[Development characteristics of aquatic plants in a constructed wetland for treating urban drinking water source at its initial operation stage].

The development characteristics and improvement measures of aquatic plants were studied in Shijiuyang Constructed Wetland (SCW) at its initial operation stage. SCW was a large-scale wetland aiming to help relieve the source water pollution in Jiaxing City. A checklist of vascular plants in SCW was built, and species composition, life forms, biomass and association distributions were examined. Our objectives were to examine the diversity and community structure of aquatic plants in SCW at its initial operation stage, and to find out the possible hydrophyte improvement measures. The survey results showed that there were 49 vascular plant species belonging to 41 genera, 25 families in SCW, which greatly exceeded the artificially transplanted 13 species. The life forms of present aquatic plants in SCW were dominated by hygrophilous plants (20 species) and emerged plants (17 species), which accounted for 75.5% of the total number of aquatic plants. The aquatic plants transplanted artificially were dominated by emerged plants (accounted for 69.2%), while those naturally developed were predominated by hygrophilous plants (accounted for 47.2%). The horizontal distribution of aquatic plant community in SCW was mixed in the form of mosaics, which made up typical association complex. Except association Aeschynomene indica L., the dominant species of other associations were all those transplanted artificially. The naturally grown species scattered throughout the SCW and only occupied a small percentage. A marked difference was detected on the species and species richness of aquatic plants in different regions of SCW. Biomass of aquatic plant associations in SCW was 167.7 t. SCW has shown a trend of succession heading for quick increase of plant diversity at the primary operation stage. This trend provides a good material base for the future stable community of aquatic plants in SCW. According to the current status of aquatic plants, some suggestions were put forward on the further optimization and utilization of aquatic plant systems in SCW.

[Diversity of plant in Jiaxing Shijiuyang ecological wetland for drinking water during operation].

The Shijiuyang ecological wetland for drinking water of Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province is one of the biggest constructed wetlands for water resource protection in China. To ensure a deep understanding of the present status of the wetland vegetation of Shijiuyang ecological wetland which has been run for 2.5 years and provide support for the vegetation management of ecological wetland, systematic investigation was carried out by using plot method and quadrat method in October to November, 2010. The species composition, dynamics of plant diversity and the biomass production during operation were analyzed. Altogether 70 species belonging to 28 families and 62 genera were recorded. Among them, there were 26 wetland plants, 20 mesophytes, 14 emergent, 4 submerged, 6 floating ones. Compared with the preliminary stage, the species numbers of wetland plants increased significantly from 15 species to 70 species. The spatial pattern of riparian species diversity was examined by adopting the Simpson index and Shannon-Wiener index as species diversity indices. The results showed that the riparian species diversity was higher in the west of the Beijiaohe river (Simpson index = 0.468 3, Shannon-Wiener index = 0.835 2) than that in the south of the Dongsheng Road (Simpson index = 0.357 6, Shannon-Wiener index = 0.660 4). The analyses of quantitative characteristics of wetland vegetation showed that the plants in the root-channel purification zone in the south of the Dongsheng Road grew better than those in the west of the Beijiaohe river. With regard to the riparian vegetation, the riparian plants in the west of the Beijiaohe river were more abundant. The mean biomass production (dry weight) in the root-channel purification zone was 1.73 kg x m(-2) and the total area was 9.12 x 10(4) m2, so the total biomass production was estimated to be 157.8 t. In the same way, the mean riparian vegetation biomass production(dry weight) was 0.83 kg x m(-2) and the total vegetation area was 3.75 x 10(4) m2, so the total riparian vegetation biomass production(dry weight) was estimated as 31.1 t.

[Research on spatial differentiation of urban stormwater runoff quality by source area monitoring].

