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Intensive groundwater exploitation has depleted groundwater storage and led to a series of geo-environmental problems in Beijing Plain, China. To cope with the groundwater depletion problem and achieve sustainable groundwater development, groundwater abstraction has been reduced and Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) and Environmental Flow Release (EFR) projects have been piloted and planned. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed measures in restoring groundwater storage depletion in Beijing Plain, a 3D transient groundwater was constructed to simulate the effects of these proposed measures regionally and locally. Results show that with the reduction of groundwater abstraction, the declining trend of groundwater level has been stopped. The implementation of MAR and EFR projects have successfully enhanced the groundwater recharge and restored the connectivity of the surface water and groundwater. Prediction model results also show that with the large-scale MAR implementation and current level of groundwater abstraction, groundwater levels and groundwater storage will slowly increase in the next 30 years. With these combined measures in Beijing Plain, sustainable development of groundwater resources is expected to be achieved in the near future.

Three-dimensional transient groundwater flow and saltwater transport models were constructed to assess the impacts of groundwater abstraction and climate change on the coastal aquifer of Tra Vinh province (Vietnam). The groundwater flow model was calibrated with groundwater levels (2007–2016) measured in 13 observation wells. The saltwater transport model was compared with the spatial distribution of total dissolved solids. Model performance was evaluated by comparing observed and simulated groundwater levels. The projected rainfalls from two climate models (MIROC5 and CRISO Mk3.6) were subsequently used to simulate possible effects of climate changes. The simulation revealed that groundwater is currently depleted due to overabstraction. Towards the future, groundwater storage will continue to be depleted with the current abstraction regime, further worsening in the north due to saltwater intrusion from inland trapped saltwater and on the coast due to seawater intrusion. Notwithstanding, the impact from climate change may be limited, with the computed groundwater recharge from the two climate models revealing no significant change from 2017 to 2066. Three feasible mitigation scenarios were analyzed: (1) reduced groundwater abstraction by 25, 35 and 50%, (2) increased groundwater recharge by 1.5 and 2 times in the sand dunes through managed aquifer recharge (reduced abstraction will stop groundwater-level decline, while increased recharge will restore depleted storage), and (3) combining 50% abstraction reduction and 1.5 times recharge increase in sand dune areas. The results show that combined interventions of reducing abstraction and increasing recharge are necessary for sustainable groundwater resources development in Tra Vinh province.

ObjectiveEscherichia coli(E. coli) is the most common opportunistic clinical micro-organism with high drug resistance. This study aimed to analyse the resistance pattern ofE. coliaccording to patient age and clinical sample type.Design and settingThis retrospective observational study was conducted in a tertiary hospital in southeastern China.ParticipantsE. colistrains were isolated from blood, urine and sputum of infected inpatients. The patients were divided into four age groups: children (0–14 years old, including neonatal and non-neonatal groups), youths (15–40 years old), middle-aged (41–60 years old) and old (>60 years old).ResultsA total of 7165E. colistrains were collected from all samples. Compared with urine and blood isolates, more sputum isolates were resistant against 12 tested antibiotics. Furthermore, urine isolates were more resistant to levofloxacin than sputum and blood isolates. Although the patients’ age was not associated with resistance rates ofE. colistrains isolated from blood, a larger proportion of urine-derived strains from youths were resistant to sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim and piperacillin-tazobactam than those from old people. The sputum strains from the elderly were more resistant to most of the tested antibiotics compared with sputum strains isolated from children.ConclusionsThe resistance profile ofE. coliis different among age groups and specimen sources and should be considered duringE. coliinfection treatment.

This study designed and assessed preliminary monitoring networks to fulfill the urgent need for essential information to formulate plans for sustainable groundwater resources development and management in the coastal Tra Vinh province of Vietnam. Groundwater overexploitation has resulted in aquifer depletion and saltwater intrusion, predominantly originating from formation water trapped in clays from past marine transgressions. A limited number of monitoring wells is operated and is insufficient to delineate the cone of depression and fresh/salt water interfaces. Since data from the existing monitoring were insufficient to explore variogram analysis and subsequent Kriging interpolation for the network design, groundwater flow and saltwater transport models were constructed to create groundwater level and salinity distributions. We followed an iterative procedure to select monitoring locations based on the contour maps of groundwater levels and total dissolved solids (TDS) constructed from the groundwater models. Priorities for the locating groundwater level monitoring wells were targeted in areas with cones of depression and boundaries, while priorities for salinity monitoring were given to coastal zone and fresh/saltwater interfaces. The standard deviation of Kriging interpolation error was used to assess the quality of the designed monitoring networks. Once the designed networks are implemented, observed data from the networks will provide valuable information for sustainable groundwater resources management in Tra Vinh province.

