Sources and Impacts of Irrigation Drainwater Contaminants in Arid Wetlands

Lemly, A. Dennis; Finger, Susan; Nelson, M.K.

doi:10.1897/1552-8618(1993)12[2265:saioid]2.0.co;2

Cited by 40 publications

(53 citation statements)

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“…Mismanagement of irrigation waters has exacerbated problems with saline-sodic soils which now occupy more than 20% of the irrigated lands [61]. Furthermore, arid wetlands are also prone to contamination by sub-surface agriculture irrigation and drainage as in the Western USA [62]. These areas often experience toxicity problems in fish and wildlife due to drainage of water contaminants.…”

Section: Soil Quality and Water Resourcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Restoring Soil Quality to Mitigate Soil Degradation

2015

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Abstract:Feeding the world population, 7.3 billion in 2015 and projected to increase to 9.5 billion by 2050, necessitates an increase in agricultural production of ~70% between 2005 and 2050. Soil degradation, characterized by decline in quality and decrease in ecosystem goods and services, is a major constraint to achieving the required increase in agricultural production. Soil is a non-renewable resource on human time scales with its vulnerability to degradation depending on complex interactions between processes, factors and causes occurring at a range of spatial and temporal scales. Among the major soil degradation processes are accelerated erosion, depletion of the soil organic carbon (SOC) pool and loss in biodiversity, loss of soil fertility and elemental imbalance, acidification and salinization. Soil degradation trends can be reversed by conversion to a restorative land use and adoption of recommended management practices. The strategy is to minimize soil erosion, create positive SOC and N budgets, enhance activity and species diversity of soil biota (micro, meso, and macro), and improve structural stability and pore geometry. Improving soil quality (i.e., increasing SOC pool, improving soil structure, enhancing soil fertility) can reduce risks of soil degradation (physical, chemical, biological and ecological) while improving the environment. Increasing the SOC pool to above the critical level (10 to 15 g/kg) is essential to set-in-motion the restorative trends. Site-specific techniques of restoring soil quality include conservation agriculture, integrated nutrient management, continuous vegetative cover such as residue mulch and cover cropping, and controlled grazing at appropriate stocking rates. The strategy is to produce "more from less" by reducing losses and increasing soil, water, and nutrient use efficiency.

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Section: Soil Quality and Water Resourcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Restoring Soil Quality to Mitigate Soil Degradation

2015

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“…The only species of Se observed in both elutriate preparations was Se(IV). The toxicity of Se species in aquatic exposures is generally [28,29].…”

Section: Seleniummentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact assessment of dredging to remove coal fly ash at the Tennessee Valley Authority Kingston Fossil plant using fathead minnow elutriate exposures

Stanley

Kennedy

Bednar

et al. 2013

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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Abstract-On December 22, 2008, failure of an earthen containment structure resulted in the release of approximately 4.1 million m 3 of coal fly ash into the Emory River and the surrounding area from the Tennessee Valley Authority Kingston Fossil Plant near Kingston, Tennessee, USA. The purpose of the present study was to assess the potential of dredging activities performed to remove the fly ash from the river to result in increased risk to pelagic fish, with special consideration of mobilization of metals. Elutriates were created using two sources of fly ash by bubbling with air over 10 d. This elutriate preparation method was designed to represent worst-case conditions for oxidation, metal release, and dissolution. Larval and juvenile Pimephales promelas underwent 10-d exposures to these elutriates. Larval end points included survival and biomass, and juvenile end points included survival, length, biomass, liver somatic index, and bioaccumulation. No significant toxicity was observed. Bioaccumulation of metals in juveniles was found to be primarily attributable to metals associated with particles in the gut. Results suggest little potential for toxicity to related fish species due to fly ash removal dredging activities given the extreme conditions represented by the elutriates in the present study. Environ. Toxicol. Chem.

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“…Run-offs into rivers have been implicated in the deaths of fish populations (Fairweather 1999) but not, apparently, those of waterbirds. In North America, irrigation drainage waters with pollutants have seriously contaminated wetlands (Lemly et al 1993), affecting reproductive success of waterbirds (Ohlendorf et al 1989). In Australia, organochlorines at levels exceeding those recommended for human consumption were prevalent in wings of waterfowl shot in eastern Australia (Olsen et al 1980) but little is known about the impacts of these pesticides on health or reproduction of local waterbirds.…”

Section: Pollutionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Australian waterbirds—products of the continent's ecology

Kingsford

Norman

2002

Emu - Austral Ornithology

109

107

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Abstract. Some aspects of the ecology of 93 waterbird species, found predominantly on freshwater ecosystems, are reviewed. These species, belonging to six major orders -Anseriformes (ducks, geese and Black Swan), Podicipediformes (grebes), Pelecaniformes (Australian Pelican and cormorants), Ciconiiformes (herons, ibis, spoonbills and bitterns), Gruiformes (cranes, rails, crakes and gallinules), and Charadriiformes (waders and terns) -use a wide range of habitats and about half occur throughout the continent. Knowledge of their ecology remains poor for many waterbirds, particularly cryptic and rare species, and is moderate to good for hunted species. Life histories of Australian waterbirds differ from their counterparts elsewhere. Australia's highly variable climate and river-flooding patterns create wetland habitats, the spatial and temporal variability of which strongly influence the ecology of local waterbirds. Many waterbirds respond to newly generated habitats to feed and/or breed and then disperse or die as wetlands dry. Regular movements are not common in most Australian species although some, particularly waders, migrate between Northern Hemisphere breeding grounds and non-breeding habitat in Australia. Breeding of Australian waterbirds coincides with food abundance in the southern spring, the wet season in the tropics and following floods inland. Habitat loss through draining of wetlands, regulation of rivers, diversion of water for irrigation and floodplain development are currently the major threats to waterbirds. Other potentially threatening processes include exotic plants and animals, pollution, climate change and over-harvesting but evidence for the impact of these factors remains poor. Understanding of waterbird, particularly waterfowl, ecology has contributed significantly to the conservation management of wetlands in Australia. Research on single species, studies of movements using satellite technology, further investigation of the effects of hunting, long-term monitoring and large-scale analyses of the availability of wetland habitat should be future research priorities.

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Sources and Impacts of Irrigation Drainwater Contaminants in Arid Wetlands

Cited by 40 publications

References 0 publications

Restoring Soil Quality to Mitigate Soil Degradation

Restoring Soil Quality to Mitigate Soil Degradation

Impact assessment of dredging to remove coal fly ash at the Tennessee Valley Authority Kingston Fossil plant using fathead minnow elutriate exposures

Australian waterbirds—products of the continent's ecology

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