Progress 01/01/08 to 12/31/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Outputs from 2008 include 1) activities of conducting research, initiating new research elements, and analyzing data as well as training and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students, 2) attending several conferences and 3) producing datasets of urban storm runoff chemistry in the Tucson Basin and presenting data in oral presentation and posters. ACTIVITIES: In the summer of 2008, we collected storm runoff at established sites as well as initiated a pilot study in which we collected shallow groundwater samples (<100 m) from 25 wells distributed within close proximity to the Rillito Creek in Tucson. We analyzed these samples for basic chemistry and presence of bacteria and viruses, and are in the process of conducting groundwater age dating on these samples and a select set of additional samples using helium and tritium isotopes. Sampling for additional samples is scheduled for March and dating will be completed by the end of May. We also initiated soil sampling prior to and after the monsoon season to evaluate the sources, transport and fate of contaminants in soils. Soils were extracted in a dilute artificial rainwater solution to determine those contaminants readily exchanged and transported in urban storm runoff events. Pre-monsoon soil samples have been analyzed for anions, nutrients and organic pollutants. Training and mentoring of students included two undergraduate and four graduate students. One undergraduate, Daniel Wisheropp, participated in groundwater, urban storm runoff, and soil sampling. Another undergraduate, Shane Clark, participated in our rainfall collection program and tipping rain gauge network. EVENTS: Lohse and graduate students (Gallo, Carlson, Snyder) participated in local to national conferences and presentations to the public including the American Geophysical Union, Soil Water Conservation Society Meeting, the annual NSF SAHRA STC annual meeting, and Biosphere 2 Science Saturday talk to the public. Finally, Lohse presented project findings to the USDA ARS in Maricopa, AZ and to the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering at the University of Arizona. PRODUCTS: Presentations: 1) Lohse, K.A. 2008. Atmospheric deposition of nutrients and carbon and storm runoff in cities of the desert Southwest. USDA-ARS; 2) Lohse, K.A. 2008. An Integrated Watershed Approach to Sustaining Water Resources for Human and Natural Systems, Dept. ABE; SAHRA posters-3) Carlson et al. 2008. Impacts of Urbanization on Groundwater Quality in the Tucson Basin; 4) Clark et al. 2008. Engaging Citizen Scientists to Address Critical Knowledge gaps: Quantifying Variability in Monsoon Storm Precipitation ; 5) Wisheropp et al. 2008. Effects of Urban Runoff on Soil Solute Concentrations in Ephemeral Washes; 6) Gallo et al. 2008. Hydrologic and Biogeochemical Controls on Patterns of Storm Runoff Quality in Urbanizing Watersheds in the Southwest; 7) Lohse et al. 2008. The influence of in-stream processing and wash substrate on water quality of urban storm runoff; Public forum: 8) Gallo, E.L. and K. Lohse. B2 Science Saturday (open to the public); MEDIA: http://www.ars.usda.gov/IS/pr/2008/080924.htm PARTICIPANTS: Kathleen Lohse, Assistant Professor in the School of Natural Resources (PD, PI), is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the research by undergraduate and graduate students and reporting to the USDA. Paul D. Brooks, Associate Professor in Hydrology and Water Resources, University of Arizona (Co-PI), has been responsible for advising on urban runoff quantity and quality data. He is the main advisor for Erika Gallo, a PhD student on the project; Jennifer McIntosh, Assistant Professor in Hydrology and Water Resources (Co-PI), has been responsible for the groundwater research element of the project and is co-advising a graduate student, Mark Carlson, with Lohse; Thomas Meixner, Associate Professor in Hydrology and Water Resources (Co-PI), has been responsible for the modeling elements of this research project. Participants on the project: Erika Gallo, a 3rd year PhD student in the Department of Hydrology and Water Resources, has been leading the collections of field data and analyses. She is in process of writing her first paper from this research. Margaret Snyder, a MS graduate student in School of Natural Resources, was supported on this project for a semester and is currently on leave. Mark Carlson, a MS graduate student in School of Natural Resources, is working on the groundwater quality research element of this project and co-advised by McIntosh. Claressa Martinez, undergraduate in EEB, worked for credit hours in the Spring 2008 and analyzed samples for conductivity and pH. Daniel Wisheropp, an undergraduate in SWES, participated in the summer 2008 research and was trained to collect and analyze groundwater, urban storm