Hydrologic Research at the Baltimore Ecosystem Study

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Hydrologic Research at the Baltimore Ecosystem
Study
USGS
  Kenneth T. Belt US Forest Service August 19,
2003National Water Monitoring Council
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LTER Projects A network of sites funded by NSF
Long Term Ecological Research
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LTER Projects are useful some trends take a
while to detect
SLOW PROCESSES RARE EVENTS VARIABLE
PROCESSES COMPLEX PHENOMENA
Likens 1992
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RESEARCH QUESTION 1

• How do the spatial structures of socio-economic,
  ecological and physical features of an urban area
  relate to each other,
• and how do they change over time?

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RESEARCH QUESTION 2

• What are the fluxes of energy, matter, capital
  and population in an urban system,
• and how do they change over the long term?

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RESEARCH QUESTION 3

• How can people develop and use an understanding
  of the metropolis as an ecological system to
  improve the quality of their environment,
• and to reduce pollutant loadings to downstream
  air and watersheds?

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BESan LTER project site (Funded by NSF)
Institute of Ecosystem Studies (IES) Project Lead
US Forest Service (Research funds, Scientists, Rev
italizing Baltimore Funding)
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Baltimore Ecosystem Study Many Partner Agencies
Lots of School Community Partners
Institute of Ecosystem Studies (IES) Veg, soil
microbiol, nutrients, education
UNC Hydr modeling
Parks People Community relations, technology
transfer
US FS Syracuse Veg, water qual, soils,
meteorology, modeling, Cub Hill Flux,
meteorology, Stream ecology
US FS Burlington Social Sci, PAR
Johns Hopkins Paleo, veg, soil inverts
U of Vermont Soc, econ Modeling
US Geological Survey Flow Gaging, water quality
UMBC Geography, Biology, Engineering
UMCP Stream ecology
UMBC Center for Urban Environmental Research and
Education (CUERE)
And still more.
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Hydrologic Research
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BES StreamSites USGS Gauges
Pond Br. Weir
Rognel Hts Storm Sewer
Carroll Park Main Channel
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BES Permanent Plots
Oregon Ridge
F,W
Gwynnbrook
McDonogh
W
A,G
Hillsdale
F
Leakin Park
F,W
F Forest G Grass W Wetland A Agriculture
UMBC
G
Map Source MD Office of Planning, Revitalizing
Baltimore (1999)
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Meteorology Plots
Riparian Well
Forest Hydrology Plot
LTER Meteorological Station
Tipping Bucket Rain Gage
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UV Radiation
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Carbon and Meteorological Fluxes

• Characterize air quality and meteorological
  fluxes in urban/suburban ecosystems
• Estimate carbon flux and carbon sequestration in
  urban/suburban ecosystems

John Hom, David Nowak, Dan Golub, Gordon Heisler,
and Sue Grimmond (IU)
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Cub Hill Small CatchmentsContrasting Land Use
Apartment Complexes
Single Family Residential
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Watershed 263 Small Catchmentsthe
Urban-Suburban Gradient
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In-Stream Processing
Hyporheos-the hidden stream ecosystem
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Channel Incision Hydrologic Drought
Incised Channel Rooting Zone Disconnected from
the groundwater
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Minebank Run- Stream restoration and N processing
in an urban stream-aquifer systemPaul Mayer and
Elise Striz, US EPA National Risk Management
Research Lab
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The Altered Urban Hydrologic System
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Urban watersheds groundwater flows to the
stream channel are by-passed and de-emphasized
Buildings, Roofs, roads, etc. (Fast,
warm)
Storm Drains
Groundwater (Slow, Cool)
Stream Channel
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The Urban Storm HydrographGreater Peaks Volume
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The Urban Hydrologic Systeminfrastructure driven
pathways
Impervious Surfaces
Stormdrains
Water Supply Pipes
Septic Systems
Groundwater Flow Paths
Artificial Channels
Wastewater Conduits
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Urban Watersheds with Higher BaseflowWater Leaks?
The 1999 Drought
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Fluoride in the Stream Baseflow
Fluoride Conc
Stream Flow
Baltimore City DPW Data
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Organic Matter in Streams

• Leaf Litter Deomposition Processes
• Organic Matter Transport Runoff
• Drainage Network Analysis
• Effects of heavy metals and other toxics

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Extensions of First Order StreamsEffects on
Organic Matter Transport
Dense Curb Gutter Network
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Stream Water Quality
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Sanitary (Gravity) Sewers Interwoven with
Fluvial Systems
Main Line Interceptor
Feeder Lines
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Gwynns Run
Lower Gwynns Falls
Upper Gwynns Falls
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RAPID Results, of Sampleswith E. Coli 0157 H7
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Urban Heat Island and Riparian Thermal Effects
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Stream Temperatures Thermal Loads
Urban
Suburban
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Nitrate Suburban vs Forested Land Use
Glyndon (sewered)
Baismans Run (Septic)
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SuburbanSeptic Leakage in Baismans Run?
4-5 mg/l
Forested, lt 0.1 mg/l
Outlet 1-2 mg/l Nitrate N
3-4 mg/l
2-3 mg/l
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High Suburban Nitrate yields
Suburban
Urban
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Year-to-year Variation
Newer Suburban Highly Variable Increasing
Old Suburban Not Variable
Urban Decreasing
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Glyndon Missing Nitrogenuptake
denitrification ?
Input Fertilizer,
21.5
23.5
Input Atmospheric Deposition
?
8.5
Output Measured Loads in the Stream 6.5 Kg/ha/yr
Monitoring Station
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Urban Watershed Retention of Nitrates good and
bad news
High retention rates but overloaded systems
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