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Does upward seepage of river water and storm water runoff determine water quality of urban drainage systems in lowland areas? A case study for the Rhine–Meuse delta
Author(s) -
Vermonden Kim,
Hermus Marion A. A.,
van Weperen Marije,
Leuven Rob S. E. W.,
van der Velde Gerard,
Smolders Alfons J. P.,
Roelofs Jan G. M.,
Hendriks A. Jan
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
hydrological processes
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.222
H-Index - 161
eISSN - 1099-1085
pISSN - 0885-6087
DOI - 10.1002/hyp.7422
Subject(s) - impervious surface , environmental science , water quality , hydrology (agriculture) , surface runoff , drainage , groundwater , aquifer , stormwater , surface water , urban runoff , drainage basin , environmental engineering , geology , geography , ecology , geotechnical engineering , biology , cartography
The water quality of urban drainage ditches in lowlands in the Rhine‐Meuse delta was analysed with principal component analysis (PCA) during a dry period and a rain storm, and related to the seepage of polluted river water and effective impervious area (EIA). This was done in order to test the hypothesis that seepage of river water and storm water runoff from impervious areas strongly determine the water quality of urban drainage systems along large lowland rivers. Our analysis revealed that upward seepage of groundwater originating from rivers Rhine and Meuse was positively correlated with nitrate, potassium, sodium and chloride and negatively correlated with alkalinity, calcium, magnesium and iron. EIA was correlated with very few environmental variables (i.e. phosphate, pH and iron in the dry period and iron during the rain storm). Nickel and zinc concentrations generally exceeded the maximum allowable concentrations (MAC), while lead and phosphorus concentrations were just above the nutrient standards and MAC in a few locations during the rain storm. To optimize water quality in urban water systems, attention should be paid to all sources of pollution and not only to EIA. The impact of local groundwater seepage originating from large rivers in lowlands on the chemistry of urban water systems is often underestimated and should be taken into account when assessing water quality and improving water quality status. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.