runoff, and soil samples. He received partial support from NSF Research for Undergraduate Experiences. He presented results from his summer research in a poster at the SAHRA annual meeting. Shane Clark, undergraduate in SNR, has been volunteering and now working as work study on the urban project. He has been coordinating citizen scientists who are collecting rainwater samples and participating in field research. Chris Ferlin, an freshman undergraduate in SWES who came to the Lohse lab after a semester in Lohse's Water Quality and the Environment course, is recently working in the laboratory for credit to explore research in water quality related research. Partners in this work include the City of Tucson (James Dubois, Jane Duarte, Catesby Willis), the USDA-ARS (Jean McLain, Dave Goodrich), Sierra Vista (Carol Sanger), and the USGS (James Leenhouts). Lohse and team have continued to actively partner with Jim Dubois and Jane Duarte and now Catesby Willis with the City of Tucson, Department of Transportation as well as the USGS and USDA_ARS. Lohse and team have continued to partner with the USDA ARS with Jean McLain and Dave Goodrich on bacteria studies and hydrology in the Sierra Vista area, respectively. USGS and USDA-ARS have worked closely to ensure that stream weirs and rainfall data were available for the project. Finally, Lohse has met with James McAdam from the Watershed Management Group to advise him on water quality related research questions. TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences include citizens of Tucson and other stakeholders including the City of Tucson, Pima County Association of Governments, USGS, USDA-ARS, and the state of Arizona at large. Lohse has taught a freshman colloquium on Water quality and the Environment and taught elements of integrated watershed management and water quality (18 students). In this course, she integrated her research into the class lectures on different topics. In addition, Lohse has lead open forum talks to the public on water quality and environment issues in Tucson. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
Most of our outcomes and impacts include changes in knowledge for scientists, citizen scientists partners involved on the project, and increased knowledge of life skills among youth and adults. CHANGE IN KNOWLEDGE: Preliminary data of groundwater show that concentrations of nitrate and other nutrients, viruses and bacteria (E. Coli) were below drinking water standards with the exception of a few shallow wells near the Rillito as well as effluent dominated wells near the Santa Cruz (total 4) that had detectable counts of total coliform (1-23 CFU/100 ml). Metal analysis is being prioritized and are still in progress. Extracts from watershed soils are showing strong soil moisture controls on abundance of E. coli. Concentrations of nutrients, DOC, and E. coli are generally lower in soil extracts than in urban runoff suggesting that watershed sources may be more important than in-stream channel sources. High concentrations of mercury in runoff samples have increased awareness by City of Tucson and also WRRC who have provided additional funding for metal analyses. Undergraduate and graduate students have gained life skills in managing their time, conducting research, compiling and organizing data, analyzing data in numerous applications, and presenting to the stakeholders and other scientists in oral and written formats. REGULAR MEETINGS WITH STAKEHOLDERS: Lohse and team have continued to actively partner with Jim Dubois and Jane Duarte and now Catesby Willis with the City of Tucson, Department of Transportation as well as the USGS and USDA_ARS On March and July 2008, Lohse met with Jim Dubois to disseminate preliminary findings and get feedback on metals of interest to the City of Tucson to include in ICP analyses. We have incorporated this list of metals (arsenic, copper, lead, zinc, cadmium, mercury, and selenium) into our analyses. Jim Dubois wrote several letters of support for external funding (USDA) to identify the source of fecal bacteria (beyond the FY08 budget of the TRIF) in which he expressed interest in more information on E. coli as well as nutrients at the outlet to the Rillito because currently they do not monitor E. coli and they will have to do so with their new NPDES permit. He stated that the proposed research may help them identify a monitoring strategy and eventually guide selection of best management practices to address sources. Dubois and now Catesby Willis also wrote a letter of support for a proposal to NSF to investigate the impacts of urbanization on nitrogen biogeochemistry. Lohse and team have continued to partner with the USDA ARS with Jean McLain and Dave Goodrich on bacteria studies and hydrology in the Sierra Vista area, respectively. USGS and USDA-ARS have worked closely to ensure that stream weirs and rainfall data were available for the project.
