A new type of water pollution: concrete drainage infrastructure and geochemical contamination of urban waters

2011 ◽  
Vol 62 (12) ◽  
pp. 1355 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. A. Wright ◽  
P. J. Davies ◽  
S. J. Findlay ◽  
O. J. Jonasson
Keyword(s):  
Urban Streams ◽  
Urban Stream ◽  
Urban Drainage ◽  
Urban Stream Syndrome ◽  
Concrete Pipes ◽  
Freshwater Streams ◽  
New Type ◽  
Major Anions ◽  
Materials Used ◽  
Stream Geochemistry

Stormwater and other urban runoff is often conveyed by concrete infrastructure and it is plausible that the chemistry of urban streams is modified by the leaching of minerals from this infrastructure. We tested this hypothesis by analysing major anions, cations and other chemical variables from urban and reference freshwater streams in northern Sydney. Urban streams tended towards neutral pH whereas non-urban reference streams were acidic. Bicarbonate levels were more than 10 times higher and calcium concentrations were more than six times higher in urban streams than reference streams. Experimental analysis revealed that the chemistry of rainwater changed when passed through concrete pipes and down concrete gutters, suggesting dissolution of cement products from various concrete materials used for urban drainage. This study concluded that the use of concrete – particularly its application for urban drainage – is responsible for some of the modifications to urban stream geochemistry. Thus, urban geology should be considered as an important factor that contributes to the urban stream syndrome.

The influence of concrete on the geochemical qualities of urban streams

2014 ◽  
Vol 65 (11) ◽  
pp. 1009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carl Tippler ◽  
Ian A. Wright ◽  
Peter J. Davies ◽  
Alison Hanlon
Keyword(s):  
Urban Development ◽  
Stream Water ◽  
Ionic Composition ◽  
Strong Relationship ◽  
Urban Streams ◽  
Urban Stream ◽  
Urban Stream Syndrome ◽  
Water Geochemistry ◽  
Freshwater Streams ◽  
Stream Geochemistry

The geochemical signature of freshwater streams can be used to determine the extent and nature of modification to stream water geochemistry due to urban development. This approach used the Gibbs (1970) diagram as a model for evaluation of changes to ionic composition linked to urban development. In this multi-year study, the geochemistry of 21 waterways in the Georges River catchment, Sydney, were monitored and compared with the level of urban development as measured by sub-catchment imperviousness and directly connected imperviousness. The results reflect a strong relationship between the intensity of sub-catchment urban development and stream geochemistry. All major geochemical attributes increased with escalating levels of urban development. The largest increase was for bicarbonate, which increased 18 times from a mean of 6.4 mg L–1 at non-urban streams to a mean of 118 mg L–1 at urban streams. Similarly, mean concentrations of calcium increased by 14 times (from 2 to 27.9 mg L–1). Mean salinity was enriched in the most urban streams, compared with non-urban streams, by more than 6 times. We attribute this, in part, to the influence of urban geology, notably concrete stormwater infrastructure. Changes in stream geochemistry due to urban development are an important element of the urban stream syndrome.

scholarly journals The Value and Services of Urban Stream Polygnotou, Thessaloniki

Proceedings ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (11) ◽  
pp. 576
Author(s):  
Eleni A. Athanasiadou ◽  
Maria Tratsela ◽  
Eleni Gkrimpa
Keyword(s):  
Green Infrastructure ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Urban Streams ◽  
Urban Stream ◽  
Riparian Ecosystems ◽  
Runoff Water ◽  
Ecological Processes ◽  
Urban Stream Syndrome ◽  
Mental Map

Grey, blue and green infrastructure supports socio-ecological processes the city undergoes. Yet, procedures of constructing anthropogenic habitats often undermine the value of natural landscape elements such as urban streams. Thessaloniki’s backbone comprises of urban streams that run from the suburban forest of ‘Seih-Sou’ to the Thermaikos Gulf acting as corridors of the natural urban matrix. Policies of the past have dealt with urban streams through extensive engineering drainage methods, eliminating the risk of flooding, yet resulting in rapid stormwater runoff, water quality problems, disturbed riparian ecosystems, leading to the urban stream syndrome. Furthermore, they have failed to address urban streams as an inseparable part of the landscape and thus to incorporate them in people’s mental map and everyday activities. The paper discusses the case of ‘Polygnotou stream’ which forms the beginning of the large scale engineered peripheral moat of Thessaloniki, constructed in the 60’s, and playing the role of the water recipient for six urban streams in total. It falls unknown to the majority of people living in the area, yet its services as an ecosystem ought to be acknowledged, helping inform decision makers of its socio-ecologic, perceptual and economic value. In addition, Polygnotou stream, adjacent streams and the peripheral moat overall, could be considered as a touristic product of great importance.

