Print Email Facebook Twitter Propagation of a cadmium spill through an impounded river system Title Propagation of a cadmium spill through an impounded river system Author Klaver, G.T. Joziasse, J. Bakker, I. Date 2009-12-01 Abstract In this paper, the influence of impoundments (sluices, weirs, etc.) and stream components (tributaries, river branches, associated canals) on the metal content in water and suspended particulate matter (SPM) in the Dutch part of the River Meuse is assessed using the decrease in the cadmium content of the particulate and dissolved phase during the transport of a distinct cadmium spill through the river. This anthropogenic spill lasted from July 2005 to June 2006 and is documented by the weekly monitoring results of the Meuse in Eijsden at the Belgian-Dutch border. The monitoring data indicate that cadmium was discharged as a dissolved phase. Redistribution of water towards canals is the cause that during low flow conditions only a limited amount of water with an Eijsden geochemical signature arrives in Keizersveer (near the mouth of the river). During such periods various tributaries and groundwater have significant contributions to the discharge measured in Keizersveer. The monthly variations of cadmium concentrations in total water and SPM, upstream and downstream of the series of impoundments are calculated for the period 1993-2004. Next, the transfer of the cadmium through the impounded part of the river is determined based on the monitoring results obtained in the stations in between and downstream from the impoundments. Finally, possible lag effects of the cadmium spill are quantified using monitoring data obtained in 2006 and 2007. It is concluded that it takes about six months before the cadmium spill is detected in the SPM at the monitoring station of Keizersveer. Leaching of cadmium from the sediment to the surface water may result in high dissolved cadmium concentrations. For a better understanding of the processes in the river system it is essential that the SPM monitoring frequency in river sections downstream of Eijsden is increased, starting with the Keizersveer station. A better system understanding is important in order to define appropriate measures to meet the goals of the Water Framework Directive concerning the chemical status of the Meuse River. Subject riverwater qualitymonitoringcontaminant transportcadmiumsuspended matterCT04.20Waterkwaliteit en CalamiteitenCT04.23.11Zwevend slib en waterkwaliteitDelft Cluster To reference this document use: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:ccdd7168-c914-4a31-a9ed-233a43ea2b63 Publisher Delft Cluster Part of collection Institutional Repository Document type report Rights (c) 2009 Klaver, G.T., Joziasse, J., Bakker, I. Files PDF rapport_Propagation_of_a_ ... _spill.pdf 377.92 KB Close viewer /islandora/object/uuid:ccdd7168-c914-4a31-a9ed-233a43ea2b63/datastream/OBJ/view