Legislative framework for sediment management in the United States

[EN] Sediment erosion is a serious issue, with approximately 75 billion tons of soil is eroded annually around the world (Pimentel and Kounang, 1998). Although erosion is a natural process, it can accelerate due to human activity and land use changes. Increasing soil erosion beyond its natural threshold can result in significant environmental degradation and decreased economic productivity. Implementing sediment management laws and practices is critical to significantly decrease soil erosion and preserve environmental resources. In the United States, there is a comprehensive system of laws and regulations at national, state, county, and city level that govern erosion and sediment control. The laws and voluntary incentives outlined in our paper have significantly reduced the negative impacts of sediment carried in urban and storm-generated runoff, have reduced chemical and biological pollutants in sediment transported in aquatic ecosystems, and have improved the air quality in several cities with air pollution problems. Having a multi-faceted approach to monitoring erosion and improving soil management is important for a healthy, productive environment and economy.[ES] La erosión de sedimentos es un problema serio, con aproximadamente 75.000 millones de toneladas de suelo erosionadas anualmente en todo el mundo (Pimentel y Kounang, 1998). Aunque la erosión es un proceso natural, ésta puede acelerarse debido a la actividad humana y a los cambios en el uso de la tierra. El incremento de la erosión del suelo más allá de su umbral natural puede resultar en una degradación ambiental significativa y una disminución de la productividad económica. La implementación de leyes y prácticas de gestión de sedimentos es fundamental para disminuir significativamente la erosión del suelo y preservar los recursos ambientales. En los Estados Unidos, existe un sistema integral de leyes y regulaciones a nivel nacional, estatal, del condado y de ciudad que gobiernan la erosión y el control de sedimentos. Las leyes y los incentivos voluntarios descritos en nuestro trabajo han reducido significativamente los impactos negativos de los sedimentos transportados en las escorrentías urbanas y rurales, han reducido los contaminantes químicos y biológicos en los sedimentos transportados hacia los ecosistemas acuáticos y han mejorado la calidad del aire en varias ciudades con problemas de contaminación atmosférica. Tener un enfoque multifacético para monitorizar la erosión y mejorar la gestión del suelo es importante para un ambiente y una economía sanos y productivos.Los autores agradecen la colaboración de las agencias federales y estatales norteamericanas que colaboraron en la elaboración de este artículo.Garcia-Chevesich, PA.; Jones, SL.; Daniels, JM.; Valdés-Pineda, R.; Venegas-Quiñones, H.; Pizarro, R. (2018). Marco legislativo para la gestión de sedimentos en los Estados Unidos. Ingeniería del Agua. 22(2):53-67. doi:10.4995/ia.2018.7916SWORD5367222Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. 2017. Air Quality Forecast. Recuperado de http://www.azdeq.gov/programs/airquality-programs/air-forecasting. Fecha de acceso 8 Mayo, 2017.California Environmental Protection Agency. 2017. Air Quality Resources Board. Recuperado de https://www.arb.ca.gov/. Fecha de acceso 8 Mayo, 2017.City of Lone Tree. 2015. Grading, erosion and control fact sheet. Public Works Department.Elliot, W.J., Miller, M.E., Enstice, N. 2016. Targeting forest management through fire and erosion modelling. International Journal of Wildland Fire, 25, 876-887. https://doi.org/10.1071/WF15007Farm Policy Facts. 2017. A Short History and Summary of the Farm Bill. Recuperado de https://www.farmpolicyfacts.org/farmpolicy-history/. Fecha de acceso 23 Marzo, 2017.Fryirs, K. 2013. (Dis)connectivity in catchment sediment cascades: a fresh look at the sediment delivery problem. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 38, 30-46. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.3242Garcia-Chevesich, P. 2015. Control de la erosión y recuperación de suelos degradados. Outskirts Press. Denver, CO. 486 p.Garcia-Chevesich, P., Alvarado, S., Neary, D., Valdes, R., Valdes, J., Aguirre, J., Mena, M., Pizarro, R., Jofré, P., Vera, M., Olivares, C. 2014. Respiratory disease and particulate air pollution in Santiago Chile: Contribution of erosion particles from fine sediments. Journal of Environmental Pollution, 187(April), 202-205. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2013.12.028Garcia-Chevesich, P., Etra, J. 2012. Using vegetation to stabilize slopes. Environmental Connection, 6(1), 28-29.García-Ruiz, J.M., Beguería, S., Nadal-Romero, E., Gonzáles-Hidalgo, J.C., Lana-Renault, N., Sanjuán, Y. 2015. A meta-analysis of soil erosion rates across the world. Geomorphology, 239, 160-173. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2015.03.008Illinois Natural Resource Conservation Service. Electronic Field Office Technical Guide. (eFOTG). USDA-NRCS. Recuperado de http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/efotg/.Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. 2013. Spicer State Highway 23 - stormwater management for linear projects. Recuperado de https://stormwater.pca.state.mn.us/index.php?title=Spicer_State_Highway_23_-_stormwater_management_for_linear_projects. Fecha de acceso 30 Abril, 2017.Mitas, L., Mitasova, H. 1998. Distributed soil erosion simulation for effective erosion prevention. Water Resource Research, 34(3), 505-516. https://doi.org/10.1029/97WR03347New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. 