Runoff samples were collected from 14 source areas in Hanyang district during four rain events in an attempt to investigate the spatial differentiation and influencing factors of urban stormwater runoff quality. The outcomes are expected to offer practical guidance in sources control of urban runoff pollution. The results revealed that particle-bound proportion of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) in stormwater runoff were 58% +/- 17%, 65% +/- 13% and 92% +/- 6%, respectively. The fractions of ammonia, nitrate and dissolved organic nitrogen were homogeneous in dissolved nitrogen composition. Urban surface function, traffic volume, land use, population density, and street sweeping practice are the main factors determining spatial differentiation of urban surface runoff quality. The highest magnitude of urban stormwater runoff pollution was expected in the old urban residential area, followed by general residential with restaurants, commercial and transport area, new developments and green land. In addition, the magnitude of road stormwater runoff pollution is positively correlated to traffic volume, in the following order: the first trunk road > the second trunk road > minor road. Street sweeping and critical source areas controls should be implemented to mitigate the adverse effects of urban stormwater runoff on receive waters.

[Transport and sources of runoff pollution from urban area with combined sewer system].

Sampling and monitoring of runoff and sewage water in Wuhan urban area with combined sewer system were carried out during the period from 2003 to 2006, to study the transport and sources of runoff pollution at the catchment scale coupled with environmental geochemistry method. The results showed a change in quality between the runoff entering the sewer network and the combined storm water flow at the sewer's outlet. A significant increase was observed in the concentrations of total suspended solids (TSS), volatile suspended solids (VSS), COD, TN, and TP, and in the proportion of COD linked to particles. During the runoff production and transport, the concentrations of TSS and COD increased from 18.7 mg/L and 37.0 mg/L in roof runoff, to 225.3 mg/L and 176.5 mg/L in street runoff, and to 449.7 mg/L and 359.9 mg/L in combined storm water flow, respectively. The proportion of COD linked to particles was increased by 18%. In addition, the total phosphorus (P) and iron (Fe) contents in urban ground dust, storm drain sediment, sewage sewer sediment and combined sewer sediment were measured to identify the potential sources of suspended solids in the combined flow. The urban ground dust andstorm drain sediment wererich in Fe, whereas the sewage sewer sediment was rich in P. The P/Fe ratios in these groups were significantly distinct and able to differentiate them. A calculation of the two storm events based on the P/Fe rations showed that 56% +/- 26% of suspended solids in combined flow came from urban ground and storm drain. The rest wer e originated from the sewage sewer sediments which deposited in combined sewer on the dry weather days and were eroded on the wet weather days. The combined sewer network not only acts as a transport system, but also constitutes a physicochemical reactor that degrades the quality of urban water. Reducing the in-sewer pollution stocks would effectively control urban runoff pollution.

[Comparison of nitrogen loss via surface runoff from two agricultural catchments in semi-arid North China].

Nitrogen loss characteristics via surface runoff from two typical agricultural catchments into Yuqiao Reservoir--the important drinking water source area for Tianjin city in semi-arid North China were investigated through two-year in-situ monitoring and indoor chemical analysis. The results showed that annual nitrogen export mainly concentrated in the rainy period between June to September. About 41% of the annual water output and 52% of the annual total nitrogen output took place in two rainfall events with rainfall> 60 mm in Taohuasi catchment (T catchment), while the distribution of water and nitrogen export among various rainfalls in Caogezhuang catchment (C catchment) was smooth. The rainfall thresholds for the appearance of water and nitrogen export from the outlet of T catchment and C catchment were 20 mm and 10 mm. The mean annual runoff coefficients of C and T catchments were 0.013 2 and 0.001 6, respectively. The mean annual total nitrogen exports from C catchment and T catchment were 1.048 kg x (hm2 x a)(-1) and 0.158 kg x (hm2 x a)(-1) respectively. The difference of micro-topography, landscape pattern and hydrological pathway between two catchments could explain the nitrogen export gap. Micro-topographical features created by long-term anthropological disturbance decrease the runoff generation ability. The distance between nitrogen source area and the outlet in T catchment was around 1 500 m, while such distance in C catchment was just around 200 m. The short distance added the nitrogen export risk via surface runoff. Road-type hydrological pathway in C catchment could transfer nitrogen into the receiving water via surface runoff directly, while nitrogen could be detained within the pathway by many sink structures such as small stones, vegetated buffer strip and dry ponds in T catchment.

Two alternative modes for diffuse pollution control in Wuhan City Zoo.

