Use of Nuclear Techniques in Studying Soil Erosion and Siltation Number: IAEA-TECDOC-828
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IAEA-TECDOC-828 Use nuclearof techniques in studying soil erosion and siltation Proceedings of an Advisory Group meeting held Vienna,in 26-29 April 1993 INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY Ulf-\fl^ The IAEA doe t normallsno y maintain stock f reportso thin si s series. However, microfiche copie f thesso e reportobtainee b n sca d from IN IS Clearinghouse International Atomic Energy Agency Wagramerstrasse 5 P.O. Box 100 A-1400 Vienna, Austria Orders should be accompanied by prepayment of Austrian Schillings 100,- for e for e chequ a th f m th IAEmf o n i o n i r Aeo microfiche service coupons orderee whicb y hdma separately fro INIe mth S Clearinghouse. The originating Sections of this publication in the IAEA were: Isotope Hydrology Section Soil Fertility Section International Atomic Energy Agency Wagramerstrasse 5 P.O. Box 100 A-1400 Vienna, Austria US NUCLEAF EO R TECHNIQUE STUDYINSN I G SOIL EROSIO SILTATIOD NAN N IAEA, VIENNA, 1995 IAEA-TECDOC-828 ISSN 1011-4289 © IAEA, 1995 Printe IAEe th AustriAy n i db a October 1995 FOREWORD wels Ii t l known that soil erosio lakd nan e siltation frequently create serious problems, especially in arid and semi-arid zones. Inappropriate human activities are. in many cases, factors accelerating these problems bees ha nt I .reporte d that sinc e seconeth d World War. more than 3000 million acre f agriculturaso l land have been damage humay db n actiond san may prove costly or impossible to reclaim. Fallout 137Cs from nuclear weapons testing has been used in soil erosion and sedimentation studies since 1960. More recently. 239-240p e samm f uO e origine th wels a ,s a l cosmogenic radionuclides Pb, Be, Be, Si, C, A1, C1 and Ar have been used for 210 7 10 32 14 26 36 39 the same purpose. Even Chernobyl Cs is a promising tool for sedimentological studies in I37 areae th s affecte releasee th y db . More than five hundred papers have been published during las e year0 th 3 t thin so s subject resulte Th . s obtained have proved that these techniquen i n sca many cases provide information on erosion and sedimentation processes which cannot be obtained using conventional techniques. Important progres s beeha s n made during recen te utilizatioth year n i sf o n environmental radionuclides for erosion and sedimentation studies. However, most of the studies have been carrie specialln i t dou y selected environments with ideal condition orden si r to facilitate the interpretation of the results. Only very few applications have been reported dealing with the study of real problems in non-ideal sites. There are still some knowledge gaps which fillee havb o det befor techniquee eth appliee b n moro sca dt e complicated real situations. This advisory group meeting (AGM) was held to discuss the present status of these nuclear technique o t defin e needd th r ean futur sfo s e e developmentth f o e On . recommendations of the AGM was the implementation of a CRP on this subject. As a consequence of the meeting, a CRP on Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Assessment Studies by Environmental Radionuclide theid san r Applicatio Soio nt l Conservation Measures wile b l starte 1995n di . This publication compiles papers presented by the invited experts during the meeting and an updated bibliography on the use of 137Cs in soil erosion, siltation and other related environmental studies. PlatA . a BedmarMr ,Divisioe theth f no Physicaf no Chemicad an l l Sciencese th s wa , IAEA's scientific secretar AGMe th f y.o It is expected that the information provided will be a useful guide to scientists involved in research/developmen nucleaf to related ran d technique erosion si siltatiod nan n studies. EDITORIAL NOTE In preparing this publication for press, staff of the IAEA have made up the pages from the original manuscripts as submitted by the authors. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the governments of the nominating Member States or of the nominating organizations. Throughout textthe names Memberof States retainedare theyas were when textthe was compiled. The use of particular designations of countries or territories does not imply any judgement by publisher,the legalthe IAEA, to the status as of such countries territories,or of their authoritiesand institutions delimitationthe of or of their boundaries. The mention of names of specific companies or products (whether or not indicated as registered) does not imply any intention to infringe proprietary rights, nor should it be construed as an endorsement or recommendation on the pan of the IAEA. The authors responsibleare havingfor obtained necessarythe permission IAEAthe to for reproduce, translate or use material from sources already protected by copyrights. PLEASE BE AWARE THAT MISSINE TH AL F LO G PAGE THIN SI S DOCUMENT WERE ORIGINALLY BLANK CONTENTS 1. SUMMAR ADVISORE TH F YO Y GROUP MEETING .................................................7 . 