7 months. The areas surrounding the Isle of Man are initially flushed due to a predominant northward flow; a backwater is formed in Liverpool Bay. Thus, elevated tracer concentrations are predicted in Liverpool Bay in the case of accidental spills at the Sellafield outfall site

  7. Natural radioactivity content in soil and indoor air of Chellanam.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mathew, S; Rajagopalan, M; Abraham, J P; Balakrishnan, D; Umadevi, A G

    2012-11-01

    Contribution of terrestrial radiation due to the presence of naturally occurring radionuclides in soil and air constitutes a significant component of the background radiation exposure to the population. The concentrations of natural radionuclides in the soil and indoor air of Chellanam were investigated with an aim of evaluating the environmental radioactivity level and radiation hazard to the population. Chellanam is in the suburbs of Cochin, with the Arabian Sea in the west and the Cochin backwaters in the east. Chellanam is situated at ∼25 km from the sites of these factories. The data obtained serve as a reference in documenting changes to the environmental radioactivity due to technical activities. Soil samples were collected from 30 locations of the study area. The activity concentrations of (232)Th, (238)U and (40)K in the samples were analysed using gamma spectrometry. The gamma dose rates were calculated using conversion factors recommended by UNSCEAR [United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation. Sources and effects of ionizing radiation. UNSCEAR (2000)]. The ambient radiation exposure rates measured in the area ranged from 74 to 195 nGy h(-1) with a mean value of 131 nGy h(-1). The significant radionuclides being (232)Th, (238)U and (40)K, their activities were used to arrive at the absorbed gamma dose rate with a mean value of 131 nGy h(-1) and the radium equivalent activity with a mean value of 162 Bq kg(-1). The radon progeny levels varied from 0.21 to 1.4 mWL with a mean value of 0.6 mWL. The thoron progeny varied from 0.34 to 2.9 mWL with a mean value of 0.85 mWL. The ratio between thoron and radon progenies varied from 1.4 to 2.3 with a mean of 1.6. The details of the study, analysis and results are discussed.

  8. Enhancement and creation of secondary channel habitat: Review of project performance across a range of project types and settings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Epstein, J.; Lind, P.

    2017-12-01

    Secondary channels provide critical off-channel habitat for key life stages of aquatic species. In many systems, interruption of natural processes via anthropogenic influences have reduced the quantity of secondary channel habitat and have impaired the processes that help form and maintain them. Creation and enhancement of secondary channels is therefore a key component of stream rehabilitation, particularly in the Pacific Northwest where the focus has been on enhancement of habitat for ESA-listed salmonids. Secondary channel enhancement varies widely in scope, scale, and approach depending on species requirements, hydrology/hydraulics, geomorphologic setting, sediment dynamics, and human constraints. This presentation will review case studies from numerous secondary channel projects constructed over the last 20 years by different entities and in different settings. Lessons learned will be discussed that help to understand project performance and inform future project design. A variety of secondary channel project types will be reviewed, including mainstem flow splits, year-round flow through, seasonally activated, backwater alcove, natural groundwater-fed, and engineered groundwater-fed (i.e. groundwater collection galleries). Projects will be discussed that span a range of project construction intensities, such as full excavation of side channels, select excavation to increase flow, or utilizing mainstem structures to activate channels. Different configurations for connecting to the main channel, and their relative performance, will also be presented. A variety of connection types will be discussed including stabilized channel entrance, free-formed entrance, using bar apex jams to split flows, using `bleeder' jams to limit secondary channel flow, and obstructing the main channel to divert flows into secondary channels. The performance and longevity of projects will be discussed, particularly with respect to the response to sediment mobilizing events. Lessons

  9. Evaluate the Restoration Potential of Snake River Fall Chinook Salmon Spawning Habitat, Status Report 2006.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hanrahan, T.P. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

    2009-01-08

    The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) Project 2003-038-00, Evaluate the restoration potential of Snake River fall Chinook salmon spawning habitat, began in FY04 (15 December 2003) and continues into FY06. This status report is intended to summarize accomplishments during FY04 and FY05. Accomplishments are summarized by Work Elements, as detailed in the Statement of Work (see BPA's project management database PISCES). This project evaluates the restoration potential of mainstem habitats for fall Chinook salmon. The studies address two research questions: 'Are there sections not currently used by spawning fall Chinook salmon within the impounded lower Snake River that possess the physical characteristics for potentially suitable fall Chinook spawning habitat?' and 'Can hydrosystem operations affecting these sections be adjusted such that the sections closely resemble the physical characteristics of current fall Chinook salmon spawning areas in similar physical settings?' Efforts are focused at two study sites: (1) the Ice Harbor Dam tailrace downstream to the Columbia River confluence, and (2) the Lower Granite Dam tailrace. Our previous studies indicated that these two areas have the highest potential for restoring Snake River fall Chinook salmon spawning habitat. The study sites will be evaluated under existing structural configurations at the dams (i.e., without partial removal of a dam structure), and alternative operational scenarios (e.g., varying forebay/tailwater elevations). The areas studied represent tailwater habitat (i.e., riverine segments extending from a dam downstream to the backwater influence from the next dam downstream). We are using a reference site, indicative of current fall Chinook salmon spawning areas in tailwater habitat, against which to compare the physical characteristics of each study site. The reference site for tailwater habitats is the section extending downstream from the Wanapum Dam tailrace on the

  10. Controls on sediment cover in bedrock-alluvial channels of the Henry Mountains, Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hodge, R. A.; Yager, E.; Johnson, J. P.; Tranmer, A.

    2017-12-01

    The location and extent of sediment cover in bedrock-alluvial channels influences sediment transport rates, channel incision and instream ecology. However, factors affecting sediment cover and how it responds to changes in relative sediment supply have rarely been quantitatively evaluated in field settings. Using field surveys and SFM analysis of channel reach topography, we quantified sediment cover and channel properties including slope, width, grain size distributions, and bedrock and alluvial roughness in North Wash and Chelada Creek in the Henry Mountains, Utah. Along reaches where upstream sediment supply does not appear to be restricted, we find that the fraction of local bedrock exposure increases as a function of local relative transport capacity . In a downstream section of Chelada Creek, decadal-scale sediment supply has been restricted by an upstream culvert that has caused a backwater effect and corresponding upstream deposition. In this section, alluvial cover is uncorrelated with local stream power. To test the impact of relative sediment supply on sediment cover, a 1D sediment transport model was used to predict the equilibrium sediment cover in Chelada Creek under varying flow and sediment supply conditions. Sediment transport in each model section was predicted using the partial cover model of Johnson (2015), which accounts for differences in bedrock and alluvial roughness on critical shear stress and flow resistance. Model runs in which sediment supply was approximately equal to mean transport capacity produced a pattern of sediment cover which best matched the field observations upstream of the culvert. However, runs where sediment supply was under-capacity produced the pattern most similar to field observations downstream of the culvert, consistent with our field-based interpretations. Model results were insensitive to initial sediment cover, and equilibrium was relatively quickly reached, suggesting that the channel is responsive to changes in

  11. Evaluation of alternative macroinvertebrate sampling techniques for use in a new tropical freshwater bioassessment scheme

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Isabel Eleanor Moore

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Aim: The study aimed to determine the effectiveness of benthic macroinvertebrate dredge net sampling procedures as an alternative method to kick net sampling in tropical freshwater systems, specifically as an evaluation of sampling methods used in the Zambian Invertebrate Scoring System (ZISS river bioassessment scheme. Tropical freshwater ecosystems are sometimes dangerous or inaccessible to sampling teams using traditional kick-sampling methods, so identifying an alternative procedure that produces similar results is necessary in order to collect data from a wide variety of habitats.MethodsBoth kick and dredge nets were used to collect macroinvertebrate samples at 16 riverine sites in Zambia, ranging from backwaters and floodplain lagoons to fast flowing streams and rivers. The data were used to calculate ZISS, diversity (S: number of taxa present, and Average Score Per Taxon (ASPT scores per site, using the two sampling methods to compare their sampling effectiveness. Environmental parameters, namely pH, conductivity, underwater photosynthetically active radiation (PAR, temperature, alkalinity, flow, and altitude, were also recorded and used in statistical analysis. Invertebrate communities present at the sample sites were determined using multivariate procedures.ResultsAnalysis of the invertebrate community and environmental data suggested that the testing exercise was undertaken in four distinct macroinvertebrate community types, supporting at least two quite different macroinvertebrate assemblages, and showing significant differences in habitat conditions. Significant correlations were found for all three bioassessment score variables between results acquired using the two methods, with dredge-sampling normally producing lower scores than did the kick net procedures. Linear regression models were produced in order to correct each biological variable score collected by a dredge net to a score similar to that of one collected by kick net

  12. Natural dam failure in the eastern slope of the Central Andes of Argentina. Numerical modelling of the 2005 Santa Cruz river outburst flood

    Science.gov (United States)

    Penna, I.; Daicz, S.; Zlotnik, S.; Derron, M.-H.; Jaboyedoff, M.

    2012-04-01

    In the Central Andes of Argentina, ephemeral river blockage due to landslides deposition are common phenomena. During the first fortnight of January 2005, 11.5 * 106m3 of rock collapsed from the east slope of the Santa Cruz valley (San Juan province, Argentina). The rock mass displaced from 4300 m a.s.l., down to the valley bottom, at 2900 m a.s.l., and ran up the opposite flank of the valley. This produced the blockage of the Santa Cruz river and generated the Los Erizos lake. The rapid snow melting during the spring season caused the increase of the water level of the reservoir, leading to a process of overtopping on November 12th of 2005. 30 * 106m3 of water were released from the reservoir and the consequent outburst flood displaced along 250 km. From local reports of arrival times, we estimated that the outburst flood reduced its velocity from around 40 km/h near the source area to 6 km/h in its distal section. A road, bridges, and a mining post where destroyed. 75 tourists had to be rescued from the mountains using helicopters, and people from two localities had to be evacuated. Near its distal part, the flood damaged the facilities of the Caracoles power dam, which was under construction, and its inauguration had to be delayed one year due to the damage. The outburst flood produced changes in the morphology of the valley floor along almost all its path (erosion of alluvial fans, talus and terraces, and deposition of boulders). The most significant changes occurred in the first 70 km, especially upstream narrow sections, showing the importance of the backwater effects due to hydraulic ponding. In this work we carried out numerical simulations to obtain the velocity patterns of the flood, and compared them with those obtained from local reports. Furthermore, we analyze the relationship between the dynamics of the flood with the patterns of erosion and deposition near the source area.

  13. A Modeling Approach for Evaluating the Coupled Riparian Vegetation-Geomorphic Response to Altered Flow Regimes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manners, R.; Wilcox, A. C.; Merritt, D. M.

    2016-12-01

    The ecogeomorphic response of riparian ecosystems to a change in hydrologic properties is difficult to predict because of the interactions and feedbacks among plants, water, and sediment. Most riparian models of community dynamics assume a static channel, yet geomorphic processes strongly control the establishment and survival of riparian vegetation. Using a combination of approaches that includes empirical relationships and hydrodynamic models, we model the coupled vegetation-topographic response of three cross-sections on the Yampa and Green Rivers in Dinosaur National Monument, to a shift in the flow regime. The locations represent the variable geomorphology and vegetation composition of these canyon-bound rivers. We account for the inundation and hydraulic properties of vegetation plots surveyed over three years within International River Interface Cooperative (iRIC) Fastmech, equipped with a vegetation module that accounts for flexible stems and plant reconfiguration. The presence of functional groupings of plants, or those plants that respond similarly to environmental factors such as water availability and disturbance are determined from flow response curves developed for the Yampa River. Using field measurements of vegetation morphology, distance from the channel centerline, and dominant particle size and modeled inundation properties we develop an empirical relationship between these variables and topographic change. We evaluate vegetation and channel form changes over decadal timescales, allowing for the integration of processes over time. From our analyses, we identify thresholds in the flow regime that alter the distribution of plants and reduce geomorphic complexity, predominately through side-channel and backwater infilling. Simplification of some processes (e.g., empirically-derived sedimentation) and detailed treatment of others (e.g., plant-flow interactions) allows us to model the coupled dynamics of riparian ecosystems and evaluate the impact of

  14. River channel morphology and hydraulics properties due to introduction of plant basket hydraulic structures for river channel management

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kałuża, Tomasz; Radecki-Pawlik, Artur; Plesiński, Karol; Walczak, Natalia; Szoszkiewicz, Krzysztof; Radecki-Pawlik, Bartosz

    2016-04-01

    In the present time integrated water management is directly connected with management and direct works in river channels themselves which are taking into account morphological processes in rivers and improve flow conditions. Our work focused on the hydraulic and hydrodynamic consequences upon the introduction of the concept of the improvement of the hydromorphological conditions of the Flinta River in a given reach following river channel management concept. Based on a comprehensive study of the hydromorphological state of the river, four sections were selected where restoration measures can efficiently improve river habitat conditions in the river. For each section a set of technical and biological measures were proposed and implemented in practice. One of the proposed solutions was to construct plant basket hydraulic structures (PBHS) within the river channel, which are essentially plant barriers working as sediment traps, changing river channel morphology and are in line with concepts of Water Framework Directive. These relatively small structures work as crested weirs and unquestionably change the channel morphology. Along our work we show the results of three-year long (2013-2015) systematic measurements that provided information on the morphological consequences of introducing such structures into a river channel. Our main conclusions are as follows: 1. Plant basket hydraulic structures cause changes in hydrodynamic conditions and result in sediment accumulation and the formation of river backwaters upstream and downstream the obstacle; 2. The introduced plant basket hydraulic structures cause plant debris accumulation which influences the hydrodynamic flow conditions; 3. The installation of plant basket hydraulic structures on the river bed changes flow pattern as well as flow hydrodynamic conditions causing river braiding process; 4. The erosion rate below the plant basket hydraulic structures is due to the hydraulic work conditions of the PBHS and its

  15. Fish Research Project, Oregon, Investigations into the Early Life History of Naturally Produced Spring Chinook Salmon in the Grande Ronde River Basin, Annual Progress Report, Project Period: September 1, 1996 - August 31, 1997; ANNUAL

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brian C. Jonasson; J. Vincent Tranquilli; MaryLouise Keefe; Richard W. Carmichael

    1998-01-01

    habitats, particularly alcove and backwater pools. These results were consistent for both summer and winter surveys

  16. Variability of streambed hydraulic conductivity in an intermittent stream reach regulated by Vented Dams: A case study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naganna, Sujay Raghavendra; Deka, Paresh Chandra

    2018-07-01

    The hydro-geological properties of streambed together with the hydraulic gradients determine the fluxes of water, energy and solutes between the stream and underlying aquifer system. Dam induced sedimentation affects hyporheic processes and alters substrate pore space geometries in the course of progressive stabilization of the sediment layers. Uncertainty in stream-aquifer interactions arises from the inherent complex-nested flow paths and spatio-temporal variability of streambed hydraulic properties. A detailed field investigation of streambed hydraulic conductivity (Ks) using Guelph Permeameter was carried out in an intermittent stream reach of the Pavanje river basin located in the mountainous, forested tract of western ghats of India. The present study reports the spatial and temporal variability of streambed hydraulic conductivity along the stream reach obstructed by two Vented Dams in sequence. Statistical tests such as Levene's and Welch's t-tests were employed to check for various variability measures. The strength of spatial dependence and the presence of spatial autocorrelation among the streambed Ks samples were tested by using Moran's I statistic. The measures of central tendency and dispersion pointed out reasonable spatial variability in Ks distribution throughout the study reach during two consecutive years 2016 and 2017. The streambed was heterogeneous with regard to hydraulic conductivity distribution with high-Ks zones near the backwater areas of the vented dam and low-Ks zones particularly at the tail water section of vented dams. Dam operational strategies were responsible for seasonal fluctuations in sedimentation and modifications to streambed substrate characteristics (such as porosity, grain size, packing etc.), resulting in heterogeneous streambed Ks profiles. The channel downstream of vented dams contained significantly more cohesive deposits of fine sediment due to the overflow of surplus suspended sediment-laden water at low velocity

  17. Riparian spiders as sentinels of polychlorinated biphenyl contamination across heterogeneous aquatic ecosystems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kraus, Johanna M; Gibson, Polly P; Walters, David M; Mills, Marc A

    2017-05-01

    Riparian spiders are being used increasingly to track spatial patterns of contaminants in and fluxing from aquatic ecosystems. However, our understanding of the circumstances under which spiders are effective sentinels of aquatic pollution is limited. The present study tests the hypothesis that riparian spiders may be effectively used to track spatial patterns of sediment pollution by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in aquatic ecosystems with high habitat heterogeneity. The spatial pattern of ΣPCB concentrations in 2 common families of riparian spiders sampled in 2011 to 2013 generally tracked spatial variation in sediment ΣPCBs across all sites within the Manistique River Great Lakes Area of Concern (AOC), a rivermouth ecosystem located on the south shore of the Upper Peninsula, Manistique (MI, USA) that includes harbor, river, backwater, and lake habitats. Sediment ΣPCB concentrations normalized for total organic carbon explained 41% of the variation in lipid-normalized spider ΣPCB concentrations across 11 sites. Furthermore, 2 common riparian spider taxa (Araneidae and Tetragnathidae) were highly correlated (r 2  > 0.78) and had similar mean ΣPCB concentrations when averaged across all years. The results indicate that riparian spiders may be useful sentinels of relative PCB availability to aquatic and riparian food webs in heterogeneous aquatic ecosystems like rivermouths where habitat and contaminant variability may make the use of aquatic taxa less effective. Furthermore, the present approach appears robust to heterogeneity in shoreline development and riparian vegetation that support different families of large web-building spiders. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:1278-1286. Published 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC. This article is a US government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America. Published 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC. This article is a US government work and, as such, is in

  18. Space-time clustering of childhood malaria at the household level: a dynamic cohort in a Mali village

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ouattara Amed

    2006-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Spatial and temporal heterogeneities in the risk of malaria have led the WHO to recommend fine-scale stratification of the epidemiological situation, making it possible to set up actions and clinical or basic researches targeting high-risk zones. Before initiating such studies it is necessary to define local patterns of malaria transmission and infection (in time and in space in order to facilitate selection of the appropriate study population and the intervention allocation. The aim of this study was to identify, spatially and temporally, high-risk zones of malaria, at the household level (resolution of 1 to 3 m. Methods This study took place in a Malian village with hyperendemic seasonal transmission as part of Mali-Tulane Tropical Medicine Research Center (NIAID/NIH. The study design was a dynamic cohort (22 surveys, from June 1996 to June 2001 on about 1300 children (Plasmodium falciparum, P. malariae and P. ovale infection and P. falciparum gametocyte carriage by means of time series and Kulldorff's scan statistic for space-time cluster detection. Results The time series analysis determined that malaria parasitemia (primarily P. falciparum was persistently present throughout the population with the expected seasonal variability pattern and a downward temporal trend. We identified six high-risk clusters of P. falciparum infection, some of which persisted despite an overall tendency towards a decrease in risk. The first high-risk cluster of P. falciparum infection (rate ratio = 14.161 was detected from September 1996 to October 1996, in the north of the village. Conclusion This study showed that, although infection proportions tended to decrease, high-risk zones persisted in the village particularly near temporal backwaters. Analysis of this heterogeneity at the household scale by GIS methods lead to target preventive actions more accurately on the high-risk zones identified. This mapping of malaria risk makes it possible

  19. Influence of anthropogenic alterations on geomorphic response to climate variations and change in San Francisco Bay-Delta and watershed

    Science.gov (United States)

    Florsheim, J.L.; Dettinger, M.D.