Water resources are under high stress worldwide due to multiple factors. There is a general need to develop better and more efficient management practices. Understanding groundwater and surface water as one source is crucial for this determination. A clear comprehension of groundwater and surface water interactions as an integrated system requires a good knowledge of topography, geology, and climate. This research analyzes the spatiotemporal variation and availability of surface water resources and groundwater recharge in a highland basin using a comprehensive hydrological model. The hydrological model is based on the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), allowing spatially distributed assessment using sub-basin and hydrological response units. The case study is the Upper Lerma River basin located in the central part of Mexico. Its location and topography (highland) have made its aquifer the second most source to satisfy the water demand of Mexico City since 1940. As a result, groundwater levels have declined, and springs in the surrounding mountainous regions have progressively disappeared over time. Although few studies attempted to estimate recharge and variability, a lot is unknown to analyze the declining water resources in the basin. This research contributes to understanding the basin water resources using the modeling approach, which integrates topography, land use, soil, and climate data to calculate different water cycle components in space and time. The analysis period is 1985-2017. Statistics of model calibration show a good correlation between the computed and measured discharges from 1995 to 2003 with a Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) value of 0.77, an R2 value of 0.79, and a PBIAS of -1%. The preliminary results show that the foothills and alluvial fans are the most extensive recharge areas, which agree with the piezometric data. Detailed analysis on recharge and surface runoff is ongoing.

Intensive groundwater exploitation has depleted groundwater storage and led to a series of geo-environmental problems in Beijing Plain, China. Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) has been endorsed to mitigate the groundwater storage depletion and achieve groundwater sustainability. A pilot MAR has been tested in the Chaobai River catchment since 2015. An innovative large-scale MAR consisting of 9 cascade terraced infiltration ponds was proposed and its effectiveness was assessed in this study using an integrated modelling approach. The integrated model coupled the regional and local transient flow and transport processes. The transient regional flow model simulated historical groundwater level declines and storage depletion in the Beijing Plain from 1995 to 2018. The coupled regional and local flow model was used to simulate the pilot MAR test in the Chaobai River from 2015 to 2018. A significant groundwater level increase was observed nearby the pilot MAR since 2015. The transport model results indicate that approximately 40% of the infiltrated water was captured by pumping wells in the No.8 well field. The models were further used to assess the long-term effects of the large-scale MAR from 2020 to 2050. The simulation results show that the groundwater system will reach a new equilibrium state under the implementation of the large-scale MAR scheme. Almost 91% of the abstracted water in the No. 8 well field will come from the MAR infiltration. The proposed large-scale MAR is very effective in restoring the depleted aquifer storage and maintaining the groundwater abstraction in the No.8 well field. However, with the increase of the groundwater level, the infiltration rate of several ponds will decrease. Therefore, it is important to maintain a dynamic balance between artificial recharge and groundwater abstraction in order to achieve a sustainable long-term MAR operation in the region.

To investigate the clinical significance of Mycobacterium seoulense (M. seoulense) and the ideal gene for species determination.Clinical symptoms, laboratory examinations, and radiological examinations were retrospectively reviewed. The hsp65, 16S rRNA, rpoB and ITS region of M. seoulense, were sequenced and phylogenetic trees of mycobacterium strains were constructed.Four M. seoulense strains isolated from 4 patients caused pulmonary infections based on the symptoms and radiological results. The 16S rRNA sequence identified 2 strains as M. intracellulare and the other 2 as Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. In contrast, the rpoB, 16S-23S inter-region (ITS), and hsp65 sequences shared high identity with M. seoulense. Notably, the phylogenetic tree based on the ITS, hsp65, and rpoB sequences clustered 4 M. seoulense strains identified in this study with M. seoulense strains in the database.M. seoulense strains can cause infection in humans. They can be identified by sequencing ITS, hsp65, and rpoB genes.

Regional three-dimensional groundwater-flow and saltwater transport models were built to analyse saltwater intrusion in the Great Maputo area, southern Mozambique. Increased water demand has led to many private groundwater abstractions, as the local public water supply network has already reached maximum capacity. Pushing for new strategies to tackle the water-supply shortages exposes the aquifer system to saltwater intrusion from entrapped fossil saline groundwater and seawater. Previous attempts at modelling have been frustrated by data limitations. This study compiled all the available data to build the models, which were subsequently calibrated with observed heads, discharges and salt concentrations. The transport models were used to test hypotheses of potential sources of saltwater resulting in the current salinity distribution. Furthermore, scenarios were simulated to assess the impacts of sea-level rise and projected groundwater abstractions. Results show that saline groundwater is widely distributed in the aquifer’s western sector, where it is a limiting factor for groundwater development, and seawater intrusion is a risk along the coastline. Newly constructed wells (46) along the Infulene River can be operated with some impacts of saltwater upconing and must be closely monitored. Although current groundwater abstractions (60,340 m3/day) are still small compared with groundwater recharge (980,823 m3/day), larger volumes of abstraction are feasible only when using a high number of production wells further away from the city with relatively low yields to avoid saltwater upconing. Capture of fresh groundwater upstream of discharge areas by wells for water supply is possible while maintaining groundwater discharges for groundwater dependent ecosystems.