Publications
- McLain, J.E.T, C.M. Rock, J.C. McIntosh, K.A. Lohse, T. Meixner, P.D. Brooks, Microbial Water Quality Indicators in Groundwater Wells along a Rural- to Urban-Gradient in the Semiarid Southwest, 296-2, Oct 8 2008.
- K. Lohse, Snyder MA, Gallo EL, Dejwakh, NR, Brooks PD, McLain, McIntosh J, Meixner T. 2008. Best management practices of urban storm runoff: Investigating water quality of urban runoff with respect to channel type. Soil Water Conservation Society Meeting.
- Gallo EL, Snyder MA, Dejwakh, NR, Lohse KA, Brooks PD, McLain, McIntosh J, Meixner T. 2008. Spatial and temporal patterns of summer monsoon storm runoff. Water Conservation Society Meeting.
- Brooks, P.D. and K.A. Lohse. 2009. Water quality in the San Pedro River. In J. Stromberg and B. Tellman, editors. Ecology and Conservation of the San Pedro River. Tucson, University of Arizona Press. (in press)
- Lohse, K.A. and A.M. Merenlender. 2009. Impacts of exurban development on water quality In G. McPherson and A. Esparza, editors. The Planner's Guide to Natural Resource Conservation: The Science of Land Development Beyond the Metropolitan Fringe. New York: Springer-Verlag. (in press)
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Progress 07/01/07 to 12/31/07
Outputs
OUTPUTS: We had numerous successes in Yr 1 summer monsoon season. We installed field equipment and then collected 5-7 storm events/site to characterize the spatial and temporal dynamics of storm runoff. We also developed very strong stakeholder engagement/ partnerships and cultivated high public interest in the media, outreach through our citizen scientist volunteer rainfall and chemistry network, and strong scientific support in terms of student funding collaborations. Installations: In June 2007, we established 5 study sites in the Tucson basin representing a range of urban land use (5 sites, commercial, high density housing, mixed density housing, highly engineered mixed density housing, low density housing). We installed automated water samplers with pressure transducers at the outlet of the watersheds and 10 automated tipping rainfall gages were distributed within watersheds. In addition, we installed 2 water samplers in upstream and downstream positions along the Arroyo Chico.
Finally we installed samplers in an undeveloped watershed and an urbanized watershed in Sierra Vista in partnership with USPP. Sampling: We focused our first year of study on examining the spatial and temporal patterns of surface water quality in urbanizing watersheds draining laterally into the Rillito Creek in the Tucson Basin. For each instrumented watershed, two to three storm events were collected with the ISCO's at the beginning, middle, and end of the summer monsoon and during the winter rain season (in progress). We also collected grab samples within each of these watersheds to evaluate source contributions. Finally, we examined the temporal source/sink dynamics of pollutants with the upstream/downstream water samplers and spatial dynamics with synoptic grab sampling (15 sites) (~450 samples total). Rainwater samples and surface water samples were analyzed for fecal bacteria (total E. coli) in collaboration with J McLain (USDA-ARS), nutrients (completed), anions (completed),
and organic C (completed), metals (in progress), and select organic pollutants (in progress) following standard methods. Analysis of storm events and rain water (collected by a volunteer network) for isotopes of waters (18O, 2H) are in progress. Stake holder Engagement: Stake Holders include Water Managers, City of Tucson (partner), Pima Association of Governments, Sierra Vista, Upper San Pedro Partnership (partner), USDA-ARS, USGS, La Terraza (Homeowners in Sierra Vista where stream gauges reside) and Tucson citizens. We are working to disseminate our results to affected stakeholders by involving citizen scientists/volunteers in Tucson in our project, giving talks to the Master Watershed Steward Program, Homeowners Association, and USPP, and meeting regularly with our main partner and stakeholder (City of Tucson), and organizing a workshop with Stakeholders.
