RIVER WATER QUALITY

MANAGEMENT
River Ganga in upper
Stretch
River Ganga in Middle
Stretch
River Yamuna in
upper Stretch
River Yamuna in
Middle Stretch
Addition of several drains into the river Yamuna
Water Quality Management
in Rivers
Dissolved Oxygen Depletion
Dissolved Oxygen Sag Curve
 Mass Balance Approach
• Originally developed by H.W. Streeter and
E.B. Phelps in 1925
• Oxygen is depleted by BOD exertion

• Oxygen is gained through reaeration

Selecting System Boundaries
 Initial Mixing
Qw = waste flow (m3/s)
DOw = DO in waste (mg/L)
Lw = BOD in waste (mg/L)

Qr = river flow (m3/s) Qmix = combined flow (m3/s)

DOr = DO in river (mg/L) DO = mixed DO (mg/L)
Lr = BOD in river (mg/L) La = mixed BOD (mg/L)

Remember: We have to Use Ultimate BOD for DO

predictions
1. Determine Initial Conditions
a. Initial dissolved oxygen concentration
Qw DOw  Qr DOr
DO 
Qw  Qr
b. Initial dissolved oxygen deficit
D  DOs  DO
where D = DO deficit (mg/L)
DOs = saturation DO conc. (mg/L)

Qw DOw  Qr DOr
Da  DOs 
Qmix
1. Determine Initial Conditions
DOsat is a function of temperature. Values
can be found in Table (Gilbert Masters)
c. Initial ultimate BOD concentration
Qw Lw  Qr Lr
La 
Qw  Qr
 2. Determine Reaeration Rate
a. O’Connor-Dobbins correlation
1/ 2
3.9u
kr  3 / 2
h
where kr = reaeration coefficient @ 20ºC (day-1)
u = average stream velocity (m/s)
h = average stream depth (m)
b. Correct rate coefficient for stream temperature
T  20
kr  kr , 20

where Θ = 1.024
Determine the De-oxygenation Rate
a. rate of deoxygenation = kdLt
where kd = deoxygenation rate coefficient
(day-1)
Lt = ultimate BOD remaining at
time (of travel downstream) t
b. If kd (stream) = k (BOD test)
 kd t
Lt  L0e

and
rate of deoxygentation  kd L0e kd t
3. Determine the De-oxygenation
Rate

c. Correct for temperature

T  20
kr  kr , 20
where Θ = 1.135 (4-20ºC) or 1.056 (20-30ºC)
 4. DO as function of time
• Mass balance on moving element
dD
 kd Lt  kr D
dt
• Solution is

Dt 
kr  kd

kd La kd t kr t
e e   
 Da e kr t
5. Calculate Critical time and DO

1  kr  k r  k d 
tc  ln  1  Da 
kr  kd  kd  k d La 

Dc 
kr  ka
e 
kd La kd tc
e  k r tc

 Da e  k r tc
 Example

• A city of 200,000 people discharges 1.32 m3/s of

treated sewage having an ultimate BOD of 28.0
mg/L and 1.8 mg/L DO into a river with a flow of
9.0 m3/s and velocity of 0.36 m/sec. Upstream
of the discharge point, the river has a BOD of
3.6 mg/L and a DO of 7.6 mg/L. The saturation
DO is 8.5 mg/L, kd = 0.61 day-1, and kr = 0.76
day-1. Determine a) the critical DO and critical
distance, and b) the DO at 17 km downstream.
1.Determine Initial Conditions
a. Initial dissolved oxygen concentration of mixed condn
Qw DOw  Qr DOr
DO 
Qw  Qr

DO 
1.81.32  7.69.0
 6.85
mg
1.32  9 L
b. Initial dissolved oxygen deficit (just after mixing)
D  DOs  DO
mg
Da  8.5  6.85  1.6
L
1. Determine Initial Conditions
c. Initial ultimate BOD concentration (Mix
condition)