Background The increased prevalence of Klebsiella pneumoniae infections and resistance rates are a current cause for concern. However, data for resistance rates in K. pneumoniae strains from primary hospitals and the resistance distribution among the different isolate sample sources are scarce. Methods All the K. pneumoniae strains were isolated from patients who visited a primary health care center located in Central Zhejiang Province from January 2011 to December 2017. The specimens included blood, sputum, cervical secretions and urine. The species were identified by the Vitek 2 Compact Bacterial Identification and Monitoring System or VITEK-MS and the extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) and drug resistance profiles were identified using the AST-GN13 Gram negative susceptibility card (VITEK-2). The genotype of strains from urine sources was analyzed by detecting TEM and SHV genes. Finally, the drug resistance rates among the isolates from different sample sources were analyzed using the Chi square test with SPSS software. Results A total of 5319 K. pneumoniae strains were isolated in this study. Among the 20 antimicrobial drugs studied, the resistance rates of K. pneumoniae strains varied from 1.4% (ertapenem) to 23.1% (nitrofurantoin). The antibiotic resistance rates varied significantly among the isolate samples sources for all, with the highest rates for all antibiotics except for nitrofurantoin found in urine samples. In addition, the ESBL-positive rate in urine samples was 27.1%, significantly higher than that of cervical secretions (20.2%), blood (16.5%) and sputum (15.2%). Compared to the ESBL-negative strains, higher resistance rates were detected in the ESBL-positive strains. The most common genotype of isolates from urine was SHV (28%, 23/82), following by TEM (14.6%, 12/82). Conclusion The highest resistance rates of K. pneumoniae strains to most antibiotics found in urine samples are partly due to the ESBLs, indicating that a special attention should be paid in the treatment of urinary tract infection.

Travel time is one of the important criteria in the design of managed aquifer recharge systems for securing good drinking water quality. Traditionally, groundwater travel time has been modelled without considering the effect of temperature. In this study, a cross-sectional heat transport model was constructed for the Amsterdam dune filtration system (in the Netherlands) to analyse the effect of temperature on groundwater travel times. A groundwater flow model, a chloride transport model, and a heat transport model were iteratively calibrated with measured groundwater levels, chloride concentrations, and temperature series in order to improve model calibration and reduce model uncertainty. The coupled flow and heat transport model with temperature-dependent density and viscosity provided more accurate estimation of travel times. The results show that seasonal temperature fluctuations in the source water in the infiltration pond cause temperature variations in the shallow groundwater. Viscosity is more sensitive to temperature changes and has a larger effect on groundwater travel times. Groundwater travel time in the shallow sand aquifer increases from 60 days when computed with the traditional groundwater flow model to 73 days in the winter season and 95 days in the summer season when computed with the coupled model. Longer travel time is beneficial for water quality improvement. Thus, it is important to consider the effect of temperature variations on groundwater travel times for the design and operation of managed aquifer recharge systems.

A coupled regional and local model is required when groundwater flow and solute transport are to be simulated in local areas of interest with a finer grid while regional aquifer boundary and major stresses should be retained with a coarser grid. The coupled model should also maintain interactions between the regional and local flow systems. In the Beijing Plain (China), assessment of managed aquifer recharge (MAR), groundwater pollution caused by rivers, capture zone of well fields, and land subsidence at the cone of depression requires a coupled regional and local model. This study evaluates three methods for coupling regional and local flow models for simulating MAR in the Chaobai River catchment in the Beijing Plain. These methods are the conventional grid refinement (CGR) method, the local grid refinement (LGR) method and the unstructured grid (USG) method. The assessment included the comparison of the complexity of the coupled model construction, the goodness of fit of the computed and observed groundwater heads, the consistency of regional and local groundwater budgets, and the capture zone of a well filed influenced by the MAR site. The results indicated that the CGR method based on MODFLOW-2005 is the easiest to implement the coupled model, capable of reproducing regional and local groundwater heads and budget, and already coupled with density and viscosity dependent model codes for transport simulation. However, the CGR method inherits shortcomings of finite difference grids to create multiple local models with inefficient computing efforts. The USG method based on MODFLOW-USG has the advantage of creating multi-scale models and is flexible to simulate rivers, wells, irregular boundaries, heterogeneities and the MAR site. However, it is more difficult to construct the coupled models with the unstructured grids, therefore, a good graphic user interface is necessary for efficient model construction. The LGR method based on MODFLOW-LGR can be used to create multiple local models in uniform aquifer systems. So far, little effort has been devoted to upgrade the LGR method for complex aquifer structures and develop the coupled transport models.

A coupled simulation-optimization approach to optimize an artificial-recharge–pumping system for the water supply in the Maghaway Valley, Cebu, Philippines, is presented. The objective is to maximize the total pumping rate through a system of artificial recharge and pumping while meeting constraints such as groundwater-level drawdown and bounds on pumping rates at each well. The simulation models were coupled with groundwater management optimization to maximize production rates. Under steady-state natural conditions, the significant inflow to the aquifer comes from river leakage, whereas the natural discharge is mainly the subsurface outflow to the downstream area. Results from the steady artificial-recharge–pumping simulation model show that artificial recharge is about 20,587 m3/day and accounts for 77% of total inflow. Under transient artificial-recharge–pumping conditions, artificial recharge varies between 14,000 and 20,000 m3/day depending on the wet and dry seasons, respectively. The steady-state optimisation results show that the total optimal abstraction rate is 37,545 m3/day and artificial recharge is increased to 29,313 m3/day. The transient optimization results show that the average total optimal pumping rate is 36,969 m3/day for the current weir height. The transient optimization results for an increase in weir height by 1 and 2 m show that the average total optimal pumping rates are increased to 38,768 and 40,463 m3/day, respectively. It is concluded that the increase in the height of the weir can significantly increase the artificial recharge rate and production rate in Maghaway Valley.