PARTICIPANTS: Dr. Kathleen Lohse (Lead PI), School of Natural Resources, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), klohse@email.arizona.edu, (520) 621-1432; Dr. Paul Brooks (Co-PI), Department of Hydrology and Water Resources (HWR), College of Engineering (CE), brooks@hwr.arizona.edu, (520) 621-3424; Dr. Jennifer McIntosh (Co-PI), HWR, CE, mcintosh@hwr.arizona.edu, (520) 626-2282; Dr. Thomas Meixner (Co-PI), HWR, CE, tmeixner@hwr.arizona.edu, (520) 626-1532, Jean ET McLain, USDA-ARS, US Arid-Land Agricultural Research Center, 21881 N. Cardon Lane, Maricopa, AZ 85238,(520) 316-6378, Partnerships: Jim DuBois, City of Tucson, Carol Sanger, Upper San Pedro Partnership, Dave Goodrich, USDA-ARS, James Leenhouts, USGS, Training: Erika Gallo, PhD graduate student in Hydrology and Water Resources, Margaret Snyder, MS graduate student in School of Natural Resources, Navid Dejwakh, MS graduate student in Hydrology and Water Resources, Claressa Martinez, undergraduate in Biology, UA,
Master Watershed Program.
TARGET AUDIENCES: Stake Holders include Water Managers, City of Tucson (partner), Pima Association of Governments, Sierra Vista, Upper San Pedro Partnership (partner), USDA-ARS, USGS, La Terraza (Homeowners in Sierra Vista where stream gauges reside) and Tucson citizens. We are working to disseminate our results to affected stakeholders by involving citizen scientists/volunteers in Tucson in our project, giving talks to the Master Watershed Steward Program, Homeowners Association, and USPP, and meeting regularly with our main partner and stakeholder (City of Tucson), and organizing a workshop with Stakeholders. By filling these research gaps, we will inform our stakeholders on the possible tradeoffs between enhanced groundwater recharge and increased pollutants and aid in the formulation of sustainable water management strategies and best management practices. INVOLVING CITIZENS: In early July 2007, a news brief in the Arizona Daily Star and news paper article ran in the Tucson
Citizen on a pilot project lead by Lohse and team on the urban runoff water quality. These articles resulted in over 100 emails and 50 phone calls from volunteers wanting to participate on the project. Over summer 2007, Lohse and team worked with ~50 volunteers to identify and install automated tipping rain gages in 10 citizens' back yards within our proposed urban study watersheds. These rain gages are networked to Rainlog.org and are available in real time and archived. For those volunteers outside of our study watersheds and/or without high speed internet, we also initiated a water collection program. With these volunteers (10-12), we collected over 70 summer rainfall samples for water chemistry and isotopes analyses. We will extend this network this winter for the summer sampling in July 2008. PARTICIPATION IN MASTER WATERSHED STEWARD PROGRAM: In September 2007, Dr. Lohse presented the urban storm runoff water quality research to the Master Watershed Stewards (+40 people). After
this talk, several volunteers took great interest in the project. REGULAR MEETINGS WITH STAKEHOLDERS: Lohse and team have been actively partnering with the City of Tucson, Department of Transportation Jim Dubois and Jane Duarte with the City of Tucson, Department of Transportation have been instrumental in providing spatial data for geographic information system analysis and insights into the urban study sites, design, and collections. Recently, Jim Dubois wrote a letter of support for external funding (USDA) to identify the source of fecal bacteria (beyond the FY08 budget of the TRIF). He stated that the proposed research may help them identify a monitoring strategy and eventually guide selection of best management practices to address sources. WORKSHOP: Finally, we received partial funding from Arizona Water Institute in collaboration with Stevan Earl, Nancy Grimm, and Hilairy Hartnett (ASU) and UA (Lohse, Brooks) to support a workshop to bring together state and city agencies,
storm water managers, and scientists to disseminate our results and discuss water quality concerns, and best management practices associated with urban storm runoff and water quality.