    2004-01-01

    subsided Delta Islands to levee failure during floods and increase upstream backwater flooding. Thus, geomorphic responses to future climate variation and change will be closely tied to infrastructure and reservoir management, with survivability of infrastructure and decisions about timing, magnitude, and duration of flow releases from upstream reservoirs likely to determine the nature of those geomorphic responses.

  20. Morphodynamics of Travertine Dam/Waterfall Growth due to the Interaction of Biological Activity, Water Flow and Limestone Emplacement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Izumi, N.; Parker, G.

    2012-12-01

    Plitvice Lakes in Croatia are characterized by a step-like train of lakes and waterfalls. The waterfalls are located at the crests of naturally-emplaced dams. The top of each dam grows upward at the rate of a few millimeters per year. It is thought that the upward growth of these dams is caused by the interaction of water flow and biological activity, resulting in the precipitation of dissolved limestone. Dam evolution is initiated by the growth of mosses that favor swift, shallow water. Bacteria that inhabit the roots of the moss excrete solid limestone (travertine) from the water. The limestone fossilizes the moss, and then more moss grows on top of the travertine deposit. In this way, the natural dam can grow over to 10 m high, impounding the water behind it to form a lake. We propose a simple model to explain the formation of natural limestone dams by the interaction between water flow and biologically-mediated travertine deposition. We assume for simplicity that light is the only factor determining the growth of moss, which is then colonized by travertine-emplacing bacteria. We also assume that the water is saturated with dissolved limestone, so that the process is not limited by limestone availability. Photosynthesis, and thus the growth rate of moss are crudely approximated as decreasing linearly with depth. We employ the shallow water equations to describe water flow over the dam. In order to obtain a profile of permanent form for a dam migrating upward and downstream at constant speed, we solve the problem in a moving coordinate system. When water flows over the dam, it is accelerated in the streamwise direction, and the water surface forms a backwater curve. The flow regime changes from Froude-subcritical to Froude-supercritical at a point slightly downstream of the crest of the dam. Farther downstream, the flow attains a threshold velocity beyond which moss is detached. This threshold point defines the downstream end of the active part of the dam. The

  1. Sediment Dispersal on the Topset of a Tectonically Active Shelf-edge Delta: an Interplay Between Sediment Supply and Subsidence, as Demonstrated for the Selenga River, Lake Baikal, Russia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nittrouer, J. A.; Dong, T. Y.

    2017-12-01

    The Selenga River delta (Lake Baikal, Russia), located adjacent to an active rift margin and filling the world's deepest lake, represents one of the few examples of a modern shelf-edge system. Research into sediment dispersal on the Selenga delta was undertaken with the aim of linking topset morphodynamics and sediment accumulation patterns with the production of stratigraphy. The subaerial delta is constructed of three active lobes that receive varying amounts of water and sediment, distributed among a nine-order bifurcating channel network. Data from multiple expeditions include bathymetric and water-discharge measurements, side-scan images of the bed and banks, sediment samples, and bankline composition (including sediment type and vegetation). This information is analyzed to evaluate spatial variability in: 1. channel geometry, 2. boundary shear stress, 3. bedform size, and 4. bed sediment composition. The delta possesses downstream sediment fining, whereby median channel bed size decreases by two orders of magnitude over thirty kilometers, from a predominantly gravel and sand mixture near the delta apex to silt and fine sand at the lake interface. The location of gravel termination among distributary channels coincides with a reduction in sediment-transport capacity, as assessed by measurements of boundary shear stress. Interestingly, backwater hydrodynamics, which operate as important influences on bed grain size for many deltas, is not a major influence on the Selenga system. Instead, a non-linear downstream decrease in boundary shear stress arises due to partitioning of water among the bifurcating channel network. As has been documented in previous studies, gravel and coarse sand are absent on the delta foreset and bottomset (i.e., the rift axis), despite a continuous sediment feed from upstream that should provide the supply necessary to increase bed slope and enhance transport capacity over the delta. To reconcile this discrepancy, a tectonic timescale is

  2. Formation and maintenance of a forced pool-riffle couplet following loading of large wood

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thompson, D. M.; Fixler, S. A.

    2017-11-01

    Pool-riffle maintenance has been documented in numerous studies, but it has been almost impossible to characterize detailed natural pool-riffle formation mechanisms because of the lack of baseline data prior to pool establishment. In 2013, a study was conducted on the Blackledge River in Connecticut to document the formation of a new pool-riffle couplet on a section of river that had previously been studied from 1999 to 2001. In 2001, the study reach contained a scour hole with a residual depth of 0.08 ± 0.09 m downstream of a 1930s paired deflector with no identifiable riffle immediately downstream. At this time, a large, severely undercut, hemlock tree was noted along the left bank. Sometime between fall 2001 and 2004, the tree fell perpendicular to flow across the channel and formed a large wood (LW) jam and new pool-riffle couplet several meters downstream of the old scour hole. Pool spacing along the reach decreased from 4.47 bankfull widths (BFW) in 1999 to 3.83 BFW after the new pool-riffle couplet formed. The new pool has a residual depth, the water depth of the streambed depression below the elevation of the immediate downstream hydraulic control, of 1.36 ± 0.075 to 1.59 ± 0.075 m, which resulted from a combination of 1.32 ± 0.09 m or less of incision below the old scour hole (95.6% or less of the depth increase) and up to 0.18 ± 0.09 m of downstream deposition and associated backwater formation (13.2% or less of the depth increase). To assess dynamic stability of the pool-riffle couplet over several flood cycles, surficial fine-sediment and organic material along the reach were quantified. The 23-m-long pool stores 25.7% of the surficial fine grained sediments and 15.4% of organic material along a 214-m-long reach that includes one additional artificially created pool. An adjacent 50-m-long secondary channel impacted by the LW jam stores 65.3% of the surficial fine-grained sediments and 54.8% of organic material along the full reach.

  3. Quantifying Changes in Los Angeles River Breakout Triggered by Sea Level Rise Using a Hydrodynamic Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mallakpour, I.; Shakeri Majd, M.; AghaKouchak, A.; Moftakhari, H.; Sadegh, M.; Vahedifard, F.

    2017-12-01

    backwater at the mouth of the river, at Pacific Ocean. Consequently, flow velocities and depth changes in channel, which results in changes in onset and location of the river breakout. Our findings emphasize needs for incorporating effects of SLR in hydraulic models in order to support mitigation and adaption efforts.

  4. Dynamic Floodplain representation in hydrologic flood forecasting using WRF-Hydro modeling framework

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gangodagamage, C.; Li, Z.; Maitaria, K.; Islam, M.; Ito, T.; Dhondia, J.

    2016-12-01

    Floods claim more lives and damage more property than any other category of natural disaster in the Continental United States. A system that can demarcate local flood boundaries dynamically could help flood prone communities prepare for and even prevent from catastrophic flood events. Lateral distance from the centerline of the river to the right and left floodplains for the water levels coming out of the models at each grid location have not been properly integrated with the national hydrography dataset (NHDPlus). The NHDPlus dataset represents the stream network with feature classes such as rivers, tributaries, canals, lakes, ponds, dams, coastlines, and stream gages. The NHDPlus dataset consists of approximately 2.7 million river reaches defining how surface water drains to the ocean. These river reaches have upstream and downstream nodes and basic parameters such as flow direction, drainage area, reach slope etc. We modified an existing algorithm (Gangodagamage et al., 2007) to provide lateral distance from the centerline of the river to the right and left floodplains for the flows simulated by models. Previous work produced floodplain boundaries for static river stages (i.e. 3D metric: distance along the main stem, flow depth, lateral distance from river center line). Our new approach introduces the floodplain boundary for variable water levels at each reach with the fourth dimension, time. We use modeled flows from WRF-Hydro and demarcate the right and left lateral boundaries of inundation dynamically by appropriately mapping discharges into hydraulically corrected stages. Backwater effects from the mainstem to tributaries are considered and proper corrections are applied for the tributary inundations. We obtained river stages by optimizing reach level channel parameters using newly developed stream flow routing algorithm. Non uniform inundations are mapped at each NHDplus reach (upstream and downstream nodes) and spatial interpolation is carried out on a

  5. Flood of June 22-24, 2006, in North-Central Ohio, With Emphasis on the Cuyahoga River Near Independence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sherwood, James M.; Ebner, Andrew D.; Koltun, G.F.; Astifan, Brian M.

    2007-01-01

    Heavy rains caused severe flooding on June 22-24, 2006, and damaged approximately 4,580 homes and 48 businesses in Cuyahoga County. Damage estimates in Cuyahoga County for the two days of flooding exceed $47 million; statewide damage estimates exceed $150 million. Six counties (Cuyahoga, Erie, Huron, Lucas, Sandusky, and Stark) in northeast Ohio were declared Federal disaster areas. One death, in Lorain County, was attributed to the flooding. The peak streamflow of 25,400 cubic feet per second and corresponding peak gage height of 23.29 feet were the highest recorded at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) streamflow-gaging station Cuyahoga River at Independence (04208000) since the gaging station began operation in 1922, exceeding the previous peak streamflow of 24,800 cubic feet per second that occurred on January 22, 1959. An indirect calculation of the peak streamflow was made by use of a step-backwater model because all roads leading to the gaging station were inundated during the flood and field crews could not reach the station to make a direct measurement. Because of a statistically significant and persistent positive trend in the annual-peak-streamflow time series for the Cuyahoga River at Independence, a method was developed and applied to detrend the annual-peak-streamflow time series prior to the traditional log-Pearson Type III flood-frequency analysis. Based on this analysis, the recurrence interval of the computed peak streamflow was estimated to be slightly less than 100 years. Peak-gage-height data, peak-streamflow data, and recurrence-interval estimates for the June 22-24, 2006, flood are tabulated for the Cuyahoga River at Independence and 10 other USGS gaging stations in north-central Ohio. Because flooding along the Cuyahoga River near Independence and Valley View was particularly severe, a study was done to document the peak water-surface profile during the flood from approximately 2 miles downstream from the USGS streamflow-gaging station at

  6. Numerical Limitations of 1D Hydraulic Models Using MIKE11 or HEC-RAS software - Case study of Baraolt River, Romania

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andrei, Armas; Robert, Beilicci; Erika, Beilicci

    2017-10-01

    MIKE 11 is an advanced hydroinformatic tool, a professional engineering software package for simulation of one-dimensional flows in estuaries, rivers, irrigation systems, channels and other water bodies. MIKE 11 is a 1-dimensional river model. It was developed by DHI Water · Environment · Health, Denmark. The basic computational procedure of HEC-RAS for steady flow is based on the solution of the one-dimensional energy equation. Energy losses are evaluated by friction and contraction / expansion. The momentum equation may be used in situations where the water surface profile is rapidly varied. These situations include hydraulic jumps, hydraulics of bridges, and evaluating profiles at river confluences. For unsteady flow, HEC-RAS solves the full, dynamic, 1-D Saint Venant Equation using an implicit, finite difference method. The unsteady flow equation solver was adapted from Dr. Robert L. Barkau’s UNET package. Fluid motion is controlled by the basic principles of conservation of mass, energy and momentum, which form the basis of fluid mechanics and hydraulic engineering. Complex flow situations must be solved using empirical approximations and numerical models, which are based on derivations of the basic principles (backwater equation, Navier-Stokes equation etc.). All numerical models are required to make some form of approximation to solve these principles, and consequently all have their limitations. The study of hydraulics and fluid mechanics is founded on the three basic principles of conservation of mass, energy and momentum. Real-life situations are frequently too complex to solve without the aid of numerical models. There is a tendency among some engineers to discard the basic principles taught at university and blindly assume that the results produced by the model are correct. Regardless of the complexity of models and despite the claims of their developers, all numerical models are required to make approximations. These may be related to geometric

  7. Flood-inundation maps for a nine-mile reach of the Des Plaines River from Riverwoods to Mettawa, Illinois

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murphy, Elizabeth A.; Soong, David T.; Sharpe, Jennifer B.

    2012-01-01

    Digital flood-inundation maps for a 9-mile reach of the Des Plaines River from Riverwoods to Mettawa, Illinois, were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Lake County Stormwater Management Commission and the Villages of Lincolnshire and Riverwoods. The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/, depict estimates of the areal extent of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (gage heights) at the USGS streamgage at Des Plaines River at Lincolnshire, Illinois (station no. 05528100). Current conditions at the USGS streamgage may be obtained on the Internet at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?05528100. In addition, this streamgage is incorporated into the Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) flood warning system (http://water.weather.gov/ahps/) by the National Weather Service (NWS). The NWS forecasts flood hydrographs at many places that are often co-located at USGS streamgages. The NWS forecasted peak-stage information, also shown on the Des Plaines River at Lincolnshire inundation Web site, may be used in conjunction with the maps developed in this study to show predicted areas of flood inundation. In this study, flood profiles were computed for the stream reach by means of a one-dimensional step-backwater model. The hydraulic model was then used to determine seven water-surface profiles for flood stages at roughly 1-ft intervals referenced to the streamgage datum and ranging from the 50- to 0.2-percent annual exceedance probability flows. The simulated water-surface profiles were then combined with a Geographic Information System (GIS) Digital Elevation Model (DEM) (derived from Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) data) in order to delineate the area flooded at each water level. These maps, along with information on the Internet regarding current gage height from USGS streamgages and forecasted stream stages from

  8. Flood-inundation maps for the Elkhart River at Goshen, Indiana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strauch, Kellan R.

    2013-01-01

    The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs, created digital flood-inundation maps for an 8.3-mile reach of the Elkhart River at Goshen, Indiana, extending from downstream of the Goshen Dam to downstream from County Road 17. The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/, depict estimates of the areal extent and depth of flooding corresponding to nine selected water levels (stages) at the USGS streamgage at Elkhart River at Goshen (station number 04100500). Current conditions for the USGS streamgages in Indiana may be obtained on the Internet at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/. In addition, stream stage data have been provided to the National Weather Service (NWS) for incorporation into their Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) flood warning system (http://water.weather.gov/ahps/). The NWS forecasts flood hydrographs at many places that are often colocated with USGS streamgages. NWS-forecasted peak-stage information may be used in conjunction with the maps developed in this study to show predicted areas of flood inundation. In this study, flood profiles were computed for the stream reach by means of a one-dimensional step-backwater model. The model was calibrated using the most current stage-discharge relation at the Elkhart River at Goshen streamgage. The hydraulic model was then used to compute nine water-surface profiles for flood stages at 1-foot (ft) intervals referenced to the streamgage datum and ranging from approximately bankfull (5 ft) to greater than the highest recorded water level (13 ft). The simulated water-surface profiles were then combined with a geographic information system (GIS) digital-elevation model (DEM), derived from Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data having a 0.37-ft vertical accuracy and 3.9-ft horizontal resolution in order to delineate the area flooded at each

  9. Flood-inundation maps for the DuPage River from Plainfield to Shorewood, Illinois, 2013

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murphy, Elizabeth A.; Sharpe, Jennifer B.

    2013-01-01

    Digital flood-inundation maps for a 15.5-mi reach of the DuPage River from Plainfield to Shorewood, Illinois, were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Will County Stormwater Management Planning Committee. The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/ depict estimates of the areal extent of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (gage heights or stages) at the USGS streamgage at DuPage River at Shorewood, Illinois (sta. no. 05540500). Current conditions at the USGS streamgage may be obtained on the Internet at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?05540500. In addition, the information has been provided to the National Weather Service (NWS) for incorporation into their Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) flood warning system (http://water.weather.gov/ahps/). The NWS forecasts flood hydrographs at many places that are often colocated with USGS streamgages. The NWS-forecasted peak-stage information, also shown on the DuPage River at Shorewood inundation Web site, may be used in conjunction with the maps developed in this study to show predicted areas of flood inundation. In this study, flood profiles were computed for the stream reach by means of a one-dimensional step-backwater model. The hydraulic model was then used to determine nine water-surface profiles for flood stages at 1-ft intervals referenced to the streamgage datum and ranging from NWS Action stage of 6 ft to the historic crest of 14.0 ft. The simulated water-surface profiles were then combined with a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) (derived from Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) data) by using a Geographic Information System (GIS) in order to delineate the area flooded at each water level. These maps, along with information on the Internet regarding current gage height from USGS streamgages and forecasted stream stages from the NWS, provide emergency

  10. Flood-inundation maps for the Driftwood River and Sugar Creek near Edinburgh, Indiana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fowler, Kathleen K.; Kim, Moon H.; Menke, Chad D.

    2012-01-01

    Digital flood-inundation maps for an 11.2 mile reach of the Driftwood River and a 5.2 mile reach of Sugar Creek, both near Edinburgh, Indiana, were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Camp Atterbury Joint Maneuver Training Center, Edinburgh, Indiana. The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/, depict estimates of the areal extent of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) at the USGS streamgage 03363000 Driftwood River near Edinburgh, Ind. Current conditions at the USGS streamgage in Indiana may be obtained on the Internet at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/in/nwis/current/?type=flow. In addition, the information has been provided to the National Weather Service (NWS) for incorporation into their Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) flood warning system at http://water.weather.gov/ahps/. The NWS forecasts flood hydrographs at many places that are often collocated at USGS streamgages. That forecasted peak-stage information, also available on the Internet, may be used in conjunction with the maps developed in this study to show predicted areas of flood inundation. For this study, flood profiles were computed for the stream reaches by means of a one-dimensional step-backwater model. The model was calibrated using the most current stage-discharge relations at the USGS streamgage 03363000 Driftwood River near Edinburgh, Ind. The hydraulic model was then used to determine elevations throughout the study reaches for nine water-surface profiles for flood stages at 1-ft intervals referenced to the streamgage datum and ranging from bankfull to nearly the highest recorded water level at the USGS streamgage 03363000 Driftwood River near Edinburgh, Ind. The simulated water-surface profiles were then combined with a geospatial digital elevation model (derived from Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data) in order to

  11. Flood-inundation maps for the St. Marys River at Fort Wayne, Indiana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Menke, Chad D.; Kim, Moon H.; Fowler, Kathleen K.