Pollution in urban zoos arises from diffuse and small point sources. However, its control has received little attention in past decades. Online and offline modes of ecological engineering technology were designed to control pollution from small point and diffuse sources in Wuhan City Zoo, China. Their characteristics and performances were investigated in sixteen runoff events from 2003 to 2005. The results showed that the two modes both improved runoff water quality and had high retention rates for water and pollutants. In the outflows, the event mean concentrations (EMCs) of total suspended solids (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) were reduced by 88%, 59%, 46% and 71% for the online mode, and those were 77%, 42%, 50% and 66% for the offline mode. The annual retention rates of pollutant loads for the online mode were 94.9%-98.5% in the three study years; those for the offline mode were 70.5%-86.4%. Based on calculation, the online mode was able to store the runoff of 66.7 mm rainfall completely, and the offline mode could store that of 31.3 mm rainfall. In addition, the online mode can provide an effective way for rainwater utilization and good habitats for aquatic wildlives, and has an excellent aesthetics value for recreationsal pastimes. The offline mode can save land resources and may be an effective and economical measure for diffuse pollution control in urban areas.

First flush of storm runoff pollution from an urban catchment in China.

Storm runoff pollution process was investigated in an urban catchment with an area of 1.3 km2 in Wuhan City of China. The results indicate that the pollutant concentration peaks preceded the flow peaks in all of 8 monitored storm events. The intervals between pollution peak and flow peak were shorter in the rain events with higher intensity in the initial period than those with lower intensity. The fractions of pollution load transported by the first 30% of runoff volume (FF30) were 52.2%-72.1% for total suspended solids (TSS), 53.0%-65.3% for chemical oxygen demand (COD), 40.4%-50.6% for total nitrogen (TN), and 45.8%-63.2% for total phosphorus (TP), respectively. Runoff pollution was positively related to non-raining days before the rainfall. Intercepting the first 30% of runoff volume can remove 62.4% of TSS load, 59.4% of COD load, 46.8% of TN load, and 54.1% of TP load, respectively, according to all the storm events. It is suggested that controlling the first flush is a critical measure in reduction of urban stormwater pollution.

Pollutant loads of surface runoff in Wuhan City Zoo, an urban tourist area.

The pollutant loads of surface runoff in an urban tourist area have been investigated for two years in the Wuhan City Zoo, China. Eight sampling sites, including two woodlands, three animal yards, two roofs and one road, were selected for sampling and study. The results indicate that pollutants ranked in a predictable order of decreasing load (e.g. animal yard > roof > woodland > road), with animal yards acting as the key pollution source in the zoo. Pollutants were transported mainly by particulate form in runoff. Particulate nitrogen and particulate phosphorous accounted on average for 61%, 78% of total pollutant, respectively, over 13 monitored rainfall events. These results indicate the treatment practices should be implemented to improve particulate nutrient removal. Analysis of the M(V) curve indicate that no first flush effect existed in the surface runoff from pervious areas (e.g. woodland, animal ground yard), whereas a first flush effect was evident in runoff from impervious surfaces (e.g. animal cement yard, roof, road).

[Off-line control of runoff pollution by filtering ditch-pond system in urban tourist areas].

An off-line filtering ditch-pond system for controlling storm runoff pollution in urban tourist areas was developed, which could retain the first flush effectively, resulting in the decrease of pollutant concentration and suspended solid average grain size, and the improvement of pollutant retention in runoff. This system could be an effective treatment system for storm runoff pollution, particularly for the scarcity of available land use in urban areas. In 2005, the yearly retention rates of TSS, COD, TN and TP were 86.4%, 85.5%, 83.9% and 82.9%, and during a storm event on June 26, the retention rates of runoff volume, TSS, COD, TN and TP were 67.9%, 97.0%, 89.2%, 94.9% and 96.2%, respectively. This system could also retain most of the suspended solids in runoff.

[Simulation research on removal efficiency of P-pollutants by several substrates in stormwater].

