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Reconstruction of urban stormwater contamination of an estuary using catchment history and sediment profile dating

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Abstract

Cores were collected from the length of Pakuranga estuary, a small urban estuary in Auckland, New Zealand, to determine sedimentation and contaminant history, and in particular the impact of urbanization. Catchment sediment loads for the most recent history (1953–1995), including urbanization since 1960, were reconstructed using the landcover history and soil erosion modeling. Pollen and14C dating and pre-urban landcover history were used to reconstruct early estuary sedimentation (i.e., post-3000 yr BP to 1960). Heavy metal concentrations, particle size,137Cs, pollen, and catchment sediment loads were all needed to disentangle the complex estuarine response to urbanization.137Cs profiles did not reflect the historical fallout pattern, but deposition of137Cs-labelled eroded catchment soil, coinciding with peaks in urban construction. Temporal variations in stormwater137Cs concentrations are likely due to varying contributions from137Cs-rich topsoil and137Cs-poor subsoils. A similar pattern was observed in heavy-metal concentrations and attributed to street runoff rather than topsoil being diluted by metal-poor subsoils. Dating of the sediment profiles showed that during urbanization sedimentation rates in the tidal creek and estuary were higher than sedimentation rates associated with past agricultural landuse and the original forest landcover. Urbanization has brought about substantial environmental changes in the upper estuary through continued infilling of shallow, intertidal areas, contamination by heavy metals to levels of ecological concern, sediment textural changes, and rapid mangrove colonization of formerly bare intertidal sediments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd., P. O. Box 11-115, Hamilton, New Zealand

    Andrew Swales, R. Bruce Williamson, Laurence F. Van Dam & Morag J. Stroud

  2. Landcare Research Ltd, P. O. Box 69, 8152, Lincoln, New Zealand

    Matt S. McGlone

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  1. Andrew Swales
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  2. R. Bruce Williamson
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  3. Laurence F. Van Dam
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  4. Morag J. Stroud
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  5. Matt S. McGlone
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Correspondence to Andrew Swales.

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Swales, A., Williamson, R.B., Van Dam, L.F. et al. Reconstruction of urban stormwater contamination of an estuary using catchment history and sediment profile dating. Estuaries 25, 43–56 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02696048

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02696048

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