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At least 1,729 records · Page 96Linked to original sources
USGS2009

Trihalomethanes formed from natural organic matter isolates: Using isotopic and compositional data to help understand sources

Over 20 million people drink water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta despite problematic levels of natural organic matter (NOM) and bromide in Delta water, which can form trihalomethanes (THMs) during the treatment process. It is widely believed that NOM released from Delta peat islands is a substantial contributor to the pool of THM precursors present in Delta waters. Dissolved NOM was isolated from samples collected at five channel sites within the Sacramento-San Joaquin Rivers and Delta, California, USA, and from a peat island agricultural drain. To help understand the sources of THM precursors, samples were analyzed to determine their chemical and isotopic composition, their propensity to form THMs, and the isotopic composition of the THMs. The chemical composition of the isolates was quite variable, as indicated by significant differences in carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectra and carbon-to-nitrogen concentration ratios. The lowest propensity to form THMs per unit of dissolved organic carbon was observed in the peat island agricultural drain isolate, even though it possessed the highest fraction of aromatic material and the highest specific ultraviolet absorbance. Changes in the chemical and isotopic composition of the isolates and the isotopic composition of the THMs suggest that the source of the THMs precursors was different between samples and between isolates. The pattern of variability in compositional and isotopic data for these samples was not consistent with simple mixing of river- and peat-derived organic material.

ACS Symposium Series↗
USGS2001

Effect of scale on the behavior of atrazine in surface waters

Field runoff is an important transport mechanism by which agricultural pesticides, including atrazine, move into the hydrologic environment. Atrazine is chosen because it is widely used, is transported in runoff relatively easily, is widely observed in surface waters, and has relatively little loss in the stream network. Data on runoff of atrazine from experimental plot and field studies is combined with annual estimates of load in numerous streams and rivers, resulting in a data set with 408 observations that span 14 orders of magnitude in area. The load as a percent of use (LAPU) on an annual basis is the parameter that is compared among the studies. There is no difference in the mean or range of LAPU values for areas from the size of experimental field plots (???0.000023 ha) and small watersheds (<100 000 ha). The relatively invariant LAPU value observed across a large range of watershed areas implies that the characteristics of atrazine itself (application method and chemical properties) are important in determining the extent of runoff. The variable influences on the extent of runoff from individual watershed characteristics and weather events are superimposed on the relatively invariant LAPU value observed across the range of watershed areas. The results from this study establish the direct relevance for agricultural field plot studies to watershed studies across the full range of scale.

Environmental Science & Technology↗
USGS2000

Fate and origin of 1,2-dichloropropane in an unconfined shallow aquifer

A shallow aquifer with different redox zones overlain by intensive agricultural activity was monitored for the occurrence of 1,2-dichloropropane (DCP) to assess the fate and origin of this pollutant. DCP was detected more frequently in groundwater samples collected in aerobic and nitrate-reducing zones than those collected from iron-reducing zones. Simulated DCP concentrations for groundwater entering an iron-reducing zone were calculated from a fate and transport model that included dispersion, sorption, and hydrolysis but not degradation. Simulated concentrations were well in excess of measured values, suggesting that microbial degradation occurred in the iron-reducing zone. Microcosm experiments were conducted using aquifer samples collected from iron-reducing and aerobic zones to evaluate the potential for microbial degradation of DCP and to explain field observations. Hydrogenolysis of DCP and production of monochlorinated propanes in microcosm experiments occurred only with aquifer materials collected from the iron-reducing zone, and no dechlorination was observed in microcosms established with aquifer materials collected from the aerobic zones. Careful analyses of the DCP/1,2,2-trichloropropane ratios in groundwater indicated that older fumigant formulations were responsible for the high levels of DCP present in this aquifer.A shallow aquifer with different redox zones overlain by intensive agricultural activity was monitored for the occurrence of 1,2-dichloropropane (DCP) to assess the fate and origin of this pollutant. DCP was detected more frequently in groundwater samples collected in aerobic and nitrate-reducing zones than those collected from iron-reducing zones. Simulated DCP concentrations for groundwater entering an iron-reducing zone were calculated from a fate and transport model that included dispersion, sorption, and hydrolysis but not degradation. Simulated concentrations were well in excess of measured values, suggesting that microbial degradation occurred in the iron-reducing zone. Microcosm experiments were conducted using aquifer samples collected from iron-reducing and aerobic zones to evaluate the potential for microbial degradation of DCP and to explain field observations. Hydrogenolysis of DCP and production of monochlorinated propanes in microcosm experiments occurred only with aquifer materials collected from the iron-reducing zone, and no dechlorination was observed in microcosms established with aquifer materials collected from the aerobic zones. Careful analyses of the DCP/1,2,2-trichloropropane ratios in groundwater indicated that older fumigant formulations were responsible for the high levels of DCP present in this aquifer.

