VIRGINIA WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH CENTER Virginia Water Research Symposium 2000 ADVANCES IN LAND AND WATER MONITORING TECHNOLOGIES AND RESEARCH FOR MANAGEMENT OF WATER RESOURCES PROCEEDINGS Editor: Tamim Younos Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, Virginia Tech P6-2000 FOREWORD The purpose of the Virginia Water Research Symposium 2000, held on November 7-9, 2000 in Roanoke, Virginia was to facilitate an interdisciplinary forum to present and discuss advanced and innovative water monitoring technologies (physical, chemical, biological), research for natural waters (surface water, ground water, estuarine, wetlands, and precipitation, etc.), and advanced land-use monitoring (i.e., remote sensing and satellite imagery) that impact decision-making processes in the management of water resources. The symposium was intended for individuals involved with the development of monitoring technologies, research scientists (i.e., hydrologists, biologists, ecologists, chemists, water resources specialists, economists, engineers), educators, consultants, watershed managers, and policy/decision makers. The symposium program was developed using a series of invited and submitted papers. Invited papers will be complied in a separate publication after the symposium. This publication is a compilation of many excellent papers submitted for oral and poster presentations in response to a “Call for Papers.” Session topics for submitted papers included: parameter assessment and modeling applications, applications of GIS/GPS and remote monitoring, evaluation and assessment of monitoring programs, bacterial source tracking, and water monitoring/modeling in coastal environments. It is expected that these proceedings will serve as an updated reference for water quality and quantity assessment and set the direction for future research and technology transfer in the areas of water and land monitoring for effective management of water resources. Finally, this proceeding is the first Virginia Water Resources Research Center’s report to be distributed in CD-ROM format, and is therefore, in some ways an experiment. Appreciation is extended to Ms. Annabelle Fusilier for her assistance in producing the CD-ROM proceedings. Tamim Younos Symposium Chair & Associate Director Virginia Water Resources Research Center Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University This publication has been edited for format and technical content to the extent possible but not for grammar and writing style. The e-mail addresses for corresponding authors are included in each paper for future interaction and follow up. The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Virginia Water Resources Research Center. The mention of commercial products, trade names, manufacturers, or services does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation. Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, veteran status, national origin, religion, or political affiliation. Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Office. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Determining Sources of Fecal Pollution in the Blackwater River Watershed – Amy M. Bowman, C. Hagedorn, and K. Hix, 2. SAV Transplant Survival in the Tidal James River Relative to Water Quality – Kenneth A. Moore, & Jeanie Grandstaff 3. Evaluating Contaminated Metal Mine Drainage in Virginia Using Hyperspectral Techniques – J.E. Anderson, Kimberly Royal, and Alan Bishop 4. Stream Temperature Model Input Parameters: How Close is Close Enough? – C.W. Krause and T.J. Newcomb 5. Water Quality Modeling and Pollution Control for the Zhang-Wei River Basin – Fawen Zheng,, Jos van Gils and M.J. Hall 6. Chlorophyll as an Endpoint in Determination of Attainment Prior to TMDL Development – Arthur J. Butt 7. Radium in Low-pH, High-Dissolved-Solids Ground Water in the Maryland Coastal Plain – David W. Bolton, John W. Grace and Harry J. Hansen 8. A Preliminary Monitoring Program for Fecal Coliform Bacteria Within the Upper Appomattox River Watershed – David W. Buckalew. and Mona M. Hafez 9. Influences of Topography on pCO2 Dynamics in Forest Soils – Daniel L. Welsch 10. Watershed Management Impacts on the South Fork Rivanna Reservoir near Charlottesville, Virginia – Stephen P.Bowler 11. Use of a Hydrogeologic Framework in Relating Surficial Hydrogeology in Shallow Ground- Water Quality in the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain – Tracy C. Hancock, S. W. Ator. J. M. Denver 12. A Study of Water-Quality Trends and Watershed Characteristics –C. E. Zipper, G. I. Holtzman,, J. J. Gildea. and M. Schneider 13. Saturated Overland Flow in a Regularly Flooded Salt Marsh – Steven Turaski, Patricia