Effects of urban stream burial on organic matter dynamics and reach scale nitrate retention

Beaulieu, Jake J.; Mayer, Paul M.; Kaushal, Sujay S.; Pennino, Michael J.; Arango, Clay P.; Balz, David A.; Canfield, Timothy J.; Elonen, Colleen M.; Fritz, Ken M.; Hill, Brian H.; Ryu, Hodon; Domingo, Jorge W. Santo

doi:10.1007/s10533-014-9971-4

Cited by 53 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 66 publications

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“…However, mass removal rates can be limited in tile drains and buried or straightened concrete channels due to limited surface area, hyporheic exchange, and transient storage [31,93]. Our analysis of watershed and reach scale controlling factors demonstrated that size matters.…”

Section: Size Matters: Optimizing Reactive Sediment Volume and Transimentioning

confidence: 82%

“…Increased transient storage leads to increased hyporheic residence time and hydrologic retention in the vicinity of channel reconstruction. Therefore, model simulations predicted greater N retention [93]. Likewise, a study that examined constructed riffles and a step in restored reaches of several N-rich agricultural and urban streams in southern Ontario found a range of 50% to 99% N removal in hyporheic zones composed of less than 25% stream water [75].…”

Section: Restored Riffles Substrate and Coarse Woody Debrismentioning

confidence: 93%

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Nutrient Retention in Restored Streams and Rivers: A Global Review and Synthesis

Johnson

Kaushal

Mayer

et al. 2016

Water

129

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Excess nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) from human activities have contributed to degradation of coastal waters globally. A growing body of work suggests that hydrologically restoring streams and rivers in agricultural and urban watersheds has potential to increase N and P retention, but rates and mechanisms have not yet been analyzed and compared across studies. We conducted a review of nutrient retention within hydrologically reconnected streams and rivers, including 79 studies. We developed a typology characterizing different forms of stream and river restoration, and we also analyzed nutrient retention across this typology. The studies we reviewed used a variety of methods to analyze nutrient cycling. We performed a further intensive meta-analysis on nutrient spiraling studies because this method was the most consistent and comparable between studies. A meta-analysis of 240 experimental additions of ammonium (NH 4 + ), nitrate (NO 3´) , and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) was synthesized from 15 nutrient spiraling studies. Our results showed statistically significant relationships between nutrient uptake in restored streams and specific watershed attributes. Nitrate uptake metrics were significantly related to watershed surface area, impervious surface cover, and average reach width (p < 0.05). Ammonium uptake metrics were significantly related to discharge, velocity, and transient storage (p < 0.05). SRP uptake metrics were significantly related to watershed area, discharge, SRP concentrations, and chl a concentrations (p < 0.05). Given that most studies were conducted during baseflow, more research is necessary to characterize nutrient uptake during high flow. Furthermore, long-term studies are needed to understand changes in nutrient dynamics as projects evolve over time. Overall analysis suggests the size of the stream restoration (surface area), hydrologic connectivity, and hydrologic residence time are key drivers influencing nutrient retention at broader watershed scales and along the urban watershed continuum.

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Section: Size Matters: Optimizing Reactive Sediment Volume and Transimentioning

confidence: 82%

Section: Restored Riffles Substrate and Coarse Woody Debrismentioning

confidence: 93%

Nutrient Retention in Restored Streams and Rivers: A Global Review and Synthesis

Johnson

Kaushal

Mayer

et al. 2016

Water

129

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“…Stormwater wetlands may promote anoxic conditions and increase the C : N ratio of stream water by increasing flow through carbon-rich soils (e.g., Søvik et al, 2006;Newcomer et al, 2012). Stream burial can reduce C : N ratios, if streams are buried in storm drains (Pennino et al, 2016;Beaulieu et al, 2014). Leaky sanitary infrastructure may additionally reduce the C : N ratio and/or alter the form of carbon in streams (Newcomer et al, 2012).…”