Washington↗
USGS2003

Environmental fate of roxarsone in poultry litter. Part II. Mobility of arsenic in soils amended with poultry litter

Poultry litter often contains arsenic as a result of organo-arsenical feed additives. When the poultry litter is applied to agricultural fields, the arsenic is released to the environment and may result in increased arsenic in surface and groundwater and increased uptake by plants. The release of arsenic from poultry litter, litter-amended soils, and soils without litter amendment was examined by extraction with water and strong acids (HCI and HN03). The extracts were analyzed for As, C, P, Cu, Zn, and Fe. Copper, zinc, and iron are also poultry feed additives. Soils with a known history of litter application and controlled application rate of arsenic-containing poultry litter were obtained from the University of Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station. Soils from fields with long-term application of poultry litter were obtained from a tilled field on the Delmarva Peninsula (MD) and an untilled Oklahoma pasture. Samples from an adjacent forest or nearby pasture that had no history of litter application were used as controls. Depth profiles were sampled for the Oklahoma pasture soils. Analysis of the poultry litter showed that 75% of the arsenic was readily soluble in water. Extraction of soils shows that weakly bound arsenic mobilized by water correlates positively with C, P, Cu, and Zn in amended fields and appears to come primarily from the litter. Strongly bound arsenic correlates positively with Fe in amended fields and suggests sorption or coprecipitation of As and Fe in the soil column.

Environmental Science & Technology↗
USGS2003

Arsenic speciation and reactivity in poultry litter

Recent U.S. government action to lower the maximum concentration levels (MCL) of total arsenic (As) (10 ppb) in drinking water has raised serious concerns about the agricultural use of As-containing biosolids such as poultry litter (PL). In this study, solid-state chemical speciation, desorbability, and total levels of As in PL and long-term amended soils were investigated using novel synchrotron-based probing techniques (microfocused (μ) synchrotron X-ray fluorescence (SXRF) and μ-X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopies) coupled with chemical digestion and batch experiments. The total As levels in the PL were as high as ≈50 mg kg - 1 , and As(II/III and V) was always concentrated in abundant needle-shaped microscopic particles (≈20 μm × 850 μm) associated with Ca, Cu, and Fe and to a lesser extent with S, Cl, and Zn. Post-edge XANES features of litter particles are dissimilar to those of the organo-As(V) compound in poultry feed (i.e., roxarsone), suggesting possible degradation/transformation of roxarsone in the litter and/or in poultry digestive tracts. The extent of As desorption from the litter increased with increasing time and pH from 4.5 to 7, but at most 15% of the total As was released after 5 d at pH 7, indicating the presence of insoluble phases and/or strongly retained soluble compounds. No significant As accumulation (<15 mg kg - 1 ) was found in long-term PL-amended agricultural surface soils. This suggests that As in the PL may have undergone surface and subsurface transport processes. Our research results raise concerns about long-term PL amendment effects on As contamination in surrounding soil−water environments.

