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Within-river nutrient processing in Chalk streams : The Pang and Lambourn, UK.

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Within-river nutrient processing in Chalk streams : The Pang and Lambourn, UK. / Jarvie, Helen P.; Neal, Colin; Jürgens, Monika D. et al.
In: Journal of Hydrology, Vol. 330, No. 1-2, 30.10.2006, p. 101-125.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/MagazineJournal articlepeer-review

Harvard

Jarvie, HP, Neal, C, Jürgens, MD, Sutton, EJ, Neal, M, Wickham, HD, Hill, LK, Harman, SA, Davies, JJL, Warwick, A, Barrett, C, Griffiths, J, Binley, A, Swannack, N & McIntyre, N 2006, 'Within-river nutrient processing in Chalk streams : The Pang and Lambourn, UK.', Journal of Hydrology, vol. 330, no. 1-2, pp. 101-125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2006.04.014

APA

Jarvie, H. P., Neal, C., Jürgens, M. D., Sutton, E. J., Neal, M., Wickham, H. D., Hill, L. K., Harman, S. A., Davies, J. J. L., Warwick, A., Barrett, C., Griffiths, J., Binley, A., Swannack, N., & McIntyre, N. (2006). Within-river nutrient processing in Chalk streams : The Pang and Lambourn, UK. Journal of Hydrology, 330(1-2), 101-125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2006.04.014

Vancouver

Jarvie HP, Neal C, Jürgens MD, Sutton EJ, Neal M, Wickham HD et al. Within-river nutrient processing in Chalk streams : The Pang and Lambourn, UK. Journal of Hydrology. 2006 Oct 30;330(1-2):101-125. doi: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2006.04.014

Author

Jarvie, Helen P. ; Neal, Colin ; Jürgens, Monika D. et al. / Within-river nutrient processing in Chalk streams : The Pang and Lambourn, UK. In: Journal of Hydrology. 2006 ; Vol. 330, No. 1-2. pp. 101-125.

Bibtex

@article{2f8f4a9147554294b18c319d03dfa1ad,
title = "Within-river nutrient processing in Chalk streams : The Pang and Lambourn, UK.",
abstract = "This work examines baseflow nutrient concentrations and loads along two rural Chalk streams, the Pang and Lambourn. Soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) and boron (B) concentrations in these streams were heavily influenced by point-source inputs and the effects of downstream flow accretion and dilution. Unlike B (which is chemically conservative), SRP loads were also strongly influenced by in-stream processing resulting in uptake of SRP, particularly immediately downstream of sewage effluent discharges, where rates of SRP uptake were highest. For the upper River Pang, up to 80% of SRP loads were lost within 4 km downstream of Compton sewage treatment works (STW) and on the River Lambourn up to 55% of SRP loads were lost within 1.6 km downstream of East Shefford STW. In contrast, nitrate (NO3) concentrations at sites along the Pang and Lambourn were largely controlled by groundwater inputs and plant uptake during periods of high photosynthetic activity in spring and summer and silicon (Si) by diatom uptake in April/May. There were net gains in NO3 loads along the river reaches, as a result of volumetric increases in groundwater discharge, and, compared with SRP, the role of in-stream processing of NO3 appeared low. Examination of SRP exchange by bed sediment and uptake of SRP into algal biofilms indicated that biofilms accounted for only a very small percentage of in-stream P-uptake, but that bed sediment SRP-exchanges had a more important control on baseflow SRP concentrations and loads. Point source P remediation at East Shefford STW, by removal of P from final effluent (P-stripping), resulted in 70–90% reductions in river-water SRP loads. After introduction of P-stripping at East Shefford STW, bed sediments immediately downstream of the STW switched from being net sinks to net sources of SRP. Our results show that, in the immediate aftermath of P-stripping, bed sediment SRP-release was responsible for a 30 μg-P l−1 rise in river-water SRP along this reach. While this increase in SRP concentration, as a result of bed sediment SRP release, is potentially ecologically significant, it is small in relation to the increase in SRP concentrations from effluent prior to P-stripping, which resulted in increases in SRP concentration of up to 500 μg-P l−1. There was a six-month lag between the introduction of P-stripping at East Shefford STW and bed sediment EPC0 recovering to equilibrium levels with the overlying river water (and thus negligible SRP release). Recovery of bed sediments to equilibrium levels is likely to have occurred as a result of winnowing and removal of high-EPC0 sediment and delivery of lower EPC0 sediment from upstream. Under higher/more variable flow conditions and greater rates of in-channel sediment erosion/delivery, more rapid recovery of bed sediment EPC0 levels following P-stripping might be expected.",
keywords = "Nutrient, Phosphorus, Nitrogen, River, Sediment, Biofilm, Flux, Eutrophication, Sewage, Agriculture, Permeable catchment, Chalk, LOCAR, Pang, Lambourn",
author = "Jarvie, {Helen P.} and Colin Neal and J{\"u}rgens, {Monika D.} and Sutton, {Elizabeth J.} and Margaret Neal and Wickham, {Heather D.} and Hill, {Linda K.} and Harman, {Sarah A.} and Davies, {Jennifer J. L.} and Alan Warwick and Cyril Barrett and Jim Griffiths and Andrew Binley and Natalie Swannack and Neil McIntyre",
year = "2006",
month = oct,
day = "30",
doi = "10.1016/j.jhydrol.2006.04.014",
language = "English",
volume = "330",
pages = "101--125",
journal = "Journal of Hydrology",
publisher = "Elsevier Science B.V.",
number = "1-2",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Within-river nutrient processing in Chalk streams : The Pang and Lambourn, UK.