2017. Air. Recuperado de http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/281.html. Fecha de acceso 8 Mayo, 2017.Renwick, W.H., Smith, S.V., Bartley, J.D., Buddemeier, R.W. 2005. The role of impoundments in the sediment budget of the conterminous United States. Geomorphology, 71, 99-111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2004.01.010U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 2013. Grass GIS turns 30 - ERDC's CERL was there at the start. Recuperado de http://www.erdc.usace.army.mil/Media/News-Stories/Article/476565/grass-gis-turns-30-erdcs-cerl-was-there-at-the-start/. Fecha de acceso 30 Abril, 2017.U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 2017. "Introduction." A brief history. Recuperado de http://www.usace.army.mil/About/History/Brief-History-of-the-Corps/Introduction/. Fecha de acceso 30 Abril, 2017.U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2007. Construction site soil erosion and sediment control fact sheet. Natural Resource Conservation Service. October, Illinois.U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2007. Soil Quality. Forest Service. Recuperado de https://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/fia/topics/soils//. Fecha de acceso 23 Abril, 2017.U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2008. Urban Soil Erosion and Sediment Control. Conservation practices for protecting and enhancing soil water resources in growing and changing communities. Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts. Natural Resource Conservation Service. p1-16.U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2010. 2007 National Resource Inventory: Soil Erosion on Cropland. Natural Resource Conservation Service. Inventory and Assessment Division, Washington DC. 1-27.U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2017a. Research. Natural Resource Conservation Service. October, Illinois. Recuperado de https://www.ars.usda.gov/midwest-area/west-lafayette-in/national-soil-erosion-research/docs/wepp/research/. Fecha de acceso 21 Abril, 2017.U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2017b. Natural Resource Conservation Service. Recuperado de https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/site/national/home/. Fecha de acceso 21 Marzo, 2017.U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2017c. Incentive Programs and Assistance for Producers. Natural Resource Conservation Service. Recuperado de https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/climatechange/resources/?cid=stelprdb1043608. Fecha de acceso 23 Marzo, 2017.U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2017d. National Water Quality Initiative. Natural Resource Conservation Service. Recuperado de https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/water/?cid=stelprdb1047761. Fecha de acceso 30 Abril, 2017.U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2017e. eDirective. Electronic Directives. Natural Resource Conservation Service. Recuperado de https://directives.sc.egov.usda.gov/Default.aspx. Fecha de acceso 23 Abril, 2017.U.S. Department of the Interior. 2004. Soil Resources Management. National Park Service. Recuperado de https://www.nature.nps.gov/rm77/soils/programguide.cfm. Fecha de acceso 23 Marzo, 2017.U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1998. The quality of our nation's waters, a summary of the National Water Quality Inventory: 1998 Report to Congress. EPA841-F-96-004G.U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2009. Developing your stormwater pollution prevention plan. A guide for industrial operators. EPA 833-B-09-002. 1-42.U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2014. Water quality standards handbook. Office of Water. 820-B-14-008.U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2017a. History of the Clean Water Act. Recuperado de https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/history-clean-water-act. Fecha de acceso 21 Marzo, 2017.U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2017b. National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System. Recuperado de https://www.epa.gov/npdes. Fecha de acceso 21 Marzo, 2017.U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2017c. PM-10 (1987) Nonattainment Area State/Area/County Report. Recuperado dehttps://www3.epa.gov/airquality/greenbook/pncs.html#AZ. Fecha de acceso 30 Abril, 2017.U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2018. Watershed Assessment, Tracking & Environmental Results System. Recuperado de https://www.epa.gov/waterdata/waters-watershed-assessment-tracking-environmental-results-system.U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2015. Section 404 Permits. Charleston Ecological Services. Recuperado de https://www.fws.gov/charleston/404Permits.html. Fecha de acceso 23 Abril, 2017.U.S. Geological Survey. 2017a. Sediment Data Portal Guide. Recuperado de https://cida.usgs.gov/sediment/helpGuide.jsp. Fecha de acceso 23 Marzo, 2017.U.S. Geological Survey. 2017b. Sediment and Suspended Sediment. The effects of urbanization on water quality: Erosion and sedimentation. The USGS Water Science School. Recuperado de https://water.usgs.gov/edu/sediment.html. Fecha de acceso 23 Marzo, 2017.U.S. Geological Survey. 2017c. USGS Sediment Data Portal. Recuperado de https://cida.usgs.gov/sediment/. Fecha de acceso 7 Mayo 2017.U.S. Green Building Council. 2017. Erosion and sediment control. LEED O+M: Existing Buildings. LEED 2.0. Recuperado de http://www.usgbc.org/credits/existing-buildings/v20/ssp1. Fecha de acceso 30 Abril, 2017.Utah Department of Environmental Quality. 2017. Utah Division of Air Quality. Recuperado de https://deq.utah.gov/Divisions/daq/index.htm?id=l4. Fecha de acceso 8 May 2017.Voigt, C., Bozorth, T., Carey, B., Janes, E., Leonard, S. 1997. Sediment related issues and the public lands - Expanding sediment research capabilities in today's USGS - A bureau of land management overview. Proceedings of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Sediment Workshop, February 4-7, 1997.Wolman, M.G. 1967. A cycle of sedimentation and erosion in urban river channels. Geografiska Annaler, 49A, 385-395. https://doi.org/10.1080/04353676.1967.11879766Wood, M.S., Teasdale, G.N. 2013, Use of surrogate technologies to estimate suspended sediment in the Clearwater River, Idaho, and Snake River, Washington, 2008-10: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2013-5052, 30 p