Wibert 14. El Nino-La Nina Events and Water Resources of Lake Okeechobee, Florida – Hongsheng Cao 15. Can the New River be Represented Among Global Waters? Radford Meander Loop of the New River, Radford, Virginia. – Brendan T. Cox, Ernest H. Kastning, Stewart J. Sweeney 16. Reservoir Mapping and Volume Measurements using a GPS/Depth Sounding System – Harold E. Post, Thomas J. Grizzard, Adil N. Godrej 17. Monitoring the Impacts of Animal Waste BMPs on Nutrient Losses in Runoff from the Owl Run Watershed – K.M. Brannan, S. Mostaghimi, P.W. McClellan 18. Evolution of Monitoring Program Strategies for Water Quality Management in the Occoquan Watershed – Randy Dymond,, Thomas J Grizzard, Adil N. Godrej, and Newland Agbenowosi 19. Lake Water Clarity Assessment of Minnesota’s 10,000 Lakes: A Comprehensive View from Space – Leif G Olmanson, Patrick L. Brezonik, Steve M. Kloiber, Marvin E. Bauer 20. A New Tool for Tracing Human Sewage in Waterbodies: Optical Brightner Monitoring – Donald F. Wayne 21. Optrodes for Long-Term Remote Monitoring of Environmental Water Quality – Sean M. Christian, Paul Grems Duncan, and John A. Schroeder 22. Bacterial Source Tracking: A Tool for Total Maximum Daily Load Development – James Kern, Byron Petrauskas, Phillip McClellan, Vernon Shanholtz 23. Estimating Nonpoint Fecal Coliform Sources in Northern Virginia’s Four Mile Run Watershed – George M. Simmons, Jr., Donald F. Wayne, Sue Herbein, Sharon Meyers and Ellen Walker 24. Evaluation of Water Quality Benefits From An Urban Stormwater Wetland System Retrofit – Dipmani Kumar, Russell Smith, Fred Rose 25. Lessons Learned from a New Environmental Monitoring Approach in the Mid-Atlantic Region – Tom DeMoss, Tom Pheiffer, Patricia Bradley 26. Pollution Source Identification Strategies for Coastal New Hampshire – Stephen H. Jones, Natalie Landry Evaluating Contaminated Metal Mine Drainage in Virginia Using Hyperspectral Techniques J. E. Anderson, Ph.D.1, Kimberly Royal 1 and Alan Bishop2 1 Virginia Commonwealth University, Department of Biology 816 Park Avenue, Richmond, Virginia 23284 E-mail: [email protected] 2 Virginia Department of Mines and Minerals Division of Mineral Mining Charlottesville, Virginia 22903 ABSTRACT Hyperspectral imagery is maturing as a data source with the availability of several airborne and soon-to-be launched spaceborne sensor systems. The availability of these data is allowing researchers and analysts to detect and quantify a wide range of materials that possess unique spectral signatures in the reflected optical spectrum. The advantage of hyperspectral data is the availability of a full compliment of narrow spectral bands usually covering the ultraviolet through the short-wave infrared (350 nm – 2500 nm). We have successfully tested the capability of the HYMAP hyperspectral sensor to characterize bacterially-mediated iron oxide precipitates associated with acid and circumneutral discharges at Contrary Creek, Mineral Virginia. Contrary Creek is the site of several abandoned metal mines in Virginia’s Gold-Pyrite Belt and exemplifies the problems associated with orphaned mine lands throughout the Commonwealth. Using field spectrometers we obtained in situ signatures for precipitates and associated ground features. Within the imagery, these field data were used to calibrate and spectrally match areas of acid and neutral precipitates occurring at the creek to detect and map the discharge locations. The unique spectral properties of the iron oxide precipitates permitted their separation and classification in image space. Spectral separation of acid versus neutral precipitates was found to be consistent with recent data obtained from contaminated streams in the both the Pennsylvania coal fields and other Virginia metal mine sites as well as measurements obtained by others for similarly impacted watersheds. As hyperspectral data becomes more available, it should soon be possible to inventory rogue discharges associated with orphaned mine lands based upon iron oxide precipitates. Keywords: hyperspectral imagery, metal contamination, mine drainage INTRODUCTION Mining in the Virginia Gold-Pyrite Belt has led to the abandonment of numerous orphaned metal mines. Gold, copper, arsenic, iron, lead and many other minerals have been extracted from this region that extends north to south between the eastern Appalachians and the Fall Line. Within this region many streams are impacted by contaminated mine drainage (CMD), heavy metals from contaminated spoils, and heavy sedimentation due to barren landscapes. Due to the historic concentration of metal mines and processing facilities in the Upper York River drainage, many tributary streams in this area have been adversely impacted.