Impacts
Spatial patterns: Preliminary data from the summer of 2007 showed large differences in numbers of enteric bacteria and nutrients (NO3, NO2, NH4, DOC) across land use types. Highest counts for fecal bacteria and nutrients were observed from a commercial site followed by low density and then medium and mixed density watersheds. These results partially supported our initial hypotheses that low density housing (low) would have a distinct water quality signature of fecal bacteria compared to higher density development if low density housing was on septic and/or had farm animals or abundant wildlife, but we were surprised at the high counts (summer geometric mean 1000 CFU/ml). We were also surprised to observe extremely high counts of bacteria from a commercial watershed with >90% impervious surface (initial flush 90,000 CFU/ml, summer geometric mean 5000). Understanding the processes controlling the presence of the bacteria and the sources of these fecal indicators,
including highly pathogenic enteric bacteria, will be critical in determining the threat to human health in this arid urbanizing environment. Temporal patterns: Concentrations of most solutes were highest at the beginning of the monsoon and decreased as the season progressed with the exception of nitrate, which exhibited a mixed response. In the commercial site in the Tucson and urbanized catchment in Sierra Vista, nitrate behaved conservatively (relative to Cl) whereas in the low density watershed in Tucson and undeveloped watershed in Sierra Vista, we observed a non-conservative nitrate source that appeared on the descending limb of the hydrograph. These preliminary findings suggest that transport processes may dominate in high intensity watersheds where high impervious surface area results in increased runoff and velocity and minimizes residence time and processing of pollutants. In low density watersheds, large sources of nitrates may dominate from septic systems and animal
wastes. Alternatively, natural sources of nitrate from soil processing may result in these patterns. Thus, questions remain as to the dominant processes (source, transport, retention) controlling the presence of E. coli, nutrients, and other pollutants at the outlet of the watersheds. We plan to evaluate these processes in more detail in FY 2009. Soil vs Concrete lined washes: Preliminary synoptic sampling showed that nutrients and DOC behaved relatively conservative (using chloride as a conservative tracer) suggesting that hydrologic rather than biologic processes were primarily responsible for changes in stream loading. However, soil-lined washes resulted in a reduction of nutrients and organic pollutants, while engineered washes had little effect on stream loads suggesting that soil-lined washes may provide ecosystem services of removing nutrients and organic pollutants, with important implications for best management practices of urban storm runoff. We propose to further examine
the role of soil, grass, and engineered washes in removing pollutants in more detail in the summer of 2008.
Publications
- Gallo EL, Snyder MA, Dejwakh, NR, Lohse KA, Brooks PD, McLain, McIntosh J, Meixner T. 2007. Quantifying Land Use and Land Cover Effects on Urban Runoff Water Quality. Eos Trans. AGU, 88(52), Fall Meet. Suppl. Abstract H43D-1619.
- Dejwakh, N, T. Meixner, and J. McIntosh. 2007. Sources of Nitrate to Tucson, Arizona Groundwaters, Eos Trans. AGU, 88(52), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract H11C-0684
- Gallo EL, Snyder MA, Dejwakh, NR, Lohse KA, Brooks PD, McLain, McIntosh J, Meixner T. 2007. Land Use Impacts on Water Chemistry of Monsoonal Storm Runoff in the Tucson Basin. Sustainability Forum, The Water and Energy Nexus, University of Arizona, Oct 25, 2007 (Poster) *Winner of Best Graduate Student Poster
- Lohse, K.A. 2007. How does active storm water management influence runoff-recharge and water quality? Sustainability Forum, The Water and Energy Nexus, Panelist, University of Arizona on 10/25/2007 (Oral)
- Gallo EL, Snyder MA, Dejwakh, NR, Lohse KA, Brooks PD, McLain, McIntosh J, Meixner T. 2007. Land Use Impacts on Water Chemistry of Monsoonal Storm Runoff in the Tucson Basin. ISPE FEST, University of Arizona, Nov 1, 2007 (Poster) *Winner of Best Graduate Student Poster
- Lohse, K.A. 2007. Urban storm runoff and water quality in the Tucson Basin. Master Watershed Steward Program, Sept 2007 (talk to ~40 steward and PAG).
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