    2012-01-01

    Digital flood-inundation maps for a 9-mile reach of the St. Marys River that extends from South Anthony Boulevard to Main Street at Fort Wayne, Indiana, were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the City of Fort Wayne. The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site, depict estimates of the areal extent of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) at the USGS streamgage 04182000 St. Marys River near Fort Wayne, Ind. Current conditions at the USGS streamgages in Indiana may be obtained from the National Water Information System: Web Interface. In addition, the information has been provided to the National Weather Service (NWS) for incorporation into their Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) flood warning system. The NWS forecasts flood hydrographs at many places that are often collocated at USGS streamgages. That forecasted peak-stage information, also available on the Internet, may be used in conjunction with the maps developed in this study to show predicted areas of flood inundation. In this study, water-surface profiles were simulated for the stream reach by means of a hydraulic one-dimensional step-backwater model. The model was calibrated using the most current stage-discharge relation at the USGS streamgage 04182000 St. Marys River near Fort Wayne, Ind. The hydraulic model was then used to simulate 11 water-surface profiles for flood stages at 1-ft intervals referenced to the streamgage datum and ranging from bankfull to approximately the highest recorded water level at the streamgage. The simulated water-surface profiles were then combined with a geographic information system digital elevation model (derived from Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data) in order to delineate the area flooded at each water level. A flood inundation map was generated for each water-surface profile stage (11 maps in all) so that for any given flood stage users will be

  12. Flood-inundation maps for the White River at Noblesville, Indiana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, Zachary W.

    2017-11-02

    Digital flood-inundation maps for a 7.5-mile reach of the White River at Noblesville, Indiana, were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Indiana Department of Transportation. The flood-inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science website at https://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/, depict estimates of the areal extent and depth of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) at the White River at Noblesville, Ind., streamgage (USGS station number 03349000). Real-time stages at this streamgage may be obtained from the USGS National Water Information System at https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis or the National Weather Service (NWS) Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service at http:/water.weather.gov/ahps/, which also forecasts flood hydrographs at the same site as the USGS streamgage (NWS site NBLI3).Flood profiles were computed for the stream reach by means of a one-dimensional, step-backwater hydraulic modeling software developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The hydraulic model was calibrated using the current (2016) stage-discharge rating at the USGS streamgage 03349000, White River at Noblesville, Ind., and documented high-water marks from the floods of September 4, 2003, and May 6, 2017. The hydraulic model was then used to compute 15 water-surface profiles for flood stages at 1-foot (ft) intervals referenced to the streamgage datum ranging from 10.0 ft (the NWS “action stage”) to 24.0 ft, which is the highest stage interval of the current (2016) USGS stage-discharge rating curve and 2 ft higher than the NWS “major flood stage.” The simulated water-surface profiles were then combined with a geographic information system digital elevation model (derived from light detection and ranging data having a 0.98-ft vertical accuracy and 4.9-ft horizontal resolution) to delineate the area flooded at each stage.The availability of these maps, along with internet

  13. Flood-inundation maps for Cedar Creek at 18th Street at Auburn, Indiana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fowler, Kathleen K.

    2018-02-27

    Digital flood-inundation maps for a 1.9-mile reach of Cedar Creek at Auburn, Indiana (Ind.), from the First Street bridge, downstream to the streamgage at 18th Street, then ending approximately 1,100 feet (ft) downstream of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Indiana Department of Transportation. The flood-inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science web site at https://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/, depict estimates of the areal extent and depth of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) at the USGS streamgage on Cedar Creek at 18th Street at Auburn, Ind. (station number 04179520). Near-real-time stages at this streamgage may be obtained from the USGS National Water Information System at https://waterdata.usgs.gov/ or the National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service at http://water.weather.gov/ahps/, although forecasts of flood hydrographs are not available at this site (ABBI3).Flood profiles were computed for the stream reach by means of a one-dimensional step-backwater model. The hydraulic model was calibrated by using the most current stage-discharge relation at the Cedar Creek at 18th Street at Auburn, Ind. streamgage and the documented high-water marks from the flood of March 11, 2009. The calibrated hydraulic model was then used to compute seven water-surface profiles for flood stages referenced to the streamgage datum and ranging from 7 ft, or near bankfull, to 13 ft, in 1-foot increments. The simulated water-surface profiles were then combined with a geographic information system digital elevation model (derived from light detection and ranging [lidar] data having a 0.98-ft vertical accuracy and 4.9-ft horizontal resolution) to delineate the area flooded at each water level.The availability of these maps, along with internet information regarding current stage from the USGS streamgage at Cedar Creek

  14. Flood-inundation maps for the Patoka River in and near Jasper, southwestern Indiana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fowler, Kathleen K.

    2018-01-23

    Digital flood-inundation maps for a 9.5-mile reach of the Patoka River in and near the city of Jasper, southwestern Indiana (Ind.), from the streamgage near County Road North 175 East, downstream to State Road 162, were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Indiana Department of Transportation. The flood-inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science web site at https://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/, depict estimates of the areal extent and depth of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) at the USGS streamgage Patoka River at Jasper, Ind. (station number 03375500). The Patoka streamgage is located at the upstream end of the 9.5-mile river reach. Near-real-time stages at this streamgage may be obtained from the USGS National Water Information System at https://waterdata.usgs.gov/ or the National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service at http://water.weather.gov/ahps/, although flood forecasts and stages for action and minor, moderate, and major flood stages are not currently (2017) available at this site (JPRI3).Flood profiles were computed for the stream reach by means of a one-dimensional step-backwater model. The hydraulic model was calibrated by using the most current stage-discharge relation at the Patoka River at Jasper, Ind., streamgage and the documented high-water marks from the flood of April 30, 2017. The calibrated hydraulic model was then used to compute five water-surface profiles for flood stages referenced to the streamgage datum ranging from 15 feet (ft), or near bankfull, to 19 ft. The simulated water-surface profiles were then combined with a geographic information system digital elevation model (derived from light detection and ranging [lidar] data having a 0.98 ft vertical accuracy and 4.9 ft horizontal resolution) to delineate the area flooded at each water level.The availability of these flood-inundation maps, along with real

  15. A New View of Glacial Age Coastal Wetlands from A Well-Preserved Underwater Baldcypress Forest in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeLong, K. L.; Harley, G. L.; Bentley, S. J.; Xu, K.; Reese, A.; Caporaso, A.; Obelcz, J.; Gonzalez Rodriguez, S. M.; Truong, J. T.; Shen, Z.; Raines, B.

    2017-12-01

    A unique site in the northern Gulf of Mexico contains well-preserved baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) stumps in life position deposited when sea level was lower during the last glacial interval presumably uncovered by Hurricane Ivan in 2004. Previous pollen and climate model studies suggest the southeastern USA was cold and dry during the glacial with boreal forests; however, little paleo-evidence for the northern gulf coast exist. Wood normally decomposes quickly in marine environments thus such sites are rare and understudied until this multi-disciplinary team began studying the site in 2012. The team has dived the site collecting 23 wood samples, conducted two geophysical surveys, and recovered 18 vibracores. Radiocarbon dating of tree stumps reveal that the trees are radiocarbon dead yet some dates from the woody fractions in the sediments above the trees have 14C ages from 37,350-41,830 years BP, which are close to the 14C dating limitations. Optically stimulated luminescence dating pushes burial of the forest back to 60-70 ka. Based on the site location (13.5 km offshore), water depth (18 m), and relative tectonic stability of this area, and geophysical surveys, these subtropical baldcypress trees lived 30 m above sea level in a backwater swamp in an area with topographic relief during a lower sea level stand in the last glacial interval (MIS 3-4) near the now buried and incised Mobile River channels. Pollen analysis from sediment core samples found an abundance of baldcypress and tupelo (Nyssa aquatic)with some pine pollen similar to the modern northern Gulf Coast. We developed a floating tree-ring chronology spanning 489 years using wood samples with bark still intact. This chronology reveals growth suppression events towards the end of their life with death occurring simultaneously and burial possibly caused by floodplain aggradation from a quick rise in sea level during the glacial interval. These large baldcypress trees and pollen results suggest the

  16. Flood-inundation maps for a 9.1-mile reach of the Coast Fork Willamette River near Creswell and Goshen, Lane County, Oregon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hess, Glen W.; Haluska, Tana L.

    2016-04-13

    Digital flood-inundation maps for a 9.1-mile reach of the Coast Fork Willamette River near Creswell and Goshen, Oregon, were developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/, depict estimates of the areal extent and depth of flooding corresponding to selected stages at the USGS streamgage at Coast Fork Willamette River near Goshen, Oregon (14157500), at State Highway 58. Current stage at the streamgage for estimating near-real-time areas of inundation may be obtained at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/or/nwis/uv/?site_no=14157500&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060. In addition, the National Weather Service (NWS) forecasted peak-stage information may be used in conjunction with the maps developed in this study to show predicted areas of flood inundation.In this study, areas of inundation were provided by USACE. The inundated areas were developed from flood profiles simulated by a one-dimensional unsteady step‑backwater hydraulic model. The profiles were checked by the USACE using documented high-water marks from a January 2006 flood. The model was compared and quality assured using several other methods. The hydraulic model was then used to determine eight water-surface profiles at various flood stages referenced to the streamgage datum and ranging from 11.8 to 19.8 ft, approximately 2.6 ft above the highest recorded stage at the streamgage (17.17 ft) since 1950. The intervals between stages are variable and based on annual exceedance probability discharges, some of which approximate NWS action stages.The areas of inundation and water depth grids provided to USGS by USACE were used to create interactive flood‑inundation maps. The availability of these maps with current stage from USGS streamgage and forecasted stream stages from the NWS provide emergency management

  17. Sediment pore-water interactions associated with arsenic and uranium transport from the North Cave Hills mining region, South Dakota, USA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Larson, Lance N.; Kipp, Gregory G.; Mott, Henry V.; Stone, James J.

    2012-01-01

    The extent of historical U mining impacts is well documented for the North Cave Hills region of Harding County, South Dakota, USA. While previous studies reported watershed sediment and surface water As and U concentrations up to 90× established background concentrations, it was unclear whether or how localized changes in sediment redox behavior may influence contaminant remobilization. Five pore-water equilibration samplers (peepers) were spatially and temporally deployed within the study area to evaluate seasonal solid–liquid As and U distributions as a function of sediment depth. Pore-water and solid phase As and U concentrations, Fe speciation, Eh and pH were measured to ascertain specific geochemical conditions responsible for As and U remobilization and transport behavior. At a mine overburden sedimentation pond adjacent to the mine sites, high total aqueous As and U concentrations (4920 and 674 μg/L, respectively) were found within surface water during summer sampling; however pond dredging prior to autumn sampling resulted in significantly lower aqueous As and U concentrations (579 and 108 μg/L, respectively); however, both As and U still exceeded regional background concentrations (20 and 18 μg/L, respectively). At a wetlands-dominated deposition zone approximately 2 km downstream of the sedimentation pond, pore-water geochemical conditions varied seasonally. Summer conditions promoted reducing conditions in pore water, resulting in active release of As(III) to the water column. Autumn conditions promoted oxidizing conditions, decreasing pore-water As (As pw ) 5× and increasing U pw 10×. Peak U pore-water concentrations (781 μg/L) were 3.5× greater than determined for the surface water (226 μg/L), and approximately 40× background concentrations. At the Bowman–Haley reservoir backwaters 45 km downstream from the mine sites, As and U pore-water concentrations increased significantly between the summer and autumn deployments, attributed to

  18. Flood-inundation maps for North Fork Salt Creek at Nashville, Indiana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, Zachary W.

    2017-11-13

    Digital flood-inundation maps for a 3.2-mile reach of North Fork Salt Creek at Nashville, Indiana, were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Indiana Department of Transportation. The flood-inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science website at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/, depict estimates of the areal extent and depth of flooding that correspond to selected water levels (stages) at the North Fork Salt Creek at Nashville, Ind., streamgage (USGS station number 03371650). Real-time stages at this streamgage may be obtained from the USGS National Water Information System at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis or the National Weather Service (NWS) Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service at http:/water.weather.gov/ahps/, which also shows observed USGS stages at the same site as the USGS streamgage (NWS site NFSI3).Flood profiles were computed for the stream reach by means of a one-dimensional, step-backwater hydraulic modeling software developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The hydraulic model was calibrated using the current (2015) stage-discharge rating at the USGS streamgage 03371650, North Fork Salt Creek at Nashville, Ind. The hydraulic model was then used to compute 12 water-surface profiles for flood stages at 1-foot (ft) intervals, except for the highest profile of 22.9 ft, referenced to the streamgage datum ranging from 12.0 ft (the NWS “action stage”) to 22.9 ft, which is the highest stage of the current (2015) USGS stage-discharge rating curve and 1.9 ft higher than the NWS “major flood stage.” The simulated water-surface profiles were then combined with a geographic information system digital elevation model (derived from light detection and ranging data having a 0.98-ft vertical accuracy and 4.9-ft horizontal resolution) to delineate the area flooded at each stage.The availability of these maps, along with information regarding current stage from the USGS

  19. Flood study of the Suncook River in Epsom, Pembroke, and Allenstown, New Hampshire, 2009

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flynn, Robert H.

    2010-01-01

    On May 15, 2006, a breach in the riverbank caused an avulsion in the Suncook River in Epsom, NH. The breach in the riverbank and subsequent avulsion changed the established flood zones along the Suncook River; therefore, a new flood study was needed to reflect this change and aid in flood recovery and restoration. For this flood study, the hydrologic and hydraulic analyses for the Suncook River were conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. This report presents water-surface elevations and profiles determined using the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers one-dimensional Hydrologic Engineering Center River Analysis System model, also known as HEC-RAS. Steady-state water-surface profiles were developed for the Suncook River from its confluence with the Merrimack River in the Village of Suncook (in Allenstown and Pembroke, NH) to the upstream corporate limit of the town of Epsom, NH (approximately 15.9 river miles). Floods of magnitudes that are expected to be equaled or exceeded once on the average during any 2-, 5-, 10-, 25-, 50-, 100-, or 500-year period (recurrence interval) were modeled using HEC-RAS. These flood events are referred to as the 2-, 5-, 10-, 25-, 50-, 100-, and 500-year floods and have a 50-, 20-, 10-, 4-, 2-, 1-, and 0.2-percent chance, respectively, of being equaled or exceeded during any year. The 10-, 50-, 100-, and 500-year flood events are important for flood-plain management, determination of flood-insurance rates, and design of structures such as bridges and culverts. The analyses in this study reflect flooding potentials that are based on existing conditions in the communities of Epsom, Pembroke, and Allenstown at the time of completion of this study (2009). Changes in the 100-year recurrence-interval flood elevation from the 1979 flood study were typically less than 2 feet with the exception of a location 900 feet upstream from the avulsion that, because of backwater from the dams in the

  20. Controls on the abruptness of gravel-sand transitions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Venditti, J. G.; Church, M. A.; Lamb, M. P.; Domarad, N.; Rennie, C. D.

    2014-12-01

    As gravel-bedded rivers fine downstream, they characteristically exhibit an abrupt transition from gravel- to sand-bed. This is the only abrupt transition in grain-size that occurs in the fluvial system and has attracted considerable attention. A number of competing theories have been proposed to account for the abruptness of the transition, including base-level control, attrition of ~10mm gravel to produce sand, and sediment sorting processes. The prevailing theory for the emergence of abrupt transitions is size selective sorting of bimodal sediment wherein gravel deposits due to downstream declining shear stress, fining the bedload until a sand-bed emerges. We explored this hypothesis by examining grain-size, shear stress, gravel mobility and sand suspension thresholds through the gravel-sand transition (GST) of the Fraser River, British Columbia. The Fraser GST is an arrested gravel wedge with patches of gravel downstream of the wedge forming a diffuse extension. There is an abrupt change in bed slope through the transition that leads to an abrupt change in shear stress. The GST, bed-slope change and backwater caused by the ocean are all coincident spatially, which enhances the sharpness of the GST. Interestingly, the bimodal reach of the river occurs downstream of the GST and exhibits no downstream gradients in shear stress, suspended sediment flux, gravel mobility or sand suspension thresholds. This calls into question the prevailing theory for the emergence of an abrupt GST by size selective sorting. We provide evidence, both empirical and theoretical, that suggests the emergence of an abrupt GST is caused by rapid deposition of sand when fine gravel deposits. We argue that the emergence of gravel-sand transitions is a consequence of gravel-bedded rivers adopting a steeper slope than sand-bedded rivers. The abruptness arises because the bed slope required to convey the gravel load fixes the distal location of a terminal gravel wedge, and once the river has

  1. Transport of micropollutants in a riverbank filtration system

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Driezum, Inge; Oudega, Thomas; Reiner, Philipp; Zessner, Matthias; Farnleitner, Andreas; Blaschke, Paul

    2014-05-01

    Groundwater locations at alluvial backwaters are essential for public water supply. Riverbank filtration (RBF) systems are widely used as a means of obtaining public water supplies. Riverbank filtration is an effective way to remove micropollutants from the receiving surface water. The efficiency of the RBF system strongly depends on the residence time of the water in the aquifer and on the soil properties (Ray, 2011). In order to understand all bio- and geochemical processes within the hyporheic zone (e.g. the region were mixing of surface water and groundwater occurs), exchange rates and flow patterns need to be quantified. The main study area covers the porous groundwater aquifer study site (PGWA) - an urban floodplain extending on the left bank of the River Danube downstream of the City of Vienna. It is one of the main groundwater bodies in Austria. Groundwater quality in the PGWA is influenced by a combination of anthropogenic activities, industry, wastewater treatment plants, heavy precipitation events and floodings. The upper layer of the DPA is impermeable, preventing pollution originating from the surface. The upper layer consists of silt. The underlying confined aquifer consists of sand and gravel layers. Hydraulic conductivities range from 5 x 10-2 m/s up to 5 x 10-5 m/s. Underneath the aquifer are alternating sand an clay/silt layers. Samples are taken from two transects in the DPA. These transects consist of four piezometers in the first few meters of the groundwater aquifer. Several other piezometers are placed downstream from the river-groundwater interface. The behaviour of the micropollutants in the hyporheic zone can therefore be studied intensively. The transport behaviour of several micropollutants is modeled using carbamazepine (CBZ) and acesulfame (ACE) as natural tracers. Furthermore, temperature and electrical conductivity data was used for modeling. The micropollutants are measured using an in house developed online SPE-HPLC-MS/MS method

  2. Flood-inundation maps for the North Branch Elkhart River at Cosperville, Indiana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Moon H.; Johnson, Esther M.