Urban hydrogeomorphology and the urban stream syndrome

2015 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 480-492 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoff J. Vietz ◽  
Christopher J. Walsh ◽  
Tim D. Fletcher
Keyword(s):  
Flow Regime ◽  
Stormwater Runoff ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Urban Stream ◽  
Urban Stream Syndrome ◽  
Stream Morphology ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
Urban Catchments ◽  
Urban Stormwater Runoff ◽  
The Impact

The urban stream syndrome is an almost universal physical and ecological response of streams to catchment urbanization. Altered channel geomorphology is a primary symptom that includes channel deepening, widening and instability. While the common approach is to treat the symptoms (e.g. modifying and stabilizing the channel), many stream restoration objectives will not be achieved unless the more vexing problem, treating the cause, is addressed in some way. Research demonstrates that the dominant cause of geomorphic change in streams in urban catchments is an altered flow regime and increase in the volume of stormwater runoff. Thus, managers can choose to treat the symptoms by modifying and controlling the channel to accommodate the altered flow regime, or treat the cause by modifying the flow regime to reduce the impact on channel morphology. In both cases treatments must, at the least, explicitly consider hydrogeomorphology—the science of the linkages between various hydrologic and geomorphic processes—to have a chance of success. This paper provides a review of recent literature (2010 to early 2015) to discuss fluvial hydrogeomorphology in the management of streams subject to urbanization. We suggest that while the dominant approach is focused on combating the symptoms of catchment urbanization (that we refer to as channel reconfiguration), there is increasing interest in approaches that attempt to address the causes by using stormwater control measures at a range of scales in the catchment (e.g. flow-regime management). In many settings in the oft-constrained urban catchment, effective management of stream morphology may require multiple approaches. To conclude, we identify five research areas that could inform urban hydrogeomorphology, one of the most challenging of which is the extent to which the volume of excess urban stormwater runoff can be reduced to mitigate the impact on stream geomorphology.

Global perspectives on the urban stream syndrome

2016 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 412-420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Derek B. Booth ◽  
Allison H. Roy ◽  
Benjamin Smith ◽  
Krista A. Capps
Keyword(s):  
Urban Stream ◽  
Urban Stream Syndrome ◽  
Global Perspectives

scholarly journals Beyond the urban stream syndrome: organic matter budget for diagnostics and restoration of an impaired urban river

2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 1623-1643 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dave M. Epstein ◽  
Julia E. Kelso ◽  
Michelle A. Baker
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Urban River ◽  
Urban Stream ◽  
Urban Stream Syndrome

scholarly journals Real-Time Integrated Operation for Urban Streams with Centralized and Decentralized Reservoirs to Improve System Resilience

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eui Hoon Lee ◽  
Young Hwan Choi ◽  
Joong Hoon Kim
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Streams ◽  
Urban Drainage ◽  
Require Time ◽  
Impervious Area ◽  
The Status ◽  
Resilience Index ◽  
Integrated Operation ◽  
System Resilience ◽  
Integrated Operations

Recently, the number of extreme rainfall events has increased because of climate change. The ever-widening impervious area in urban watersheds also continuously augments runoff volume. Most measures to prevent urban inundation are structural, such as the construction, rehabilitation, and replacement of urban drainage facilities. Because structural measures require time and money, nonstructural measures are also required for the efficient prevention of urban inundation. Current operations in Korea focus on the individual operation of urban drainage facilities while neglecting the status of effluent streams. A study on urban drainage facilities that considers the status of urban streams is necessary to improve the operation of drainage facilities in urban areas. A revised resilience index is suggested to evaluate measures. For the historical rainfall event in 2010, the system resilience for current and integrated operations was 0.199 and 0.238, respectively. For the 2011 event, the system resilience for current and integrated operations was 0.064 and 0.235, respectively. The integrated operation exhibited good performance for the 2010 and 2011 events. Based on the results of this study, an operation as a nonstructural measure for the total management of urban areas is proposed. The revised resilience index could support decision-making processes for flood-management plans.

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