9 kinds of substrate materials (gravel, aluminite stone, sands, soil, zeolite, ceramic granule, limestone, steel slag and vermiculite) were selected to examine the phosphorus adsorption and removal capacities from runoff by adsorption, captive test and dynamic adsorption experiments. The results showed that these substrate materials had higher removal efficiency for PO4(3-) than those of other phosphorus forms. The adsorption characteristics of the substrates could be described by both Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption isotherms. The equilibrium adsorption capacity of these substrates was in the following order: zeolite, soil and vermiculite > ceramic granule, steel slag and limestone > gravel, sands and aluminite stone. The dynamic adsorption capacity was zeolite, soil, limeramic granule, limestone > steel slag, gravel and sands > ceramic granule and vermiculite. In the meanwhile, the releasing phenomena of phosphorus also could be observed in the captive and dynamic test, particularly for vermiculite, ceramic granule and steel slag. In the dynamic adsorption experiment, the removal efficiency of P-pollutants was ranged from 30% to 87% for the substrate materials except vermiculite, ceramic granule and steel slag. The results suggest that zeolite, limestone and soil are appropriate substrates for removing P-pollutants from stormwater.

[Effect of antecedent dry weather period on urban storm runoff pollution load].

Twelve storm events were surveyed at Shilipu catchment in Wuhan City through three-year monitoring regime. The flow discharges, total suspended solids (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) in runoff were measured to study the mechanism of urban stormwater runoff pollution. The relationship between the event pollution load and the antecedent dry weather period was identified to discuss the influence of the urban surface sanitation management, operation of sewer pipe maintenance and rainfall characteristics on the urban stormwater runoff pollution. It was found that the antecedent dry weather period and runoff amount were the important determining factors in the generation of urban stormwater runoff pollution. The event pollution load was positively correlated to the antecedent dry weather period between two rainfall events (R2 = 0.95, p < 0.01). It was the most important hydrological factor influencing the events pollution loads. The best regression equation to estimate pollution load for storm events was developed based on the antecedent dry weather period and runoff depth. Source control including improving urban street sweeping activities and operation of sewer pipe maintenance should be made to reduce the amount of available pollutant over the dry days. It is important alternative to control urban stormwater runoff pollution for Hanyang District.

Phosphorus sorption capacities in a headstream landscape--the pond chain structure.

Abstract: Understanding phosphorus sorption phenomena in different wetland sediments is important in controlling the P output in headstream watersheds. The pond chain structure (PCS) is widespread in the headstream agricultural watersheds in the southeast of China. Phosphorus sorption characteristics were determined for pond surface sediments (0--12 cm) along a pond chain structure in Liuchahe watershed of Chaohu Lake. Results showed that P sorption capacities (expressed by P sorption index (PSI)) varied both with the landscape position of the ponds and sediment depth. From foothill ponds to riverside ponds the P sorption capacities indicated a significant gradient variability. The higher elevation ponds showed greater sorption capacities, and with the pond elevation decline, P sorption capacities gradually decreased. Some physico-chemical properties, such as pH, oxalate-extractable Fe (Fe,o), organic matter (TOC) and Mehlich I-extractable Ca, Mg of pond sediments also indicated significant gradient variability from high elevation ponds to low elevation ponds. Feox was the sediment parameters most highly positively correlated with PSI and was the key factor in controlling P sorption capacity in the pond chain structure (r=0.92, p<0.001). Long-term hydrologic and sediment inputs can affect the distribution of sediment constituents and further affect the P sorption capacity. Making the best of the spatial difference of sorption capacities of ponds in watersheds to control nonpoint source P pollutant is necessary.

[Phosphorus sorption capacities of the pond sediments in a headstream agricultural watershed].