    2014-01-01

    Digital flood-inundation maps for a reach of the North Branch Elkhart River at Cosperville, Indiana (Ind.), were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District. The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/ depict estimates of the areal extent and depth of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) at USGS streamgage 04100222, North Branch Elkhart River at Cosperville, Ind. Current conditions for estimating near-real-time areas of inundation using USGS streamgage information may be obtained on the Internet at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/in/nwis/uv?site_no=04100222. In addition, information has been provided to the National Weather Service (NWS) for incorporation into their Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) flood warning system (http:/water.weather.gov/ahps/). The NWS AHPS forecasts flood hydrographs at many places that are often colocated with USGS streamgages, including the North Branch Elkhart River at Cosperville, Ind. NWS AHPS-forecast peak-stage information may be used in conjunction with the maps developed in this study to show predicted areas of flood inundation. For this study, flood profiles were computed for the North Branch Elkhart River reach by means of a one-dimensional step-backwater model. The hydraulic model was calibrated by using the most current stage-discharge relations at USGS streamgage 04100222, North Branch Elkhart River at Cosperville, Ind., and preliminary high-water marks from the flood of March 1982. The calibrated hydraulic model was then used to determine four water-surface profiles for flood stages at 1-foot intervals referenced to the streamgage datum and ranging from bankfull to the highest stage of the current stage-discharge rating curve. The simulated water-surface profiles were then combined with a geographic information system (GIS

  3. Flood-inundation maps for the Saluda River from Old Easley Bridge Road to Saluda Lake Dam near Greenville, South Carolina

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benedict, Stephen T.; Caldwell, Andral W.; Clark, Jimmy M.

    2013-01-01

    Digital flood-inundation maps for a 3.95-mile reach of the Saluda River from approximately 815 feet downstream from Old Easley Bridge Road to approximately 150 feet downstream from Saluda Lake Dam near Greenville, South Carolina, were developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/, depict estimates of the areal extent and depth of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) at the USGS streamgage at Saluda River near Greenville, South Carolina (station 02162500). Current conditions at the USGS streamgage may be obtained through the National Water Information System Web site at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/sc/nwis/uv/?site_no=02162500&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060,00062. The National Weather Service (NWS) forecasts flood hydrographs at many places that are often collocated with USGS streamgages. Forecasted peak-stage information is available on the Internet at the NWS Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) flood-warning system Web site (http://water.weather.gov/ahps/) and may be used in conjunction with the maps developed in this study to show predicted areas of flood inundation.In this study, flood profiles were computed for the stream reach by means of a one-dimensional step-backwater model. The model was calibrated using the most current stage-streamflow relations at USGS streamgage station 02162500, Saluda River near Greenville, South Carolina. The hydraulic model was then used to determine water-surface profiles for flood stages at 1.0-foot intervals referenced to the streamgage datum and ranging from approximately bankfull to 2 feet higher than the highest recorded water level at the streamgage. The simulated water-surface profiles were then exported to a geographic information system, ArcGIS, and combined with a digital elevation model (derived from Light Detection and Ranging [LiDAR] data with a 0

  4. Flood-Inundation Maps for Sugar Creek at Crawfordsville, Indiana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, Zachary W.

    2016-06-06

    Digital flood-inundation maps for a 6.5-mile reach of Sugar Creek at Crawfordsville, Indiana, were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs. The flood-inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/, depict estimates of the areal extent and depth of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) at the USGS streamgage 03339500, Sugar Creek at Crawfordsville, Ind. Near-real-time stages at this streamgage may be obtained on the Internet from the USGS National Water Information System at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ or the National Weather Service (NWS) Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service at http://water.weather.gov/ahps/, which also forecasts flood hydrographs at this site (NWS site CRWI3).Flood profiles were computed for the USGS streamgage 03339500, Sugar Creek at Crawfordsville, Ind., reach by means of a one-dimensional step-backwater hydraulic modeling software developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The hydraulic model was calibrated using the current stage-discharge rating at the USGS streamgage 03339500, Sugar Creek at Crawfordsville, Ind., and high-water marks from the flood of April 19, 2013, which reached a stage of 15.3 feet. The hydraulic model was then used to compute 13 water-surface profiles for flood stages at 1-foot (ft) intervals referenced to the streamgage datum ranging from 4.0 ft (the NWS “action stage”) to 16.0 ft, which is the highest stage interval of the current USGS stage-discharge rating curve and 2 ft higher than the NWS “major flood stage.” The simulated water-surface profiles were then combined with a Geographic Information System digital elevation model (derived from light detection and ranging [lidar]) data having a 0.49-ft root mean squared error and 4.9-ft horizontal resolution) to delineate the area flooded at each stage.The availability

  5. Flood-inundation maps for the Mississinewa River at Marion, Indiana, 2013

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coon, William F.

    2014-01-01

    Digital flood-inundation maps for a 9-mile (mi) reach of the Mississinewa River from 0.75 mi upstream from the Pennsylvania Street bridge in Marion, Indiana, to 0.2 mi downstream from State Route 15 were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs. The flood inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation, depict estimates of the areal extent and depth of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) at the USGS streamgage on the Mississinewa River at Marion (station number 03326500). Near-real-time stages at this streamgage may be obtained on the Internet from the USGS National Water Information System at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ or the National Weather Service (NWS) Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service at http://water.weather.gov/ahps/, which also forecasts flood hydrographs at this site. Flood profiles were computed for the stream reach by means of a one-dimensional step-backwater model. The model was calibrated by using the current stage-discharge relation at the Mississinewa River streamgage, in combination with water-surface profiles from historic floods and from the current (2002) flood-insurance study for Grant County, Indiana. The hydraulic model was then used to compute seven water-surface profiles for flood stages at 1-fo (ft) intervals referenced to the streamgage datum and ranging from 10 ft, which is near bankfull, to 16 ft, which is between the water levels associated with the estimated 10- and 2-percent annual exceedance probability floods (floods with recurrence interval between 10 and 50 years) and equals the “major flood stage” as defined by the NWS. The simulated water-surface profiles were then combined with a Geographic Information System digital elevation model (derived from light detection and ranging (lidar) data having a 0.98 ft vertical accuracy and 4.9 ft

  6. Flood-inundation maps for the Tippecanoe River near Delphi, Indiana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Menke, Chad D.; Bunch, Aubrey R.; Kim, Moon H.

    2013-01-01

    Digital flood-inundation maps for an 11-mile reach of the Tippecanoe River that extends from County Road W725N to State Road 18 below Oakdale Dam, Indiana (Ind.), were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Indiana Department of Transportation. The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/, depict estimates of the areal extent of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) at USGS streamgage 03333050, Tippecanoe River near Delphi, Ind. Current conditions at the USGS streamgages in Indiana may be obtained online at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/in/nwis/current/?type=flow. In addition, the information has been provided to the National Weather Service (NWS) for incorporation into their Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) flood warning system (http://water.weather.gov/ahps/). The NWS forecasts flood hydrographs at many places that are often co-located at USGS streamgages. That forecasted peak-stage information, also available on the Internet, may be used in conjunction with the maps developed in this study to show predicted areas of flood inundation. In this study, water-surface profiles were simulated for the stream reach by means of a hydraulic one-dimensional step-backwater model. The model was calibrated by using the most current stage-discharge relation at USGS streamgage 03333050, Tippecanoe River near Delphi, Ind., and USGS streamgage 03332605, Tippecanoe River below Oakdale Dam, Ind. The hydraulic model was then used to simulate 13 water-surface profiles for flood stages at 1-foot intervals reference to the streamgage datum and ranging from bankfull to approximately the highest recorded water level at the streamgage. The simulated water-surface profiles were then combined with a geographic information system digital elevation model (derived from Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data) in order to delineate the

  7. Flood-inundation maps for the Wabash River at Terre Haute, Indiana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lombard, Pamela J.

    2013-01-01

    Digital flood-inundation maps for a 6.3-mi reach of the Wabash River from 0.1 mi downstream of the Interstate 70 bridge to 1.1 miles upstream of the Route 63 bridge, Terre Haute, Indiana, were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Indiana Department of Transportation. The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/, depict estimates of the areal extent of flooding corresponding to select water levels (stages) at the USGS streamgage Wabash River at Terre Haute (station number 03341500). Current conditions at the USGS streamgage may be obtained on the Internet from the USGS National Water Information System (http://waterdata.usgs.gov/in/nwis/uv/?site_no=03341500&agency_cd=USGS&p"). In addition, the same data are provided to the National Weather Service (NWS) for incorporation into their Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) flood warning system (http://water.weather.gov/ahps//). Within this system, the NWS forecasts flood hydrographs for the Wabash River at Terre Haute that may be used in conjunction with the maps developed in this study to show predicted areas of flood inundation. In this study, flood profiles were computed for the stream reach by means of a one-dimensional step-backwater model. The model was calibrated using the most current stage-discharge relation at the Wabash River at the Terre Haute streamgage. The hydraulic model was then used to compute 22 water-surface profiles for flood stages at 1-ft interval referenced to the streamgage datum and ranging from bank-full to approximately the highest recorded water level at the streamgage. The simulated water-surface profiles were then combined with a geographic information system digital elevation model (derived from Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data having a 0.37-ft vertical accuracy and a 1.02-ft horizontal accuracy) to delineate the area flooded at each water

  8. Flood-inundation maps for the East Fork White River at Columbus, Indiana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lombard, Pamela J.

    2013-01-01

    Digital flood-inundation maps for a 5.4-mile reach of the East Fork White River at Columbus, Indiana, from where the Flatrock and Driftwood Rivers combine to make up East Fork White River to just upstream of the confluence of Clifty Creek with the East Fork White River, were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Indiana Department of Transportation. The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation, depict estimates of the areal extent of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) at USGS streamgage 03364000, East Fork White River at Columbus, Indiana. Current conditions at the USGS streamgage may be obtained on the Internet from the USGS National Water Information System (http://waterdata.usgs.gov/in/nwis/uv/?site_no=03364000&agency_cd=USGS&). The National Weather Service (NWS) forecasts flood hydrographs for the East Fork White River at Columbus, Indiana at their Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) flood warning system Website (http://water.weather.gov/ahps/), that may be used in conjunction with the maps developed in this study to show predicted areas of flood inundation. In this study, flood profiles were computed for the stream reach by means of a one-dimensional step-backwater model. The hydraulic model was calibrated by using the most current stage-discharge relation at USGS streamgage 03364000, East Fork White River at Columbus, Indiana. The calibrated hydraulic model was then used to determine 15 water-surface profiles for flood stages at 1-foot (ft) intervals referenced to the streamgage datum and ranging from bankfull to approximately the highest recorded water level at the streamgage. The simulated water-surface profiles were then combined with a geographic information system digital elevation model (derived from Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data), having a 0.37-ft vertical accuracy and a 1.02 ft

  9. Flood-inundation maps for the Flatrock River at Columbus, Indiana, 2012

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coon, William F.

    2013-01-01

    Digital flood-inundation maps for a 5-mile reach of the Flatrock River on the western side of Columbus, Indiana, from County Road 400N to the river mouth at the confluence with Driftwood River, were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Indiana Department of Transportation. The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/ and the Federal Flood Inundation Mapper Web site at http://wim.usgs.gov/FIMI/FloodInundationMapper.html, depict estimates of the areal extent and depth of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) at the USGS streamgage on the Flatrock River at Columbus (station number 03363900). Near-real-time stages at this streamgage may be obtained on the Internet from the USGS National Water Information System at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ or the National Weather Service (NWS) Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service, which also presents the USGS data, at http:/water.weather.gov/ahps/. Flood profiles were computed for the stream reach by means of a one-dimensional step-backwater model. The model was calibrated by using the most current stage-discharge relation at the Flatrock River streamgage, high-water marks that were surveyed following the flood of June 7, 2008, and water-surface profiles from the current flood-insurance study for the City of Columbus. The hydraulic model was then used to compute 12 water-surface profiles for flood stages at 1-foot (ft) intervals referenced to the streamgage datum and ranging from 9 ft or near bankfull to 20 ft, which exceeds the stages that correspond to both the estimated 0.2-percent annual exceedance probability flood (500-year recurrence interval flood) and the maximum recorded peak flow. The simulated water-surface profiles were then combined with a Geographic Information System digital elevation model (derived from Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data having a 0.37 ft

  10. Flood-inundation maps for the East Fork White River near Bedford, Indiana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fowler, Kathleen K.

    2014-01-01

    Digital flood-inundation maps for an 1.8-mile reach of the East Fork White River near Bedford, Indiana (Ind.) were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Indiana Department of Transportation. The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/ depict estimates of the areal extent and depth of flooding corresponding to selectedwater levels (stages) at USGS streamgage 03371500, East Fork White River near Bedford, Ind. Current conditions for estimating near-real-time areas of inundation using USGS streamgage information may be obtained on the Internet at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/in/nwis/uv?site_no=03371500. In addition, information has been provided to the National Weather Service (NWS) for incorporation into their Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) flood warning system (http://water.weather.gov/ahps/). The NWS forecasts flood hydrographs at many places that are often colocated with USGS streamgages, including the East Fork White River near Bedford, Ind. NWS-forecasted peak-stage information may be used in conjunction with the maps developed in this study to show predicted areas of flood inundation. For this study, flood profiles were computed for the East Fork White River reach by means of a one-dimensional step-backwater model. The hydraulic model was calibrated by using the most current stage-discharge relations at USGS streamgage 03371500, East Fork White River near Bedford, Ind., and documented high-water marks from the flood of June 2008. The calibrated hydraulic model was then used to determine 20 water-surface profiles for flood stages at 1-foot intervals referenced to the streamgage datum and ranging from bankfull to the highest stage of the current stage-discharge rating curve. The simulated water-surface profiles were then combined with a geographic information system (GIS) digital elevation model (DEM, derived from

  11. Flood-inundation maps for the Wabash River at Lafayette, Indiana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Moon H.

    2018-05-10

    Digital flood-inundation maps for an approximately 4.8-mile reach of the Wabash River at Lafayette, Indiana (Ind.) were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs. The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science web site at https://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/, depict estimates of the areal extent and depth of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) at USGS streamgage 03335500, Wabash River at Lafayette, Ind. Current streamflow conditions for estimating near-real-time areas of inundation using USGS streamgage information may be obtained on the internet at https://waterdata.usgs.gov/in/nwis/uv?site_no=03335500. In addition, information has been provided to the National Weather Service (NWS) for incorporation into their Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) flood-warning system (https://water.weather.gov/ahps/). The NWS AHPS forecasts flood hydrographs at many places that are often colocated with USGS streamgages, including the Wabash River at Lafayette, Ind. NWS AHPS-forecast peak-stage information may be used with the maps developed in this study to show predicted areas of flood inundation.For this study, flood profiles were computed for the Wabash River reach by means of a one-dimensional step-backwater model. The hydraulic model was calibrated by using the most current stage-discharge relations at USGS streamgage 03335500, Wabash River at Lafayette, Ind., and high-water marks from the flood of July 2003 (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers [USACE], 2007). The calibrated hydraulic model was then used to determine 23 water-surface profiles for flood stages at 1-foot intervals referenced to the streamgage datum and ranging from bankfull to the highest stage of the current stage-discharge rating curve. The simulated water-surface profiles were then combined with a geographic information system digital elevation model derived

  12. Incision of the Jezero Crater Outflow Channel by Fluvial Sediment Transport

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holo, S.; Kite, E. S.

    2017-12-01

    Jezero crater, the top candidate landing site for the Mars 2020 rover, once possessed a lake that over-spilled and eroded a large outflow channel into the Eastern rim. The Western deltaic sediments that would be the primary science target of the rover record a history of lake level, which is modulated by the inflow and outflow channels. While formative discharges for the Western delta exist ( 500 m3/s), little work has been done to see if these flows are the same responsible for outflow channel incision. Other models of the Jezero outflow channel incision assume that a single rapid flood (incision timescales of weeks), with unknown initial hydraulic head and no discharge into the lake (e.g. from the inflow channels or the subsurface), incised an open channel with discharge modulated by flow over a weir. We present an alternate model where, due to an instability at the threshold of sediment motion, the incision of the outflow channel occurs in concert with lake filling. In particular, we assume a simplified lake-channel-valley system geometry and that the channel is hydraulically connected to the filling/draining crater lake. Bed load sediment transport and water discharge through the channel are quantified using the Meyer-Peter and Mueller relation and Manning's law respectively. Mass is conserved for both water and sediment as the lake level rises/falls and the channel incises. This model does not resolve backwater effects or concavity in the alluvial system, but it does capture the non-linear feedbacks between lake draining, erosion rate, channel flow rate, and slope relaxation. We identify controls on incision of the outflow channel and estimate the time scale of outflow channel formation through a simple dynamical model. We find that the observed 300m of channel erosion can be reproduced in decades to centuries of progressive bed load as the delta forming flows fill the lake. This corresponds to time scales on the order of or smaller than the time scale

  13. Flood-inundation maps for the West Branch Delaware River, Delhi, New York, 2012

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coon, William F.; Breaker, Brian K.

    2012-01-01

    Digital flood-inundation maps for a 5-mile reach of the West Branch Delaware River through the Village and part of the Town of Delhi, New York, were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Village of Delhi, the Delaware County Soil and Water Conservation District, and the Delaware County Planning Department. The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/ and the Federal Flood Inundation Mapper Web site at http://wim.usgs.gov/FIMI/FloodInundationMapper.html, depict estimates of the areal extent and depth of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) referenced to the USGS streamgage at West Branch Delaware River upstream from Delhi, N.Y. (station number 01421900). In this study, flood profiles were computed for the stream reach by means of a one-dimensional step-backwater model that had been used to produce the flood insurance rate maps for the most recent flood insurance study for the Town and Village of Delhi. This hydraulic model was used to compute 10 water-surface profiles for flood stages at 1-foot (ft) intervals referenced to the streamgage datum and ranging from 7 ft or near bankfull to 16 ft, which exceeds the stages that correspond to both the estimated 0.2-percent annual-exceedance-probability flood (500-year recurrence interval flood) and the maximum recorded peak flow. The simulated water-surface profiles were then combined with a geographic information system (GIS) digital elevation model, which was derived from Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data with a 1.2-ft (0.61-ft root mean squared error) vertical accuracy and 3.3-ft (1-meter) horizontal resolution, to delineate the area flooded at each water level. A map that was produced using this method to delineate the inundated area for the flood that occurred on August 28, 2011, agreed well with highwater marks that had been located in the field using a

  14. Flood-inundation maps for the Saddle River in Ho-Ho-Kus Borough, the Village of Ridgewood, and Paramus Borough, New Jersey, 2013

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watson, Kara M.; Niemoczynski, Michal J.