Forest hydrology in Chile: Past, present, and future

This paper reviews the current knowledge of hydrological processes in Chilean temperate forests which extend along western South America from latitude 29° S to 56 ° S. This geographic region includes a diverse range of natural and planted forests and a broad sweep of vegetation, edaphic, topographic, geologic, and climatic settings which create a unique natural laboratory. Many local communities, endangered freshwater ecosystems, and downstream economic activities in Chile rely on water flows from forested catchments. This review aims to (i) provide a comprehensive overview of Chilean forest hydrology, to (ii) review prior research in forest hydrology in Chile, and to (iii) identify knowledge gaps and provide a vision for future research on forest hydrology in Chile. We reviewed the relation between native forests, commercial plantations, and other land uses on water yield and water quality from the plot to the catchment scale. Much of the global understanding of forests and their relationship with the water cycle is in line with the findings of the studies reviewed here. Streamflow from forested catchments increases after timber harvesting, native forests appear to use less water than plantations, and streams draining native forest yield less sediment than streams draining plantations or grassland/shrublands. We identified 20 key knowledge gaps such as forest groundwater systems, soil–plant-atmosphere interactions, native forest hydrology, and the effect of forest management and restoration on hydrology. Also, we found a paucity of research in the northern geographic areas and forest types (35-36 ° S); most forest hydrology studies in Chile (56 %) have been conducted in the southern area (Los Rios Region around 39-40 ° S). There is limited knowledge of the geology and soils in many forested areas and how surface and groundwater are affected by changes in land cover. There is an opportunity to advance our understanding using process-based investigations linking field studies and modeling. Through the establishment of a forest hydrology science “society” to coordinate efforts, regional and national-scale land use planning might be supported. Our review ends with a vision to advance a cross-scale collaborative effort to use new nation-wide catchment-scale networks Long-term Ecosystem Research (LTER) sites, to promote common and complementary techniques in these studies, and to conduct transdisciplinary research to advance sound and integrated planning of forest lands in Chile