2. WORKING GROUPS CONCLUSION RECOMMENDATIOND SAN S ........................8 137 bomb-testinf o e Us 1 . g2 radionuclides ( Cs, 239-240e PuB )? 5 2iopb in soil erosion studies................................... .................................................... 8 bomb-testinf o e Us 2 g2. radionuclides (137Cs, 239-240Pu)d an , 210Pb in sedimentation studies ................................................................................... 9 2.3 Application of long-lived cosmogenic radionuclides in studies of erosion and aggradation ........................................................................................... 13 2.4 Tracer techniques and nuclear gauges ..................................................................... 14 PAPERS PRESENTE MEETINE TH T DA G FAO's programme on soil erosion............................................................................................ 19 D. W. Sanders The role of nuclear techniques in sedimentation studies and some application Latin si n America .............................................................................................9 .2 P.E. Aim, J. V. Bandeira Linking land use and reservoir sedimentation by two approaches utilizing 137Cs ................................................................................................................ ..99 S. Mclntyre erosion 137i Csedimene d sus nan t deposition studies: .........................................................1 1 1 . promise problemd san s J.C. Ritchie, C.A. Ritchie Bibliograph publicationf yo 137f so Cs studies relate erosioo dt n and sediment deposition...... ............................................................................................... 125 J. C. Rilchie, C.A. Ritchie List of Participants................................................................................................................. 203 1. SUMMARY OF THE ADVISORY GROUP MEETING An Advisory Group Meeting (AGM) on the Application of Nuclear Techniques in Studying Soil Erosion and Siltation was held in Vienna during the period of 26-29 April 1993. The AGM was attended by 18 participants from 15 Member States, and was mainly devoted discussioe th possibilitieo e t th f no s offered from sedimentological studie f environmentaso l 137 radionuclides coming from bomb testinge m , suc^ s 239-240pd a hCu an swe ^ U; radiogenic radionuclide 2iopb and the cosmogenic radionuclides 7Be, 10Be, 14C and 32Si, among others The presentations and discussions held during the AGM have shown that fallout radionuclides together with 7Be and 2iopfc ^ important tools for erosion studies, especially when the usee yar d combined with conventional methods. Soil erosio strongls ni y linkeo dt soil degradatio d soian nl productivity losses which represen a seriout s threa n mani t y countries. This fact justified the participation in the AGM of representatives from the Joint FAO/IAEA Divisio fro d Lane nWateman d th dan r Development Division, FAO, Romeo wh , presented their representative programmes on soil erosion studies. The same above-mentioned radionuclides allow, in many cases, the determination of sedimentation rate n lakesi s , estuarie d man-madan s e reservoir providd an s e extensive informatio dynamice th n n o origin d san sedimentsf so . Many of the techniques discussed in the AGM can also provide valuable information for ongoine manth f yo g IAEA's technical co-operation projects dealing with sedimentological studies. In order to facilitate the transfer of this technology to developing Member States, the establishment by the IAEA of a laboratory specialized in sampling and measurement 137 techniques of the involved radionuclides (specifically Cs, 239-240pu? 2iopb and 7ge) h^ been considered. This report provides the summary statements prepared by the working groups members along with their recommendations. Also included are several background papers that were prepare supporo t d e activitie th te Advisor th f o s y Group. This report strongly encourages the promotion of the application of nuclear techniques for studying and measuring the effects of the erosion/sedimentation cycle on the landscape. General recommendation summarizee sar followss da : 1. The application and use of nuclear techniques to measure soil erosion and sediment deposition rate d patterne landscapth an s n o s e e promotedneedb o t s . Such applications woul especialle db y usefu developinn i l g countries where ther s ofteei n limited datinformatiod aan soin no l erosio sedimend nan t deposition. 2. The application of environmental radionuclides for integrated studies of the erosion/sedimentation cycl drainagn ei e basin meana