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Response of the nitrogen load and its driving forces in estuarine water to dam construction in Taihu Lake, China

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Abstract

To regulate the water level and minimize the occurrence of water eutrophication in shallow lakes, dams and gates are often constructed in rivers. However, this practice may result in a deterioration of water quality in some estuaries. In the present study, using the correction of Nemerow pollution index (CNPI) and a redundancy analysis (RDA), water samples from different dammed rivers around Taihu Lake were compared to assess the pollution risk and identify the factors responsible for water eutrophication. The average total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), total organic carbon (TOC) concentrations, and chemical oxygen demand (CODMn) were 2.45 ± 2.28, 0.08 ± 0.06, 43.01 ± 18.75, and 10.78 ± 4.86 mg L−1, respectively. The CNPI values indicated that approximately 76.47% of the estuarine water was moderately polluted (1 < CNPI < 7.28). A positive correlation was observed between dam construction and nutrient concentrations (e.g., rTN = 0.38, p < 0.05; rTP = 0.89, p < 0.01). Under the effects of dam construction, land use change, estuary shape, and meteorological conditions, there was a clear spatial variation of the TN concentrations. Dams that were closed all year round accelerated the TN accumulation in the water around them. The pollution risk in a trumpet-shaped estuary was higher than that in other regions (t = 2.92, p = 0.02). Endogenous release of pollutants was an important factor that may have a priming effect on algal blooms and should be given more attention. In Wuli Lake, exogenous pollution was the dominant pollutant source. A total of 74.49% of the nitrogen losses with the runoff into the estuarine water in 2018 were derived from urban domestic sewage and constructed land, with the load being 4.40 times higher than in 2000. The RDA results revealed that dam construction was the main factor (43.70%) affecting water quality, while meteorological conditions, land use types, estuary shape, and other factors contributed 56.30%. Scientific regulation and control of dam operation is important to protect the water environment of Taihu Lake.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the Taihu Laboratory for Lake Ecosystem Research, for providing laboratory assistance.

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41673107), National Water Pollution Control and Treatment Science and Technology Major Project (2017ZX07203-005), “973” project of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (2014CB953801), and PAPD (164320H116).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Geography, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China

    Xi Chen, Yanhua Wang, Zucong Cai & Maoheng Zhang

  2. Key Laboratory of Virtual Geographic Environment, Ministry of Education, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China

    Yanhua Wang, Zucong Cai & Maoheng Zhang

  3. Jiangsu Center for Collaborative Innovation in Geographical Information Resource Development and Application, Nanjing, 210023, China

    Yanhua Wang, Zucong Cai & Maoheng Zhang

  4. Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China

    Chun Ye

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  1. Xi Chen
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Correspondence to Yanhua Wang or Chun Ye.

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Chen, X., Wang, Y., Cai, Z. et al. Response of the nitrogen load and its driving forces in estuarine water to dam construction in Taihu Lake, China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 27, 31458–31467 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-09454-0

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