Environmental Science & Technology↗
USGS2007

Differences in phosphorus and nitrogen delivery to the Gulf of Mexico from the Mississippi River Basin

Seasonal hypoxia in the northern Gulf of Mexico has been linked to increased nitrogen fluxes from the Mississippi and Atchafalaya River Basins, though recent evidence shows that phosphorus also influences productivity in the Gulf. We developed a spatially explicit and structurally detailed SPARROW water-quality model that reveals important differences in the sources and transport processes that control nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) delivery to the Gulf. Our model simulations indicate that agricultural sources in the watersheds contribute more than 70% of the delivered N and P. However, corn and soybean cultivation is the largest contributor of N (52%), followed by atmospheric deposition sources (16%); whereas P originates primarily from animal manure on pasture and rangelands (37%), followed by corn and soybeans (25%), other crops (18%), and urban sources (12%). The fraction of in-stream P and N load delivered to the Gulf increases with stream size, but reservoir trapping of P causes large local- and regional-scale differences in delivery. Our results indicate the diversity of management approaches required to achieve efficient control of nutrient loads to the Gulf. These include recognition of important differences in the agricultural sources of N and P, the role of atmospheric N, attention to P sources downstream from reservoirs, and better control of both N and P in close proximity to large rivers. ?? 2008 American Chemical Society.

Environmental Science & Technology↗
USGS2009

Chlorine-36 as a tracer of perchlorate origin

Perchlorate (ClO 4 − ) is ubiquitous in the environment. It is produced naturally by atmospheric photochemical reactions, and also is synthesized in large quantities for military, aerospace, and industrial applications. Nitrate-enriched salt deposits of the Atacama Desert (Chile) contain high concentrations of natural ClO 4 − , and have been exported worldwide since the mid-1800s for use in agriculture. The widespread introduction of synthetic and agricultural ClO 4 − into the environment has contaminated numerous municipal water supplies. Stable isotope ratio measurements of Cl and O have been applied for discrimination of different ClO 4 − sources in the environment. This study explores the potential of 36 Cl measurements for further improving the discrimination of ClO 4 − sources. Groundwater and desert soil samples from the southwestern United States (U.S.) contain ClO 4 − having high 36 Cl abundances ( 36 Cl/Cl = 3100 × 10 −15 to 28,800 × 10 −15 ), compared with those from the Atacama Desert ( 36 Cl/Cl = 0.9 × 10 −15 to 590 × 10 −15 ) and synthetic ClO 4 − reagents and products ( 36 Cl/Cl = 0.0 × 10 −15 to 40 × 10 −15 ). In conjunction with stable Cl and O isotope ratios, 36 Cl data provide a clear distinction among three principal ClO 4 − source types in the environment of the southwestern U.S.

Environmental Science & Technology↗
USGS1997

Risk of nitrate in groundwaters of the United States - A national perspective

Nitrate contamination of groundwater occurs in predictable patterns, based on findings of the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. The NAWQA Program was begun in 1991 to describe the quality of the Nation's water resources, using nationally consistent methods. Variables affecting nitrate concentration in groundwater were grouped as 'input' factors (population density end the amount of nitrogen contributed by fertilizer, manure, and atmospheric sources) and 'aquifer vulnerability' factors (soil drainage characteristic and the ratio of woodland acres to cropland acres in agricultural areas) and compiled in a national map that shows patterns of risk for nitrate contamination of groundwater. Areas with high nitrogen input, well-drained soils, and low woodland to cropland ratio have the highest potential for contamination of shallow groundwater by nitrate. Groundwater nitrate data collected through 1992 from wells less than 100 ft deep generally verified the risk patterns shown on the national map. Median nitrate concentration was 0.2 mg/L in wells representing the low-risk group, and the maximum contaminant level (MCL) was exceeded in 3% of the wells. In contrast, median nitrate concentration was 4.8 mg/L in wells representing the high-risk group, and the MCL was exceeded in 25% of the wells.Nitrate contamination of groundwater occurs in predictable patterns, based on findings of the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. The NAWQA Program was begun in 1991 to describe the quality of the Nation's water resources, using nationally consistent methods. Variables affecting nitrate concentration in groundwater were grouped as `input' factors (population density and the amount of nitrogen contributed by fertilizer, manure, and atmospheric sources) and `aquifer vulnerability' factors (soil drainage characteristic and the ratio of woodland acres to cropland acres in agricultural areas) and compiled in a national map that shows patterns of risk for nitrate contamination of groundwater. Areas with high nitrogen input, well-drained soils, and low woodland to cropland ratio have the highest potential for contamination of shallow groundwater by nitrate. Groundwater nitrate data collected through 1992 from wells less than 100 ft deep generally verified the risk patterns shown on the national map. Median nitrate concentration was 0.2 mg/L in wells representing the low-risk group, and the maximum contaminant level (MCL) was exceeded in 3% of the wells. In contrast, median nitrate concentration was 4.8 mg/L in wells representing the high-risk group, and the MCL was exceeded in 25% of the wells.

