Sediment–water interaction, acidity and other water quality parameters in a subtropical setting, Pimpama River, southeast Queensland     

M. Preda  M. E. Cox 《Environmental Geology》2000,39(3-4):319-329

 The geological setting and landuse activities of the Pimpama River catchment are typical for many drainage systems in southeast Queensland. The river originates in coastal ranges of Late Paleozoic age, crosses a floodplain developed during the Late Pleistocene-Holocene sea-level fluctuations and flows into the southern part of the Moreton Bay. The formation of sedimentary pyrite associated with the mid-Holocene transgression is an important feature of this coastal setting. The oxidation and hydrolysis of pyrite and the consequent production of sulfuric acid are controlled by the amount and seasonality of rainfall and influenced locally by landuse activities. The acid production and the leaching of dissolved metals from river alluvium and estuarine sediments impact substantially on land and aquatic habitats. The water quality of the Pimpama River and its tributaries reflects the lithology of the bedrock and can vary largely depending on season, tidal regimes, sediment lithology, local topography and agricultural activities. Monitoring of river water for several seasons revealed four types of events, each with a different response in terms of water quality: (a) occasional showers during the dry season cause low pH and high amounts of dissolved metals in the water, (b) the first heavy rain of the wet season can produce very toxic conditions (low pH and high concentrations of metals) that can result in a fish kill, (c) towards the end of the wet season, prolonged flushing of pyrite oxidation products leads to short-term recovery of the aquatic system (neutral pH and lower amounts of dissolved metals in the water) and (d) a flood event can produce low pH, salinity and high concentrations of metals, which can represent lethal conditions for aquatic life. Assessment of saturation indexes for representative weathering and oxidation products such as clays, goethite, gibbsite and jarosite shows that these mineral phases can precipitate only when the water reaches neutral pH. Received: 21 September 1998 · Accepted: 1 December 1998  相似文献   

Ecological impacts of tributyltin on estuarine communities in the Hastings River, NSW Australia     

A.C. Roach  S.P. Wilson 《Marine pollution bulletin》2009,58(12):1780-1786

Oyster (Saccostrea commercialis) biomonitoring, assessment of oyster and gastropod (Bembicium auratum) abundance, and gastropod imposex were used to measure the significance of tributyltin (TBT) contamination in an intertidal mangrove forest. We studied the bioavailable levels of TBT in oysters approximately 1 km downstream and 2 km upstream from a TBT waste disposal site. We found observable declines in the abundance of oysters and gastropods correlated with the bioavailable TBT and these findings were confirmed by mapping oyster beds. Oyster cover near the disposal site ranged from 0% to 5% while downstream and upstream populations ranged in cover from 25–50% to 5–25%, respectively. Similarly, gastropod abundances at the disposal site were only 7% of the downstream population and 17% of the upstream population. Imposex was present in 90% of female B. auratum from populations near the disposal site but this effect declined more sharply than the population level effects.  相似文献   

Properties of suspended sediment in the estuarine turbidity maximum of the highly turbid Humber Estuary system, UK   总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1  

Reginald James Uncles  John Anthony Stephens  Carolyn Harris 《Ocean Dynamics》2006,56(3-4):235-247

Measurements are presented of the properties of suspended particulate matter (SPM) in the estuarine turbidity maximum (ETM) of the upper Humber and Ouse estuaries during transient, relatively low freshwater inflow conditions of September 1995. Very high concentrations of near-bed SPM (more than 100 g l⁻¹) were observed in the low-salinity (less than 1), upper reaches. SPM within the ETM consisted largely of fine sediment (silt and clay) that existed as microfloc and macrofloc aggregates and individual particles. Primary sediment particles were very fine grained, and typically, about 20–30% was clay-sized at high water. The clay mineralogy was dominated by chlorite and illite. There was a pronounced increase in particle size in the tidal river, up-estuary of the ETM. The mean specific surface area (SSA) of near-bed SPM within the ETM was 22 m² g⁻¹ on a spring tide and 24 m² g⁻¹ on a neap tide. A tidal cycle of measurements within a near-bed, high concentration SPM layer during a very small neap tide gave a mean SSA of 26 m² g⁻¹. The percentage of silt and clay in surficial bed sediments along the main channel of the estuary varied strongly. The relatively low silt and clay percentage of surficial bed sediments (about 10–35%) within the ETM’s region of highest near-bed SPM concentrations and their low SSA values were in marked contrast to the overlying SPM. The loss on ignition (LOI) of near-bed SPM in the turbid reaches of the estuary was about 10%, compared with about 12% for surface SPM and more than 40% in the very low turbidity waters up-estuary of the ETM. Settling velocities of Humber–Ouse SPM, sampled in situ and measured using a settling column, maximized at 1.5 mm s⁻¹ and exhibited hindered settling at higher SPM concentrations.  相似文献   

Residual circulation in eastern Long Island Sound: Observed transverse-vertical structure and exchange transport     