The Impact of a Lack of Government Strategies for Sustainable Water Management and Land Use Planning on the Hydrology of Water Bodies: Lessons Learned from the Disappearance of the Aculeo Lagoon in Central Chile

Several studies have focused on why the Aculeo Lagoon in central Chile disappeared, with a recent one concluding that a lack of precipitation was the main cause, bringing tremendous political consequences as it supported the argument that the government is not responsible for this environmental, economic, and social disaster. In this study, we evaluated in detail the socio-economic history of the watershed, the past climate and its effects on the lagoon’s water levels (including precipitation recycling effects), anthropogenic modifications to the lagoon’s water balance, the evolution of water rights and demands, and inaccurate estimates of sustainable groundwater extraction volumes from regional aquifers. This analysis has revealed novel and undisputable evidence that this natural body of water disappeared primarily because of anthropogenic factors (mostly river deviations and aquifer pumping) that, combined with the effects of less than a decade with below-normal precipitation, had a severe impact on this natural lagoon–aquifer system

The Impact of a Lack of Government Strategies for Sustainable Water Management and Land Use Planning on the Hydrology of Water Bodies: Lessons Learned from the Disappearance of the Aculeo Lagoon in Central Chile

Several studies have focused on why the Aculeo Lagoon in central Chile disappeared, with a recent one concluding that a lack of precipitation was the main cause, bringing tremendous political consequences as it supported the argument that the government is not responsible for this environmental, economic, and social disaster. In this study, we evaluated in detail the socio-economic history of the watershed, the past climate and its effects on the lagoon’s water levels (including precipitation recycling effects), anthropogenic modifications to the lagoon’s water balance, the evolution of water rights and demands, and inaccurate estimates of sustainable groundwater extraction volumes from regional aquifers. This analysis has revealed novel and undisputable evidence that this natural body of water disappeared primarily because of anthropogenic factors (mostly river deviations and aquifer pumping) that, combined with the effects of less than a decade with below-normal precipitation, had a severe impact on this natural lagoon–aquifer system

The Large-Scale Effect of Forest Cover on Long-Term Streamflow Variations in Mediterranean Catchments of Central Chile

Forest ecosystems play an important role in surface and subsurface runoff, as well as the availability of water. Therefore, it is important to have a greater understanding of the interactions between forests and the production of water in watersheds. In this sense, this study evaluates the long-term effect of native forests and forest plantations on streamflow variations in central Chile, an unusual climatic area characterized by a well-marked annual cycle with dry summers and wet winters. Thus, the temporal pattern of monthly streamflow was evaluated for mean flow (Qmean), maximum flow (Qmax), and minimum flow (Qmin) in 42 large watersheds. Each series of monthly streamflow data was QA/QC, and then evaluated using the Mann–Kendall’s non-parametric statistical test to detect temporal variations between 1994 and 2015. In addition to the previous analysis, the monthly series were grouped into wet seasons (April–September) and dry seasons (October–April), to determine if there were any significant differences within the annual hydrological cycle. The areas covered with native and forest plantations and their relative changes were evaluated for each catchment through the relationship between streamflow variations and forest cover indicators. Results suggest that streamflow variations are positive and significant when more forest cover exists. The intra-catchment relationships observed during dry seasons for both species revealed the significant role of native forests and mixed masses as key ecosystems for the conservation of long-term streamflow variations in Mediterranean catchments of central Chile. These findings encourage an urgent need to create highland afforestation programs on degraded areas of central Chile, to maximize water storage in a region that is quickly drying out due to unsustainable water and land use management practices and the effects of global warming. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.Open access journalThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]