Influences of seasonal flow regime on the fate and transport of fine particles and a dissolved solute in a New England stream

Influences of seasonal flow regime on the fate and transport of fine particles and a dissolved solute in a New England stream

2009

Fine particles are necessary for watershed biogeochemical cycling and stream metabolic processes but pose a risk to water quality if present in excess or if carrying sorbed contaminants. Despite having low settling velocities, these particles can leave suspension during downstream transport by a series of processes such as hyporheic filtration, flocculation, and biofilm entrapment. The objective of this study is to evaluate the retention of clay particles within a stream reach due to streambed filtration. To this end, we quantify hyporheic exchange through coupled formulations of turbulent surface water flow in the overlying stream and saturated groundwater flow in the streambed. Particle filtration models are informed by flow-through column experiments conducted with repacked streambed material. Results of our model simulations of hyporheic exchange demonstrate that streambed particle filtration depends on overlying streamflow and, to a lesser extent, on hyporheic zone substrate. Retention of suspended particles within the streambed sediments more than doubles between high and drought flows and varies by less than 45% across substrate grain size classes.

Karwan, Diana L.
Saiers, James E.

School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale
School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale

Groundwater
Surface Water
Water Conveyance & Hydraulics
Hydrology

surface water
surface waters
surface-water
surface-waters
surfacewater
surfacewaters
sediment
sediments
sedimentation
colloid
colloids
filtrate
filtration
filtrates
filtrated
filtrating
groundwater
ground water
ground-water
groundwaters
hyporheic zone

2000-2009

Yes

Do Not Have Copyright Permission

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