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FY 1994 ABSTRACTS
FY 1994 Water Problems and Issues
Introduction:
Over the past year, some of the traditional water resources
concerns in the State of New Hampshire have become of more importance:
nonpoint source pollution and over-commitment of water resources.
In the case of nonpoint source pollution, it appears that since
most point sources of pollution have, in large part, been addressed,
remaining contaminated waters are suffering from nonpoint sources.
It is not uncommon to find ponds, drainage ways or bays with coliform
counts higher than 10,000 cfu/100 ml. Nor is it uncommon to find
groundwater with high chlorides, radon or arsenic. Some of the contamination
is natural, some resulting from human activities, and for others,
the source is unknown.
Over- commitment of water resources is most acute for small water
bodies that see strong recreational use. However, newer water development
proposals are met with stiff resistance from existing users who fear
that there is not enough to go around. New Hampshire's biggest industry
is tourism; this cannot be divorced from water resources. Thus, promoting
tourism is bound to affect water resources.
New Hampshire maintains and enjoys a rural character and an independent
mindset. However, modern society is discovering the limits of natural
resources and the lesson is sobering and troubling. Effective negotiation
of these matters requires not only sound science, but fortifying
social fabric. Science must unravel the natural systems and processes,
and within these contexts, the citizens must determine how to best
live with them.
Surface Water
As stated in the introductory paragraphs, nonpoint source pollution
is a very critical concern, especially in the surface waters of the
State. With all of the restrictions on point discharges, the State
still has locations that exhibit high coliform counts, nutrients,
and sediment. Low pH events are episodic. Although more difficult
to isolate, these processes deserve attention.
Over- commitment of surface water bodies has occurred in past years;
however, the increasing frequency of such occurrences is alarming.
Many small water bodies are subjected to excessive recreation. Aside
from the social problems that derive from such over-use, there are
bound to be economic problems. New water developments seem to be
magnets for criticism based on the fact that there are existing shortages
and unmet needs.
Ground Water
Due to the importance of ground water as the primary drinking
water source in the State, ground water issues are significant. However,
because ground water users are more often than not on individual
systems, this citizen group does not enjoy as strong a lobby as that
for surface water (for example, pond associations or watershed associations).
There is still an important need to identify the sources and flow
paths of ground waters in the State. The citizenry is generally aware
of the more productive deposits, and therefore, such deposits garner
most of the attention. In fact, a water market seems to be developing
in New Hampshire (although it is a Riparian/Equitable Use Doctrine
State), and this market is based on the sale of spring or ground
water to water companies or utilities. This may pave the way for
a generic water market, irrespective of source. There is a need to
review and rework the laws and regulations relevant to water marketing
and public perceptions of same.
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FATE OF NUTRIENTS DURING THE COMPOSTING OF YARD AND AGRICULTURAL WASTES
Principal Investigators: Dr.
Thomas P. Ballestero and
Ellen M. (Ott) Douglas, University of New Hampshire
Descriptors: Animal waste, denitrification, nitrogen, soil- water relationships,
water quality management
Problem and Research Objectives:
This project was a continuation of FY 93.
In order to understand the fate of nitrogen during the composting
process, a mass balance equation was developed in this form:
Input - Uptake - Solid Forms =
This mass balance was based on the results of monitoring and analysis
of nitrogen species contained in the fresh organic waste, precipitation
and compost additives (input), in the gaseous losses (uptake), in
the finished product (solid forms), and in the soil water (fugitive).
It is the fugitive nitrogen that is of concern with regard to the
possible degradation of ground water flowing beneath a facility such
as the Compost Technology Center. Studying the fate and transport
of nitrogen in the unsaturated zone can, in general, indicate the
potential impacts of the composting process on ground water quality.
Principal Findings and Significance:
Ammonium concentrations in soil water samples were below detection
(0.10 mg/L) in all areas except the composting area. Nitrate concentrations
in the rain samples ranged from 0.30 to 2.2 mg/L, with a median of
0.60 mg/L. As expected, the lowest soil water nitrate occurred in
the undisturbed forest, where nitrogen is efficiently recycled and
little is lost. Higher nitrate concentrations in the cleared area
can be attributed to the lack of vegetation. Clear-cutting not only
eliminates the major N sink, but also allows for increased soil temperatures
and moisture availability which can lead to accelerated N mineralization.