The land uses in watersheds have important influence on the sediments of lakes and wetlands. Field and laboratory experiments were conducted to research the phosphorus adsorption by the pond sediments in the pond system in a headstream watershed. Being scattered in different ambient land uses and receiving soil particles from various sources, the pond system provides an excellent research example for the phosphorus sorption characteristics. It was found that the pond sediments had strong phosphorus sorption capacities. The phosphorus adsorption maximum (Smax) ranged from 228 to 974 mg x kg(-1), equilibrium phosphorus concentration (EPC0) ranged from 0.004 to 0.032mg L(-1). The mean degree of phosphorus saturation (DPS) of the pond sediments was only 9.5%. The situation of the ponds can influence the physico-chemical properties of sediments and their sorption characteristics. For Smax, Hill pond >Nonirrigation pond> Rice pond> River pond> Village pond. On the contrary, for EPC0, Hill pond< Nonirrigation pond< Rice pond < River pond < Village pond. The phosphorus adsorption maximum (Smax) was significantly correlated ly correlated with the KCl-extractable phosphorus (KCl-P, r2 = 0.83, p < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis shows that Fe(ox) and KCl-P are the key factors, which can influence phosphorus sorption of the pond sediments.

Phosphorus removal by the multipond system sediments receiving agricultural drainage in a headstream watershed.

Wetland systems in headstream watersheds are important to control the nonpoint source pollutant phosphorus. Experiments were conducted using intact sediment-water columns obtained from the multipond system in Liuchahe watershed of Chaohu Lake to determine its capacity to retain P. It was found that pond sediments had strong P retention ability. For the Hill pond, Village pond and Rice pond, their retention coefficient(A) were 288.3, 279.2 and 260.8 L/m2, respectively. The equilibrium P concentration (EPCw) were 0.016, 0.028 and 0.018 mg/L, respectively. The Hill pond indicated the highest P retention ability. P retained in the pond sediments indicated high stable degree. P removal from the overlying water column into the pond sediments followed a first-order kinetic model. Under the experimental hydrological conditions, the retention time had a positive correlation with the P loading. The multipond system could provide enough retention time to retain P in drainage runoffs. At the P levels evaluated, the sediments of the multipond system are effective sinks to retain P from nonpoint source runoffs.

Designing principles of an ecological water storage basin on coastal saline: a case study.

The degradation of water source environment becomes serious problems accompanying with rapid urbanization in China. Ecological engineering provides ecologically sound and cost-effective solution to solving this problem. As a case study, a 15 hm2 ecological water storage basin for a water plant was designed and constructed on the TEDA area in Tianjin City. Located on saline, the construction of this project has to face serious difficulties, such as high salinity, scarce seed banks of macrophytes, and strong winds. Freshwater replacement, soil amendation and macrophytes planting at the basinshore, wooden water breaker and plastic membrane installation and other measures were conducted for the assistance of plant community establishment. The result showed that the chloride concentration in the basin water decreased from 11600 mg/L to less than 100 mg/L, and the chloride content in the basin sediment decreased from 2.1 % to 0.35% after freshwater soaking. The introduced macrophytes of 8 species all survived and 11 other macrophytes species were occurred in the basin. A new ecosystem was created with increased biological diversity in the original saline, and the water quality was improved. This ecological water storage basin also provided a pleasing landscape for local people.

Streamwater chemistry and flow dynamics along vegetation-soil gradient in a subalpine Abies fabri forest watershed, China.

Streamwater chemistry and spatial flow dynamics from a subalpine Abies fabri forest in an experimental watershed located in the east slope of Gongga Mountain were analyzed to gain insights into the gradient effect of primary community succession on the stream biogeochemical process. Results showed that high sand content (exceeding 80%) and porosity in the soil(exceeding 20% in A horizon and 35% in B horizon), as well as a thick humus layer on the soil surface, made the water exchange quickly in the Huangbengliu (HBL) watershed. Consequently, no surface runoff was observed, and the stream discharge changed rapidly with the daily precipitation. The flow trends of base ions in the stream water were influenced by the Abies fabri succession gradient. Ca2+ , HCO- and SO4(2-) were the dominant anions in the streamwater in this region. A significant difference of Ca2+, HCO3(-) and SO4(2-) concentration exported between the succession stages in the watershed can be found. But they had the similar temporal change in the stream flow. Ca2+, HCO3(-) and SO4(2-) showed significantly negative correlations with the daily precipitation and the stream discharge. Concentrations of Cl-, Na+, K+, and Mg2+ were low in all streamwaters monitored and we observed no differences along the Abies fabri succession gradient. Low ratios of Na: (Na + Ca) (range from 0.1 to 0.2) implied cations were from bedrock weathering (internal source process in the soil system) in this region. But, a variance analysis showed there were almost no differences between rainwater and streamwaters for Mg2+ , Na+, K+, and Cl- concentrations. This indicated that they might be come from rainfall inputs(external source). The highly mobile capacity, rapid water exchange between precipitation and discharge, and long-term export lead to this observed pattern were suggested.

