The concentration of chemical oxygen demand (COD), a common proxy for dissolved organic matter (DOM), was measured at seven drinking-water reservoirs and four streams between 1969 and 2006. Nine of them showed significant DOM increases (median COD change +0.08 mg L−1 yr−1). Several potential drivers of these trends were considered, including air temperature, rainfall, land-use and water sulfate concentration. Temperature and precipitation influenced inter-annual variations, but not long-term trends. The long-term DOM increase was significantly associated with declines of acidic deposition, especially sulfur deposition. Surface water sulfate concentrations decreased from a median of 62 mg L−1–27 mg L−1 since 1980. The magnitude of DOM increase was positively correlated with average DOM concentration (R2 = 0.79, p < 0.001). Simultaneously, DOM concentration was positively correlated with the proportion of Histosols within the catchments (R2 = 0.79, p < 0.001). A focus on the direct removal of DOM by water treatment procedures rather than catchment remediation is needed. Rising DOM levels in surface waters are due to changes in soil chemistry caused by a reduction of acidic deposition.

The kinetics of uptake and the effect of body size on uranium (U) bioaccumulation and toxicity to Hyalella azteca exposed to water-only U concentrations in soft water were evaluated. The effect of body size on U bioaccumulation was significant with a slope of -0.35 between log body concentration and log body mass. A saturation kinetic model was satisfactory to describe the uptake rate, elimination rate and the effect of gut-clearance on size-corrected U bioaccumulation in H. azteca. The one-week lethal water concentrations causing 50% mortality for juvenile and adult H. azteca were 1100 and 4000 nmol U/L, respectively. The one-week lethal body concentration causing 50% mortality was 140 nmol U/g for juvenile H. azteca and 220 nmol U/g for adult H. azteca. One-week bioaccumulation studies that properly account for body-size and gut-clearance times can provide valuable data on U bioavailability and toxicity in the environment. Uranium accumulation by Hyalella azteca approaches steady state after one week but is strongly dependent on body size.

Effects of chronic application of a mixture of the herbicide atrazine and the insecticide lindane were studied in indoor freshwater plankton-dominated microcosms. The macroinvertebrate community was seriously affected at all but the lowest treatment levels, the zooplankton community at the three highest treatment levels, with crustaceans, caddisflies and dipterans being the most sensitive groups. Increased abundance of the phytoplankton taxa Cyclotella sp. was found at the highest treatment level. Threshold levels for lindane, both at population and community level, corresponded well with those reported in the literature. Atrazine produced fewer effects than expected, probably due to decreased grazer stress on the algae as a result of the lindane application. The safety factors set by the Uniform Principles for individual compounds were also found to ensure protection against chronic exposure to a mixture of a herbicide and insecticide at community level, though not always at the population level. Effects of chronic application of a herbicide-insecticide mixture were studied in indoor freshwater plankton-dominated microcosms. Effects could well be explained by the effects of the individual chemicals alone, no synergetic effects were reported.

The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was calibrated for hydrology conditions in an agricultural watershed of Orestimba Creek, California, and applied to simulate fate and transport of two organophosphate pesticides chlorpyrifos and diazinon. The model showed capability in evaluating pesticide fate and transport processes in agricultural fields and instream network. Management-oriented sensitivity analysis was conducted by applied stochastic SWAT simulations for pesticide distribution. Results of sensitivity analysis identified the governing processes in pesticide outputs as surface runoff, soil erosion, and sedimentation in the study area. By incorporating sensitive parameters in pesticide transport simulation, effects of structural best management practices (BMPs) in improving surface water quality were demonstrated by SWAT modeling. This study also recommends conservation practices designed to reduce field yield and in-stream transport capacity of sediment, such as filter strip, grassed waterway, crop residue management, and tailwater pond to be implemented in the Orestimba Creek watershed. Selected structural BMPs are recommended for reducing loads of OP pesticides.

International audience | The European Water Framework Directive requires the monitoring of priority pollutants entering surface waters. This includes notably stormwater network. In this study, the contribution of discharges from washes stations to pollution of stormwater network was investigated. Six washes stations discharging wastewater into the stormwater network were selected: (i) one trucks wash station, (ii) two self-service stations for cars and motorcycles, (iii) two bus wash stations, (iv) one subway wash station. Classical parameters (conductivity, pH, turbidity, chemical oxygen demand, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, suspended solid) and organic pollutants (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, Total Hydrocarbons and Methylterbutylether) were2 checked and measured. Concentrations were compared with limit values from Greater Toulouse decontamination service regulations for the discharge licenses of carwashes, and under article 32 of the French decree for discharges into the natural environment (Decree February 2nd 29 , 1998) and with the proposal directive from the European Parliament and the Council, dealing with environmental quality standards (European Commission, 2006). The result showed a decrease of pollution downstream of the pre- treatments for subway washes stations but not for bus washes stations. According to the directives, the pre- treatment processes were not sufficient to justify a discharge into the stormwater network.