By far, the highest nitrate concentrations occurred in the composting
area , especially beneath the windrow. Nitrate concentrations in
excess of 100 mg/L were consistently observed at depths as great
as five feet below the windrow during composting, and reached levels
as high as 900 mg/L by the end of the process. Nitrate in the soil
adjacent to the windrow was higher than in the cleared field without
compost, indicating that some nitrate was transported from the composting
windrow laterally into the adjacent soil.
In general, the median nitrate concentration increased by an order
of magnitude between each of the different sites: the forest, the
clear-cut areas, the soil adjacent to the windrow, and the soil beneath
the windrow. This substantiates the claim that the windrow is a source
of fugitive nitrogen. Within each site, the median nitrate value
did not change substantially with depth, indicating that there is
little attenuation of the nitrate as it moves toward the ground water.
Nitrate concentrations of this magnitude can be expected to have
a major impact on ground water quality in the immediate area. A strong
inverse relationship between ammonium in the farm waste and nitrate
in the soil directly below the windrow was found: as ammonium in
the waste decreased, nitrate in the soil increased dramatically.
Nitrate concentrations in the soil profile beneath and adjacent to
the yard waste windrow remained low throughout the sampling period.
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RELATIONS BETWEEN HYDRAULIC GEOMETRY AND STREAMFLOW STATISTICS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE
AND VERMONT
Investigator: Dr.
S. Lawrence Dingman, University of
New Hampshire
Descriptors: Floods, hydraulic geometry, streamflow, fluvial morphology, New
Hampshire, Vermont
Research Objectives
Establish criteria for characterizing stream hydraulic geometry,
including criteria for (a) selecting a representative reach; (b)
determine bankful stage from topographic and vegetative characteristics
of channels; and (c) develop methods for spatially averaging channel
geometry measurements.
Determine the nature and consistency of relations between hydraulic geometry
(e.g., stream bankful width, depth, cross sectional area, channel capacity)
and various flow statistics (e.g., flood magnitudes, mean flows, flow variability)
in New Hampshire and Vermont. This determination included assessment of the
degree to which recent flood history affects the relationships.
Principal Findings and Significance:
Bankfull width is the channel characteristic most strongly related
to floodflows at unregulated stream reaches in New Hampshire and
Vermont.
Average bankful depth, cross-sectional area, and width/depth ratio are also
significantly related to floodflows, but not as strongly as is width.
Bed-material size is not a significant predictor of flood magnitude, either
separately or in combination with other factors.
Estimations of flood magnitude at selected return periods can be made via regression
on bankful width alone, with standard errors of estimate ranging from 37% (2-year
flood) to 48% (100-year flood).
Estimations of flood magnitude at selected return periods can be improved via
multivariate regression relations using bankful width plus the basin characteristics
drainage area and main-channel slope; these relations have standard errors
ranging from 36% to 37%.
Analysis of residuals and validation results indicate that regression equations
developed herein have satisfactory properties for use in predicting flood magnitudes
from 2-year to 100-year return periods in the region. These equations have
predictive abilities superior to previously-developed equations based on basin
characteristics alone.
Channels in glaciated New England appear to be as closely adjusted to current
flow regimes as do more purely "alluvial" channels in other regions.
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INFLUENCE OF NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION ON MICROBIAL ASPECTS
OF WATER QUALITY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL WATERSHEDS
Principal Investigators: Dr.
Stephen H. Jones, Dr.
William H. McDowell, Dr.
Richard Langan, University of New Hampshire
Descriptors: Water quality management, bacteria, organic compounds, nutrients,
contaminant transport, estuaries, pollutants, public health
Research Objectives:
To determine the seasonal occurrence and persistence of indicator and pathogenic
bacteria in relation to nutrients, phytoplankton blooms, and DOC/DON in the
Oyster River and at Furber Strait;
To compare levels of different bacterial indicators in waters impacted by different
types of nonpoint pollution;
To determine the responses of fecal indicator and indigenous bacteria to estuarine
water from different sources that reflect ambient variability in concentrations
of DOC/DON and nutrients.
