Assessing the Influence of Nonpoint Source and Discharge Changes on Water Quality in a Tidal River Estuary Using a Three-Dimensional Model

The change of nonpoint source and freshwater discharge as a result of land use change might affect the water quality in a river. In the current study, a coupled three-dimensional hydrodynamic and water quality model was created and applied to the Danshuei River estuarine system and its adjacent coa...

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Main Authors: Wen-Cheng Liu, Wen-Ting Chan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2014-11-01
Series:Environments
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/2076-3298/1/2/157
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author Wen-Cheng Liu
Wen-Ting Chan
author_facet Wen-Cheng Liu
Wen-Ting Chan
author_sort Wen-Cheng Liu
collection DOAJ
description The change of nonpoint source and freshwater discharge as a result of land use change might affect the water quality in a river. In the current study, a coupled three-dimensional hydrodynamic and water quality model was created and applied to the Danshuei River estuarine system and its adjacent coastal ocean. The hydrodynamic and water quality models were validated using observations of water surface elevation, salinity distribution and water quality state variables. The predictions of hydrodynamics, salinity, dissolved oxygen and nutrients from the model simulation quantitatively agreed with the observational data. The validated model was then used to investigate the possible effects of the nonpoint source and freshwater discharge changes at the upstream reaches on water quality conditions in the Danshuei River estuarine system. Three scenarios were investigated to predict the dissolved oxygen using model simulations. The simulated results indicated that increasing nonpoint sources at the upstream reaches degraded the dissolved oxygen under low flow conditions. However, increasing freshwater discharges at the upstream reaches would overcome the loadings of the nonpoint source, which would result in increasing the dissolved oxygen in the tidal river estuary. The model can provide a useful tool for developing management practices for nonpoint sources to protect the water quality in the estuarine system.
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spelling doaj.art-64c240d1748046b7a57e265dd4c622ed2022-12-22T03:59:13ZengMDPI AGEnvironments2076-32982014-11-011215718010.3390/environments1020157environments1020157Assessing the Influence of Nonpoint Source and Discharge Changes on Water Quality in a Tidal River Estuary Using a Three-Dimensional ModelWen-Cheng Liu0Wen-Ting Chan1Department of Civil and Disaster Prevention Engineering, National United University, Miaoli 36003, TaiwanDepartment of Civil and Disaster Prevention Engineering, National United University, Miaoli 36003, TaiwanThe change of nonpoint source and freshwater discharge as a result of land use change might affect the water quality in a river. In the current study, a coupled three-dimensional hydrodynamic and water quality model was created and applied to the Danshuei River estuarine system and its adjacent coastal ocean. The hydrodynamic and water quality models were validated using observations of water surface elevation, salinity distribution and water quality state variables. The predictions of hydrodynamics, salinity, dissolved oxygen and nutrients from the model simulation quantitatively agreed with the observational data. The validated model was then used to investigate the possible effects of the nonpoint source and freshwater discharge changes at the upstream reaches on water quality conditions in the Danshuei River estuarine system. Three scenarios were investigated to predict the dissolved oxygen using model simulations. The simulated results indicated that increasing nonpoint sources at the upstream reaches degraded the dissolved oxygen under low flow conditions. However, increasing freshwater discharges at the upstream reaches would overcome the loadings of the nonpoint source, which would result in increasing the dissolved oxygen in the tidal river estuary. The model can provide a useful tool for developing management practices for nonpoint sources to protect the water quality in the estuarine system.http://www.mdpi.com/2076-3298/1/2/157land usenonpoint sourcemodelinghydrodynamicswater qualitytidal estuarine systemDanshuei River
spellingShingle Wen-Cheng Liu
Wen-Ting Chan
Assessing the Influence of Nonpoint Source and Discharge Changes on Water Quality in a Tidal River Estuary Using a Three-Dimensional Model
Environments
land use
nonpoint source
modeling
hydrodynamics
water quality
tidal estuarine system
Danshuei River
title Assessing the Influence of Nonpoint Source and Discharge Changes on Water Quality in a Tidal River Estuary Using a Three-Dimensional Model
title_full Assessing the Influence of Nonpoint Source and Discharge Changes on Water Quality in a Tidal River Estuary Using a Three-Dimensional Model
title_fullStr Assessing the Influence of Nonpoint Source and Discharge Changes on Water Quality in a Tidal River Estuary Using a Three-Dimensional Model
title_full_unstemmed Assessing the Influence of Nonpoint Source and Discharge Changes on Water Quality in a Tidal River Estuary Using a Three-Dimensional Model
title_short Assessing the Influence of Nonpoint Source and Discharge Changes on Water Quality in a Tidal River Estuary Using a Three-Dimensional Model
title_sort assessing the influence of nonpoint source and discharge changes on water quality in a tidal river estuary using a three dimensional model
topic land use
nonpoint source
modeling
hydrodynamics
water quality
tidal estuarine system
Danshuei River
url http://www.mdpi.com/2076-3298/1/2/157
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AT wentingchan assessingtheinfluenceofnonpointsourceanddischargechangesonwaterqualityinatidalriverestuaryusingathreedimensionalmodel