Nested groundwater flow systems have been revealed in Toth's theory as the structural property of basin-scale groundwater circulation but were only well known with two-dimensional (2D) profile models. The method of searching special streamlines across stagnation points for partitioning flow systems, which has been successfully applied in the 2D models, has never been implemented for three-dimensional (3D) Tothian basins because of the difficulty in solving the dual stream functions. Alternatively, a new method is developed to investigate 3D nested groundwater flow systems without determination of stagnation points. Connective indices are defined to quantify the connection between individual recharge and discharge zones along streamlines. Groundwater circulation cells (GWCCs) are identified according to the distribution of the connective indices and then grouped into local, intermediate and regional flow systems. This method requires existing solution of the flow velocity vector and is implemented via particle tracking technique. It is applied in a hypothetical 3D Tothian basin with an analytical solution of the flow field and in a real-world basin with a numerical modeling approach. Different spatial patterns of flow systems compared to 2D profile models are found. The outcrops boundaries of GWCCs on water table may significantly deviate from and are not parallel to the nearby water table divides. Topological network is proposed to represent the linked recharge–discharge zones through closed and open GWCCs. Sensitivity analysis indicates that the development of GWCCs depends on the basin geometry, hydraulic parameters and water table shape.

The interactions between groundwater and surface water have been significantly affected by human activities in the semi-arid Hailiutu catchment, northwest China. Several methods were used to investigate the spatial and temporal interactions between groundwater and surface water. Isotopic and chemical analyses of water samples determined that groundwater discharges to the Hailiutu River, and mass balance equations were employed to estimate groundwater seepage rates along the river using chemical profiles. The hydrograph separation method was used to estimate temporal variations of groundwater discharges to the river. A numerical groundwater model was constructed to simulate groundwater discharges along the river and to analyze effects of water use in the catchment. The simulated seepage rates along the river compare reasonably well with the seepage estimates derived from a chemical profile in 2012. The impacts of human activities (river-water diversion and groundwater abstraction) on the river discharge were analyzed by calculating the differences between the simulated natural groundwater discharge and the measured river discharge. Water use associated with the Hailiutu River increased from 1986 to 1991, reached its highest level from 1992 to 2000, and decreased from 2001 onwards. The reduction of river discharge might have negative impacts on the riparian ecosystem and the water availability for downstream users. The interactions between groundwater and surface water as well as the consequences of human activities should be taken into account when implementing sustainable water resources management in the Hailiutu catchment.

Introduction: Non-tuberculous mycobacterium (NTM) can colonize the human body, leading to opportunistic infection. This study was conducted to analyze the NTM species composition in a primary hospital and investigate the potential features of the patients with different NTM species. Methodology: Mycobacterial strains were collected from the patients admitted at the hospital from January 2016 to May 2019. MPB64 assay was used to screen NTM strains and confirmed by Rv0577 amplification. The species were identified by hsp65 sequencing. The clinical records of patients with NTM were retrospectively reviewed. Results: Among the 122 identified NTM isolates, the most common strains were Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC, n = 102, 83.6%), Mycobacterium abscessus (n = 9, 7.4%) and Mycobacterium lentiflavum (n = 5, 4.1%). The predominant species among MAC were Mycobacterium chimaera (n = 57, 46.7%), followed by Mycobacterium intracellulare (n = 25, 20.5%) and Mycobacterium colombiense (n = 17, 13.9%). A significantly lower percentage of positive acid-fast assay was observed in Mycobacterium colombiense positive patients than in those with Mycobacterium intracellulare and Mycobacterium chimaera. Mycobacterium intracellulare was more frequently isolated in patients from the infectious department than in other MAC members. Conclusions: A predominant prevalence of Mycobacterium chimaera in Dongyang of Zhejiang Province was different from other regions in China, indicating that its prevalence has been likely underestimated. The heterogeneity in clinical features, caused by different MAC members, required an accurate species identification of the NTM isolated in the primary hospitals.

Additional file 1. Additional tables.

Three alternative groundwater flow models were evaluated for Beijing Plain, China. The first model (AM1) was constructed with the “thin layer approach” in which all 9 model layers, including five aquifers separated by four aquitards, are continuously present in the same model area. The second model (AM2) was constructed with the “quasi-3D approach” in which the hydrogeological formations were classified into five aquifer units consisting of mixed permeable and semi-permeable layers at different depth ranges. The third model (AM3) was constructed with the “true layer approach” in which aquifers and aquitards were defined according to hydrostratigraphic properties, and model layers are absent in the area where corresponding hydrogeological formations intersect bedrocks. All 3 models were calibrated with the parameter optimization method under the steady state flow condition with the same hydrological stresses and observation data. All three models fit to observations well with the similar calibration criteria values. Furthermore, AIC and BIC information criteria could not distinguish three alternative models. Only KIC could identify AM3 as the best model. Major differences of the three alternative models were identified from a hydrogeological perspective. The AM1 model depicted an illusion through contour maps that groundwater was present everywhere in the deep aquifers. The model computed larger vertical leakages because more abstraction rates were assigned improperly in deep aquifers. The AM2 model was able to compute regional groundwater balances and depicted spatial groundwater level variations. However, the AM2 model computed longer groundwater travel times around the wellfield and should not be used for the delineation of the well field protection zones and contaminant transport simulation. The AM3 model could not only compute the regional groundwater balances and describe spatial groundwater distribution in deep confined aquifers, but also delineate the capture zone of the wellfield. It can therefore be used for simulating contaminant transport. Furthermore, the AM3 model is suitable to construct a coupled regional and local flow model for simulating a managed aquifer recharge scheme.