    2014-01-01

    Digital flood-inundation maps for a 5.4-mile reach of the Saddle River in New Jersey from Hollywood Avenue in Ho-Ho-Kus Borough downstream through the Village of Ridgewood and Paramus Borough to the confluence with Hohokus Brook in the Village of Ridgewood were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/, depict estimates of the areal extent and depth of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) at the USGS streamgage on the Saddle River at Ridgewood, New Jersey (station 01390500). Current conditions for estimating near real-time areas of inundation using USGS streamgage information may be obtained on the Internet at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?site_no=01390500 or at the National Weather Services (NWS) Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) at http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=okx&gage=rwdn4. In this study, flood profiles were computed for the stream reach by means of a one-dimensional step-backwater model. The model was calibrated by using the most current stage-discharge relation (March 11, 2011) at the USGS streamgage 01390500, Saddle River at Ridgewood, New Jersey. The hydraulic model was then used to compute 10 water-surface profiles for flood stages at 1-foot (ft) intervals referenced to the streamgage datum, North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88), and ranging from 5 ft, the NWS “action and minor flood stage”, to 14 ft, which is the maximum extent of the stage-discharge rating and 0.6 ft higher than the highest recorded water level at the streamgage. The simulated water-surface profiles were then combined with a geographic information system 3-meter (9.84-ft) digital elevation model derived from Light Detection and Ranging (lidar) data in order to delineate the area flooded

  15. Spatio-temporal variations of carbon dioxide and its gross emission regulated by artificial operation in a typical hydropower reservoir in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Zhe; Zhang, Zengyu; Xiao, Yan; Guo, Jinsong; Wu, Shengjun; Liu, Jing

    2014-05-01

    Supersaturation and excess emission of greenhouse gases in freshwater reservoirs have received a great deal of attention in recent years. Although impoundment of reservoirs has been shown to contribute to the net emission of greenhouse gases, reservoir age, geographical distribution, submerged soil type and artificial regulation also have a great impact on their emissions. To examine how large scale reservoir operation impact the water column CO2 and its air-water interface flux, a field study was conducted in 2010 to evaluate potential ecological processes that regulate the partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) in the water column in the Pengxi River backwater area (PBA), a typical tributary in the Three Gorges Reservoir, China. Measurements of total alkalinity (TA), pH and water temperature were applied to compute the pCO2. And this approach was also validated by calculation of pCO2 from the dissolved inorganic carbon data of samples. Partial least squares (PLS) regression was used to determine how the dynamics of the water pCO2 were related to the available variables. The estimated pCO2 in our sample ranged from 26 to 4,087 μatm in the surface water. During low water operation from July to early September, there was an obvious pCO2 stratification, and pCO2 in the surface was almost unsaturated. This phenomenon was also observed in the spring bloom during discharge period. Conversely, there was no significant pCO2 stratification and the entire water column was supersaturated during high water operation from November to the following February. Significant correlation was observed between the magnitude of pCO2, DO and chlorophyll a, suggesting that phytoplankton dynamics regulate pCO2 in the PBA. The average areal rate of CO2 emissions from the Pengxi River ranged from 18.06 to 48.09 mmol m(-2) day(-1), with an estimated gross CO2 emission from the water surface of 14-37 t day(-1) in this area in 2010. Photosynthesis and respiration rates by phytoplankton might be the

  16. Flood-inundation maps for the West Branch Susquehanna River near the Boroughs of Lewisburg and Milton, Pennsylvania

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roland, Mark A.; Hoffman, Scott A.

    2014-01-01

    Digital flood-inundation maps for an approximate 8-mile reach of the West Branch Susquehanna River from approximately 2 miles downstream from the Borough of Lewisburg, extending upstream to approximately 1 mile upstream from the Borough of Milton, Pennsylvania, were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC). The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/, depict the estimated areal extent and depth of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) at the USGS streamgage 01553500, West Branch Susquehanna River at Lewisburg, Pa. In addition, the information has been provided to the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) for incorporation into their Susquehanna Inundation Map Viewer (SIMV) flood warning system (http://maps.srbc.net/simv/). The National Weather Service (NWS) forecasted peak-stage information (http://water.weather.gov/ahps) for USGS streamgage 01553500, West Branch Susquehanna River at Lewisburg, Pa., may be used in conjunction with the maps developed in this study to show predicted areas of flood inundation. In this study, flood profiles were computed for the stream reach by means of a one-dimensional step-backwater model. Calibration of the model was achieved using the most current stage-discharge relations (rating number 11.1) at USGS streamgage 01553500, West Branch Susquehanna River at Lewisburg, Pa., a documented water-surface profile from the December 2, 2010, flood, and recorded peak stage data. The hydraulic model was then used to determine 26 water-surface profiles for flood stages at 1-foot intervals referenced to the streamgage datum ranging from 14 feet (ft) to 39 ft. Modeled flood stages, as defined by NWS, include Action Stage, 14 ft; Flood Stage, 18 ft; Moderate Flood Stage, 23 ft; and Major Flood Stage, 28 ft. Geographic information system (GIS) technology

  17. Tide-Dominated Tract (TDT) as a key sedimentary zone characterizing tide-dominated large-river delta and estuary systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saito, Y.

    2017-12-01

    Large rivers in continents have a characteristic of slow rise and fall in water levels during floods or the wet season due to a wide drainage basin. A gentle river gradient and large water discharge have relatively large tidal ranges at the river mouth, resulting in large backwater effects further upstream. The result of the Mekong River survey (386 riverbed sediments, river topography, CTD, and biofacies) shows that the distributary channels of the Mekong River delta in Vietnam are divided into two parts: the landward river-dominated tract (RDT) and seaward tide-dominated tract (TDT). The RDT is characterized by a highly variable and deepening trend in water depth and coarse-grained sediments with a fining trend downstream. The TDT is characterized by a shallowing trend in water depth with river-widening, smooth riverbeds, a straight shape, and heterolithic f- to vf-sand and mud alternation (tidal thythmite). The boundary of both tracts is sharply identified by sediment facies and river morphology. Sediment facies indicates that the dominant sedimentary process of bottom sediments is "bedload" in the RDT and "suspension" in the TDT. Daily tidal changes are observed through the year, while water-level changes during the flood/wet season are limited in the TDT. Saltwater intrusion is limited within the seaward part of the TDT alone ( 50 km), close to final bifurcation points. However, brackish-water biofacies is observed in the TDT mainly due to diluted brackish water and/or tolerance to the freshwater environment. These characteristics are also found in the Yangtze; the distance of the TDT/RDT boundary from the river mouth is ca. 100 km in the Mekong, and 200 km in the Yangtze. The preservation potential of sediments in a TDT is low in a progradational system, and high in abandoned channels. The early Holocene transgressive estuary system in the incised valley of the Yangtze formed during the Last Glacial Maximum was composed of 20 m-thick fine-grained heterolithic

  18. Coupled hydrologic and hydraulic modeling of Upper Niger River Basin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fleischmann, Ayan; Siqueira, Vinícius; Paris, Adrien; Collischonn, Walter; Paiva, Rodrigo; Gossett, Marielle; Pontes, Paulo; Calmant, Stephane; Biancamaria, Sylvain; Crétaux, Jean-François; Tanimoune, Bachir

    2017-04-01

    The Upper Niger Basin is located in Western Africa, flowing from Guinea Highlands towards the Sahel region. In this area lies the seasonally inundated Niger Inland Delta, which supports important environmental services such as habitats for wildlife, climate and flood regulation, as well as large fishery and agricultural areas. In this study, we present the application of MGB-IPH large scale hydrologic and hydrodynamic model for the Upper Niger Basin, totaling c.a. 650,000 km2 and set up until the city of Niamey in Niger. The model couples hydrological vertical balance and runoff generation with hydrodynamic flood wave propagation, by allowing infiltration from floodplains into soil column as well as representing backwater effects and floodplain storage throughout flat areas such as the Inland Delta. The model is forced with TRMM 3B42 daily precipitation and Climate Research Unit (CRU) climatology for the period 2000-2010, and was calibrated against in-situ discharge gauges and validated with in-situ water level, remotely sensed estimations of flooded areas (classification of MODIS imagery) and satellite altimetry (JASON-2 mission). Model results show good predictions for calibrated daily discharge and validated water level and altimetry at stations both upstream and downstream of the delta (Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency>0.7 for all stations), as well as for flooded areas within the delta region (ENS=0.5; r2=0.8), allowing a good representation of flooding dynamics basinwide and simulation of flooding behavior of both perennial (e.g., Niger main stem) and ephemeral rivers (e.g., Niger Red Flood tributaries in Sahel). Coupling between hydrology and hydrodynamic processes indicates an important feedback between floodplain and soil water storage that allows high evapotranspiration rates even after the flood passage around the inner delta area. Also, representation of water retention in floodplain channels and distributaries in the inner delta (e.g., Diaka river

  19. Flood-inundation maps for the Saddle River from Rochelle Park to Lodi, New Jersey, 2012

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoppe, Heidi L.; Watson, Kara M.

    2012-01-01

    Digital flood-inundation maps for a 2.75-mile reach of the Saddle River from 0.2 mile upstream from the Interstate 80 bridge in Rochelle Park to 1.5 miles downstream from the U.S. Route 46 bridge in Lodi, New Jersey, were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation, depict estimates of the areal extent and depth of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) at the USGS streamgage at Saddle River at Lodi, New Jersey (station 01391500). Current conditions for estimating near real-time areas of inundation using USGS streamgage information may be obtained on the Internet at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?site_no=01391500. The National Weather Service (NWS) forecasts flood hydrographs at many places that are often collocated with USGS streamgages. NWS-forecasted peak-stage information may be used in conjunction with the maps developed in this study to show predicted areas of flood inundation. In this study, flood profiles were computed for the stream reach by means of a one-dimensional step-backwater model. The model was calibrated using the most current stage-discharge relations at the Saddle River at Lodi, New Jersey streamgage and documented high-water marks from recent floods. The hydraulic model was then used to determine 11 water-surface profiles for flood stages at the Saddle River streamgage at 1-ft intervals referenced to the streamgage datum, North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88), and ranging from bankfull, 0.5 ft below NWS Action Stage, to the extent of the stage-discharge rating, which is approximately 1 ft higher than the highest recorded water level at the streamgage. Action Stage is the stage which when reached by a rising stream the NWS or a partner needs to take some type of mitigation action in

  20. Floodplain lakes and alluviation cycles of the lower Colorado River

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malmon, D.; Felger, T. J.; Howard, K. A.

    2007-05-01

    dams has prevented sediment infilling of the lakes. Bed lowering below dams and in artificially confined reaches could potentially dewater floodplain lakes, a process occurring at Beal Lake, a natural lake used for native fish restoration in the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge. Sedimentation near the upstream ends of reservoirs has created large areas of still water. One of the largest, Topock Marsh, is connected to the main channel, restricting its usefulness as a native fish nursery; other backwater areas are confined by bars that isolate standing water at tributaries.

  1. Study of Chironomidae Natural Populations of the Former Semipalatinsk Test Site Water Bodies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aimanova, K.G.; Blinov, A.G.; Kiknadze, I.I.; Bakhtin, M.M.; Seisebaev, A.T.; Rakhimbaeva, K.T.

    1998-01-01

    The open water bodies as a component of the biosphere serve as the accumulators of artificial radionuclides generated during the nuclear explosions; therefore their radioactive contamination needs to be registered. The assessment of the environmental radioactive contamination consequences for the natural populations of organisms living in water bodies is of particular importance. Chironomini (Diptera, Chironomidae) play an important role as they are a significant component of water and air biocenoses and provide the self-cleaning of water bodies and food chains of industrial fish and bird. Chironomini have been chosen to be a model for the UNESCO International Program titled 'Man and Biosphere' and are used as the biologic indicator for ecological studies of anthropogenic influence on water bodies. The study of Chironomini natural mutagenic process and its alteration due to the radioactive contamination of water bodies is of extreme scientific interest and can serve as the indicator of the scale of genetic damage of water organisms. This work presents the data on natural populations of Chironomini of former STS water bodies: Shagan Lake, Balapan Lake, the artificial water body on the Karazhyra Coal Field, the backwater near the Shagan River, Balykty col Lake, etc. The analysis of morphology and caryotype of Camptochironomus sp. S (S - larvae have been sampled from the Semipalatinsk Test Site) showed that this is a new species as compared to studied species (C. tentans, C. pallidivittatus) of Camptochironomus subfamily. The caryotype Camptochironomus sp. S differs sharply from the caryotypes of other Camptochironomus species due to its strong hetero chromatization of centromeric discs. The immediate molecular analysis of genome DNA of Camptochironomus sp. S larvae sampled from Shagan Lake was performed: the total DNA of larvae of this species was obtained, nucleonic sequences of genes of cytochrome B (Cyt B) and cytochrome I (COI) were determined using methods of

  2. Ambient conditions and fate and transport simulations of dissolved solids, chloride, and sulfate in Beaver Lake, Arkansas, 2006--10

    Science.gov (United States)

    Green, W. Reed

    2013-01-01

    Beaver Lake is a large, deep-storage reservoir located in the upper White River Basin in northwestern Arkansas, and was completed in 1963 for the purposes of flood control, hydroelectric power, and water supply. Beaver Lake is affected by point and nonpoint sources of minerals, nutrients, and sediments. The City of Fayetteville discharges about half of its sewage effluent into the White River immediately upstream from the backwater of the reservoir. The City of West Fork discharges its sewage effluent into the West Fork of the White River, and the City of Huntsville discharges its sewage effluent into a tributary of War Eagle Creek. A study was conducted to describe the ambient conditions and fate and transport of dissolved solids, chloride, and sulfate concentrations in Beaver Lake. Dissolved solids, chloride, and sulfate are components of wastewater discharged into Beaver Lake and a major concern of the drinking water utilities that use Beaver Lake as their source. A two-dimensional model of hydrodynamics and water quality was calibrated to include simulations of dissolved solids, chloride, and sulfate for the period January 2006 through December 2010. Estimated daily dissolved solids, chloride, and sulfate loads were increased in the White River and War Eagle Creek tributaries, individually and the two tributaries together, by 1.2, 1.5, 2.0, 5.0, and 10.0 times the baseline conditions to examine fate and transport of these constituents through time at seven locations (segments) in the reservoir, from upstream to downstream in Beaver Lake. Fifteen dissolved solids, chloride, and sulfate fate and transport scenarios were compared to the baseline simulation at each of the seven downstream locations in the reservoir, both 2 meters (m) below the surface and 2 m above the bottom. Concentrations were greater in the reservoir at model segments closer to where the tributaries entered the reservoir. Concentrations resulting from the increase in loading became more diluted

  3. Flood-inundation maps for a 6.5-mile reach of the Kentucky River at Frankfort, Kentucky

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lant, Jeremiah G.

    2013-01-01

    Digital flood-inundation maps for a 6.5-mile reach of Kentucky River at Frankfort, Kentucky, were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the City of Frankfort Office of Emergency Management. The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/, depict estimates of the areal extent and depth of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) at the USGS streamgage Kentucky River at Lock 4 at Frankfort, Kentucky (station no. 03287500). Current conditions for the USGS streamgage may be obtained online at the USGS National Water Information System site (http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/inventory?agency_code=USGS&site_no=03287500). In addition, the information has been provided to the National Weather Service (NWS) for incorporation into their Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) flood warning system (http:/water.weather.gov/ahps/). The NWS forecasts flood hydrographs at many places that are often colocated at USGS streamgages. The forecasted peak-stage information, also available on the Internet, may be used in conjunction with the maps developed in this study to show predicted areas of flood inundation. In this study, flood profiles were computed for the Kentucky River reach by using HEC–RAS, a one-dimensional step-backwater model developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The hydraulic model was calibrated by using the most current (2013) stage-discharge relation for the Kentucky River at Lock 4 at Frankfort, Kentucky, in combination with streamgage and high-water-mark measurements collected for a flood event in May 2010. The calibrated model was then used to calculate 26 water-surface profiles for a sequence of flood stages, at 1-foot intervals, referenced to the streamgage datum and ranging from a stage near bankfull to the elevation that breached the levees protecting the City of Frankfort. To delineate the flooded area at

  4. An expanded model: flood-inundation maps for the Leaf River at Hattiesburg, Mississippi, 2013

    Science.gov (United States)

    Storm, John B.

    2014-01-01

    Digital flood-inundation maps for a 6.8-mile reach of the Leaf River at Hattiesburg, Mississippi (Miss.), were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the City of Hattiesburg, City of Petal, Forrest County, Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, Mississippi Department of Homeland Security, and the Emergency Management District. The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/, depict estimates of the areal extent and depth of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) at the USGS streamgage at Leaf River at Hattiesburg, Miss. (station no. 02473000). Current conditions for estimating near-real-time areas of inundation by use of USGS streamgage information may be obtained on the Internet at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/. In addition, the information has been provided to the National Weather Service (NWS) for incorporation into their Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) flood warning system (http://water.weather.gov/ahps/). The NWS forecasts flood hydrographs at many places that are often colocated with USGS streamgages. NWS-forecasted peak-stage information may be used in conjunction with the maps developed in this study to show predicted areas of flood inundation. In this study, flood profiles were computed for the stream reach by means of a one-dimensional step-backwater model. The model was calibrated by using the most current stage-discharge relations at the Leaf River at Hattiesburg, Miss. streamgage (02473000) and documented high-water marks from recent and historical floods. The hydraulic model was then used to determine 13 water-surface profiles for flood stages at 1.0-foot intervals referenced to the streamgage datum and ranging from bankfull to approximately the highest recorded water level at the streamgage. The simulated water-surface profiles were then combined with a geographic information system (GIS

  5. Flood-inundation maps for an 8.9-mile reach of the South Fork Little River at Hopkinsville, Kentucky

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lant, Jeremiah G.

    2013-01-01

    Digital flood-inundation maps for an 8.9-mile reach of South Fork Little River at Hopkinsville, Kentucky, were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the City of Hopkinsville Community Development Services. The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/ depict estimates of the areal extent and depth of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) at the USGS streamgage at South Fork Little River at Highway 68 By-Pass at Hopkinsville, Kentucky (station no. 03437495). Current conditions for the USGS streamgage may be obtained online at the USGS National Water Information System site (http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/inventory?agency_code=USGS&site_no=03437495). In addition, the information has been provided to the National Weather Service (NWS) for incorporation into their Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service flood warning system (http://water.weather.gov/ahps/). The NWS forecasts flood hydrographs at many places that are often co-located at USGS streamgages. The forecasted peak-stage information, also available on the Internet, may be used in conjunction with the maps developed in this study to show predicted areas of flood inundation. In this study, flood profiles were computed for the South Fork Little River reach by using HEC-RAS, a one-dimensional step-backwater model developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The hydraulic model was calibrated by using the most current (2012) stage-discharge relation at the South Fork Little River at Highway 68 By-Pass at Hopkinsville, Kentucky, streamgage and measurements collected during recent flood events. The calibrated model was then used to calculate 13 water-surface profiles for a sequence of flood stages, most at 1-foot intervals, referenced to the streamgage datum and ranging from a stage near bank full to the estimated elevation of the 1.0-percent annual exceedance

  6. Development of flood-inundation maps for the Mississippi River in Saint Paul, Minnesota

    Science.gov (United States)

    Czuba, Christiana R.; Fallon, James D.; Lewis, Corby R.; Cooper, Diane F.