Environmental Science & Technology↗
USGS1998

Impact of the 1993 flood on the distribution of organic contaminants in bed sediments of the Upper Mississippi River

The 1500 km Upper Mississippi River (UMR) consists of 29 navigation pools and can be divided into the upper reach (pools 1-4), the middle reach (pools 5-13), and the lower reach (pools 14-26). Comparison of composite bed sediment samples collected from the downstream third of 24 pools before and after the 1993 UMR flood provides fieldscale data on the effect of the flood on sediment organic compound distributions. The sediments were analyzed for organic carbon, coprostanol, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons including pyrene, linear alkylbenzene-sulfonates, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and organochlorine pesticides. Most of the target compounds were detected in all of the sediment samples, although concentrations were generally <1 mg/kg. The highest concentrations typically occurred in the upper reach, an urbanized area on a relatively small river. Pool 4 (Lake Pepin) is an efficient sediment trap, and concentrations of the compounds below pool 4 were substantially lower than those in pools 2-4. Differences in concentrations before and after the 1993 flood also were greatest in the upper reach. In pools 1-4, concentrations of pyrene and PCBs decreased after the flood whereas coprostanol increased. These results suggest that bed sediments stored in the pools were diluted or buried by sediments with different organic compound compositions washed in from urban and agricultural portions of the watershed.The 1500 km Upper Mississippi River (UMR) consists of 29 navigation pools and can be divided into the upper reach (pools 1-4), the middle reach (pools 5-13), and the lower reach (pools 14-26). Comparison of composite bed sediment samples collected from the downstream third of 24 pools before and after the 1993 UMR flood provides field-scale data on the effect of the flood on sediment organic compound distributions. The sediments were analyzed for organic carbon, coprostanol, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons including pyrene, linear alkylbenzene-sulfonates, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and organochlorine pesticides. Most of the target compounds were detected in all of the sediment samples, although concentrations were generally <1 mg/kg. The highest concentrations typically occurred in the upper reach, an urbanized area on a relatively small river. Pool 4 (Lake Pepin) is an efficient sediment trap, and concentrations of the compounds below pool 4 were substantially lower than those in pools 2-4. Differences in concentrations before and after the 1993 flood also were greatest in the upper reach. In pools 1-4, concentrations of pyrene and PCBs decreased after the flood whereas coprostanol increased. These results suggest that bed sediments stored in the pools were diluted or buried by sediments with different organic compound compositions washed in from urban and agricultural portions of the watershed.

