Soil characteristics in relation to groundwater for selected Dark Brown Chernozems in southern Alberta

2010 ◽  
Vol 90 (4) ◽  
pp. 597-610 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.J. Miller ◽  
D.S. Chanasyk
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Flow ◽  
Groundwater Recharge ◽  
Water Table ◽  
Calcareous Soil ◽  
Soil Characteristics ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
The Other ◽  
Slope Position ◽  
Southern Alberta ◽  
Water Tables

Limited information exists on soil characteristics in relation to groundwater for undulating morainal landscapes of the Dark Brown soil zone in western Canada. A 4-yr (1985-1988) field study was conducted in southern Alberta to investigate these relationships for selected Dark Brown Chernozems. Soil morphology, physical and chemical properties of the soil horizons, water fluxes in the saturated zone, and tritium content of shallow groundwater were determined at nine sites. Three Orthic Dark Brown Chernozemic soils occurred in groundwater recharge areas with water tables ≥1.81 m, indicating that leaching of carbonates from the B horizons was consistent with downward groundwater flow. The other three Orthic soils occurred in groundwater discharge areas, and they may have developed because of deeper (≥2.60 m) water tables. High water-soluble Na in these latter three Orthic soils suggested a sodic influence from a shallower water table sometime in the recent past. The two Calcareous Dark Brown Chernozems, and saline Calcareous Dark Brown Chernozem occurred in groundwater recharge areas. One calcareous soil at a lower slope position had a shallow (0.84-2.02 m) water table, suggesting carbonates were brought upward into the Cca horizon from the groundwater. The other calcareous soil at the upper slope position had a deeper (>6.62 m) water table, suggesting carbonates were leached downward and precipitated in the Cca horizon. The saline Calcareous Dark Brown Chernozem was located in an area of groundwater recharge with a deeper (4-9 m) water table, suggesting that salinization likely occurred sometime in the past. Groundwater flow conditions during this study could not explain the genesis of some soils in this study area, suggesting that past groundwater, climatic, and environmental conditions need to be considered to explain the genesis of some relict soils.

THE EFFECT OF GROUNDWATER ON SOIL FORMATION IN A MORAINAL LANDSCAPE IN SASKATCHEWAN

1985 ◽  
Vol 65 (2) ◽  
pp. 293-307 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. J. MILLER ◽  
D. F. ACTON ◽  
R. J. ST. ARNAUD
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Flow ◽  
Water Table ◽  
Soil Formation ◽  
Lateral Flow ◽  
Dominant Factor ◽  
Slope Position ◽  
Soluble Salts ◽  
Runoff Water ◽  
Depth To Water Table ◽  
Water Tables

The results of this study indicate the importance of groundwater flow and water table depth on the genesis, characteristics and distribution of soils within a hummocky morainal landscape. Non-saline and non-carbonated soils in upland depressions can be attributed to "depression-focused" recharge by snowmelt and snowmelt runoff in the spring, as evidenced by deep sola and/or eluvial horizons. Non-saline and carbonated soils on lower slopes adjacent to depressions are associated with local discharge and/or lateral flow from the adjacent groundwater mounds under the depressions in spring, as well as upward flow in the summer resulting from water use by phreatophytes such as willows, creating a water table depression around the slough fringes. Saline and carbonated soils at low elevations are associated with shallow and rather stable water tables, and local discharge from surrounding uplands. Soil types on uplands are more dependent on slope position and infiltration than on depth to water table or groundwater flow. Non-saline soils of different profile types occur on mid- and upper slope positions. These areas have a deep water table with mainly recharge or lateral flow occurring in the saturated zone. The infiltration of surface runoff water in upland depressions is the dominant factor influencing the distribution of soluble salts in this hummocky landscape. Key words: Water table, landscape position, recharge, discharge, soluble salts, soil genesis, morphology, carbonate soil

NITROGEN MOVEMENT NEAR SURFACE MANURE STORAGES

1976 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 223-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. J. SOWDEN ◽  
F. R. HORE
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Flow ◽  
Groundwater Contamination ◽  
Water Table ◽  
The Other ◽  
Nitrate Content ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Concrete Base ◽  
Dug Wells ◽  
Storage Area ◽  
Manure Storage

