Journal article
Assessment of nutrients and conductivity in the Wachusett Reservoir watershed: An investigation of land use contributions and trends
International soil and water conservation research, v 12(2), pp 337-350
01 Jun 2024
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
The quality of drinking water for the Boston Metropolitan Area, supplied by the Quabbin-Wachusett system, is impacted by environmental trends. The objectives of this study are to increase understanding of the role that small streams may play in degradation of reservoir quality by characterizing seasonal constituent patterns from 1998 to 2020 in the Wachusett Reservoir watershed and by developing enhanced modeling frameworks. Previous monitoring (1998-2012) exhibited increased loads due to increasing flows despite declining solute concentration. This present study analyzed seasonal nitrate (NO3) and total phosphorus (TP) concentration and load trends from 2012 to 2020 across 11 tributaries. Specific conductivity (SC) was also assessed to evaluate the impacts of road salt application. From 2012 to 2020, statistical results for mean nutrient concentrations suggest static or declining temporal trends, while SC in all tributaries exhibited increasing trends. Land use data suggest association with altered drainage landscapes as potential sources of increased constituent transport. Subbasins with the highest concentrations of TP, NO3, and SC have the largest percentage of impervious and cultivated areas, two to three times greater than other subbasins. Daily flows were modeled using the airGR hydrological model, subsequently used to calculate loads. Overall, flow magnitude was a more important load driver than long-term nutrient concentrations, thus, showing that stream discharge controlled load variability. On the other hand, persistently high SC levels controlled the increasing SC load trends. Finally, many nutrient reduction management strategies demonstrated an important impact from 1998 to 2020. Despite watershed programs aimed at reducing salt applications, concentrations in streams are increasing, indicating a long-term legacy of salt accumulation. Although smaller tributaries represent a modest portion of the system, addressing these sources has the potential to further reduce the long-term ecological impacts of reservoir constituent loading. (c) 2023 International Research and Training Center on Erosion and Sedimentation, China Water and Power Press, and China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research. Publishing services by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of KeAi Communications Co. Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY
Metrics
1 Record Views
Details
- Title
- Assessment of nutrients and conductivity in the Wachusett Reservoir watershed: An investigation of land use contributions and trends
- Creators
- Carlos Eduardo Veras - University of Massachusetts AmherstEmily Kumpel - University of Massachusetts AmherstJohn E. Tobiason - University of Massachusetts AmherstAmanda Carneiro Marques - University of Massachusetts AmherstChristian D. Guzman - Univ Massachusetts Amherst, Dept Civil & Environm Engn, 21 Marston Hall,130 Nat Resources Rd, Amherst, MA 01003 USA
- Publication Details
- International soil and water conservation research, v 12(2), pp 337-350
- Publisher
- Keai Publishing Ltd
- Number of pages
- 14
- Grant note
- Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR)
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001225666100001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85166630622
- Other Identifier
- 991022170556804721
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:
InCites Highlights
Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:
- Web of Science research areas
- Environmental Sciences
- Soil Science
- Water Resources