Groundwater provides an important source of water for maize cultivation where the water table is shallow in the semi-arid Hailiutu River catchment of the Maowusu Desert on the Erdos Plateau in Northwest China. A HYDRUS-1D model of the unsaturated flow beneath a maize (Zea mays L.) field was calibrated and validated with measured soil water contents at various depths during the maize growing period from 30 April to 1 October 2011, and from 23 May to 27 September 2012, respectively. The model computed the actual maize evapotranspiration (ETa) as 580 mm during the whole growing period from 30 April to 1 October 2011. The groundwater contribution to ETa was calculated to be 220 mm, accounting for 38% of maize water use during the growing season in 2011. When the groundwater level drops below a depth of 157 cm, maize can no longer use groundwater for transpiration. The irrigation water requirement increases with the increase of groundwater table depth. These results are very important for managing crop...

Groundwater-fed lakes are essential for the ecology in arid and semiarid regions. As a typical arid region, the Badain Jaran Desert (BJD) is famous in the world for the presence of a large number of groundwater-fed saline lakes among the mega dunes. Based on the up to date geological surveys and observations, this study analyzed the groundwater contributions in water-salt balances of the lakes in the desert. We found different types of springs, including the sublacustrine springs that indicate an upward flow of groundwater under the lakebed. A simplified water balance model was developed to analyze the seasonal variations of water level in the SumuBarunJaran Lake, which revealed an approximately steady groundwater discharge in the lake and explained why the amplitude of seasonal changes in lake level is less than 0.5 m. In addition, a salt balance model was developed to evaluate the salt accumulations in the groundwater-fed lakes. The relative salt accumulation time is 800–7,000 years in typical saline lakes, which were estimated from the concentration of Cl−, indicating a long history evolution for the lakes in the BJD. Further researches are recommended to provide comprehensive investigations on the interactions between the lakes and groundwater in the BJD.

The Budyko framework represents the general relationship between the evapotranspiration ratio (F) and the aridity index (φ) for the mean annual steady-state water balance at the catchment scale. It is interesting to investigate whether this standard F − φ space can also be applied to capture the shift of annual water balance in catchments with varying dryness. Previous studies have made significant progress in incorporating the storage effect into the Budyko framework for the non-steady conditions, whereas the role of groundwater-dependent evapotranspiration was not investigated. This study investigates how groundwater-dependent evapotranspiration causes the shift of the annual water balance in the standard Budyko space. A widely used monthly hydrological model, the ABCD model, is modified to incorporate groundwater-dependent evapotranspiration into the zone with a shallow water table and delayed groundwater recharge into the zone with a deep water table. This model is applied in six catchments in the Erdos Plateau, China, to estimate the actual annual evapotranspiration. Results show that the variations in the annual F value with the aridity index do not satisfy the standard Budyko formulas. The shift of the annual water balance in the standard Budyko space is a combination of the Budyko-type response in the deep groundwater zone and the quasi-energy limited condition in the shallow groundwater zone. Excess evapotranspiration (F > 1) could occur in dry years, which is contributed by the significant supply of groundwater for evapotranspiration. Use of groundwater for irrigation can increase the frequency of the F > 1 cases.

Sir,A recent report in the present journal on vertebral osteomyelitis caused by non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) showed an impact on the disease of underlying immunocompromising conditions [1]. M...

Summary The understanding of the interaction between groundwater and trees is vital for sustainable groundwater use and maintenance of a healthy ecosystem in arid regions. The short- and long-term groundwater contribution to tree water use was investigated using the HYDRUS-1D model and stable isotopes. For the short-term simulation, the ratio between the actual transpiration ( T a ) and potential transpiration ( T p ) approached almost ∼1.0 due to the constant groundwater uptake. The results from the short-term simulation indicated that the groundwater contribution to tree water use ranged between 53% and 56% in the dry season (May–June) and 16–19% in the wet period (August–September). Isotopic analysis indicated that groundwater contributed to 45% of plant water use in the dry season, decreasing to 4–12% during the wet period. Because of canopy interception and transpiration, groundwater recharge only occurred after heavy rainfall and accounted for 3–8% of the total heavy rainfall. For the long-term simulation, T a / T p ranged between 0.91 and 1.00 except in 2007 (0.78), when the water table declined because of groundwater abstraction. In the scenario simulation for deep water table conditions caused by anthropogenic activities, T a / T p ranged between 0.09 and 0.40 (mean = 0.22) that is significantly lower than the values in the natural conditions. In conclusion, vegetation restoration in arid zones should be cautious as over-planting of trees will decrease the groundwater recharge and potentially cause a rapid drop in water table levels, which in turn may result in the death of planted trees. Trees adapt to arid regions by adopting root patterns that allow soil water uptake by shallow roots and groundwater use by deep roots, thus climatic variation itself may not bring severe negative impact on trees. However, anthropogenic activities, such as groundwater abstraction, will result in significant water table decline that will reduce actual transpiration of trees significantly according to the results from the scenario simulation.