    2014-01-01

    Digital flood-inundation maps for a 6.3-mile reach of the Mississippi River in Saint Paul, Minnesota, were developed through a multi-agency effort by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and in collaboration with the National Weather Service. The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the U.S. Geological Survey Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/ and the National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service site at http://water.weather.gov/ahps/inundation.php, depict estimates of the areal extent and depth of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) at the U.S. Geological Survey streamgage at the Mississippi River at Saint Paul (05331000). The National Weather Service forecasted peak-stage information at the streamgage may be used in conjunction with the maps developed in this study to show predicted areas of flood inundation. In this study, flood profiles were computed for the Mississippi River by means of a one-dimensional step-backwater model. The hydraulic model was calibrated using the most recent stage-discharge relation at the Robert Street location (rating curve number 38.0) of the Mississippi River at Saint Paul (streamgage 05331000), as well as an approximate water-surface elevation-discharge relation at the Mississippi River at South Saint Paul (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers streamgage SSPM5). The model also was verified against observed high-water marks from the recent 2011 flood event and the water-surface profile from existing flood insurance studies. The hydraulic model was then used to determine 25 water-surface profiles for flood stages at 1-foot intervals ranging from approximately bankfull stage to greater than the highest recorded stage at streamgage 05331000. The simulated water-surface profiles were then combined with a geographic information system digital elevation model, derived from high-resolution topography

  7. Flood-inundation maps for Suwanee Creek from the confluence of Ivy Creek to the Noblin Ridge Drive bridge, Gwinnett County, Georgia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Musser, Jonathan W.

    2012-01-01

    Digital flood-inundation maps for a 6.9-mile reach of Suwanee Creek, from the confluence of Ivy Creek to the Noblin Ridge Drive bridge, were developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with Gwinnett County, Georgia. The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/, depict estimates of the areal extent and depth of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) at the USGS streamgage at Suwanee Creek at Suwanee, Georgia (02334885). Current stage at this USGS streamgage may be obtained at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ and can be used in conjunction with these maps to estimate near real-time areas of inundation. The National Weather Service (NWS) is incorporating results from this study into the Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) flood-warning system (http://water.weather.gov/ahps/). The NWS forecasts flood hydrographs at many places that commonly are collocated at USGS streamgages. The forecasted peak-stage information for the USGS streamgage at Suwanee Creek at Suwanee (02334885), available through the AHPS Web site, may be used in conjunction with the maps developed in this study to show predicted areas of flood inundation. A one-dimensional step-backwater model was developed using the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers HEC-RAS software for Suwanee Creek and was used to compute flood profiles for a 6.9-mile reach of the creek. The model was calibrated using the most current stage-discharge relations at the Suwanee Creek at Suwanee streamgage (02334885). The hydraulic model was then used to determine 19 water-surface profiles for flood stages at the Suwanee Creek streamgage at 0.5-foot intervals referenced to the streamgage. The profiles ranged from just above bankfull stage (7.0 feet) to approximately 1.7 feet above the highest recorded water level at the streamgage (16.0 feet). The simulated water-surface profiles were then combined

  8. Influence of Beaver Dams on Channel Complexity, Hydrology, and Temperature Regime in a Mountainous Stream

    Science.gov (United States)

    Majerova, M.; Neilson, B. T.; Schmadel, N. M.; Wheaton, J. M.; Snow, C. J.

    2013-12-01

    Beaver dams and beaver activity affect hydrologic processes, sediment transport, channel complexity and water quality of streams. Beaver ponds, which form behind beaver dams, increase in-channel water storage affecting the timing and volume of flow and resulting in the attenuation and flattening of the hydrograph. Channel complexity also increases the potential for transient storage (both surface and subsurface) and influences stream temperature. Impacts of beaver dams and beaver activity on stream responses are difficult to quantify because responses are dynamic and spatially variable. Few studies have focused on the reach scale temporal influences on stream responses and further research is needed particularly in quantifying the influence of beaver dams and their role in shaping the stream habitat. This study explores the changing hydrology and temperature regime of Curtis Creek, a mountainous stream located in Northern Utah, in a 560 m long reach where groundwater exchanges and temperature differences were observed over a three-year period. We have collected continuous stream discharge, stream temperature data and performed tracer experiments. During the first year, we were able to capture the pre-beaver activity. In the second year, we captured the impacts of some beaver activity with only a few dams built in the reach, while the third year included the effects of an entire active beaver colony. By the end of the study period, a single thread channel had been transformed into a channel with side channels and backwaters at multiple locations therefore increasing channel complexity. The cumulative influence of beaver dams on reach scale discharge resulted in a slightly losing reach that developed into a gaining reach. At the smaller sub-reach scale, both losing to gaining and gaining to losing transformations were observed. Temperature differences showed a warming effect of beaver dams at the reach scale. The reach stream temperature difference increased on

  9. Flood-inundation maps for Indian Creek and Tomahawk Creek, Johnson County, Kansas, 2014

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peters, Arin J.; Studley, Seth E.

    2016-01-25

    Digital flood-inundation maps for a 6.4-mile upper reach of Indian Creek from College Boulevard to the confluence with Tomahawk Creek, a 3.9-mile reach of Tomahawk Creek from 127th Street to the confluence with Indian Creek, and a 1.9-mile lower reach of Indian Creek from the confluence with Tomahawk Creek to just beyond the Kansas/Missouri border at State Line Road in Johnson County, Kansas, were created by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the city of Overland Park, Kansas. The flood-inundation maps, which can be accessed through the U.S. Geological Survey Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/, depict estimates of the areal extent and depth of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) at the U.S. Geological Survey streamgages on Indian Creek at Overland Park, Kansas; Indian Creek at State Line Road, Leawood, Kansas; and Tomahawk Creek near Overland Park, Kansas. Near real time stages at these streamgages may be obtained on the Web from the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis or the National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service at http://water.weather.gov/ahps/, which also forecasts flood hydrographs at these sites.Flood profiles were computed for the stream reaches by means of a one-dimensional step-backwater model. The model was calibrated for each reach by using the most current stage-discharge relations at the streamgages. The hydraulic models were then used to determine 15 water-surface profiles for Indian Creek at Overland Park, Kansas; 17 water-surface profiles for Indian Creek at State Line Road, Leawood, Kansas; and 14 water-surface profiles for Tomahawk Creek near Overland Park, Kansas, for flood stages at 1-foot intervals referenced to the streamgage datum and ranging from bankfull to the next interval above the 0.2-percent annual exceedance probability flood level (500-year recurrence interval). The

  10. The traditional irrigation technique of Lake Garda lemon--houses (Northern Italy)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barontini, Stefano; Vitale, Nicola; Fausti, Federico; Bettoni, Barbara; Bonati, Sara; Peli, Marco; Pietta, Antonella; Tononi, Marco; Ranzi, Roberto

    2016-04-01

    Between 16th and 19th centuries the North-Western side of Lake Garda was seat of an important district which, at the time of its maximum splendour between 18th and 19th centuries, produced and exported lemons and citrus even toward the Northern Europe and the Russia. The limonaie del Garda (Lake-Garda lemon-houses), the local name of the citrus orchards, were settled on terraces built on steep slopes, with landfill taken from the Eastern side of the lake, and closed by greenhouses during late autumn and winter in order to protect the cultivations. The terraces were built nearby streams, they were South-Eastern exposed and protected by walls from the cold winds. Thanks in fact to the Lake Garda microclimate, lemon trees were not cultivated in pots, as in the typical orangeries of mid-latitudes Europe, but directly in the soil. Here the citrus cultivation technique reached a remarkably high degree of standardisation, with local cultivar as the Madernino or lemon from Maderno, and it involved, as in modern industrial districts, all the surrounding land in order to satisfy the needing of required materials to build the terraces, the walls, the greenhouses and the wooden frames to hold the branches laden with fruits. Due to the great water requirement of lemon trees during summer, which is estimated to range from 150 to 300 ℓ every ten days, the water management played a key role in the cultivation technique. The traditional irrigation technique was standardized as well. During our surveys, we observed that most of the lemon-houses still conserve little stone flumes along the walls upslope to the terraces, with spillways every adult tree, i.e. about every 4 m. The flumes were filled with water taken from an upstream reservoir, built nearby a stream. The spillways were activated with a backwater obtained by means of a sand bag placed within the flume, just downstream to the spillway itself. In order to avoid any excavation, spilled water was driven to the base of each

  11. Stability of River Bifurcations from Bedload to Suspended Load Dominated Conditions

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Haas, T.; Kleinhans, M. G.

    2010-12-01

    the threshold for sediment motion whereas sand bed rivers have highly mobile sediment at channel-forming conditions. For sediment transport without a critical threshold for motion, bifurcations become more asymmetrical with increasing sediment mobility. In contrast, sediment transport prediction including the threshold for motion leads to highly asymmetrical bifurcations for low sediment mobility, more symmetrical bifurcations for higher mobility and again decreasing symmetry for higher mobility where results of transport with and without the threshold converge. Thus, the general trend is more asymmetrical bifurcations for higher sediment mobility, but the presence of the threshold for motion leads to an optimum in symmetry. Results were similar for the different options used to vary mobility, excluding first-order effects of backwater adaptation length and hydraulic roughness. We conclude that the seemingly conflicting results between gravel-bed and sand-bed rivers in literature are well explained by the difference in sediment mobility.

  12. Flood-inundation maps for Sweetwater Creek from above the confluence of Powder Springs Creek to the Interstate 20 bridge, Cobb and Douglas Counties, Georgia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Musser, Jonathan W.

    2012-01-01

    Digital flood-inundation maps for a 10.5-mile reach of Sweetwater Creek, from about 1,800 feet above the confluence of Powder Springs Creek to about 160 feet below the Interstate 20 bridge, were developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with Cobb County, Georgia. The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/, depict estimates of the areal extent and depth of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) at the USGS streamgage at Sweetwater Creek near Austell, Georgia (02337000). Current stage at this USGS streamgage may be obtained at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ and can be used in conjunction with these maps to estimate near real-time areas of inundation. The National Weather Service (NWS) is incorporating results from this study into the Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) flood-warning system (http://water.weather.gov/ahps/). The NWS forecasts flood hydrographs at many places that commonly are collocated at USGS streamgages. The forecasted peak-stage information for the USGS streamgage at Sweetwater Creek near Austell (02337000), which is available through the AHPS Web site, may be used in conjunction with the maps developed in this study to show predicted areas of flood inundation. A one-dimensional step-backwater model was developed using the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Hydrologic Engineering Centers River Analysis System (HEC–RAS) software for Sweetwater Creek and was used to compute flood profiles for a 10.5-mile reach of the creek. The model was calibrated using the most current stage-discharge relations at the Sweetwater Creek near Austell streamgage (02337000), as well as high-water marks collected during annual peak-flow events in 1982 and 2009. The hydraulic model was then used to determine 21 water-surface profiles for flood stages at the Sweetwater Creek streamgage at 1-foot intervals referenced to the

  13. Flood inundation maps for the Wabash and Eel Rivers at Logansport, Indiana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fowler, Kathleen K.

    2014-01-01

    Digital flood-inundation maps for an 8.3-mile reach of the Wabash River and a 7.6-mile reach of the Eel River at Logansport, Indiana (Ind.), were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs. The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/, depict estimates of the areal extent and depth of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) at USGS streamgage Wabash River at Logansport, Ind. (sta. no. 03329000) and USGS streamgage Eel River near Logansport, Ind. (sta. no. 03328500). Current conditions for estimating near-real-time areas of inundation using USGS streamgage information may be obtained on the Internet at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/. In addition, information has been provided to the National Weather Service (NWS) for incorporation into their Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) flood warning system http:/water.weather.gov/ahps/). The NWS forecasts flood hydrographs at many places that are often colocated with USGS streamgages. NWS-forecasted peak-stage information may be used in conjunction with the maps developed in this study to show predicted areas of flood inundation. For this study, flood profiles were computed for the stream reaches by means of a one-dimensional step-backwater model developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The hydraulic model was calibrated by using the most current stage-discharge relations at USGS streamgages 03329000, Wabash River at Logansport, Ind., and 03328500, Eel River near Logansport, Ind. The calibrated hydraulic model was then used to determine five water-surface profiles for flood stage at 1-foot intervals referenced to the Wabash River streamgage datum, and four water-surface profiles for flood stages at 1-foot intervals referenced to the Eel River streamgage datum. The stages range from bankfull to approximately the highest

  14. Flood-inundation maps for the Meramec River at Valley Park and at Fenton, Missouri, 2017

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dietsch, Benjamin J.; Sappington, Jacob N.

    2017-09-29

    Two sets of digital flood-inundation map libraries that spanned a combined 16.7-mile reach of the Meramec River that extends upstream from Valley Park, Missouri, to downstream from Fenton, Mo., were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Louis Metropolitan Sewer District, Missouri Department of Transportation, Missouri American Water, and Federal Emergency Management Agency Region 7. The flood-inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science website at https://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/, depict estimates of the areal extent and depth of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) at the cooperative USGS streamgages on the Meramec River at Valley Park, Mo., (USGS station number 07019130) and the Meramec River at Fenton, Mo. (USGS station number 07019210). Near-real-time stage data at these streamgages may be obtained from the USGS National Water Information System at https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis or the National Weather Service (NWS) Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service at http:/water.weather.gov/ahps/, which also forecasts flood hydrographs at these sites (listed as NWS sites vllm7 and fnnm7, respectively).Flood profiles were computed for the stream reaches by means of a calibrated one-dimensional step-backwater hydraulic model. The model was calibrated using a stage-discharge relation at the Meramec River near Eureka streamgage (USGS station number 07019000) and documented high-water marks from the flood of December 2015 through January 2016.The calibrated hydraulic model was used to compute two sets of water-surface profiles: one set for the streamgage at Valley Park, Mo. (USGS station number 07019130), and one set for the USGS streamgage on the Meramec River at Fenton, Mo. (USGS station number 07019210). The water-surface profiles were produced for stages at 1-foot (ft) intervals referenced to the datum from each streamgage and

  15. Flood hydrology and dam-breach hydraulic analyses of four reservoirs in the Black Hills, South Dakota

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoogestraat, Galen K.

    2011-01-01

    Extensive information about the construction of dams or potential downstream hazards in the event of a dam breach is not available for many small reservoirs within the Black Hills National Forest. In 2009, the U.S. Forest Service identified the need for reconnaissance-level dam-breach assessments for four of these reservoirs within the Black Hills National Forest (Iron Creek, Horsethief, Lakota, and Mitchell Lakes) with the potential to flood downstream structures. Flood hydrology and dam-breach hydraulic analyses for the four selected reservoirs were conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Forest service to estimate the areal extent of downstream inundation. Three high-flow breach scenarios were considered for cases when the dam is in place (overtopped) and when a dam break (failure) occurs: the 100-year recurrence 24-hour precipitation, 500-year recurrence peak flow, and the probable maximum precipitation. Inundation maps were developed that show the estimated extent of downstream floodwaters from simulated scenarios. Simulation results were used to determine the hazard classification of a dam break (high, significant, or low), based primarily on the potential for loss of life or property damage resulting from downstream inundation because of the flood surge.The inflow design floods resulting from the two simulated storm events (100-year 24-hour and probable maximum precipitation) were determined using the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Hydrologic Engineering Center Hydrologic Modeling System (HEC-HMS). The inflow design flood for the 500-year recurrence peak flow was determined by using regional regression equations developed for streamflow-gaging stations with similar watershed characteristics. The step-backwater hydraulic analysis model, Hydrologic Engineering Center's River Analysis System (HEC-RAS), was used to determine water-surface profiles of in-place and dam-break scenarios for the three inflow design floods that were

  16. Flood-inundation and flood-mitigation modeling of the West Branch Wapsinonoc Creek Watershed in West Branch, Iowa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cigrand, Charles V.

    2018-03-26

    existing conditions and streamflows from the design rainfall events were then done to serve as a baseline for evaluating flood-mitigation scenarios. After these simulations were completed, three different flood-mitigation scenarios were developed with HEC–RAS: a detention-storage scenario, a conveyance improvement scenario, and a combination of both. In the detention-storage scenario, four in-channel detention structures were placed upstream from the city of West Branch to attenuate peak streamflows. To investigate possible improvements to conveying floodwaters through the city of West Branch, a section of abandoned railroad embankment and an old truss bridge were removed in the model, because these structures were producing backwater areas during flooding events. The third scenario combines the detention and conveyance scenarios so their joint efficiency could be evaluated. The scenarios with the design rainfall events were run in the HEC–RAS model so their flood-mitigation effects could be analyzed across a wide range of flood magnitudes.

  17. Changes in the channel-bed level of the western Carpathian rivers over the last 40years

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kijowska-Strugała, Małgorzata; Bucała-Hrabia, Anna

    2017-04-01

    (3.2 cm/year) was dominated. Two main factors determine changes in the position of the rivers channel beds: natural (floods, tributaries, type of the channel bed substrate) and anthropogenic (control works in the channel, extraction gravels, reservoir backwater. The deep erosion observed in the Carpathians rivers in the last decade is also associated with changes in land use that have increased due to the economic transformation of the country, and in recent years, the Polish accession to the EU.

  18. Hysteretic behavior of stage-discharge relationships in urban streams

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, A. J.; Lindner, G. A.

    2009-12-01

    used in many rating curves probably have been collected on the falling limb and therefore may not capture the correct stage-discharge relationship for the rising limb. In some cases model results selected only from the falling limb are able to match the existing rating curve very closely. Although hysteresis may be explained with reference to the innate properties of the flood wave, other factors also lead to hysteretic behavior. Downstream constrictions and obstructions associated with urban infrastructure may cause substantial backwater effects, particularly during flood flows. Flood conditions at tributary confluences also can exert a controlling influence upstream. Based on our results we recommend that at some sites it is advisable to develop separate rating curves for the rising and falling limbs, and to develop a range of modeling scenarios for predicting the range of potential uncertainty.

  19. Concentrations and transport of suspended sediment, nutrients, and pesticides in the lower Mississippi-Atchafalaya River subbasin during the 2011 Mississippi River flood, April through July

    Science.gov (United States)

    Welch, Heather L.; Coupe, Richard H.; Aulenbach, Brent T.