Environmental Science & Technology↗
USGS1998

N2O emissions from a nitrogen-enriched river

Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from the South Platte River in Colorado were measured using closed chambers in the fall, winter, and summer of 1994- 1995. The South Platte River was enriched in inorganic N (9-800 ??M) derived from municipal wastewater effluent and groundwater return flows from irrigated agricultural fields. River water was as much as 2500% supersaturated with N2O, and median N2O emission rates from the river surface ranged from less than 90 to 32 600 ??g-N m-2 d-1. Seventy-nine percent of the variance in N2O emission rates was explained by concentrations of total inorganic N in river water and by water temperature. The estimated total annual N2O emissions from the South Platte River were 2 x 1013-6 x 1013 ??g-N yr-1. This amount of annual N2O emissions was similar to the estimated annual N2O emissions from all primary municipal wastewater treatment processes in the United States (1). Results from this study indicate that N-enriched rivers could be important anthropogenic sources of N2O to the atmosphere. However, N2O emission measurements from other N-enriched rivers are needed to better quantify this source.Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from the South Platte River in Colorado were measured using closed chambers in the fall, winter, and summer of 1994-1995. The South Platte River was enriched in inorganic N (9-800 ??M) derived from municipal wastewater effluent and groundwater return flows from irrigated agricultural fields. River water was as much as 2500% supersaturated with N2O, and median N2O emission rates from the river surface ranged from less than 90 to 32 600 ??g-N m-2 d-1. Seventy-nine percent of the variance in N2O emission rates was explained by concentrations of total inorganic N in river water and by water temperature. The estimated total annual N2O emissions from the South Platte River were 2??1013-6??1013 ??g-N yr-1. This amount of annual N2O emissions was similar to the estimated annual N2O emissions from all primary municipal wastewater treatment processes in the United States. Results from this study indicate that N-enriched rivers could be important anthropogenic sources of N2O to the atmosphere. However, N2O emission measurements from other N-enriched rivers are needed to better quantify this source.

Environmental Science & Technology↗
USGS2000

Macroinvertebrate assemblages on woody debris and their relations with environmental variables in the lower Sacramento and San Joaquin River drainages, California

Data from 25 sites were used to evaluate associations between macroinvertebrate assemblages on large woody debris (snags) and environmental variables in the lower San Joaquin and Sacramento River drainages in California as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water Quality Assessment Program. Samples were collected from 1993 to 1995 in the San Joaquin River drainage and in 1996 and 1997 in the Sacramento River drainage. Macroinvertebrate taxa were aggregated to the family (or higher) level of taxonomic organization, resulting in 39 taxa for analyses. Only the 31 most common taxa were used for two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN) and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). TWINSPAN analysis defined four groups of snag samples on the basis of macroinvertebrate assemblages. Analysis of variance identified differences in environmental and biotic characteristics among the groups. These results combined with the results of CCA indicated that mean dominant substrate type, gradient, specific conductance, water temperature, percentage of the basin in agricultural land use, percentage of the basin in combined agricultural and urban land uses, and elevation were important factors in explaining assemblage structure. Macroinvertebrate assemblages on snags may be useful in family level bioassessments of environmental conditions in valley floor habitats.

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment↗
USGS1997

Water-quality trends in White Rock Creek Basin from 1912-1994 identified using sediment cores from White Rock Lake Reservoir, Dallas, Texas

Historical trends in selected water-quality variables from 1912 to 1994 in White Rock Creek Basin were identified by dated sediment cores from White Rock Lake. White Rock Lake is a 4.4-km2 reservoir filled in 1912 and located on the north side of Dallas, Texas, with a drainage area of 259 km2. Agriculture dominated land use in White Rock Creek Basin before about 1950. By 1990, 72% of the basin was urban. Sediment cores were dated using cesium-137 and core lithology. Major element concentrations changed, and sedimentation rates and percentage of clay-sized particles in sediments decreased beginning in about 1952 in response to the change in land use. Lead concentrations, normalized with respect to aluminum, were six times larger in sediment deposited in about 1978 than in pre-1952 sediment. Following the introduction of unleaded gasoline in the 1970s, normalized lead concentrations in sediment declined and stabilized at about two and one-half times the pre-1952 level. Normalized zinc and arsenic concentrations increased 66 and 76%, respectively, from before 1952 to 1994. No organochlorine compounds were detected in sediments deposited prior to about 1940. Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and DDE (a metabolite of DDT) increased rapidly beginning in the 1940s and peaked in the 1960s at 21 and 20 ??g kg-1, respectively, which is coincident with their peak use in the United States. Concentrations of both declined about an order of magnitude from the 1960s to the 1990s to 3.0 and 2.0 ??g kg-1, respectively. Chlordane and dieldrin concentrations increased during the 1970s and 1980s. The largest chlordane concentration was 8.0 ??g kg-1 and occurred in a sediment sample deposited in about 1990. The largest dieldrin concentration was 0.7 ??g kg-1 and occurred in the most recent sample deposited in the early 1990s. Agricultural use of chlordane and dieldrin was restricted in the 1970s; however, both were used as termiticides, and urban use of chlordane continued at least until 1990. Recent use of dieldrin and aldrin, which degrades to dieldrin, has not been reported; however, increasing trends in dieldrin since the 1970s suggest recent urban use could have occurred.