No evidence of serious groundwater contamination by excess nutrients from solid manure storage areas that had been used for over 30 yr at the Experimental Farm, Ottawa was found in an investigation that was carried out over a period of 4 yr. One storage area was on a concrete base and the other was located on a gravel base. The water table was usually above the 275-cm depth at both sites. Two unused shallow dug wells less than 250 m from the storage areas were not contaminated by nitrate, ammonium or phosphate. Water from piezometers installed at 275- and 425-cm depths near the gravel base storage area was always low in nitrate and ammonium, but sometimes appreciable levels of nitrate were found in water from a 122-cm deep piezometer. Water from piezometers installed at 122- and 275-cm depths near the concrete base storage area usually contained nitrate and ammonium. Water from piezometers installed 213 and 241 m from the storage areas in the direction of groundwater flow contained little nitrate or ammonium. The conditions prevailing in the area and the variation in the nitrate content of the groundwater during the seasons suggested that much of the nitrate originating from the storage areas was denitrified at or near the water table.

Groundwater recharge and discharge response to rainfall on a hillslope

Soil Research ◽  
1986 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 343 ◽  
Author(s):  
T Talsma ◽  
EA Gardner
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Groundwater Recharge ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Water Table ◽  
Water Movement ◽  
Free Water ◽  
Stream Discharge ◽  
Water Tables ◽  
Hydraulic Gradients ◽  
Rainfall Recharge

Groundwater recharge was investigated within a representative hillslope segment of a small forested catchment, where the depth to the water table increased when progressing upslope from a free water outlet. Catchment soils varied with progression upslope from grey through yellow to red earths, which were underlain by low hydraulic conductivity B horizons and permeable substrata. The catchment was equipped for measuring stream discharge, rainfall characteristics, water table position, soil water content and soil hydraulic properties. Measurements commenced when soil water was severely depleted by drought, and were continued to monitor infiltration and redistribution with depth after more than 1000 mm of rainfall. Water movement occurred under approximately unit hydraulic gradients to the layer of restricted hydraulic conductivity; with movement through this layer proceeding under gradients considerably in excess of unity. Between rainfall events water movement in the soil profiles with deep water tables occurred by redistribution, with the capillary flux exceeding the gravitational flux. Where water tables were shallow (<m), profile recharge occurred within 7 weeks, after which sustained recharge to the groundwater body occurred at rates of the order of 3 mm day-1. Where water tables were deep (>7 m) it took many months for the soil water deficit to be replenished by rainfall. Recharge to groundwater in this case commenced with a flux of about 0.5 mm day-1 and decreased to an estimated value of 0.3 mm day-1 some 5 months later. Following winter rain more than 30% of the annual groundwater discharge from the catchment originated from a relatively small but expanding area near the free water outlet.

scholarly journals Greenhouse Gas Balance of Sphagnum Farming on Highly Decomposed Peat at Former Peat Extraction Sites

Ecosystems ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Oestmann ◽  
Bärbel Tiemeyer ◽  
Dominik Düvel ◽  
Amanda Grobe ◽  
Ullrich Dettmann
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Drip Irrigation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
The Other ◽  
Ghg Mitigation ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Balance ◽  
Peat Extraction ◽  
Water Tables ◽  
Mitigation Potentials

AbstractFor two years, we quantified the exchange of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) at two different large-scale Sphagnum farming sites. At both, peat extraction left a shallow layer of highly decomposed peat and low hydraulic conductivities. One site was characterized by preceding multi-annual inundation and irrigated by ditches, while the other one was inoculated directly after peat extraction and irrigated by ditches and drip irrigation. Further, GHG emissions from an irrigation polder and the effect of harvesting Sphagnum donor material at a near-natural reference site were determined. GHG mitigation potentials lag behind the results of less decomposed sites, although our results were also affected by the extraordinary hot and dry summer 2018. CO2 exchanges ranged between -0.6 and 2.2 t CO2-C ha−1 y−1 and were mainly influenced by low water table depths. CH4 emissions were low with the exception of plots with higher Eriophorum covers, while fluctuating water tables and poorly developing plant covers led to considerable N2O emissions at the ditch irrigation site. The removal of the upper vegetation at the near-natural site resulted in increased CH4 emissions and, on average, lowered CO2 emissions. Overall, best plant growth and lowest GHG emissions were measured at the previously inundated site. At the other site, drip irrigation provided more favourable conditions than ditch irrigation. The size of the area needed for water management (ditches, polders) strongly affected the areal GHG balances. We conclude that Sphagnum farming on highly decomposed peat is possible but requires elaborate water management.