    2014-01-01

    the water-quality station located at Vicksburg, Mississippi. The majority of the suspended-sediment flux introduce into the lower Mississippi-Atchafalaya River subbasin during the 2011 flood was in the form of fine-grained particles from the upper Mississippi River—77 percent of the suspended-sediment flux compared to 23 percent from the Ohio River. As water moved downstream along the lower Mississippi River, there were losses in suspended-sediment flux because of deposition and backwater areas. Fluxes showed a greater response to increased streamflow in the Atchafalaya River than in the lower Mississippi River. The result was a gain in suspended-sediment flux with distance downstream in the Atchafalaya River because of resuspension of previously deposited materials—particularly sand particles. Overall, 13 percent less suspended sediment left the lower Mississippi-Atchafalaya River subbasin than entered it from the confluence of the upper Mississippi and Ohio Rivers during the flood. The loss in suspended-sediment flux during the flood accounted for 14 percent of the 2011 annual suspended-sediment flux loss within the lower Mississippi-Atchafalaya River subbasin. Nitrate composed approximately 70 percent of the total nitrogen flux at all of the sampled water-quality stations, excluding the Arkansas River. Almost 2.4 times more nitrate flux entered the lower Mississippi-Atchafalaya River subbasin from the upper Mississippi River than from the Ohio River. As nitrate moved down the lower Mississippi River and the Atchafalaya River, there were no substantial losses or gains in flux, indicating that nitrate moved conservatively within the subbasin during the 2011 flood. Although streamflow was the largest on record, nitrate flux during the flood period resulted in a zone of hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico that was only the tenth largest on record. The flux of total phosphorus in the lower Mississippi-Atchafalaya River subbasin during the 2011 flood was strongly related

  20. Lower Flathead System Fisheries Study, 1984 Annual Report.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Darling, James E.; Pajak, Paul; Wunderlich, Mary P.

    1984-12-01

    sedimentation. Among the consequences of the present operational regime are constant, rapid changes in river discharge during spawning and Incubation seasons of trout species present in the lower river. Hamilton and Buell (1976) reported that similar fluctuation might exceed tolerance limits of adults and inhibit spawning behavior, dewater redds, strand fry, and displace juveniles to habitats less suitable for survival. Similar problems are felt to exist on the lower river. Constant fluctuations over backwater vegetation have been linked to major problems in successful northern pike spawning and recruitment by preventing access to spawning sites, and dewatering eggs and attached fry. Phase I of the South Bay investigation was completed this year resulting in a detailed study program for the next three years. Dominant habitat types were mapped, and physical habitat and biological monitoring methods were evaluated and selected. Permanent habitat transects, water quality stations, fish sampling, gillnetting, seining, and trapping sites were established.

  1. Reduced channel conveyance on the Wichita River at Wichita Falls, Texas, 1900-2009

    Science.gov (United States)

    Winters, Karl; Baldys, Stanley; Schreiber, Russell

    2010-01-01

    cross sections surveyed in 1986 for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, with no substantial differences noted. Comparison of channel cross sections surveyed in 2009 to those from historic bridge plans indicate no change in cross section has occurred at most of the bridges from Loop 11 downstream to River Road in Wichita Falls, except for obstructions noted at the Scott Avenue bridge and Martin Luther King Jr. bridge. Although obstructions in the channel at these bridges only partially block flow, they could also be contributing to reduced channel conveyance. Step-backwater profiles were used by the USGS to verify channel roughness. The main channel roughness coefficients (Manning's n values) from 2009 surveys were virtually unchanged from those used in a 1991 hydraulic model done for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The average overbank roughness coefficient (Manning's n value) was 0.15, more than double the value of 0.06 used in the 1991 hydraulic model. Increased overbank vegetation has resulted in higher stages conveying the same amount of discharge, particularly for discharges more than 4,000 cubic feet per second.

  2. Global determination of rating curves in the Amazon basin from satellite altimetry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paris, Adrien; Paiva, Rodrigo C. D.; Santos da Silva, Joecila; Medeiros Moreira, Daniel; Calmant, Stéphane; Collischonn, Walter; Bonnet, Marie-Paule; Seyler, Frédérique

    2014-05-01

    is more efficient than the determinist one. By using for the parameters prior credible intervals defined by the user, this method provides an estimate of best rating curve estimate without any unlikely parameter. Results were assessed trough the Nash Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient. Ens superior to 0.7 is found for most of the 920 virtual stations . From these results we were able to determinate a fully coherent map of river bed height, mean depth and Manning's roughness coefficient, information that can be reused in hydrological modeling. Bad results found at a few virtual stations are also of interest. For some sub-basins in the Andean piemont, the bad result confirms that the model failed to estimate discharges overthere. Other are found at tributary mouths experiencing backwater effects from the Amazon. Considering mean monthly slope at the virtual station in the rating curve equation, we obtain rated discharges much more consistent with modeled and measured ones, showing that it is now possible to obtain a meaningful rating curve in such critical areas.

  3. Coupling a basin erosion and river sediment transport model into a large scale hydrological model: an application in the Amazon basin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buarque, D. C.; Collischonn, W.; Paiva, R. C. D.

    2012-04-01

    This study presents the first application and preliminary results of the large scale hydrodynamic/hydrological model MGB-IPH with a new module to predict the spatial distribution of the basin erosion and river sediment transport in a daily time step. The MGB-IPH is a large-scale, distributed and process based hydrological model that uses a catchment based discretization and the Hydrological Response Units (HRU) approach. It uses physical based equations to simulate the hydrological processes, such as the Penman Monteith model for evapotranspiration, and uses the Muskingum Cunge approach and a full 1D hydrodynamic model for river routing; including backwater effects and seasonal flooding. The sediment module of the MGB-IPH model is divided into two components: 1) prediction of erosion over the basin and sediment yield to river network; 2) sediment transport along the river channels. Both MGB-IPH and the sediment module use GIS tools to display relevant maps and to extract parameters from SRTM DEM (a 15" resolution was adopted). Using the catchment discretization the sediment module applies the Modified Universal Soil Loss Equation to predict soil loss from each HRU considering three sediment classes defined according to the soil texture: sand, silt and clay. The effects of topography on soil erosion are estimated by a two-dimensional slope length (LS) factor which using the contributing area approach and a local slope steepness (S), both estimated for each DEM pixel using GIS algorithms. The amount of sediment releasing to the catchment river reach in each day is calculated using a linear reservoir. Once the sediment reaches the river they are transported into the river channel using an advection equation for silt and clay and a sediment continuity equation for sand. A sediment balance based on the Yang sediment transport capacity, allowing to compute the amount of erosion and deposition along the rivers, is performed for sand particles as bed load, whilst no

  4. Mobile polishing system of feedwater at start-up feedback from the implementation and future prospects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Faure, Celine; Eade, Kevin; Fontan, Guillaume

    2012-09-01

    The reduction of the quantity of Steam Generator (SG) metallic oxides deposits, and maintaining a good chemical composition of the secondary side of SG tubes are some of the main objectives being looked at, in order to reduce the risk of SG corrosion, regardless of the alloy used, right from the start-up phase. For all types of outage, obtaining and maintaining sufficient chemical cleanliness at the start-up requires treatment of the water. The treatments are notably: - Water movements using the purge / make-up water method until the chemical criteria have been met. This method can be long and generate large volumes of discharge. - Using suitable resins to remove pollutants from the water. The advantage of this method is that it is selective. - Filtration, allowing for the removal of any insoluble agent. In order to optimise the start-up process, Gravelines and Blayais Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) put trials in place towards the end of the 1980s. These trials lead to a water supply treatment installation (mobile polishing system- in French Systeme Mobile d'Epuration, SME) being put in place for the start-up phase, made up of an up-stream filter, a mixed-bed resin pollutant trap and a down-stream filter to prevent losing the fines into the feedwater. At the same time, the manifestation of cracking on the secondary side of the steam generator tubes lead EDF to roll out a water treatment for the feedwater dedicated to the start-up. The choice was made not to install a condensate polishing plant, in order to limit notably the pollution risks (resin leaks or waste from the regeneration in the backwater) following difficulties during regeneration. The positive results from the first trials validated for EDF the choice to give priority to the roll-out of the SME to the NPPs judged to be most critical due to the SG material. The SME, installed on a mobile base, can be used on different units at the same station; this reduced the investment and maintenance costs, and

  5. Extent and frequency of floods on Delaware River in vicinity of Belvidere, New Jersey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farlekas, George M.

    1966-01-01

    A stream overflowing its banks is a natural phenomenon. This natural phenomenon of flooding has occurred on the Delaware River in the past and will occur in the future. T' o resulting inundation of large areas can cause property damage, business losses and possible loss of life, and may result in emergency costs for protection, rescue, and salvage work. For optimum development of the river valley consistent with the flood risk, an evaluation of flood conditions is necessary. Basic data and the interpretation of the data on the regimen of the streams, particularly the magnitude of floods to be expected, the frequency of their occurrence, and the areas inundated, are essential for planning and development of flood-prone areas.This report presents information relative to the extent, depth, and frequency of floods on the Delaware River and its tributaries in the vicinity of Belvidere, N.J. Flooding on the tributaries detailed in the report pertains only to the effect of backwater from the Delaware River. Data are presented for several past floods with emphasis given to the floods of August 19, 1955 and May 24, 1942. In addition, information is given for a hypothetical flood based on the flood of August 19, 1955 modified by completed (since 1955) and planned flood-control works.By use of relations presented in this report the extent, depth, and frequency of flooding can be estimated for any site along the reach of the Delaware River under study. Flood data and the evaluation of the data are presented so that local and regional agencies, organizations, and individuals may have a technical basis for making decisions on the use of flood-prone areas. The Delaware River Basin Commission and the U.S. Geological Survey regard this program of flood-plain inundation studies as a positive step toward flood-damage prevention. Flood-plain inundation studies, when followed by appropriate land-use regulations, are a valuable and economical supplement to physical works for flood

  6. Water-quality assessment of the lower Illinois River Basin; environmental setting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warner, Kelly L.

    1998-01-01

    The lower Illinois River Basin (LIRB) encompasses 18,000 square miles of central and western Illinois. Historical and recent information from Federal, State, and local agencies describing the physiography, population, land use, soils, climate, geology, streamflow, habitat, ground water, water use, and aquatic biology is summarized to describe the environmental setting of the LIRB. The LIRB is in the Till Plains Section of the Central Lowland physiographic province. The basin is characterized by flat topography, which is dissected by the Illinois River. The drainage pattern of the LIRB has been shaped by many bedrock and glacial geologic processes. Erosion prior to and during Pleistocene time created wide and deep bedrock valleys. The thickest deposits and most major aquifers are in buried bedrock valleys. The Wisconsinan glaciation, which bisects the northern half of the LIRB, affects the distribution and characteristics of glacial deposits in the basin. Agriculture is the largest land use and forested land is the second largest land use in the LIRB. The major urban areas are near Peoria, Springfield, Decatur, and Bloomington-Normal. Soil type and distribution affect the amount of soil erosion, which results in sedimentation of lakes and reservoirs in the basin. Rates of soil erosion of up to 2 percent per year of farmland soil have been measured. Many of the 300 reservoirs, lakes, and wetlands are disappearing because of sedimentation resulting from agriculture activities, levee building, and urbanization. Sedimentation and the destruction of habitat appreciably affect the ecosystem. The Illinois River is a large river-floodplain ecosystem where biological productivity is enhanced by annual flood pulses that advance and retreat over the flood plain and temporarily expand backwater and flood-plain lakes. Ground-water discharge to streams affects the flow and water quality of the streams. The water budget of several subbasins show variability in ground

  7. Flood risk on the Black sea coast of Russia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alekseevsky, Nikolay; Magritsky, Dmitry; Koltermann, Peter; Krylenko, Inna; Umina, Natalya; Aybulatov, Denis; Efremova, Natalya; Lebedeva, Seraphima

    2013-04-01

    The data of unique database "Floods in the coastal zones of Europeans part of Russia", developed by authors, are shown, that frequency of floods and damage in the coastal zones are growing. There is most dangerous situation on the Black sea coast of Russia. Here the main part of settlements, resorts and industry is situated in the river valleys and mouths. All main roads and pipelines cross the river channels. The Black sea rivers have flood regime with high intensity of flood formations and huge destructive flood power. Despite prevalence of floods during the cold period of year the most part of high floods in 100 years of supervision was noted here in the summer-fall (65% in July-October). Usually they were induced by the showers connected with passing of powerful cyclones, atmospheric fronts, and water tornadoes. The insignificant part of floods was connected with snow melting, backwater phenomena, showers in the cities and dam breaks. Thus shower induced floods here are the most widespread and destructive. Usually they arise within two-three watersheds simultaneously. Formation catastrophic heavy rain flood is possible on any site of a river valley of the Black Sea coast. The wave of a high water moves with very high speed, carrying a large number of deposits and garbage. To the mouth the flood can be transformed into debris flow. The water levels during a high water period rise on 3-6 m in the channels, and up to 11-12 m in the river canyons; the maximum depths of flow on the floodplains are 3 m and more. Flooding depths, induced by slope streams, can be to 0,5 m and higher. Flooding proceeds only some hours. After that water rather quickly flows down from a floodplains to the bed of the rivers and into the sea, leaving traces of destructions, a powerful layer of deposits (to 10-20 cm and more) and garbage. In the mouth river deposits quite often form the river mouth bar which is washed away during next storms. The damage from river floods on the Black Sea

  8. Managing the uncertainties of the streamflow data produced by the French national hydrological services

    Science.gov (United States)

    Puechberty, Rachel; Bechon, Pierre-Marie; Le Coz, Jérôme; Renard, Benjamin

    2015-04-01

    records to produce continuous discharge time series. The management of rating curves is also done using BAREME. The BaRatin method (Le Coz et al., 2014) was developed as a Bayesian approach of rating curve development and uncertainty analysis. Since BaRatin accounts for the individual uncertainties of gauging data used to build the rating curve, it was coupled with BAREME. The BaRatin method is still undergoing development and research, in particular to address non univocal or time-varying stage-discharge relations, due to hysteresis, variable backwater, rating shifts, etc. A new interface including new options is under development. The next steps are now to propagate the uncertainties of water level records, through uncertain rating curves, up to discharge time series and derived variables (e.g. annual mean flow) and statistics (e.g. flood quantiles). Bayesian tools are already available for both tasks but further validation and development is necessary for their integration in the operational data workflow of the French NHS. References Le Coz, J., Camenen, B., Peyrard, X., Dramais, G., 2012. Uncertainty in open-channel discharges measured with the velocity-area method. Flow Measurement and Instrumentation 26, 18-29. Le Coz, J., Renard, B., Bonnifait, L., Branger, F., Le Boursicaud, R., 2014. Combining hydraulic knowledge and uncertain gaugings in the estimation of hydrometric rating curves: a Bayesian approach, Journal of Hydrology, 509, 573-587.

  9. Including local rainfall dynamics and uncertain boundary conditions into a 2-D regional-local flood modelling cascade

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bermúdez, María; Neal, Jeffrey C.; Bates, Paul D.; Coxon, Gemma; Freer, Jim E.; Cea, Luis; Puertas, Jerónimo

    2016-04-01

    flood extent data and measured water levels from a 2007 summer flood event on the river Severn. The area of interest is a 7 km reach in which the river passes through the city of Worcester, a low water slope, subcritical reach in which backwater effects are significant. For this domain, the catchment area between flow gauging stations extends over 540 km2. Four hydrological models from the FUSE framework (Framework for Understanding Structural Errors) were set up to simulate the rainfall-runoff process over this area. At this regional scale, a 2-dimensional hydraulic model that solves the local inertial approximation of the shallow water equations was applied to route the flow, whereas the full form of these equations was solved at the local scale to predict the urban flow field. This nested approach hence allows an examination of water fluxes from the catchment to the building scale, while requiring short setup and computational times. An accurate prediction of the magnitude and timing of the flood peak was obtained with the proposed method, in spite of the unusual structure of the rain episode and the complexity of the River Severn system. The findings highlight the importance of estimating boundary condition uncertainty and local rainfall contribution for accurate prediction of river flows and inundation.

  10. Vegetation and erosion: comments on the linking mechanisms from the perspective of the Australian drylands.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dunkerley, D.

    2009-04-01

    of overland flow behaviour. In such analyses, the role of vascular plants has to be seen as one component of the system that also includes organic litter and non-vascular plants. A gap in understanding here relates to splash dislodgement of soil materials. This is known to depend on the depth of water lying above the mineral soil, being reduced for both shallow and deep water layers, and maximised at depths of a few incident drop diameters. Resolving how vegetation modifies surface water depths, and how splash dislodgement responds, across the spectrum of event sizes, remains a significant research challenge. Australian dryland streams exhibit abundant channel-associated vegetation. This exhibits diverse roles, again depending on context. Trees growing in the channel, together with associated barriers formed from floating woody debris, reduce flow speeds. On the other hand, deflector jams can result in locally intensified erosion of the banks. But the mechanisms linking vegetation and erosion are again complex. For instance, by reducing flow speeds and creating backwater effects, debris barriers promote mud deposition over channel margin sediments. This in turn reduces transmission losses, and sustains peak flow and associated sediment transport capacity further downstream than would otherwise be the case. As for hillslope processes, much remains to be learned about how these various processes play out across the spectrum of event magnitudes. Clearly, therefore, in a time of ongoing environmental change, the informed management of the global drylands requires continued research effort of the kind so well championed by John Thornes.

  11. Crims Island-Restoration and monitoring of juvenile salmon rearing habitat in the Columbia River Estuary, Oregon, 2004-10

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haskell, Craig A.; Tiffan, Kenneth F.

    2011-01-01

    -channel' was extended westward and connected to Bradbury Slough to create a second outlet to the main river. New intertidal channels were constructed from the existing 'T-channel' and tidal mudflats became inundated at high tide to increase rearing habitat for juvenile salmonids. The restoration action resulted in a 95-percent increase in available juvenile salmon rearing habitat. We collected juvenile salmon and other fishes at Crims Island and a nearby reference site using beach seines and fyke nets annually from March through August during all years. Benthic invertebrates were collected with sediment corers and drift invertebrates were collected with neuston nets. Juvenile salmon stomach contents were sampled using lavage. Vegetation and sediments characteristics were surveyed and we conducted a topographic/bathymetric survey using a RTK (real time kinematic) GPS (global positioning system). The fish assemblage at Crims Island, composed primarily of threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus), non-native banded killifish (Fundulus diaphanus), peamouth chub (Mylocheilus caurinus), subyearling Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) (hereinafter referred to as subyearlings), and small numbers of juvenile chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta), did not differ appreciably pre- and post-restoration. Subyearlings were the primary salmonid collected and were seasonally abundant from April through May during all years. The abundance of juvenile salmon declined seasonally as water temperature exceeded 20 degrees C in the Reference site by mid-June; however, subyearlings persisted at the Mainstem site and in subtidal channels of the Restoration site through the summer in water temperatures exceeding 22 degrees C. Residence times of subyearlings in Crims Island backwaters generally were short consisting of one or two tidal cycles. Median residence time was longer in the Restoration site than in the Reference site pre- and post-restoration. Small (mean = 55.7 millimeters) subyea

  12. Hydrology, vegetation, and soils of four north Florida River flood plains with an evaluation of state and federal wetland determinations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Light, H.M.; Darst, M.R.; MacLaughlin, M.T.; Sprecher, S.W.