Qw Lw  Qr Lr
La 
Qw  Qr

La 
281.32  3.69
 6.75
mg
10.32 L

It will decay by following first order kinetics

 Step 1. Variations
• Saturation DO & BOD ult given
2. Determine Re-aeration Rate
• kr = 0.76 day-1 given
• no need to calculate from stream geometry
• assume given value is at the stream
temperature (since not otherwise specified),
so no need to correct
3. Determine the Deoxygenation
Rate
• kd = 0.61 day-1 given
• no need to calculate corrections from
stream geometry
• assume given value is at the stream
temperature (since not otherwise specified),
so no need to correct
5. Calculate Critical Time and DO

1  kr  k r  k d 
tc  ln  1  Da 
kr  kd  kd  k d La 

1  0.76  0.76  0.61 

tc  ln  1  1.6 
0.76  0.61  0.61  0.616.75 

tc  1.07 day
5. Calculate Critical Time and DO
• Problem asked for critical distance

 m  s  hr 
xc  1.07 d  0.36  3600  24 
 s  hr  d 

xc  33281 m or 33.28 km
 5. Calculate DO deficit at tc
• Minimum DO

Dc 
kr  ka
e 
kd La kd tc
e  k r tc

 Da e  k r tc

Dc 
0.616.75 0.611.07 0.761.07
e e 
0.76  0.61
0.761.07
 1.6e
mg
Dc  2.82
L
 5. Calculate DO
DOc  DOs  Dc

mg
DOc  8.5  2.82  5.7
L
4. DO as function of time (at 17 km)
 m 
17 km 1000 
t17 km   km 
 0.54 d
 m  s  hr 
 0.36  3600  24 
 s  hr  d 

Dc 
0.616.75 0.610.54 0.760.54
e e 
0.76  0.61
0.760.54
 1.6e
4. DO as function of time (at 17 km)

mg
D17 km  2.42
L
mg
DO17 km  8.5  2.42  6.08
L
Steps in Developing the DO Sag
Curve
1. Determine the initial conditions
2. Determine the reaeration rate from
stream geometry
3. Determine the deoxygenation rate from
BOD test
4. Calculate the DO deficit as a function of
time
5. Calculate the time and deficit at the
critical point
Lake,Tanks, Reservoir, Jheels
Water Quality Management
Excess Vegetation Growth
T-P 25-50 Microgram/L
 Definitions
Limnology – the study of the ecology of
inland waters.
Derived from the Greek root limne meaning
pool or marsh.
Focused on freshwater biotic communities
and the relationships of the biota to the
physical, chemical and biological
characteristics of the aquatic system which
they are a part of.
Overturn in Stratified Lakes
Temperature and Oxygen
Perspective on Eutrophication
• Eutrophication is a natural process
• Some lakes have been eutrophic long
before human activities could have had any
effect
• Aging process is thought to occur over
thousands of years
• Cultural eutrophication is accelerated aging
due to human influences
• May occur over tens of years
Lake Succession or
Eutrophication
 Productivity
• Stoichiometry of photosynthesis (C,N,P, O & H)

