Diurnal (Diel) Cycling of Chemical Constituents in Surface Water and Related Media—Scientific and Regulatory Considerations

Seasonal variation in dissolved Zn concentrations in Prickly Pear Creek near Helena, Montana, 2000-03. Data shown by blue squares were collected during winter low flow. Data in red are for high flows during spring runoff. Data in green are for summer low flow. See Headline on Importance and Causes of Daily Variation in Metal Concentrations in Streams for more information. (Larger version)

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the New Jersey Water Resources Research Institute, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection , and Montana Tech of the University of Montana co-sponsored a workshop on Diurnal (Diel) Cycling of Chemical Constituents in Surface Water and Related Media—Scientific and Regulatory Considerations, in Trenton, New Jersey, on December 12, 2008. The goal of the workshop was to educate professionals about the widespread occurrence of diel concentration cycles, about how diel cycles affect a wide variety of constituents (temperature, DO, nutrients, metals, and others), and about the importance of accounting for diel cycles in the planning of and interpreting data from water-quality monitoring programs.

USGS Presentations

• Diel Cycles: Arsenic and Metals, by David A. Nimick (USGS)
• Diel Metal Cycles: Temporal Variability in Alkaline Streams, by David A. Nimick
• Arsenic, Metals and Nutrients in the Wallkill River, New Jersey: Natural and Human-Induced Cycles, by Julia L. Barringer (USGS)
• Diel Metal Cycles: Toxicity Considerations, by David A. Nimick
  
  
• Full Conference Agenda

Conveners

• Julia L. Barringer, USGS,
• Kimberly Cenno, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Environmental Analysis & Restoration,
• David A. Nimick, USGS,
• Chris Gammons, Montana Tech of the University of Montana,

More Information

• Diel Cycling of Trace Metals in Streams
• Diurnal Metal Variations in Streams Photo Gallery
• Watershed Contamination from Hard-Rock Mining Investigation

Related Headlines

• Mercury Concentrations in Streams Found to Go Through Daily Cycles
• Importance and Causes of Daily Variation in Metal Concentrations in Streams
• Daily Variation of Metals in Streams Can Confound Scientific Studies

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