| Title: | Vertical variation of nonpoint source pollutants in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region |
| Authors: | Shen, Z., L. Chen, Q. Hong, H. Xie, J. Qiu and R. Liu |
| Year: | 2013 |
| Journal: | PLoS ONE |
| Volume (Issue): | 8(8) (e71194) |
| Pages: | 1-7 |
| Article ID: | |
| DOI: | 10.1371/journal.pone.0071194 |
| URL (non-DOI journals): | |
| Model: | SWAT |
| Broad Application Category: | hydrologic and pollutant |
| Primary Application Category: | pollutant cycling/loss and transport |
| Secondary Application Category: | hydrologic assessment |
| Watershed Description: | 58,000 km^2 Three Gorges Reservoir Region, which drains to the Three Gorges Reservoir, located in central China (between latitudes 28 deg. 109 min. and 32 deg. 139 min. N and longitudes 105 deg. 179 min. and 110 deg. 119 min.) |
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| Validation Summary: | |
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| Abstract: | Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution is considered the main reason for water deterioration, but there has been no attempt to
incorporate vertical variations of NPS pollution into watershed management, especially in mountainous areas. In this study, the vertical variations of pollutant yields were explored in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (TGRR) and the relationships between topographic attributes and pollutant yields were established. Based on our results, the pollutant yields decreased significantly from low altitude to median altitude and leveled off rapidly from median altitude to high altitude, indicating logarithmic relationships between pollutant yields and altitudes. The pollutant yields peaked at an altitude of 200–500 m, where agricultural land and gentle slopes (0–8u) are concentrated. Unlike the horizontal distributions, these vertical variations were not always related to precipitation patterns but did vary obviously with land uses and slopes. This paper also indicates that altitude data and proportions of land use could be a reliable estimate of NPS yields at different altitudes, with significant implications for land use planning and watershed management. |
| Language: | English |
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