Two river catchments, the Huangfuchuan and the Hailiutu, located in the same climate zone in the Erdos Plateau, China, have distinctly different flow regimes. This study systematically compared differences between the flow regimes of these two catchments using several statistical methods, and analysed the possible causes. The variations in yearly, monthly and daily mean discharges were found to be much greater in the Huangfuchuan catchment than in the Hailiutu catchment. Preliminary analysis indicated that these differences are not caused by changes in climate, but are instead attributable to differences in geology, geomorphology, hydrological processes and human interventions. In the Hailiutu catchment, the dominant groundwater contribution maintains stationary daily and monthly river discharges, while shifts in yearly mean discharges were closely associated with the expansion or reduction of crop area. In the Huangfuchuan catchment, the dominant direct rainfall–runoff process generates flashier ...

Global climate change has received much attention worldwide in the scientific as well as in the political community, indicating that changes in precipitation, extreme droughts and floods may threaten increasingly many regions. Drought is a natural phenomenon that may cause social, economical and environmental damages to the society. In this study, we assess the drought intensity and severity and the groundwater potential to be used as a supplement source of water to mitigate drought impacts in the Crocodile River catchment, a water-stressed sub-catchment of the Incomati River catchment in South Africa. The research methodology consists mainly of three parts. First, the spatial and temporal variation of the meteorological and hydrological drought severity and intensity over the catchment were evaluated. The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) was used to analyse the meteorological drought and the Standardized Runoff Index (SRI) was used for the hydrological drought. Second, the water deficit in the catchment during the drought period was computed using a simple water balance method. Finally, a groundwater model was constructed in order to assess the feasibility of using groundwater as an emergency source for drought impact mitigation. Results show that the meteorological drought severity varies accordingly with the precipitation; the low rainfall areas are more vulnerable to severe meteorological droughts (lower and upper crocodile). Moreover, the most water stressed sub-catchments with high level of water uses but limited storage, such as the Kaap located in the middle catchment and the Lower Crocodile sub-catchments are those which are more vulnerable to severe hydrological droughts. The analysis of the potential groundwater use during droughts showed that a deficit of 97 Mm3 yr−1 could be supplied from groundwater without considerable adverse impacts on the river base flow and groundwater storage. Abstraction simulations for different scenarios of extremely severe droughts reveal that it is possible to use groundwater to cope with the droughts in the catchment. However, local groundwater exploitation in Nelspruit and White River sub-catchment will cause large drawdowns (> 10 m) and high base flow reduction (> 20%). This case study shows that conjunctive water management of groundwater and surface water resources is the necessary to mitigate the impacts of droughts.

Systematic field measurements were conducted to investigate the relationships between the sap flow of Salix bushes (Salix psammophila) and climatic variables and the sources of water use in the semi-arid Hailiutu River catchment in northwest China. The statistical analyses identified the controls of climatic factors on sap flow and the water use strategy of Salix bushes in periods characterized by different wetness conditions. Correlation analyses indicate strong positive correlations between diurnal sap flow, net radiation, air temperature and wind speed but a negative correlation with relative humidity. The peak values of sap flow occured at the same time as the peak values of net radiation but a few hours ahead of the peak values of temperature and the relative humidity minimum. Multiple regression equations between diurnal sap flow and climatic factors (i.e., net radiation, temperature, relative humidity and wind speed) can account for more than 80 % of the variations in sap flow. Correlation and multiple linear regression analyses between sap flow, soil water contents and groundwater level were used to quantify the water sources of S. psammophila. The results indicate that Salix bushes can use both soil water and groundwater for transpiration. In the dry periods, the cumulative transpiration of Salix caused a continuous decline of soil water contents and shallow groundwater levels. During rain events, sap flow was very low, but immediately after the rain, the peak value of sap flow increased significantly due to better soil water availability. The correlation and regression analysis identified a strong relationship between sap flow and groundwater levels that fluctuated at depths of 145.5–180.7 cm. Therefore, Salix bushes can be considered as groundwater-dependent plants in the Hailiutu River catchment.

To improve irrigation water-use efficiency, plant transpiration and soil evaporation in a maize (Zea mays L.) field in the Bulang sub-catchment of the Hailiutu River catchment in Northwest China were determined using in situ measurements. Crop transpiration (Tp) rates from Jul 15 to Oct 1, 2011 were measured with sap flow sensors, and soil evaporation (Ep) rates were measured with micro-lysimeters under an absence of water deficit. The two rates together gave the total evapotranspiration (ETc) of the maize field. Cumulative Tp and Ep were 245 and 85 mm, accounting for 74 and 26% of total ETc (330 mm), respectively. To calculate the total ETc rate of the maize field for the entire growing season, the Penman–Monteith equation combined with a single crop coefficient method (FAO-56) was used. The estimated crop coefficient (Kc) was calibrated using actual sap flow and soil evaporation data to provide accurate estimates of actual evapotranspiration. The total crop ETc of the maize field for the 2011 and 2012 growing seasons was 583 and 500 mm, respectively, with a mean daily value of ∼4 mm d−1. Groundwater contributed 33% of the maize ETc in 2011 (average groundwater table of 1.12 m with full irrigation) and 27% in 2012 (average groundwater table of 0.89 m with full irrigation). These results will improve precise planning and efficient management of irrigation for maize in this region.