AU - Jarvie, Helen P.

AU - Neal, Colin

AU - Jürgens, Monika D.

AU - Sutton, Elizabeth J.

AU - Neal, Margaret

AU - Wickham, Heather D.

AU - Hill, Linda K.

AU - Harman, Sarah A.

AU - Davies, Jennifer J. L.

AU - Warwick, Alan

AU - Barrett, Cyril

AU - Griffiths, Jim

AU - Binley, Andrew

AU - Swannack, Natalie

AU - McIntyre, Neil

PY - 2006/10/30

Y1 - 2006/10/30

N2 - This work examines baseflow nutrient concentrations and loads along two rural Chalk streams, the Pang and Lambourn. Soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) and boron (B) concentrations in these streams were heavily influenced by point-source inputs and the effects of downstream flow accretion and dilution. Unlike B (which is chemically conservative), SRP loads were also strongly influenced by in-stream processing resulting in uptake of SRP, particularly immediately downstream of sewage effluent discharges, where rates of SRP uptake were highest. For the upper River Pang, up to 80% of SRP loads were lost within 4 km downstream of Compton sewage treatment works (STW) and on the River Lambourn up to 55% of SRP loads were lost within 1.6 km downstream of East Shefford STW. In contrast, nitrate (NO3) concentrations at sites along the Pang and Lambourn were largely controlled by groundwater inputs and plant uptake during periods of high photosynthetic activity in spring and summer and silicon (Si) by diatom uptake in April/May. There were net gains in NO3 loads along the river reaches, as a result of volumetric increases in groundwater discharge, and, compared with SRP, the role of in-stream processing of NO3 appeared low. Examination of SRP exchange by bed sediment and uptake of SRP into algal biofilms indicated that biofilms accounted for only a very small percentage of in-stream P-uptake, but that bed sediment SRP-exchanges had a more important control on baseflow SRP concentrations and loads. Point source P remediation at East Shefford STW, by removal of P from final effluent (P-stripping), resulted in 70–90% reductions in river-water SRP loads. After introduction of P-stripping at East Shefford STW, bed sediments immediately downstream of the STW switched from being net sinks to net sources of SRP. Our results show that, in the immediate aftermath of P-stripping, bed sediment SRP-release was responsible for a 30 μg-P l−1 rise in river-water SRP along this reach. While this increase in SRP concentration, as a result of bed sediment SRP release, is potentially ecologically significant, it is small in relation to the increase in SRP concentrations from effluent prior to P-stripping, which resulted in increases in SRP concentration of up to 500 μg-P l−1. There was a six-month lag between the introduction of P-stripping at East Shefford STW and bed sediment EPC0 recovering to equilibrium levels with the overlying river water (and thus negligible SRP release). Recovery of bed sediments to equilibrium levels is likely to have occurred as a result of winnowing and removal of high-EPC0 sediment and delivery of lower EPC0 sediment from upstream. Under higher/more variable flow conditions and greater rates of in-channel sediment erosion/delivery, more rapid recovery of bed sediment EPC0 levels following P-stripping might be expected.