Storm water detention devices collect runoff from impermeable catchments. They provide flow attenuation as well as storage capacity, and rely on natural self-purification processes such as sedimentation, filtration and microbial degradation. The aim was to assess the performance of an experimental combined planted gravel filter, storm water detention and infiltration tank system treating runoff from a car park and its access road. Flows were modeled with the US EPA Storm Water Management Model. An overall water balance of the system was compiled, demonstrating that 50% of the rainfall volume escaped the system as evaporation, whereas, of the remaining 50%, approximately two thirds were infiltrated and one third was discharged into the sewer system. These findings illustrated the importance of evaporation in source control, and showed that infiltration can be applied successfully even on man-made urban soils with low permeability. The assessment of the system's hydrological efficiency indicated mean lag times of 1.84 and 10.6 h for the gravel filter and the entire system, respectively. Mean flow volume reductions of 70% and mean peak flow reductions of 90% were achieved compared to conventional drainage. The assessment of the pollutant removal efficiency resulted in promising removal efficiencies for biochemical oxygen demand (77%), suspended solids (83%), nitrate-nitrogen (32%) and ortho-phosphate-phosphorus (47%). The most important removal processes were identified as biological degradation (predominantly within the gravel ditch), sedimentation and infiltration.

Impairment of water quality is a major concern for streams and rivers in the central USA. Total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) establish a watershed framework and set management targets to alleviate pollution from both point and nonpoint sources. For this study, we have used a hydrologic modeling approach to holistically examine the effect of land use management, urban development, and agricultural practices on sediment and nutrient loadings in an agricultural watershed. Annualized Agricultural Nonpoint Source (AnnAGNPS) simulation indicates that while point source dischargers contribute 8% of total nitrogen (TN) and 24% of total phosphorus (TP) loadings to the Marmaton River, agricultural nonpoint sources are the leading pollution source contributing 55% of TN and 49% of TP loading. Based on TMDL analysis and model simulation, 3% of the watershed area (3,244 ha) needs to be targeted to control TN loading whereas 1% of the total area (1,319 ha) is required for TP reduction management. Managing the TN areas alone can achieve a 57% reduction in the TP load required for the TMDL, whereas managing the targeted TP areas can only provide 30% of the required TN reduction. Areas required both TN and TP management comprise 469 ha. Targeting these areas can achieve approximately 22% of the required TN reduction and 29% of the required TP reduction. Overall, 4,094 ha will require management to achieve water quality goals. This study demonstrates that a modeling approach is needed to effectively address TMDL issues and help identify targeted areas for management.

Lura stream flows in the populated and industrialized conurbation North of Milan, Italy. The area suffers a sprawling urbanization which is leading to major alterations in water quality, hydrology and morphology of streams. These water bodies are known as effluent-dominated streams, because most of the baseflow is given by Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) discharges. In this paper, a 5 year long assessment of Lura stream is presented and the collected data is discussed to understand overall ecological quality. Multivariate analysis carried out on macroinvertebrate assemblages and environmental variables suggests that invertebrate communities suffer severe alteration both upstream and downstream WWTP discharges. Results indicate that the high polluting loads coming from WWTP discharges affect seriously the stream water quality, but the most important cause of impairment are pulse perturbations related to the modified hydrology, causing droughts and flash floods, and to the spills of untreated sewage from overflows during rain events.

The Laucala Bay coastal system was investigated from 2003 to 2005 to evaluate the changes in water quality (nutrients) after improvements in sewage effluent quality from Kinoya sewage treatment plant (KSTP), whose output is discharged into the bay. The oxidized nitrogen (NO x -N) values averaged 1.31 µM, but varied from 0.76 to 3.77 µM, and the filterable reactive phosphate or orthophosphate (FRP) averaged 0.77 µM, ranging from 0.24 to 2.37 µM. The mean concentrations of NO x -N and FRP, respectively, were two and ten times higher than concentrations found in unpolluted sites in Fiji. Based on these values and NH₃ concentrations from parallel studies, Redfield ratio estimates suggest that primary productivity of the bay is N limited. No significant decrease in concentration of both NO x -N and FRP was found in Laucala Bay waters during the present investigation compared to concentrations found in two previous studies. This indicates that KSTP effluent may be only a minor source of nutrients into the bay, and to protect the Laucala Bay ecosystem from increasing nutrient pollution, there is a need to control nutrient input from other major point and nonpoint sources.

The recurrence of reports citing water quality impairments in watersheds is evidence that tools are needed to identify pollution sources and facilitate restoration efforts such as implementing total maximum daily limits (TMDLs) or best management practices (BMPs). Fecal bacteria in surface waters are one of the most commonly cited impairments to water quality. This study evaluated microbial source tracking (MST), specifically multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) analysis, as a management tool to differentiate nonpoint source pollution into source groups. A library containing Escherichia coli (E. coli, EC) and fecal streptococci (FS) isolates from poultry (EC n = 282, FS n = 650), human (EC n = 152, FS n = 240), wildlife (EC n = 17, FS n = 43), horse (EC n = 79, FS n = 82), dairy cattle (EC n = 38, FS n = 42), and beef cattle (EC n = 49, FS n = 46) sources was created. The MAR analysis was conducted on the isolates using a profile of seven antibiotics. The antibiotic signatures of unknown source isolates from Elkhorn and Hickman Creek watersheds were evaluated against the library to determine the contributions of potential fecal inputs from the respective sources. Correct classification was >60% when analyzed at the human and non-human-level of classification. On a watershed basis, both watersheds produced similar results; inputs from non-human sources were the greatest contributors to nonpoint source pollution. The results from the multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) analysis revealed that the information produced, coupled with knowledge of the watershed and its associated land uses, would be helpful in allocating resources to remediate impaired water quality in such watersheds.