Identification and quantification of groundwater and surface-water interactions provide important scientific insights for managing groundwater and surface-water conjunctively. This is especially relevant in semi-arid areas where groundwater is often the main source to feed river discharge and to maintain groundwater dependent ecosystems. Multiple field measurements were taken in the semi-arid Bulang sub-catchment, part of the Hailiutu River basin in northwest China, to identify and quantify groundwater and surface-water interactions. Measurements of groundwater levels and stream stages for a 1-year investigation period indicate continuous groundwater discharge to the river. Temperature measurements of stream water, streambed deposits at different depths, and groundwater confirm the upward flow of groundwater to the stream during all seasons. Results of a tracer-based hydrograph separation exercise reveal that, even during heavy rainfall events, groundwater contributes much more to the increased stream discharge than direct surface runoff. Spatially distributed groundwater seepage along the stream was estimated using mass balance equations with electrical conductivity measurements during a constant salt injection experiment. Calculated groundwater seepage rates showed surprisingly large spatial variations for a relatively homogeneous sandy aquifer.

Sap flow (SF)of a willow tree, meteorological variables, soil water content, and water table depth were measured during the growing period from mid-April to October, 2011 in the semi-arid Hailiutu River catchment, Northwest China. The measurements of SF showed diurnal fluctuations in sunny days and seasonal changes from 1.65 l/h in mid-April to 33 l/h in July. At hourly scale, SF is significantly correlated with net radiation, followed by air temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed. At daily scale, air temperature affects the dynamics of SF significantly. Daily SF correlates positively with net radiation and negatively with relative humidity. There is no correlation observed between daily SF and wind speed. The measurements of SF do not indicate water stress although the experimental period is dry. Correlation analysis shows that SF is strongly correlated with soil moisture and water table depth, indicating the willow tree uses both soil water and groundwater for transpiration.

The spatial distribution of vegetation pattern and vegetation cover fraction (VCF) was quantified with remote sensing data in the Hailiutu River basin, a semiarid area in North China. The moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer normalized different vegetation index (NDVI) values for 4 years from 2008 to 2011 and field observation data were used to assess the impact of climate factors, landform and depth to water table on vegetation distribution at large scale. In the VCF map, 74 % of the study area is covered with low and low–medium density vegetation, 24 % of the catchment is occupied by medium–high and high-density vegetation, and 2 % of area is bare soil. The relationship between NDVI and climate factors indicated that NDVI is correlated with relative humidity and precipitation. In the river catchment, NDVI increases gradually from landform of sand dune, eolian sand soil to river valley; 92.4 % of low NDVI from 0.15 to 0.3 is mostly distributed in sand dunes and the vegetation type is shrubs. Crops, shrubs and some dry willows dominate in eolian sand soil and 82.5 % of the NDVI varies between 0.2 and 0.35. In the river valley, 70.4 % of NDVI ranges between 0.25 and 0.4, and grass, dry willow and some crops are the main plants. Shrubs development of Korshinsk peashrub and Salix psammophila are dependent on groundwater by analyzing NDVI response to groundwater depth. However, NDVI of Artemisia desertorum had little sensitivity to groundwater.

Summary In arid and semiarid regions, vegetation growth largely depends on groundwater, and causes diurnal fluctuations of shallow groundwater levels. Diurnal groundwater level fluctuations have been widely used to estimate groundwater evapotranspiration (ETG) in several methods. This study compared ETG estimated by three commonly used methods. A groundwater flow model was created to generate synthetic diurnal groundwater level fluctuations caused by a given evapotranspiration. The model also calculates the change in groundwater storage and net groundwater inflow at locations of observation wells. The White method, the Hays method, and the Loheide method were applied to estimate ETG with the model-generated diurnal groundwater levels. The comparison of the actual and estimated ETG revealed the accuracy of each method and indentified the applicability of the methods. When the recovery limb of the groundwater level hydrograph is nonlinear, these existing methods underestimate daily ETG. The Loheide method is comparatively better and can be improved by representing the rate of water table increase in the recovery limb of the hydrograph using an exponential equation. When the recovery limb of the groundwater level hydrograph is linear, all three methods can accurately estimate the daily ETG. The modified White method can provide hourly ETG estimates and is recommended for general use. In practical applications, the analysis of the shape of the water table recovery limb and the up and down gradient groundwater head differences can be used to identify the proper method for estimating ETG.

To investigate the groundwater levels changes effects on the transpiration of Salix psammophila (S. psammophila) bush, systemic measurements of meteorological conditions, sap flow of S. psammophila, soil water contents and groundwater levels were conducted in the Hailiutu River catchment, NW of China. Based on the collected field data, Hydrus-1D software package was used to calibrate water movement for root uptake in the saturated–unsaturated zone. The soil hydraulic parameters and root uptake function parameters were calibrated. The simulated results of soil water contents and sap flow fitted well with the observed ones. Based on the calibrated hydraulic parameters, different groundwater levels were imposed at the low boundary to simulate the groundwater levels changes effects on the transpiration. The relationship between ratio of actual transpiration and potential (T/T p) and groundwater water table depth was established. The results shows that the ratio of actual transpiration and potential transpiration decreases with groundwater table depth increase as inverse ‘S’ shape. And the turn point is corresponding to the extinct depth, i.e., no groundwater contribution to S. psammophila transpiration. To further verify this phenomenon is universal, the soil hydraulic parameters were replaced with the other five groups in the calibrated forward model. The results confirmed the similar changes of T a/T p with the groundwater levels changed, i.e. inverse ‘S’ shape. However, the extinction depth is different corresponding to different soil hydraulic parameters. So, the research results indicated the relationship between transpiration and groundwater levels is non-linear function.

