Nitrate Uptake Capacity and Efficiency of Upper Mississippi River Flow- Regulated Backwaters

摘要

In-stream uptake and processing of nitrate nitrite-N may be improved in large river systems by increasing hydrological connectivity between the main channel and adjoining backwaters, wetlands, and floodplain areas. Engineering designs to increase connectivity and loading to backwaters need to consider nitrate nitrite-N uptake capacity and efficiency in relation to hydraulic loading and residence time in order to optimize in-stream N processing. These relationships were examined during three summer periods for a series of backwater systems on the Upper Mississippi River that received flow-regulated nitrate nitrite-N loads via gated culverts.