Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Andrej Tall Author-Name: Branislav Kandra Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Hydrology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia Author-Name: Milan Gomboš Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Hydrology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia Author-Name: Dana Pavelková Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Hydrology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia Title: The influence of soil texture on the course of volume changes of soil Abstract: Volume changes of soil associated with soil moisture changes are caused by the presence of clay minerals from illite and montmorillonite groups. Clay minerals are found in the so-called clay soil component which can be quantified by laboratory analysis of the soil particle-size distribution. Consequently, the potential for volume changes in soil can be assessed from soil texture. In our study, 172 soil samples with different textures were used to measure dependencies between volume changes in soil and changes in soil moisture under laboratory conditions. The samples were collected from 11 sites in the Eastern Slovak Lowland. On the basis of the measurements, 10 mathematical models were created to compute the correlation between volume changes of soil and soil moisture content and texture. The highest accuracy was obtained with the model which assumes the content of particles < 0.002 mm. When comparing the clay particles < 0.001 mm (colloidal clay) with the particles < 0.002 mm (colloidal + physical clay) it was also found that the particles < 0.002 mm have a larger impact on the volume changes of soil than the particles < 0.001. The inclusion of particles > 0.002 mm (silt + sand) into the models resulted in either no or only negligible refinement of the soil volume change calculations. Keywords: clay particles, shrinking soil, soil moisture Journal: Soil and Water Research Pages: 57-66 Volume: 14 Issue: 2 Year: 2019 DOI: 10.17221/217/2017-SWR File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/217/2017-SWR.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/swr-201902-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:14:y:2019:i:2:id:217-2017-SWR Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Hana Hlaváčiková Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Hydrology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovak Republic Author-Name: Viliam Novák Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Hydrology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovak Republic Author-Name: Koji Kameyama Author-Workplace-Name: Institute for Rural Engineering, National Agricultural and Food Research Organization (NARO), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan Author-Name: Katarína Brezianska Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Hydrology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovak Republic Author-Name: Marek Rodný Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Hydrology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovak Republic Author-Name: Justína Vitková Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Hydrology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovak Republic Title: Two types of biochars: one made from sugarcane bagasse, other one produced from paper fiber sludge and grain husks and their effects on water retention of a clay, a loamy soil and a silica sand Abstract: Biochar (BC) is used as a soil amendment to enhance plant growth by improving mainly soil chemical and hydrophysical properties. In this work the effects of two types of BCs on soil water retention properties were analysed. The first type of BC was made from sugarcane bagasse. It was added to a clay "Shimajiri Maji" soil at an application rate of 3 w%. The second type of BC was made from paper fiber sludge and grain husks. It was added into a loam soil at rates of 3.6, and 7.3 w%. It was assumed that the effect of BC amendment will be more pronounced in coarse-grained soil than in fine-grained one. Therefore, the second type of BC was applied additionally in the silica sand, in a textured contrast material compared with the loam soil. The BC amendment caused statistically significant increase of water content in the transmission pores of the clay soil, in the storage pores of the loam soil, and in the macropores and the storage pores in the silica sand. Despite of the positive effect on soil water retention, statistically significant increase of available water capacity (AWC) was identified only in the loam soil with the larger BC amendment rate. Possible reasons are discussed. Keywords: available water capacity, pore categories Journal: Soil and Water Research Pages: 67-75 Volume: 14 Issue: 2 Year: 2019 DOI: 10.17221/15/2018-SWR File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/15/2018-SWR.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/swr-201902-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:14:y:2019:i:2:id:15-2018-SWR Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jan Gregar Author-Name: Jan Petrů Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Jana Novotná Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Evaluation of the SWAT model as an integrated management tool in the Švihov drinking water supply catchment Abstract: Švihov dam, the largest drinking water source in the Czech Republic and Central Europe, has problems with eutrophication. The Švihov dam catchment spreads over 1200 km2 and supplies over 1.5 million people in the capital of Prague and the Central Bohemian region with drinking water. Due to intensive agricultural activities and a lack of wastewater treatment plants in small settlements, the water quality is deteriorating. As a result, corrective measures need to be taken. Technological Agency of the Czech Republic supported this research which proposes different scenarios for a reduction of water quality degradation in the dam. The Trnávka dam watershed was chosen for study purposes as it occupies one quarter of the Švihov dam watershed. Hydrological balance was established using measured data. Point and non-point sources of nutrients were determined by field research and included in a Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model. This study aims to propose complex watershed management to improve the state of the environment in the entire area and to reduce eutrophication. Different management practices would reduce nutrient loads of streams and increase water quality which is the critical factor in dam eutrophication. This research brings methodology and systematic approach to integrated management, and can be applied not only for the Švihov dam, but also for other watersheds, including those which function as drinking water supply. Keywords: hydrological balance, phosphorus balance, river basin management, SWAT Journal: Soil and Water Research Pages: 76-83 Volume: 14 Issue: 2 Year: 2019 DOI: 10.17221/46/2018-SWR File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/46/2018-SWR.