Daniel L. Codiga  Dirk A. Aurin 《Continental Shelf Research》2007

Residual currents in eastern Long Island Sound (LIS) are investigated using direct velocity measurements from an acoustic Doppler current profiler mounted on a ferry. Circulation at the site has major influence on exchange of water and water-borne materials between LIS and the coastal ocean. Ferry sampling enables sufficient averaging to isolate the residual motion from stronger tidal currents, and captures its spatial structure. Mean along-estuary currents based on about 2 years of sampling reveal a vigorous estuarine exchange circulation (peak 25–30 cm s⁻¹ at depth), with flow eastward out of the estuary in the upper water column of the southern half and inward westward movement strengthening with depth over the central and north section. Application of volume conservation implies there is a strong eastward current out of the estuary in the shallowest 7 m where no measurements were made, as expected for estuarine exchange flow. Water from the Connecticut River, entering LIS on the north shore nearby to the west, does not appear to exit the estuary directly eastward along the north shore unless this occurs wholly in the shallow layer not sampled. Transverse currents have complex structure with generally northward (southward) flow where shallow outward (deep inward) motion occurs. An idealized semi-analytic solution for transverse-vertical structure of along- and across-estuary flow has limited success accounting for observed currents, despite inclusion of bathymetric, frictional, and rotational influences; this suggests the importance in LIS of dynamics it omits, in particular stratification, or does not represent with sufficient realism, such as complex bathymetry. Estimated annual-mean exchange volume transport, based on the better-sampled deep inward component, is 22,700±5000 m³ s⁻¹. This is comparable to previous estimates from some salt budget and hydrographic analyses, and implies advection contributes substantially to the total salt transport, contrary to results of a recent box-model analysis of hydrographic measurements. At seasonal timescales, changes to the transverse-vertical velocity structure are modest, but amplitude variations cause exchange volume transport increases (decreases) to 30,000 m³ s⁻¹ (18,000 m³ s⁻¹) in the summer (winter) months; a power-law dependence of exchange on river flow, as seen in other estuaries, is not supported. Strengthened summer transport is associated with enhanced stratification, suggesting that mixing effects modulate the exchange. To the extent that advection by residual flow contributes to total exchange between LIS and coastal waters, the flushing of materials from LIS should occur substantially faster in summer than in winter.  相似文献   

Lateral dynamics and associated transport of sediment in the upper reaches of a partially mixed estuary,Chesapeake Bay,USA     

David C. Fugate  Carl T. Friedrichs  Lawrence P. Sanford 《Continental Shelf Research》2007

Data from time series of transects made over a tidal period across a section of the upper Chesapeake Bay, USA, reveal the influence of lateral dynamics on sediment transport in an area with a deep channel and broad extents of shallower flanks. Contributions to lateral momentum by rotation (Coriolis plus channel curvature), cross channel density gradients and cross channel surface slope were estimated, and the friction and acceleration terms needed to complete the balance were compared to patterns of observed lateral circulation. During ebb, net rotation effects were larger because of river velocity and reinforcement of Coriolis by curvature. During flood, stratification was greater because of landward advection of strong vertical density gradients. Together, the ebb intensified lateral circulation and flood intensified stratification focused sediment and sediment transport along the left side of the estuary (looking seaward). The tendency for greater stratification on flood and net sediment flux toward the left-hand shoal are contrary to more common models which, in the northern hemisphere, predict greater resuspension on flood and move sediment toward the right-hand shoal. These tidal asymmetries interact with the lateral circulation to focus net sediment flux on the left side of the estuary, and to produce net ebb directed sediment transport at the surface of the same order of magnitude as net flood directed sediment transport at the bottom.  相似文献   

Evolution of particle size and concentration in the Rhône river mixing zone: : influence of salt flocculation     

Antoine Thill  Stphane Moustier  Jean-Marie Garnier  Claude Estournel  Jean-Jacques Naudin  Jean-Yves Bottero 《Continental Shelf Research》2001,21(18-19)

The salt induced flocculation phenomenon is often proposed as a major mechanism influencing the deposition of the suspended matter near the mouth of major rivers. However, depending on the particular mixing conditions between fresh water and marine water and on suspended solids (SS) reactivity, salt induced aggregation may be a minor factor controlling fast deposition of SS. This work combines field studies and laboratory experiments in order to assess the importance of salt induced flocculation in the case of the saltwedge estuary of the Rhône river. Sampling of the mixing zone has been performed in contrasted hydrodynamic conditions from a low water discharge period (500 m³ s⁻¹) to a small flood event (2400 m³ s⁻¹) for particle counting and salinity measurements. Through laboratory experiments, it is shown that the Rhône river particulate matter has a poor average reactivity regarding salt induced flocculation. Considering the hydrodynamics of the estuary, we show that the evolution of the concentration of larger particles (>5 μm) can be explained by settling and dilution. In contrast, the smallest measured fraction (2–5 μm) shows a more complex behavior and settling processes alone cannot explain the observed particle concentrations during the field studies. Four hypotheses are discussed for explaining the 2–5 μm particle concentration evolutions.  相似文献   