106CO2 + 16NO3- + HPO42- + 122H2O →

C106H263O110N16P + 138O2

N 16 14
  7.2
P 1 31
• Liebig’s law of the minimum – growth will be limited
by the availability of the nutrient that is least
available relative to the need
 Productivity
• CONTROLLING FACTORS
– Nutrients
• C, N, P, S, Ca, Mg, K, Na, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu,
B----
• N & P :Limiting nutrients
• P>0.015 & N>0.3 mg/L cause algal blooms
• Acceptable P=0.010 mg/L
• P=0.020 mg/L: excessive
 Limiting Nutrients
• Most marine systems are nitrogen limited
• Excessive inputs will cause an algal bloom
• Estimated that total phosphorus
concentration in lake water should be
below 0.010-0.015 mg/L to prevent algal
blooms
 Limiting Nutrients
• Most freshwater
systems are
phosphorus limited
• Inputs of the limiting
nutrient will result in
a productivity
increase – growth of
algae
Lake Classification
Secchi Depth Measurement
 Water Quality Data of Sannihit
Sarovar
Indian Bathing Standards
Parameters Unit SS1
(CPCB)
Temperature °C 31.3 -
DO mg/L 9.85 ≥5
pH - 8.8 6.5-8.5
Turbidity NTU 13.5 -
Secchi Depth m 0.25 -
BOD5 mg/L 9 ≤3
COD mg/L 22 -
TSS mg/L 15 -
NH4-N mg/L 4 -
NO3-N mg/L 1.3 -
Total Phosphorus Micro-g/L 500 -
Chl a Micro-g/L 5 -
A Simple Phosphorus Model
A Simple Phosphorus Model
accumulati on  input - output  reaction
dP
V  QPin  S  QP  k sVP
dt
S = loading from point source (g/s)
P = P concentration in lake (g/m3)
Pin= P concentration in incoming stream (g/m3)
Q = stream inflow and outflow (m3/s)
ks = P removal rate (1/s): (Settling Rate/H)
A = surface area of the lake (m2)
V = volume of the lake (m3)
 A Simple Phosphorus Model
• Solution (steady state)
QPin  S
P
Q  k sV

Temporal Variation of Phosphorus/ other pollutant

Steady State Conc. C

C (t )  C  (C0  C ) exp[ ( K  Q / V )t ]
P

C0
Time
 P-Control

C0

P
C Steady State Conc.

Time

C (t )  C  (C0  C ) exp[ ( K  Q / V )t ]
 Example
• A phosphorus limited lake with a volume of
8 x 108 m3 is fed by a 10 m3/s river with a
P concentration of 0.010 mg/L.
– Estimate the total steady-state P
concentration in the lake
– How would you classify the lake?
– What level of P removal would be required in
the point source to keep the P level below
0.015 mg/L?
 Example
All units are consistent, except the removal rate
 1  1 min  1 hr  1 d  1 yr  8 1
k        3.2 10
 yr  60 s  60 min  24 hr  365 d  s

Calculate the steady - state concentration

QPin  S
P
Q  k sV

  m 3  g  g 
 10  0.010 3   1 
  s  m  s  g
P   0.027 m 3
 15

m3 

8 1 
  3.2 10  8 108 m 3
s  s
 

 
 Example
• According to Table , a concentration of 0.027
g/m3 = 27 μg/L would indicate a classification
of mesotrophic-Eutrophic
• Rearranging, and solving for the value of S
corrresponding to P = 0.015 g/m3
S  QP  Pin   ksVP
m3  g 
S  15  0.015  0.010 3 
s  m 

8 10 m  0.015 3 

 8 1  3  g 
  3.2 10 8

 s  m 
 Solution for lake restoration
• Cut-off all inflows to the reservoir- But
eventually dries up.
• Removal of Carbon (BOD), Nitrogen and
phosphorus from wastewater.
• Afforestation in the catchment area
• Soil Conservation
• Deweeding: Removal of N&P
• Aeration: sustenance of stable ecosystem
DEWEEDING: REMOVAL OF CARBON, NITROGEN & PHOSPHORUS
DEWEEDING: REMOVALEXCESSIVE
OF CARBON,
PLANT
NITROGEN
GROWTH
& PHOSPHORUS
LAKE AERATION (HYPOLIMNION): OXYGEN ADDITION BY PUMPS
LAKE AERATION: OXYGEN ADDITION BY DIFFUSERS
LAKE AERATION: OXYGEN ADDITION BY COMPRESSORS-
DIFFUSERS
LAKE AERATION: OXYGEN ADDITION
BY COMPRESSORS-DIFFUSERS
 Acidification of Lakes
• Rainfall naturally has a pH of 5.6 due to
CO2 dissolution
• Acid rain is defined as pH<5.6
• Acid deposition can be wet (rain, snow,
fog) or dry (particles, gases, aerosols)
• S in coal: SO2 + H2O → H2SO4 (sulfuric
acid)
• NO2 from combustion, primarily vehicles:
NO2 + H2O → HNO3 (nitric acid)
 Effects of Acid Rain
• Degrades building materials especially
limestone, marble, metals, paints
• pH reduction in surface waters – many
species can not tolerate pH < 5
• Solubilizes metals, Al, Pb, Hg etc.,
leading to increased toxicity
 Bicarbonate Buffering
• Bicarbonate present due to CO2 solubility
and dissolution of limestone
CO2 + H2O = H+ + HCO3-
CaCO3 + H2O = Ca2+ + OH- + HCO3-
• Added H+ produces only CO2 as long as
HCO3- is present
H+ + HCO3- = CO2 + H2O
• Ability to resist change in pH with acid
addition is termed buffering
 Implications