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/swr-201902-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:14:y:2019:i:2:id:46-2018-SWR Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Hamid Al-Saad Author-Workplace-Name: College of Marine Science, University of Basrah, Basrah, Iraq Author-Name: Wisam Farid Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Community Health Technology, College of Health and Medical Technology in Basrah, Southern Technical University, Basrah, Iraq Author-Name: Wasen Abdul-Ameer Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Community Health Technology, College of Health and Medical Technology in Basrah, Southern Technical University, Basrah, Iraq Title: Distribution and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soils along the Shatt Al-Arab River Delta in southern Iraq Abstract: The soil samples from 0-10 cm depth were collected from three areas (Center of Basrah - CB, Garmat Ali - GA, and Abu Al-Khasib - AK) located along the Shatt Al-Arab River (SR) delta in southern Iraq to estimate the distribution and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The PAH total concentrations in the soils decreased significantly from CB (72.16 ng/g dry weight (DW)), GA (36.48 ng/g DW), to AK (17.30 ng/g DW) gradually indicating the impact of pollution emissions on the distribution of PAHs in soils. The low (2 and 3 ring) and high (4, 5, and 6 ring) molecular weight PAHs accounted for 14%, 16%, 37%, 21%, and 12% respectively in CB soil, 24%, 31%, 29%, 7%, and 10% in GA soil and 40%, 29%, 17%, 8%, and 8% in AK soil. The high molecular weight PAHs predominated in CB soils and the low molecular weight PAHs dominated in GA and AK soils suggesting a difference in emission sources between the studied areas. The PAH diagnostic ratios and principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that PAHs in soils of the SR delta essentially originated from traffic and industrial emissions and biomass and grass/wood/coal combustion. The PAH atmospheric transport from CB area might impact the PAH distribution in the soils of AK area. The risk assessment of the soils has been performed. The total toxic equivalent concentrations (Bapteq) of PAHs in the examined areas did not exceed the Dutch target values suggesting that no carcinogenic risk for the SR delta soils was found. Keywords: PAHs, oil contamination, risk assessment, soil pollution Journal: Soil and Water Research Pages: 84-93 Volume: 14 Issue: 2 Year: 2019 DOI: 10.17221/38/2018-SWR File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/38/2018-SWR.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/swr-201902-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:14:y:2019:i:2:id:38-2018-SWR Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Vojtěch Skala Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Civil Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Michal Dohnal Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Civil Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Jana Votrubová Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Civil Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Vladimíra Jelínková Author-Workplace-Name: University Centre for Energy Efficient Buildings, Czech Technical University in Prague, Buštěhrad, Czech Republic Title: The use of simple hydrological models to assess outflow of two green roofs systems Abstract: Hydrological response of anthropogenic soil systems, including green roofs, has crucial importance in many fields of water engineering and management. As a consequence, there is an increasing need for modelling of the anthropogenic soil systems behaviour. To obtain empirical data, two green roof test beds were established on a green roof of University Centre for Energy Efficient Buildings, Czech Technical University in Prague. Each test bed is 1 m2 in area and is instrumented for the runoff monitoring. One test bed was filled with less permeable local soil, the other with highly permeable commercial soil substrate, both were planted with stonecrops. Two simple deterministic lumped models - a nonlinear reservoir model and a linear reservoir cascade model - were used to assess the hydrological response of these green roof systems. The nonlinear reservoir model seems more appropriate for extensive green roof systems than the linear reservoir cascade model because of better description of rapid system reaction typical for thin soil systems. Linear reservoir cascade model frequently failed to mimic internal variability of observed hydrographs. In systems with high potential retention (represented by the test bed with local soil), episodically applied models that consider the same initial retention capacity for all episodes do not allow plausible evaluation of the actual episode-related retention. In such case, simulation model accounting for evapotranspiration between the rainfall events is needed. Keywords: extensive green roof, herbaceous perennials, linear reservoir cascade, nonlinear reservoir model, rainfall-runoff event, storm water detention Journal: Soil and Water Research Pages: 94-103 Volume: 14 Issue: 2 Year: 2019 DOI: 10.17221/138/2018-SWR File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/138/2018-SWR.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/swr-201902-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:14:y:2019:i:2:id:138-2018-SWR Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Hana Hudcová Author-Workplace-Name: T.G.M. Water Research Institute, Brno Branch Office, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Applied Ecology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Jan Vymazal Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Applied Ecology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Miloš Rozkošný Author-Workplace-Name: T.G.M. Water Research Institute, Brno Branch Office, Brno, Czech Republic Title: Present restrictions of sewage sludge application in agriculture within the European Union Abstract: The use of sludge in agriculture within the European Union (EU) is currently regulated only by the limits of heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn) listed in Council Directive 86/278/EEC. This document is now more than 30 years old. Several European countries have introduced more stringent requirements in comparison with the directive, and have adopted limits for concentrations of other heavy metals, synthetic organic compounds and microbial contamination. The paper provides an overview of the current limits of these substances in sewage sludge and concentration limits of heavy metals in soil intended for sludge application, together with applicable laws and regulations in European Union countries. There is a need to update these regulations taking into account the current risks associated with the application of sludge to agricultural land, with the possibility of using ecotoxicological tests to assess the risks. A wide range of technologies for sewage sludge processing is used in EU countries. The predominant choice is a direct application in agriculture followed by composting. The use of sewage sludge in agriculture in 2014 and 2015 in 13 EU countries that provided data amounted to 22.6% (2014) and 22.1% (2015) of produced sludge and 23.3% (2014) and 23.1% (2015) of sludge disposed. It is also highly variable within EU countries ranging between zero (Malta, Slovenia, Slovakia) and 80% (Ireland). Over 50% of sewage sludge is used in agriculture in Bulgaria according to 2015 data. Keywords: agricultural land, European countries, legislation, limit, sewage sludge disposal Journal: Soil and Water Research Pages: 104-120 Volume: 14 Issue: 2 Year: 2019 DOI: 10.17221/36/2018-SWR File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/36/2018-SWR.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/swr-201902-0006.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:14:y:2019:i:2:id:36-2018-SWR