Principal Findings and Significance:
Trends thus far generally confirm our previous observations
of a gradient for nutrients, fecal indicator bacteria, phytoplankton,
and pathogenic vibrios from the tidal extent of the Oyster River,
along a transect in the river and through Little Bay to Furber Strait.
The DOC data was the first such data for the Oyster River and was
showing some interesting trends with nutrients and phytoplankton
dynamics. The temporal intensity of sampling during May and June
of 1994 was increased to better understand the dynamics of these
parameters at some of the sites. The V. parahaemolyticus data showed
differences from V. vulnificus data, which is itself somewhat different
from data for the three previous years. Basically, V. vulnificus
incidence was much more frequent in Great Bay than in any of the
three previous years. Discussions at the V. vulnificus workshop showed
how comprehensive and important our unique study was compared to
what is now known of its ecology.
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FIELD EVALUATION OF THE LAND APPLICATION OF PAPER MILL SECONDARY CLARIFIER
SLUDGE
Principal Investigators: Dr.
Thomas P. Ballestero, Dr.
James P. Malley, Jr., Dr. George O. Estes, University of New Hampshire
Descriptors: Groundwater quality, heavy metals, industrial wastewater, infiltration,
sludge
Research Objectives:
Monitor chemical fate and transport (soil, soil water, ground
water and vegetation); characterize infiltration characteristics
through time; evaluate vadose zone and ground water microbiology.
Principal Findings and Significance:
This was a continuing project. The permits were granted, wells
were drilled, soil moisture equipment was installed. Over the previous
18 months, over 12 million gallons were spread over the area. The
annual application rate was limited by the cadmium in the sludge.
The source of the cadmium was boiler blow down water.
At the time of the writing, no adverse effects on the ground water
were detected by measurements. Also, although the sludge had very
high TKN, no nitrate increases were seen in soil water or ground
water.
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HYDROGEOLOGY OF THE SPRUCE HOLE AQUIFER
Principal Investigators: Dr.
Thomas P. Ballestero, Dr.
Frank S. Birch, Dr. Thomas Lee, University of New Hampshire
Descriptors: Aquifer characteristics, groundwater recharge, groundwater movement,
groundwater modeling, geophysics, ecosystems, wetlands
Problem and Research Objectives:
The Spruce Hole Aquifer is a sand deposit bounded by Packers
Falls Road, Mill Road and the Oyster River, and is located in the
towns of Durham and Lee, NH. It has recently been studied by the
USGS and identified as a potential aquifer. This aquifer is strategically
located between the Lamprey and Oyster Rivers. The sand deposit is
being actively mined and there has been recent development pressure
on portions of the formation. In response to the development pressure,
the Town of Durham acquired 27 acres of the formation, increasing
public ownership of the formation to over 50 acres. This represents
roughly 20% of the formation.
The Spruce Hole Bog, located in the central portion
of the formation, is the only remaining "kettlehole" bog in
southeastern New Hampshire. Its uniqueness has been recognized by
the National Park Service, which designated the bog a National Natural
Landmark. Bogs are ecosystems whose species composition is potentially
greatly influenced by water table characteristics and chemical composition
of incoming water. Given the possible use of the Spruce Hole Aquifer
as a water source for Durham, and given the possible influence of
such development on the hydrologic characteristics of the bog, some
baseline information on the biological characteristics of the bog
seemed desirable.
The research objectives of this project included: delineation of
the lateral and vertical extent of the aquifer through the use of
seismic geophysics; completion of monitoring wells and a pumping
well; biotic and ecologic assessment of the bog; delineation of the
ground water connection to the bog; hydrogeology of the formation;
and potential for the formation to serve as a water supply with and
without the use of artificial recharge.
Principal Findings and Significance:
A fairly detailed floristic study was submitted the previous January.
The plot studies continued. There must have been a significant hydrologic
change in the past century to have caused mortality of the large
trees in the bog.
The bog is a perched system. It responds rapidly to rainfall; however,
the underlying aquifer does not. Water samples will be taken from
the bog and deep wells, and environmental isotopes of hydrogen and
oxygen will be measured in order to attempt to date the waters.
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