Journal of Paleolimnology↗
USGS2001

Anthropogenic nitrogen deposition induces rapid ecological changes in alpine lakes of Colorado Front Range (USA)

Recent sediments from two alpine lakes (> 3300 m asl) in the Colorado Front Range (USA) register marked and near-synchronous changes that are believed to represent ecological responses to enhanced atmospheric deposition of fixed nitrogen from anthropogenic sources. Directional shifts in sediment proxies include greater representations of mesotrophic diatoms and increasingly depleted δ 15 N values. These trends are particularly pronounced since ~ 1950, and appear to chronicle lake responses to excess N derived from agricultural and industrial sources to the east. The rate and magnitude of recent ecological changes far exceed the context of natural variability, as inferred from comparative analyses of a long core capturingthe entire 14,000-year postglacial history of one of the lakes. Nitrogen deposition to these seemingly pristine natural areas has resulted in subtle but detectable limnological changes that likely represent the beginning of a stronger response to nitrogen enrichment.

Journal of Paleolimnology↗
USGS2001

Duck populations as indicators of landscape condition in the Prairie Pothole Region

The Prairie Pothole Region of the northern Great Plains is an important region for waterfowl production because of the abundance of shallow wetlands. The ecological significance of the region and impacts from intensive agriculture prompted the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to select it as one of the first areas for developing and evaluating ecological indicators of wetland condition. We examined hypothesized relations between indicators of landscape and wetland conditions and waterfowl abundance on 45 40 km2 study sites in North Dakota for 1995-96. Landscape condition was defined a priori as the ratio of cropland area to total upland area surrounding wetlands. Measures of waterfowl abundance included estimated numbers of breeding pairs (by species and total numbers) and , a species-specific correction factor which effectively adjusts breeding pair estimates for annual or area-related differences in pond size. Landscape indicators and waterfowl measures varied among regions. Results indicated that most areas in the Coteau region are of much higher quality for ducks than those in the Drift Plain, and areas in the Red River Valley are of the poorest quality for ducks. Regression models demonstrated the impact of agricultural development on breeding duck populations in the Prairie Pothole Region. The most consistent landscape indicators of waterfowl abundance were percent of cropland and grassland. Models were inconsistent among years and species. The potential biotic indicators of landscape and wetland condition examined here would be appropriate for temporal trend analyses, but because of inherent geographic variability would not be appropriate for single-year geographic trend analyses without more extensive evaluations to improve explanatory models

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment↗
USGS2002

A comparison of models for estimating the riverine export of nitrogen from large watersheds

