title: Reach-scale variation surface water quality in a reticular canal system in the lower Yangtze River Delta region, China.
abstract: The aim of this research was to assess the spatial and temporal distribution of surface water pollution within a reticular canal system typical of those found in the lower Yangtze River Delta (YRD). For this purpose, surface water quality data was collected from a drainage canal that bisected the southeast district of Ningbo Municipality (Zhejiang) from 2013 to 2015. The sampling transect was designed to represent the change in land-use from the agriculture dominated rural hinterland, to the predominantly urban city-centre. To calculate the representative land-use fraction of each sampling location, the contributing area was defined using an uni-directional 1 km vector line-buffer around the 'upstream' section of canal. The spatial and temporal variation of EC, DO, NH3and turbidity indicated a measureable difference between the urban and rural sections of the channel. Water quality indicators were most sensitive to urban and parkland land-use types. The study yielded an increased spatial resolution to knowledge of water-quality variability in the urban environment compared to previous studies within the YRD region. The results were used to make recommendations for the development of an effective long-term strategy for the improvement in surface water quality in this region.
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research, Christchurch, New Zealand. Electronic address: James.Griffiths@niwa.co.nz.
authors.forename: James Andrew
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Griffiths
authors.affiliation: School of Geographical Sciences, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, 31500, China.
authors.forename: Faith Ka Shun
authors.initials: FKS
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil Engineering, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, 31500, China.
authors.forename: Fangfang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: School of Geographical Sciences, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, 31500, China.
authors.forename: Vickie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: School of Geographical Sciences, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, 31500, China.
authors.forename: David Laurence
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Higgitt
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D002947:Cities; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D045483:Rivers; D014876:Water Pollution; D060753:Water Quality
keywords: Drainage; Land-use; Spatial analysis; Water-management; Water-quality