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Physical and chemical parameters affecting transport of 137 Cs in arid watersheds
Author(s) -
McHenry J. Roger,
Ritchie Jerry C.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1029/wr013i006p00923
Subject(s) - soil water , watershed , hydrology (agriculture) , silt , environmental science , cation exchange capacity , soil science , organic matter , sediment , arid , precipitation , geology , chemistry , geography , geomorphology , paleontology , geotechnical engineering , organic chemistry , machine learning , meteorology , computer science
The occurrence and amount of fallout 137 Cs were determined in 12 watersheds in the arid southwestern United States. The factors believed to influence the distribution of 137 Cs in the watershed soils and in the reservoir sediments were investigated by using stepwise regression techniques. Seventeen parameters, in the case of soils, and 21 parameters, in the case of sediments, were used in the study. Ninety percent of the variation in the 137 Cs content of soils, per unit weight, could be predicted in terms of the percentage of soil nitrogen, the R factor (rainfall intensity) of the universal soil loss equation, the percentage of sand in the soils, and the soil cation exchange capacity. Also, 90% of the variation in the content of 137 Cs in the watershed soils, per unit area, could be predicted in terms of the fallout intensity, the percentages of silt and clay, and the cation exchange capacity. For reservoir sediments the equivalent predictors of 137 Cs accumulation in the sediment profile, per unit weight, were the soil cation exchange capacity, the January–March average precipitation, and the soil contents of total P and N. The distribution Of 137 Cs in sediments per unit area was similarly predicted by watershed area, percentage of total soil C, reservoir surface area, areal concentration of 137 Cs in the watershed soils, and soil organic matter.