We evaluated the accuracy of six watershed models of nitrogen export in streams (kg km2 yr-1) developed for use in large watersheds and representing various empirical and quasi-empirical approaches described in the literature. These models differ in their methods of calibration and have varying levels of spatial resolution and process complexity, which potentially affect the accuracy (bias and precision) of the model predictions of nitrogen export and source contributions to export. Using stream monitoring data and detailed estimates of the natural and cultural sources of nitrogen for 16 watersheds in the northeastern United States (drainage sizes = 475 to 70,000 km2), we assessed the accuracy of the model predictions of total nitrogen and nitrate-nitrogen export. The model validation included the use of an error modeling technique to identify biases caused by model deficiencies in quantifying nitrogen sources and biogeochemical processes affecting the transport of nitrogen in watersheds. Most models predicted stream nitrogen export to within 50% of the measured export in a majority of the watersheds. Prediction errors were negatively correlated with cultivated land area, indicating that the watershed models tended to over predict export in less agricultural and more forested watersheds and under predict in more agricultural basins. The magnitude of these biases differed appreciably among the models. Those models having more detailed descriptions of nitrogen sources, land and water attenuation of nitrogen, and water flow paths were found to have considerably lower bias and higher precision in their predictions of nitrogen export.

Biogeochemistry↗
USGS2002

Cycling of beryllium and carbon through hillslope soils in Iowa

Isotopes of Be and C were used to reconstruct loess accumulation, hillslope evolution, and agricultural modification in soils of western Iowa. While both elements are derived from additions by the atmosphere (via plants in the case of carbon), the differences in element cycling allow erosional and depositional processes to be separated from biochemical processing. Based on 10Be, loess accumulation likely occurred simultaneously with hillslope degradation. Rates of loess accumulation declined five-fold between early stages (late Pleistocene and early Holocene) and later stages (late Holocene) of accumulation, but the absolute timing of accumulation requires independent dating methods. Based on 14C measurements, plant inputs and decomposition are significant near the surface, but below 1-1.5 m carbon inputs are minimal and decomposition is nearly arrested. The amount of carbon below 1.5 m is constant (0.1%) and is composed of soil organic matter that was buried by loess. Agricultural modification results in a dramatic redistribution of 10Be through soil erosion and deposition. By contrast, the redistribution of soil organic matter is masked by the rapid cycling of C through the topsoil as it continually decomposes and is replaced by plant inputs.

Biogeochemistry↗
USGS2003

100 years of Pb deposition and transport in soils in Champaign, Illinois, U.S.A

In Illinois, atmospheric deposition is one major source of heavy metal inputs to agricultural land. The atmospheric Pb deposition and transport record in agricultural soils in Champaign, Illinois, was established by studying surface and subsurface soil samples collected during the past 100 years from the Morrow Plots on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The Pb content in the soil samples was measured and the Ph deposition fluxes were calculated. The Pb content in surface soils increased sharply in the first half of the 20th century, and stayed invariant since. The maximum Pb flux from the atmosphere was estimated to be 27 (??14) ??g cm-2 yr-1 around 1940. The major pollution source for this increase probably was residential coal burning. It was estimated that in 50 yr, more than 50% of the Pb input had been lost from the surface soils.

Water, Air, & Soil Pollution↗
USGS2004

Drainage effects on stream nitrate-N and hydrology in south-central Minnesota (USA)

Excessive nitrate-N in south-central Minnesota ditches and streams is related to land-use change, and may be contributing to the development of the zone of hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico. Intensive land-use (agricultural management) has progressively increased as subsurface drainage has improved crop productivity over the past 25 years. We have examined water at varying scales for ??18O and, nitrate-N concentrations. Additionally, analysis of annual peak flows, and channel geomorphic features provided a measure of hydrologic change. Laboratory and field results indicate that agricultural drainage has influenced riverine source waters, concentrations of nitrate-N, channel dimensions and hydrology in the Blue Earth River (BER) Basin. At the mouth of the BER shallow ground water comprises the largest source water component. The highest nitrate-N concentrations in the BER and tributaries typically occurred in May and June and ranged from 7-34 mg L-1. Peak flows for the 1.01-2-yr recurrence intervals increased by 20-to-206% over the past 25 years. Geomorphic data suggest that small channels (ditches) were entrenched by design, whereas, natural channels incised. Increased frequent peak flows in the BER have created laterally confined channels that are disconnected from an accessible riparian corridor. Frequent access to a functioning riparian zone is important for denitrification.

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment↗