Overexploitation of groundwater resources has supported rapid social and economical developments in Beijing City in last 30 years. The newly constructed emergency well fields have saved Beijing from a critical water crisis caused by a long drought spell of eight consecutive years from 1999 to 2006. But this unsustainable development has resulted in serious consequences: discharges to rivers ceased, large number of pumping wells went dry, and land subsidence caused destruction of underground infrastructure. The completion of the middle route of South to North water transfer project to transfer water from Yangtze river to Beijing City by 2010 provides opportunity to reverse the trend of groundwater depletion and to achieve a long-term sustainable development of groundwater resources in Beijing Plain. Four options of groundwater development in Beijing Plain were formulated and assessed with a regional transient groundwater flow model. The business as usual scenario was used as a reference for the comparative analysis and indicates fast depletion of groundwater resources. The reduction of abstraction scenario has immediate and fast recovery of groundwater levels, especially at the cone of depression. The scenario of artificially enhanced groundwater recharge would replenish groundwater resources and maintain the capacity of present water supply well fields. The combined scenario of the reduction of abstraction and the increase of recharge could bring the aquifer systems into a new equilibrium state in 50 years. A hydrological sustainability of groundwater resources development could then be achieved in Beijing Plain.

This paper presents new findings in interpreting analytical solutions of steady radial flow to a well in a semi-confined aquifer (overlain by a phreatic aquifer and aquitard), and demonstrates that 95% of pumped water is derived from leakage water within a radius of 4 times the leakage factor. The travel times of the leakage water from the radii of influence to the well are usually much longer than those derived from the travel time criteria currently used to delineate the well protection areas. The delineation of well protection zones based on the travel time criteria will not properly protect the source of water to the well. Therefore, the percentage of leakage water to the well is used as a new criterion to define the well protection areas. Within each well protection area, the mean residence time is used as an indicator of the renewable period of the aquifer system. Leakage-rate weighted residence times are used to calculate the mean residence time. For the safety and sustainability of drinking water supplies, groundwater in the phreatic aquifer within the radius of influence should be protected.

Cryptococcosis is a life-threatening fungal disease that is usually present as an opportunist infection in immunocompromised hosts, and Cryptococcus neoformans is the major opportunistic pathogen of cryptococcosis. Rapid diagnosis of C. neoformans and other opportunistic Cryptococcus pathogens is required to meet the clinical need for immediate treatment. Historically, negative staining with India ink has been used to identifyCryptococcus. Another staining method utilizes Alcian blue, a dye that reacts selectively with C. neoformans, but not other Cryptococcus species. To overcome these limitations, we developed a new staining method for rapid identification of Cryptococcus using a novel, patent pending staining reagent for clinical laboratory diagnosis. Cryptococci stained with this new reagent can be conveniently counted directly via bench-top light microscopy. We also compared our novel stain with India ink and Alcian blue. Our results demonstrated that the new staining technique was superior to India ink stain for the rapid identification of Cryptococcus in clinical (and clinically mimicking) samples. Our stable and cost-effective staining reagent specifically stained Cryptococcus, highlighting its clinical applicability, particularly in developing countries due to its low cost. Key words: Cryptococcus, cryptococcosis, specific staining, India ink staining, rapid identification.

The sustainability of crucial earth resources, such as groundwater, is a critical issue. We consider groundwater sustainability a value-driven process of intra- and intergenerational equity that balances the environment, society, and economy. Synthesizing hydrogeological science and current sustainability concepts, we emphasize three sustainability approaches: setting multigenerational sustainability goals, backcasting, and managing adaptively. As most aquifer problems are long-term problems, we propose that multigenerational goals (50 to 100 years) for water quantity and quality that acknowledge the connections between groundwater, surface water, and ecosystems be set for many aquifers. The goals should be set by a watershed- or aquifer-based community in an inclusive and participatory manner. Policies for shorter time horizons should be developed by backcasting, and measures implemented through adaptive management to achieve the long-term goals. Two case histories illustrate the importance and complexity of a multigenerational perspective and adaptive management. These approaches could transform aquifer depletion and contamination to more sustainable groundwater use, providing groundwater for current and future generations while protecting ecological integrity and resilience.

The principle of water balance is well known, but its application often causes controversy. One recent debate is the use of the water balance equation to determine the safe yield and sustainable yield. Two extreme opinions exist on natural groundwater recharge. One misconception is that the development of groundwater is considered to be safe if the pumping rate does not exceed the rate of natural recharge. Another is that the sustainable pumping rate has nothing to do with natural recharge, but depends on the increased recharge and decreased discharge (called capture) induced by pumping. The truth is that both the natural recharge and dynamic development of the capture determine the safe yield or sustainable yield of a groundwater basin. This paper clarifies the water budget controversy and uses the water balance equation to critically analyse the concepts of safe yield and sustainable yield. Numerical simulation of a hypothetical case was used to demonstrate the natural groundwater balance, effects of pumping and the dynamic development of the capture.