scholarly journals Groundwater recharge estimation in arid hardrock-alluvium aquifers using combined water-table fluctuation and groundwater balance approaches

2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (19) ◽  
pp. 3437-3451 ◽  
Author(s):  
Azizallah Izady ◽  
Osman A.E. Abdalla ◽  
Ata Joodavi ◽  
Akbar Karimi ◽  
Mingjie Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Recharge ◽  
Water Table ◽  
Groundwater Balance ◽  
Water Table Fluctuation ◽  
Recharge Estimation

scholarly journals Damage potential and phenology of the Colorado potato beetle [Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae] on potato in southern Alberta

2005 ◽  
Vol 83 (2) ◽  
pp. 89-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Noronha ◽  
G.M. Duke ◽  
M.S. Goettel
Keyword(s):  
Colorado Potato Beetle ◽  
Leptinotarsa Decemlineata ◽  
Potato Production ◽  
Maximum Density ◽  
The Other ◽  
Damage Potential ◽  
Potato Beetle ◽  
Southern Alberta ◽  
Overwintering Mortality ◽  
Experimental Plots

The phenology and damage potential of the Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) were studied in the potato producing area in southern Alberta. Experimental plots were established at Lethbridge in 1998, 1999 and 2000, and at Vauxhall in 1998 and 1999. At each site, one plot was protected against the beetle by application of insecticides while the other was "unprotected." Natural potato beetle populations quickly colonized unprotected plots each year. Overwintered adults appeared in plots by mid June with mean densities reaching between 0.3 and 0.6 per plant. Eggs were laid on young plants with mean densities reaching two egg masses per plant by late June. Maximum larval densities reached 9.5 per plant for each of 1st, 2nd and 3rd instars and 14 per plant for 4th instars. Maximum density for newly emerged adults was 57 per plant in mid-July at the 2000 Lethbridge unprotected plot. Defoliation was very low at the beginning of the season but increased sharply when 3rd and 4th instar populations peaked and continued to rise as new adults emerged. Maximum defoliation occurred at the Lethbridge plot in 2000 with 100% defoliation by 10 August. Total yields in all unprotected plots ranged from 10 to 40% lower than in the protected plots. Mean density of overwintering adults within potato plots was 76 beetles m-2 with a maximum of 232 m-2. Mean overwintering mortality was 22% and mean depth of overwintering adults was 12 cm, with 63% of the beetles collected at depths ≤ 10 cm. Our results indicate that the phenology of the beetle is similar to that reported in areas where population buildups were rapid and devastating soon after insecticide resistant populations appeared. Consequently the beetle must be considered as a serious threat to potato production in southern Alberta.

Groundwater age from multi-level bores: What it can tell about the aquifers

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Uwe Morgenstern ◽  
Zara Rawlinson
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Flow ◽  
Groundwater Recharge ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Preferential Flow ◽  
Groundwater Age ◽  
Geological Processes ◽  
Recharge Sources ◽  
Transient Electromagnetic ◽  
Geophysical Surveys ◽  
Multi Level

&lt;p&gt;Geologic data to provide information on the functioning of aquifers is often scars. For the aquifers underlying the Heretaunga Plains, Hawkes Bay, one of New Zealand&amp;#8217;s most important groundwater systems, we used groundwater age (tritium, SF6, 14C) to inform the geologic model and to provide information on groundwater flow through alternating strata of permeable river gravel beds and fine impermeable beds that form an interconnected unconfined&amp;#8211;confined aquifer system with complex groundwater flow processes.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The aquifers are a result of geological processes responding to climate change cycles from cold glacial when sea level was more than 100m below present sea level, to warm interglacial periods with sea level similar to present day. Glacial climate strata are river gravel, sand and silt deposits and include the artesian aquifers. The interglacial strata form the aquicludes and are marine sand, silt, and clay deposits with interbedded estuarine, swamp and coastal fluvial silt, clay, peat and gravel deposits.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We have re-visited tracer data sampled during the drilling of multi-level observation well in the early 1990s, and collected new samples from these multi-level bores in order to understand in 3D the groundwater recharge sources, groundwater recharge and flow rates, connection to the rivers, and potential groundwater discharge out to sea. Consistently young water (c. 25 years) at depth greater than 100m indicates preferential flow paths, likely related to paleo-river channels. The flow pattern obtained from the water tracer data improves the geologic information from the drill-holes, and fits with information from recent airborne transient electromagnetic (SkyTEM) geophysical surveys.&lt;/p&gt;