中国海洋工程地质研究   总被引：3，自引：2，他引：3  

郑继民 《工程地质学报》1994,2(1):90-96

本文阐述了我国在海岸带、河口三角洲和港口建设,海洋石油开发以及技术方法等方面的海洋工程地质研究所取得的成就,理论研究、海洋沉积物微结构研究、海浪作用下的土动力特性及液化预测研究和水下软基处理等的研究现状,提出了海洋工程地质学的发展趋势、研究课题与建议。  相似文献   

Erosion rather than plant dieback as the mechanism of marsh loss in an estuarine marsh     

J. A. Nyman  M. Carloss  R. D. Delaune  W. H. Patrick JR. 《地球表面变化过程与地形》1994,19(1):69-84

Coastal marsh loss in Louisiana is attributed to plane dieback caused by processes that stress vegetation, and a common landscape pattern is broken marsh that expands at the expense of surrounding unbroken marsh. We tested the hypothesis that vegetation is more stressed in broken marsh than in adjacent unbroken marsh, as indicated by vegetation aboveground biomass, species diversity and soil Eh, on transects that extended from broken marsh to unbroken marsh at Marsh Island, Louisiana. Soil Eh, vegetation above-ground biomass and species diversity did not differ between broken marsh and unbroken marsh, and above-ground biomass was similar to that reported from other marshes. Thus, we rejected the hypothesis that marsh loss is related to vegetation stress. Two factors were related to vegetation vigour: soil drainage and soil bulk density. Surprisingly, significant soil drainage occurred in broken marsh but not in unbroken marsh. Above-ground biomass of the dominant plant, Spartina patens (Aiton) Muhl., was lowest where soil bulk density was less than 0-08 gcm⁻³, which illustrated the importance of mineral matter accumulation in submerging coastal marshes. The mechanism of marsh loss appeared to be erosion below the living root zone, as indicated by the vertical and often undercut marsh-water interface, and by the separation of sod clasts. This is different from more rapid marsh loss associated with plant stress which we observed in other Louisiana marshes only 135 km away, indicating that marsh loss mechanisms can vary spatially even within a relatively small region.  相似文献   

Laboratory measurements of the fall velocity of fine sediment in an estuarine environment     

《国际泥沙研究》2020,35(2):217-226

The study of the fall velocity variation of fine sediment in estuarine areas plays an important role in determining how various factors affect the flocculation process.Previous experimental studies have focused solely on the relation between the median fall velocity and influencing factors,while in the current study,the variation of the fall velocity in quiescent water also was examined.The experimental results showed that the vertical distribution of sediment concentration was more uneven,and larger variations occurred earlier during the settling process under higher salinity and/or sediment concentration conditions.The fall velocity initially increased then decreased over time,peaking at～20 min after settling began,and stabilizing at a value similar to that in freshwater,regardless of the initial sediment concentration and salinity combinations.Along the water depth,the fall velocity increased monotonically with a gradually decreasing gradient.The median fall velocity increased then decreased with increased salinity.The salinity at which the peak fall velocity occurred depended on the initial sediment concentration.The relation between the median fall velocity and initial sediment concentration displayed an obvious two-stage pattern(i.e.,accelerated flocculation and decelerated,hindered settling) at higher salinities;whereas the maximum median fall velocity was observed at two consecutive sediment concentration values under lower salinity conditions.Finally,an empirical equation estimating the median fall velocity of cohesive fine sediment was formulated,incorporating the effects of both salinity and sediment concentration.  相似文献   

On the effects of wind and tides on the hydrodynamics of a shallow mediterranean estuary     

Clifford J. Hearn  Barbara J. Robson 《Continental Shelf Research》2002,22(18-19)

A study is made of the effect of wind and tides on the hydrodynamics of the shallow inner basins of mediterranean estuaries. The paper includes a case study of Harvey Estuary in southwestern Australia where salinity and temperature data exist for 11 years during the 1980s and 1990s when that estuary experienced massive annual blue-green algal blooms. An analysis is made of salt exchange through the channels that join estuarine basins of this class to either the ocean or, as in the case of Harvey Estuary, to another shallow estuarine basin. A detailed three-dimensional numerical model is also implemented for the basin of Harvey Estuary. It is concluded that exchange through the channel is dominated by the (mainly diurnal) tides, despite the general micro-tidal nature of this class of estuary, although the efficiency of this process is found to be controlled by the length of the channel. Wind set-up in the basin also produces channel exchange and for Harvey Estuary this is about 20% of the exchange due to tides. Baroclinic flow through the channel is also capable of producing significant exchange but this is suppressed by the tidal currents in the channel except immediately after riverflow. Salt transport along the basins of this class of estuary is mainly driven by the longitudinal density gradient and the strength of this process is controlled by vertical mixing from the wind. However, there is also significant salt transport from wind-induced advection, the effect of which changes seasonally with the direction of the salt gradient.  相似文献