Section: Variables Controlling Ghg Production In Urban Watershedsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of infrastructure on water quality and greenhouse gas dynamics in urban streams

et al. 2017

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Abstract. Streams and rivers are significant sources of nitrous oxide (N 2 O), carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), and methane (CH 4 ) globally, and watershed management can alter greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from streams. We hypothesized that urban infrastructure significantly alters downstream water quality and contributes to variability in GHG saturation and emissions. We measured gas saturation and estimated emission rates in headwaters of two urban stream networks (Red Run and Dead Run) of the Baltimore Ecosystem Study Long-Term Ecological Research project. We identified four combinations of stormwater and sanitary infrastructure present in these watersheds, including: (1) stream burial, (2) inline stormwater wetlands, (3) riparian/floodplain preservation, and (4) septic systems. We selected two firstorder catchments in each of these categories and measured GHG concentrations, emissions, and dissolved inorganic and organic carbon (DIC and DOC) and nutrient concentrations biweekly for 1 year. From a water quality perspective, the DOC : NO − 3 ratio of streamwater was significantly different across infrastructure categories. Multiple linear regressions including DOC : NO − 3 and other variables (dissolved oxygen, DO; total dissolved nitrogen, TDN; and temperature) explained much of the statistical variation in nitrous oxide (N 2 O, r 2 = 0.78), carbon dioxide (CO 2 , r 2 = 0.78), and methane (CH 4 , r 2 = 0.50) saturation in stream water. We measured N 2 O saturation ratios, which were among the highest reported in the literature for streams, ranging from 1.1 to 47 across all sites and dates. N 2 O saturation ratios were highest in streams draining watersheds with septic systems and strongly correlated with TDN. The CO 2 saturation ratio was highly correlated with the N 2 O saturation ratio across all sites and dates, and the CO 2 saturation ratio ranged from 1.1 to 73. CH 4 was always supersaturated, with saturation ratios ranging from 3.0 to 2157. Longitudinal surveys extending form headwaters to third-order outlets of Red Run and Dead Run took place in spring and fall. Linear regressions of these data yielded significant negative relationships between each gas with increasing watershed size as well as consistent relationships between solutes (TDN or DOC, and DOC : TDN ratio) and gas saturation. Despite a decline in gas saturation between the headwaters and stream outlet, streams remained saturated with GHGs throughout the drainage network, suggesting that urban streams are continuous sources of CO 2 , CH 4 , and N 2 O. Our results suggest that infrastructure decisions can have significant effects on downstream water quality and greenhouse gases, and watershed management strategies may need to consider coupled impacts on urban water and air quality.

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“…For example, research has characterized ecosystem functions such as nitrogen uptake, denitrification, and ecosystem metabolism in buried streams, storm drains, and stormwater management controls [37,42,[48][49][50]. Other work has investigated broader spatial patterns in transport and transformation of materials along natural and engineered hydrologic flowpaths of the urban watershed continuum [45,51,52].…”

Section: Urban Waters: From Syndrome To Continuummentioning

confidence: 99%

Urban Evolution: The Role of Water

Kaushal

McDowell

Wollheim

et al. 2015

Water

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Abstract:The structure, function, and services of urban ecosystems evolve over time scales from seconds to centuries as Earth's population grows, infrastructure ages, and sociopolitical values alter them. In order to systematically study changes over time, the concept of "urban evolution" was proposed. It allows urban planning, management, and restoration to move beyond reactive management to predictive management based on past observations of consistent patterns. Here, we define and review a glossary of core concepts for studying urban evolution, which includes the mechanisms of urban selective pressure and urban adaptation. Urban selective pressure is an environmental or societal driver contributing to urban adaptation. Urban adaptation is the sequential process by which an urban structure, function, or services becomes more fitted to its changing environment or human choices. The role of water is vital to driving urban evolution as demonstrated by historical changes in drainage, sewage flows, hydrologic pulses, and long-term chemistry. In the current paper, we show how hydrologic traits evolve across successive generations of urban ecosystems OPEN ACCESSWater 2015, 7 4064 via shifts in selective pressures and adaptations over time. We explore multiple empirical examples including evolving: (1) urban drainage from stream burial to stormwater management; (2) sewage flows and water quality in response to wastewater treatment; (3) amplification of hydrologic pulses due to the interaction between urbanization and climate variability; and (4) salinization and alkalinization of fresh water due to human inputs and accelerated weathering. Finally, we propose a new conceptual model for the evolution of urban waters from the Industrial Revolution to the present day based on empirical trends and historical information. Ultimately, we propose that water itself is a critical driver of urban evolution that forces urban adaptation, which transforms the structure, function, and services of urban landscapes, waterways, and civilizations over time.

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Effects of urban stream burial on organic matter dynamics and reach scale nitrate retention

Cited by 53 publications

References 66 publications

Nutrient Retention in Restored Streams and Rivers: A Global Review and Synthesis

Nutrient Retention in Restored Streams and Rivers: A Global Review and Synthesis

Influence of infrastructure on water quality and greenhouse gas dynamics in urban streams

Urban Evolution: The Role of Water

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