scholarly journals Improved representation of groundwater at a regional scale – coupling of mesocale Hydrologic Model (mHM) with OpeneGeoSys (OGS)

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miao Jing ◽  
Falk Heße ◽  
Wenqing Wang ◽  
Thomas Fischer ◽  
Marc Walther ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Time Series ◽  
Groundwater Flow ◽  
Groundwater Recharge ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Groundwater Modeling ◽  
Coupled Model ◽  
Hydrologic Model ◽  
Source Modeling ◽  
Prediction Ability ◽  
Groundwater Head

Abstract. Most of the current large scale hydrological models do not contain a physically-based groundwater flow component. The main difficulties in large-scale groundwater modeling include the efficient representation of unsaturated zone flow, the characterization of dynamic groundwater-surface water interaction and the numerical stability while preserving complex physical processes and high resolution. To address these problems, we propose a highly-scalable coupled hydrologic and groundwater model (mHM#OGS) based on the integration of two open-source modeling codes: the mesoscale hydrologic Model (mHM) and the finite element simulator OpenGeoSys (OGS). mHM#OGS is coupled using a boundary condition-based coupling scheme that dynamically links the surface and subsurface parts. Nested time stepping allows smaller time steps for typically faster surface runoff routing in mHM and larger time steps for slower subsurface flow in OGS. mHM#OGS features the coupling interface which can transfer the groundwater recharge and river baseflow rate between mHM and OpenGeoSys. Verification of the coupled model was conducted using the time-series of observed streamflow and groundwater levels. Moreover, we force the transient model using groundwater recharge in two scenarios: (1) spatially variable recharge based on the mHM simulations, and (2) spatially homogeneous groundwater recharge. The modeling result in first scenario has a slightly higher correlation with groundwater head time-series, which further validates the plausibility of spatial groundwater recharge distribution calculated by mHM in the mesocale. The statistical analysis of model predictions shows a promising prediction ability of the model. The offline coupling method implemented here can reproduce reasonable groundwater head time series while keep a desired level of detail in the subsurface model structure with little surplus in computational cost. Our exemplary calculations show that the coupled model mHM#OGS can be a valuable tool to assess the effects of variability in land surface heterogeneity, meteorological, topographical forces and geological zonation on the groundwater flow dynamics.

Quantitative investigations of the hydraulic connection between a large reservoir and a buried valley aquifer in southern Alberta

2005 ◽  
Vol 42 (5) ◽  
pp. 1461-1473 ◽  
Author(s):  
B D Smerdon ◽  
C A Mendoza ◽  
A M McCann
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Flow ◽  
Flow Model ◽  
Hydraulic Head ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
Groundwater Flow Model ◽  
Reservoir Level ◽  
Hydraulic Connection ◽  
Southern Alberta ◽  
Approximate Location ◽  
Pumping Rates

Quantitative investigations, including two aquifer tests and development of a three-dimensional (3D) groundwater flow model, were required to determine the hydraulic connection between an irrigation reservoir and a buried valley aquifer in southern Alberta. Evidence of seepage was detected in the buried valley aquifer 10 km east of the Pine Coulee reservoir at the onset of filling in 1999, when the reservoir level exceeded an elevation of 1035 m above sea level (a.s.l.). Concern for an increase in the local water table and the creation of artesian conditions in the aquifer prompted this study to determine the approximate location of a seepage window that appeared to be connecting the reservoir and aquifer. Observations of hydraulic head in the aquifer during the pumping tests revealed a barrier boundary when the reservoir level was at an elevation of 1035 m a.s.l. and a recharge boundary condition when the elevation exceeded 1039 m a.s.l. These data were used to calibrate a 3D groundwater flow model, which was needed to determine the hydraulic properties and approximate location of the leakage zone. The quantitative investigation showed that seepage likely occurred through the sideslopes of the flooded coulee, rather than through the low-permeability coulee floor sediments or the embankment dam. Further simulations illustrated the expected seepage rates at various reservoir supply levels and the pumping rates required for relief wells installed in the buried valley aquifer to maintain historic aquifer hydraulic head. A brief postanalysis indicated that the forecasted pumping rates were only 15% lower than have been required to maintain preconstruction water levels in the buried valley aquifer.Key words: dams, seepage analysis, groundwater modelling, buried valley aquifer, pumping test.

