You are here:
MODELING MERCURY BEHAVIOR IN A CONTAMINATED DESERT STREAM AND CONSTRUCTED WETLAND
Citation:
BROWN, S., L. SAITO, C. D. KNIGHTES, AND M. GUSTIN. MODELING MERCURY BEHAVIOR IN A CONTAMINATED DESERT STREAM AND CONSTRUCTED WETLAND. Presented at NWRA 2006 Conference, Mesquite, NV, February 21 - 23, 2006.
Impact/Purpose:
The objective of this task is to develop, support and transfer a wide variety of tools and mathematical models that can be used to support watershed and water quality protection programs in support of OW, OSWER, and the Regions.
Description:
The Steamboat Creek (SBC) watershed is highly contaminated with mercury and is considered the most polluted tributary of the Truckee River. Restoration is being considered at its confluence with the Truckee River to reduce pollutant loads, but there is concern that restoration could exacerbate mercury loading to the river. In this study, a new mercury model (SERAFM) was applied to provide insight on mercury transformation kinetics in SBC in relation to residence time and season. The steady state, single segment, mass balance model was used to simulate mercury processes in a reach of SBC and a wetland mesocosm. Calibrated mercury transformation rates and sorption coefficients were restricted to documented ranges. The general trend of mercury concentrations were represented by the model with an overall error of 14% and 15% for the reach and mesocosm, respectively, with the greatest error observed when mercury dynamics in the study areas were extreme. The model performed well overall, but some modifications are suggested for modeling western U.S. stream mercury dynamics.