    1993-01-01

    A study of hydrologic conditions, vegetation, and soils was made in wetland forests of four north Florida streams from 1987 to 1990. The study was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation to support State and Federal efforts to improve wetland delineation methodology in flood plains. Plant communities and soils were described and related to topographic position and long-term hydrologic conditions at 10 study plots located on 4 streams. Detailed appendixes give average duration, frequency, and depth of flooding; canopy, subcanopy, and ground-cover vegetation; and taxonomic classification, series, and profile descriptions of soils for each plot. Topographic relief, range in stage, and depth of flooding were greatest on the alluvial flood plain of the Ochlockonee River, the largest of the four streams. Soils were silty in the lower elevations of the flood plain, and tree communities were distinctly different in each topographic zone. The Aucilla River flood plain was dominated by levees and terraces with very few depressions or low backwater areas. Oaks dominated the canopy of both lower and upper terraces of the Aucilla flood plain. Telogia Creek is a blackwater stream that is a major tributary of the Ochlockonee River. Its low, wet flood plain was dominated by Wyssa ogeche (Ogeechee tupelo) trees, had soils with mucky horizons, and was inundated by frequent floods of very short duration. The St. Marks River, a spring-fed stream with high base flow, had the least topographic relief and lowest range in stage of the four streams. St. Marks soils had a higher clay content than the other streams, and limestone bedrock was relatively close to the surface. Wetland determinations of the study plots based on State and Federal regulatory criteria were evaluated. Most State and Federal wetland determinations are based primarily on vegetation and soil characteristics because hydrologic records are usually not

  13. Simulation of Flow, Sediment Transport, and Sediment Mobility of the Lower Coeur d'Alene River, Idaho

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berenbrock, Charles; Tranmer, Andrew W.

    2008-01-01

    dredged sediments removed before the start of simulation. In alternatives 3 and 4, the incoming total sediment discharges from the South Fork of the river were decreased by one-half. Management alternative 3 simulated stage-discharge conditions from 2000, and alternative 4 simulated conditions from 1997. Reducing incoming sediment discharge from the South Fork did not affect the streambed and deposition in the Dudley and downstream reaches, probably because the distance between the South Fork and the Dudley reach is long enough for sediment supply, transport capacity, and channel geometry to be balanced before reaching the Dudley and downstream reaches. Development and calibration of a multi-dimensional hydraulic and bed shear stress model (FASTMECH) allowed simulation of water-surface elevation, depth, velocity, bed shear stress, and sediment mobility in the Dudley reach (5.3 miles). The computational grid incorporated bathymetric and Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) data, with a node spacing of about 2.5 meters. With the exception of the fourth FASTMECH calibration simulation, results from the FASTMECH calibration simulations indicated that flow depths, flow velocities, and bed shear stresses increased as river discharge increased. Water-surface elevations in the fourth calibration simulation were about 2 feet higher than those in the other simulations because high lake levels in Coeur d?Alene Lake caused backwater conditions. Average simulated velocities along the thalweg ranged from about 3 to 5.3 feet per second, and maximum simulated velocities ranged from 3.9 to 7 feet per second. In the dredged reach, average simulated velocity along the thalweg ranged from 3.5 to 6 feet per second. The model also simulated several back-eddies (flow reversal); the largest eddy encompassed about one-third of the river width. Average bed shear stresses increased more than 200 percent from the first to the last simulation. Simulated sediment mobility, asses

  14. Recharge Area, Base-Flow and Quick-Flow Discharge Rates and Ages, and General Water Quality of Big Spring in Carter County, Missouri, 2000-04

    Science.gov (United States)

    Imes, Jeffrey L.; Plummer, Niel; Kleeschulte, Michael J.; Schumacher, John G.

    2007-01-01

    Exploration for lead deposits has occurred in a mature karst area of southeast Missouri that is highly valued for its scenic beauty and recreational opportunities. The area contains the two largest springs in Missouri (Big Spring and Greer Spring), both of which flow into federally designated scenic rivers. Concerns about potential mining effects on the area ground water and aquatic biota prompted an investigation of Big Spring. Water-level measurements made during 2000 helped define the recharge area of Big Spring, Greer Spring, Mammoth Spring, and Boze Mill Spring. The data infer two distinct potentiometric surfaces. The shallow potentiometric surface, where the depth-to-water is less than about 250 feet, tends to mimic topographic features and is strongly controlled by streams. The deep potentiometric surface, where the depth-to-water is greater than about 250 feet represents ground-water hydraulic heads within the more mature karst areas. A highly permeable zone extends about 20 mile west of Big Spring toward the upper Hurricane Creek Basin. Deeper flowing water in the Big Spring recharge area is directed toward this permeable zone. The estimated sizes of the spring recharge areas are 426 square miles for Big Spring, 352 square miles for Greer Spring, 290 square miles for Mammoth Spring, and 54 square miles for Boze Mill Spring. A discharge accumulation curve using Big Spring daily mean discharge data shows no substantial change in the discharge pattern of Big Spring during the period of record (water years 1922 through 2004). The extended periods when the spring flow deviated from the trend line can be attributed to prolonged departures from normal precipitation. The maximum possible instantaneous flow from Big Spring has not been adequately defined because of backwater effects from the Current River during high-flow conditions. Physical constraints within the spring conduit system may restrict its maximum flow. The largest discharge measured at Big Spring

  15. Fluvial geomorphology: where do we go from here?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Derald G.

    1993-07-01

    The evolution of geomorphology and in particular, fluvial geomorphology, is at a crossroads. Currently, the discipline is dismally organized, without focus or direction, and is practised by individualists who rarely collaborate in numbers significant enough to generate major research initiatives. If the discipline is to mature and to prosper, we must make some very difficult decisions that will require major changes in our ways of thinking and operating. Either the field stays in its current operational mode and becomes a backwater science, or it moves forward and adopts the ways of the more competitive sectors of the earth and biosciences. For the discipline to evolve, fluvial geomorphologists must first organize an association within North America or at the international level. The 3rd International Geomorphology Conference may be a start, but within that organization we must develop our own divisional and/or regional organizations. Within the Quaternary geology/geomorphology divisions of the Geological Socieity of America (GSA), Association of American Geographers (AAG), American Geophysical Union (AGU) and British Geomorphology Research Group (BGRG) the voice of fluvial geomorphology is lost in a sea of diverse and competitive interests, though there is reason for hope resulting from some recent initiatives. In Canada, we have no national geomorphology organization per se; our closest organization is Canqua (Canadian Quaternary Association). Next, fluvial researchers must collaborate, by whatever means, to develop "scientific critical mass" in order to generate ideas and long-range goals of modest and major scientific importance. These projects will help secure major research funding without which, research opportunities will diminish and initiating major new research will become nearly impossible. Currently, we are being surpassed by the glaciologists, remote sensors, ecologists, oceanographers, climatologists-atmospheric researchers and some Quaternary

  16. Effects of Hydroelectric Dam Operations on the Restoration Potential of Snake River Fall Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) Spawning Habitat Final Report, October 2005 - September 2007.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hanrahan, Timothy P.; Richmond, Marshall C.; Arntzen, Evan V. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

    2007-11-13

    This report describes research conducted by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory for the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) as part of the Fish and Wildlife Program directed by the Northwest Power and Conservation Council. The study evaluated the restoration potential of Snake River fall Chinook salmon spawning habitat within the impounded lower Snake River. The objective of the research was to determine if hydroelectric dam operations could be modified, within existing system constraints (e.g., minimum to normal pool levels; without partial removal of a dam structure), to increase the amount of available fall Chinook salmon spawning habitat in the lower Snake River. Empirical and modeled physical habitat data were used to compare potential fall Chinook salmon spawning habitat in the Snake River, under current and modified dam operations, with the analogous physical characteristics of an existing fall Chinook salmon spawning area in the Columbia River. The two Snake River study areas included the Ice Harbor Dam tailrace downstream to the Highway 12 bridge and the Lower Granite Dam tailrace downstream approximately 12 river kilometers. These areas represent tailwater habitat (i.e., riverine segments extending from a dam downstream to the backwater influence from the next dam downstream). We used a reference site, indicative of current fall Chinook salmon spawning areas in tailwater habitat, against which to compare the physical characteristics of each study site. The reference site for tailwater habitats was the section extending downstream from the Wanapum Dam tailrace on the Columbia River. Fall Chinook salmon spawning habitat use data, including water depth, velocity, substrate size and channelbed slope, from the Wanapum reference area were used to define spawning habitat suitability based on these variables. Fall Chinook salmon spawning habitat suitability of the Snake River study areas was estimated by applying the Wanapum reference reach habitat

  17. Plantas de la Diáspora Africana en la botánica americana de la fase Colonial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Judith Carney

    2003-12-01

    Full Text Available The revolutionary plant and ecological exchanges that accompanied European maritime expansion after 1492 is now widely appreciated. So, too, is the significance of plants new to Europeans for changing food preferences, cuisines, economies, and commerce over a much broader area of the world. The role of Amerindian maize and manioc in West Africa has received ample attention, as has Asian rice in the region. But the literature on the Columbian Exchange remains remarkably silent on the diffusion of indigenous African plants elsewhere and the means by which they dispersed. To do so, as this paper reveals, requires addressing the Atlantic slave trade in their dissemination as well as the role of enslaved Africans in establishing preferred dietary staples in the Americas. This paper examines the plants of African origin that became central to subsistence and economy in the era of plantation slavery. Three centers of agricultural domestication in sub-Saharan Africa contributed to the diversity of plant resources that sustained millions subsequently swept into transatlantic enslavement. The establishment of these crops in the Americas occurred through the "botanical gardens" of the dispossessed: plantation subsistence fields, dooryard gardens, and in agricultural plots of maroon communities. In drawing attention to the African Diaspora as one of plants as well as people, emphasis is placed on indigenous African knowledge systems. The expression of these knowledge systems in landscapes of bondage reflected prevalent power relations, food preferences, cultural identity, and struggles over the work process. In profiling the African plants established in the Americas, this paper seeks to correct distortion in narratives of the Columbian Exchange, which remains centered on European agency, crops of Amerindian and Asian origin and Africa as a backwater of global plant transfers. The objective is to promote historical recovery of the African role in colonial

  18. Wood Export and Deposition Dynamics in Mountain Watersheds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Senter, Anne Elizabeth

    using decision tree analyses. Digital imagery collected via kite-blimp was mosaicked into a geographic information system and all resolvable wood pieces greater then 2.5 cm in one dimension were delineated and categorized into piece count density classes. Visual imagery was also key in identifying two river corridor terrains: bedrock outcrops and cobble-boulder-vegetation patches. A conceptual model framed an investigation into how topographic variability and structural elements might influence observed wood deposition dynamics. Forage ratio test results that quantified wood piece utilization versus interval availability revealed that high-density wood deposition patterns were most significantly co-located with five discrete bedrock outcrops that dominated small portions of the river corridor in high flow conditions. Topographic variations and cobble-boulder-vegetation patches were found to be subordinate factors in wood deposition patterns. Bedrock outcrops with specific structural components were the primary depositional environments that acted as floodplain extents for coarse wood deposition, with mechanisms such as topographic steering, eddying, trapping, stranding, backwater effects, and lateral roughness features inferred to be responsible for observed wood deposition patterns.

  19. Tracing nutrient sources in the Mississippi River Basin, U.S.A

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kendall, C.; Silva, S.R.; Chang, C.C.Y.; Wankel, S.D.; Hooper, R.P.; Frey, J.W.; Crain, A.S.; Delong, M.D.

    2003-01-01

    Full text: Periodic hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico near the mouth of the Mississippi River is of increasing concern. The condition is thought to be primarily the result of nitrate delivered to the Gulf by the Mississippi River. However, as much as half of the nitrogen transported by large rivers to coastal areas is in dissolved or particulate organic form, with the remainder primarily as nitrate. Nitrate is thought to be conservatively transported in the Mississippi and other large rivers, but reduction can occur in marshy pools and backwater channels. Thus, it is important to examine all forms of nitrogen and their potential transformations, in both in groundwater and in riverine environments. To provide critically needed information for the development of management strategies to reduce N loads and enhance N attenuation mechanisms, we have been using isotopic techniques to investigate the sources and cycling of nutrients at a number of sites in the Mississippi Basin (which includes the Ohio and Missouri River Basins) since 1996, in collaboration with several national monitoring programs. One of our most noteworthy finding was that about half of the POM in the Mississippi (and other big rivers in the USA) is composed of plankton and/or heterotrophic bacteria. This suggests that in-situ productivity may be a significant source of bioavailable organic matter contributing to the hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico. Monthly samples from 19 river sites in the Basin sampled over 5 years showed that δ 15 N and δ 13 C were quite useful in discriminating among four major categories of POM: terrestrial soil, fresh terrestrial vegetation, aquatic macrophytes, and plankton/bacteria. The δ 13 C values for the sites ranged from about -35 to -20 per mille, and the δ 15 N values ranged from about -15 to +15 per mille. The isotopic data, along with ancillary chemical and hydrologic measurements, were also useful for documenting seasonal changes in in-situ processes. A pilot study in

  20. Risk-based consequences of extreme natural hazard processes in mountain regions - Multi-hazard analysis in Tyrol (Austria)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huttenlau, Matthias; Stötter, Johann

    2010-05-01

    incorporated with additional GIS and statistic data to a comprehensive property-by-property geodatabase of the existing elements and values. This stock of elements and values geodatabase is furthermore the consistent basis for all natural hazard analyses and enables the comparison of the results. The study follows the general accepted moduls (i) hazard analysis, (ii) exposition analysis, and (iii) consequence analysis, whereas the exposition analysis estimates the elements at risk with their corresponding damage potentials and the consequence analysis estimates the PMLs. This multi-hazard analysis focuses on process types with a high to extreme potential of negative consequences on a regional scale. In this context, (i) floodings, (ii) rockslides with the potential of corresponding consequence effects (backwater ponding and outburst flood), (iii) earthquakes, (iv) hail events, and (v) winter storms were considered as hazard processes. Based on general hazard analyses (hazard maps) concrete scenarios and their spatial affectedness were determined. For the different hazard processes, different vulnerability approaches were considered to demonstrate their sensitivity and implication on the results. Thus, no absolute values of losses but probable loss ranges were estimated. It can be shown, that the most serious amount of losses would arise from extreme earthquake events with loss burdens up to more than € 7 bn. solely on buildings and inventory. Possible extreme flood events could lead to losses between € 2 and 2.5 bn., whereas a severe hail swath which affects the central Inn valley could result in losses of ca. € 455 mill. (thereof € 285 mill. on vehicles). The potential most serious rockslide with additional consequence effects would result in losses up to ca. € 185 mill. and extreme winter storms can induce losses between € 100 mill. and 150 mill..

  1. New health and environmental risks in water for a new centry Nuevo siglo, nuevos riesgos sanitarios y ambientales en el agua

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rafael J. García-Villanova Ruiz

    2003-12-01

    intoxication, many of them with skin, lung and bladder cancers.Coastal and continental water eutrophycation is a broadly generalized phenomenon, which affects Spain too. There is a recent concern about it because toxigenic algal blooms are more and more frequent. There is an estimation that half of them have produced neuro or hepatotoxins in dams and backwaters. The surface accumulation of some species of blue-green algae with crusts or foams by the shore is been known as a cause for lethal intoxication of cattle. More frequently can be found human episodes with eyes irritation, rashes, vomiting, dyarrhea, fever and muscular and articulation pain in individuals after drinking or bathing in waters with foams from algae. The new spanish regulation stablishes a control for microcystine, with a limit of 1 μg/l.Waste waters may hold up to 100 especies of human pathogenic viruses. They usually cross through sewage treatment plants and survive in the water bodies for large periods, thus reaching the drinking water plants were they are not affected by the chlorine. However, only for a few there is evidence of transmission through water, as with the case of the Hepatitis A and E viruses. On the other hand, currently viral gastroenteritis is the second cause of infectious disease in developed countries. The agents are considered to be Rotavirus and Norovirus (Norwalk-like viruses with a hydric transmission.For years, Cryptosporidium has been considered an animal parasite, especially of cattle. In 1976 it was first recognized as a human pathogen, but not until 1983 it was documented the first epidemic transmitted by the water. In 1993 a big epidemic was declared at Milwaukee (Wisconsin with some 400.000 affected, after ingestion of water from a distribution system which showed to comply with all the legal standards. In inmunosuppressed patients, the infection is severe and with a high rate of death among those affected by SIDA. Conventional chlorination does not affect the oocyst

  2. BOOK REVIEW Cracking the Einstein Code: Relativity and the Birth of Black Hole Physics With an Afterword by Roy Kerr Cracking the Einstein Code: Relativity and the Birth of Black Hole Physics With an Afterword by Roy Kerr

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carr, Bernard

    2011-02-01

    General relativity is arguably the most beautiful scientific theory ever conceived but its status within mainstream physics has vacillated since it was proposed in 1915. It began auspiciously with the successful explanation of the precession of Mercury and the dramatic confirmation of light-bending in the 1919 solar eclipse expedition, which turned Einstein into an overnight celebrity. Though little noticed at the time, there was also Karl Schwarzschild's discovery of the spherically symmetric solution in 1916 (later used to predict the existence of black holes) and Alexander Friedmann's discovery of the cosmological solution in 1922 (later confirmed by the discovery of the cosmic expansion). Then for 40 years the theory was more or less forgotten, partly because most physicists were turning their attention to the even more radical developments of quantum theory but also because the equations were too complicated to solve except in situations involving special symmetries or very weak gravitational fields (where general relativity is very similar to Newtonian theory). Furthermore, it was not clear that strong gravitational fields would ever arise in the real universe and, even if they did, it seemed unlikely that Einstein's equations could then be solved. So research in relativity became a quiet backwater as mainstream physics swept forward in other directions. Even Einstein lost interest, turning his attention to the search for a unified field theory. This book tells the remarkable story of how the tide changed in 1963, when the 28-year-old New Zealand mathematician Roy Kerr discovered an exact solution of Einstein's equations which represents a rotating black hole, thereby cracking the code of the title. The paper was just a few pages long, it being left for others to fill in the extensive beautiful mathematics which underlay the result, but it ushered in a golden age of relativity and is now one of the most cited works in physics. Coincidentally, Kerr