[Three patterns of interaction between soil and non-point source P-pollutants in agricultural watershed].

Typical agricultural watershed was selected to study the interactions between soil matrix and non-point source P-pollutants in surface runoff under simulative conditions. The soil samples were taken in different spatial locations in this watershed and were under different degree of human disturbance. The results showed that the interactions between different soil matrix and phosphorus could be divided into three patterns:retention, release and combination of retention and release. Soil of retention pattern has strong adsorption capacity of phosphate and will retain phosphorus from polluted runoff. Soil of release pattern has significant desorption capacity of phosphate and will release phosphorus to the runoff. Soil of retention and release combination pattern will retain or release phosphorus according to the phosphate concentration in the polluted runoff. These results showed that soil matrix in different spatial locations in the agricultural watershed have different ecological functions and environmental values under the processing of natural conditions and human disturbance. From the view of occurrence of non-point source pollution, these soils could become the sink of pollutants as well as the source of pollutants. Under some conditions, there has a conversion between sink and source of them. These results are valuable for control of non-point source pollution on watershed level, identification of key source area of pollutants and improvement of efficiency of control measures.

Control of diffuse P-pollutants by multiple buffer/detention structures by Yuqiao Reservoir, North China.

A case study on the transport process of agricultural diffuse P-pollutants was conducted in an experimental watershed locating in the north bank of Yuqiao Reservoir during 2001 and 2002. It was found that diversified artificial and natural buffer/detention landscape structures distributing along the ephemeral stream channel in this watershed played an important role of pollutants removal on downstream water quality, especially they have control effect on the diffuse P-pollutants transport process. Surface flow velocity was reduced sharply after passing through these structures. During continuous runoff events, the removal rate of TSS, TP, TDP, DRP by the whole system were 66.7%, 60.7%, 48.4%, and 43.3%, respectively. During discontinuous runoff events, removal rate of pollutants by the whole system was higher due to there was no or little surface water and pollutants exported from the watershed, of which removal rate of pollutants all exceeded 99% . The statistical analysis results of runoff events (n = 8) indicated that dry pond was the steadiest structure for controlling diffuse P-pollutants export.

Spatial and temporal variability of agricultural pollutants in an agricultural headwater stream within a multipond system, southeastern China.

The spatial and temporal variability of nutrients and suspended solids were investigated for two years in a 1.8 km agricultural headwater stream, located by Chaohu Lake, southeastern China. The stream form was greatly modified by human activities into channelized, pond and estuary shapes. The stream could be divided into 4 channelized reaches(1.3 km), a pond reach(0.15 km) and 3 estuary reaches(0.36 km). It was found that nutrients and TSS concentrations in the stream showed temporal variability, and higher concentrations occurred in months with high precipitation and intensive agricultural activities. And, retention of total nitrogen (TN), nitrate (NO(3-)-N), ammonium(NH4+-N) and total suspended solids (TSS) predominantly occurred in the pond reach and estuary reaches with larger width and low current velocity. Pollutants retained in these reaches accounted for more than 50% of those retained in whole stream. The retention mostly happened in the rain-runoff events and it was 7 to 27 times than that in base flow. The results showed that the channelized reach was the most important source for pollutants release under either runoff or base flow, and its release accounted for more than 90% of whole stream release. There was a high spatial variability of nutrients retention in different channelized reaches. The channelized reach directly discharging into the pond did always retain nutrients and TSS under base flow and runoff conditions, whereas the other channelized reaches performed differently in different hydrological conditions. The high spatial and temporal variability of nutrients and TSS in the stream indicated that anthropogenic disturbance of the agricultural headwater stream, such as channelization and excavation, would be expected to decrease the capacity of nutrients retention in the stream.