• Critical Issue is the

amount of calcite in
the watershed
• Many lakes are
unproductive due
to low pH
Groundwater Quality
What is groundwater?
What are aquifers?
Hydraulic gradient in unconfined
aquifers
 Hydraulic Gradient

h h2  h1
hydraulic gradient  
L L
where h1 = head at location 1
h2 = head at location 2
L = distance between locations 1
and 2
 Groundwater Flow
• Darcy’s Law
h
vK
L
where v = groundwater “Darcy” velocity (m/d)
K = hydraulic conductivity (m/d)

 h 
Q  vA   K A
 L 
where Q = flow rate (m3/d)
Hydraulic Conductivity
 Example
An medium sand aquifer 20.0 m thick with
hydraulic conductivity 1.0 x 10-4 m/s has
two monitoring wells spaced 500 m thick
along the direction of flow. The
groundwater level in the first well is 239.0
m above sea level, and 237.0 m in the
second well. Estimate the rate of flow per
meter of width (distance perpendicular to
the flow).
 Example
h h2  h1 239.0  237.0
   0.004
L L 500
  4 m  s m
K mediumsand  1.4 10  86,400   12.1
 s  d d
h  m   m 2

QK A  12.1 0.004 20 
L  d  mwidth 
3 3
m m
Q  0.968  0.97 per meter width
d  mwidth d
 Pore Velocity
• Darcy velocity
is the flow per
unit cross-
sectional area
of the aquifer
• Much of the
cross-sectional
area is
“blocked” by
particles
 Pore Velocity
• Actual velocity of the water that moves
through the pores is greater than the Darcy
velocity
v
v '


water

where v’water = Pore velocity (m/d)

v = Darcy velocity
η = porosity
 Example
• In the previous example, what is the pore
velocity of the water?

h  m m
vK  12.1 0.004  0.0484
L  d d
m
0.0484
v d m
v '
   0.13
 mediumsand
water
0.37 d
Sources and Types of Groundwater
Contaminants
• Agricultural operations – nitrates,
pesticides
• Septic systems – nitrates, pathogens
• Leaking underground storage tanks –
petroleum
• Landfills and dumps – leachate
• Surface impoundments -- anything
• Spills and improper disposal -- anything
 Terrestrial Petroleum Spills
• Petroleum spill on land results in a non-
aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) in that
moves from the surface toward the water
table.
• The NAPL is a complex mixture of
hydrocarbons.
• Individual components can partition to and
between soil, water, and soil atmosphere.
 Plume Spreading: Diffusion &
Dispersion

• Diffusion: Movement of solute from high conc.

to lower conc. In the absence of groundwater
movement the blob of contaminant tend to
diffuse in all directions
• Dispersion: Difference in speed cause spread
of plume
Dispersion & Retardation
Plume Movement
Application to Groundwater
Contamination
Retardation
 Retardation Factor
Ratio of total contaminant in a unit volume of aquifer to the contaminant
dissolved in groundwater
• Retardation Factor 1 : All dissolved in groundwater
• Retardation Factor 5: 20 % dissolved in groundwater and 80% is sorbed to
aquifer solids

vwater
R

vcont
R = retardation factor (dimensionless)
v’water = average pore velocity of the water (m/d)
v’cont = average velocity of the contaminant (m/d)
 Example
• In the previous example, what is the
Contaminant velocity , if the retardation factor
is 5 ?

m
0.13
Porevelocity d m
vcontaimin ant    0.026
Re tardationf actor 5 d
CONTROL OF GROUNDWATER PLUMES