AB - This work examines baseflow nutrient concentrations and loads along two rural Chalk streams, the Pang and Lambourn. Soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) and boron (B) concentrations in these streams were heavily influenced by point-source inputs and the effects of downstream flow accretion and dilution. Unlike B (which is chemically conservative), SRP loads were also strongly influenced by in-stream processing resulting in uptake of SRP, particularly immediately downstream of sewage effluent discharges, where rates of SRP uptake were highest. For the upper River Pang, up to 80% of SRP loads were lost within 4 km downstream of Compton sewage treatment works (STW) and on the River Lambourn up to 55% of SRP loads were lost within 1.6 km downstream of East Shefford STW. In contrast, nitrate (NO3) concentrations at sites along the Pang and Lambourn were largely controlled by groundwater inputs and plant uptake during periods of high photosynthetic activity in spring and summer and silicon (Si) by diatom uptake in April/May. There were net gains in NO3 loads along the river reaches, as a result of volumetric increases in groundwater discharge, and, compared with SRP, the role of in-stream processing of NO3 appeared low. Examination of SRP exchange by bed sediment and uptake of SRP into algal biofilms indicated that biofilms accounted for only a very small percentage of in-stream P-uptake, but that bed sediment SRP-exchanges had a more important control on baseflow SRP concentrations and loads. Point source P remediation at East Shefford STW, by removal of P from final effluent (P-stripping), resulted in 70–90% reductions in river-water SRP loads. After introduction of P-stripping at East Shefford STW, bed sediments immediately downstream of the STW switched from being net sinks to net sources of SRP. Our results show that, in the immediate aftermath of P-stripping, bed sediment SRP-release was responsible for a 30 μg-P l−1 rise in river-water SRP along this reach. While this increase in SRP concentration, as a result of bed sediment SRP release, is potentially ecologically significant, it is small in relation to the increase in SRP concentrations from effluent prior to P-stripping, which resulted in increases in SRP concentration of up to 500 μg-P l−1. There was a six-month lag between the introduction of P-stripping at East Shefford STW and bed sediment EPC0 recovering to equilibrium levels with the overlying river water (and thus negligible SRP release). Recovery of bed sediments to equilibrium levels is likely to have occurred as a result of winnowing and removal of high-EPC0 sediment and delivery of lower EPC0 sediment from upstream. Under higher/more variable flow conditions and greater rates of in-channel sediment erosion/delivery, more rapid recovery of bed sediment EPC0 levels following P-stripping might be expected.

KW - Nutrient

KW - Phosphorus

KW - Nitrogen

KW - River

KW - Sediment

KW - Biofilm

KW - Flux

KW - Eutrophication

KW - Sewage

KW - Agriculture

KW - Permeable catchment

KW - Chalk

KW - LOCAR

KW - Pang

KW - Lambourn

U2 - 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2006.04.014

DO - 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2006.04.014

M3 - Journal article

VL - 330

SP - 101

EP - 125

JO - Journal of Hydrology

JF - Journal of Hydrology

IS - 1-2

ER -