scholarly journals First Report of Pink Seed of Common Bean Caused by Erwinia rhapontici

Plant Disease ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 86 (8) ◽  
pp. 921-921 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. C. Huang ◽  
R. S. Erickson ◽  
L. J. Yanke ◽  
H.-H. Mündel ◽  
T. F. Hsieh
Keyword(s):  
Common Bean ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Bacterial Suspension ◽  
Bean Plants ◽  
Southern Alberta ◽  
Pathogenicity Tests ◽  
Esculin Hydrolysis ◽  
Erwinia Rhapontici ◽  
Pink Pigment

In 2001, a new disease of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) caused by Erwinia rhapontici (Millard) Burkh. was detected in seed samples from southern Alberta, Canada. Infected seeds had pink or pinkish-brown lesions on the seed coat. The disease was found in great northern (cv. US1140), pink (cv. Viva), and pinto (cv. Othello) beans at low (<0.1%) frequencies. Isolation from surface-sterilized pink seeds resulted in bacterial cultures, which produced a water-soluble pink pigment on potato dextrose agar (PDA). Seven isolates were tested for physiological characteristics using conventional tests (1) and API 50CHE test strips (bioMérieux Canada, St. Laurent, Quebec), and tested for cellular fatty acids using the MIDI system (Newark, DE). All isolates were gram-negative, motile, facultative anaerobic rods with mucoid colonies and produced a pink pigment on PDA. They were positive for citrate utilization, catalase, methyl red, and Voges-Proskauer, and negative for arginine dihydrolase, lysine and ornithine decarboxylases, urease, gelatin liquification, indole production, oxidase, and gas production. Fatty acid profiles matched with E. rhapontici (approximately 30% each 16:0 and 16:1 ω7c/15:0 iso 2OH; 12% 18:1 ω7c: 8% each 17:0 cyclo and 14:0 3OH/16:1 iso; 4 to 5% each 12:0 and 14:0). Isolates were positive for acid production from: N-acetyl glucosamine, l-arabinose, amygdalin, arbutin, cellobiose, esculin (hydrolysis), d-fructose, d-fucose, d-galactose, β-gentiobiose, d-glucose, glycerol, i-myo-inositol, lactose, maltose, d-mannitol, d-mannose, melibiose, d-raffinose, l-rhamnose, ribose, salicin, d-sorbitol, sucrose, trehalose, and d-xylose. These results match published results for E. rhapontici (4). For pathogenicity tests, each isolate was inoculated in 30 pods from six bean plants (cv. US1140) as described for pink seed of peas (2). Each pod was inoculated with 0.1 ml of bacterial suspension, approximately 109 CFU/ml, by injection through the mid-rib at the basal end. The same number of uninoculated and water-inoculated pods served as controls. Plants were kept in the greenhouse (20 ± 5°C) for 4 weeks, after which isolations were done as described above. In duplicate experiments, all isolates caused lesions on pods extending up to 5 cm from the inoculation point with corresponding discoloration of seeds. The frequency of infected seeds varied among isolates, ranging from 20 to 50%. E. rhapontici was reisolated from seeds with lesions, but not asymptomatic seeds. The study concludes that pink seed of common bean is due to E. rhapontici, a pathogen previously reported on peas in Alberta, Canada (2), and Montana (3). References: (1) D. J. Brenner. Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology, vol.1, Williams and Wilkens, Baltimore, MD, 1984. (2) H. C. Huang et al. Can. J. Plant Pathol. 12:445, 1990. (3) B. K. Schroeder et al. Plant Dis. 86:188, 2002. (4) L. Verdonck et al. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 37:4, 1987.

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