Spatiotemporal characteristics and influencing factors of carbon emissions from land-use change in Shaanxi Province, China.

Due to global warming, there evolves a global consensus and urgent need on carbon emission mitigations, especially in developing countries. We investigated the spatiotemporal characteristics of carbon emissions induced by land use change in Shaanxi at the city level, from 2000 to 2020, by combining direct and indirect emission calculation methods with correction coefficients. In addition, we evaluated the impact of 10 different factors through the geodetector model and their spatial heterogeneity with the geographic weighted regression (GWR) model. Our results showed that the carbon emissions and carbon intensity of Shaanxi had increased overall in the study period but with a decreased growth rate during each 5-year period: 2000-2005, 2005-2010, 2010-2015, and 2015-2020. In terms of carbon emissions, the conversion of croplands into built-up land contributed the most. The spatial distribution of carbon emissions in Shaanxi was ranked as follows: Central Shaanxi > Northern Shaanxi > Southern Shaanxi. Local spatial agglomeration was reflected in the cold spots around Xi'an, and hot spots around Yulin. With respect to the principal driving factors, the gross domestic product (GDP) was the dominant factor affecting most of the carbon emissions induced by land cover and land use change in Shaanxi, and socioeconomic factors generally had a greater influence than natural factors. Socioeconomic variables also showed evident spatial heterogeneity in carbon emissions. The results of this study may aid in the formulation of land use policy that is based on reducing carbon emissions in developing areas of China, as well as contribute to transitioning into a "low-carbon" economy.

Exploring sustainable solutions for the water environment in Chinese and Southeast Asian cities.

Water is essential for human activities and economic development, and the water environment significantly influences ecological balance and global climate. China and Southeast Asia are the most populous areas in the world, and their water resources are deteriorating day by day. We focus on five representative cities such as, Beijing, Jakarta, Hanoi, Kathmandu and Manila to investigate water-environmental problems with the ultimate goal of providing recommendations for sustainable urban water management. The study found that (1) the water environment of all cities has been polluted to varying levels, while the pollution has improved in Beijing and Jakarta, and the situation in other regions is severe. (2) The aquatic biodiversity has reduced, and its pollution is mainly caused by organic pollutants and decreasing river flow. In addition, numerous people live in megacities without access to clean surface water or piped drinking water, which greatly increases the use of groundwater. Further, frequent floods in the world leads to serious damage to urban infrastructure and further deterioration of water environment quality. To address these problems, countries and organizations have begun to construct wastewater treatment plants and develop water-saving technology to ensure healthy and sustainable development of water environment. The results and practical recommendations of this study can provide scientific insights for future research and management strategies to address water quality challenges during ongoing policy debates and decision-making processes.

Heavy metals in water and surface sediments of the Fenghe River Basin, China: assessment and source analysis.

This paper combines environmental science, inorganic chemistry, water quality monitoring and other disciplines to analyze and assess the heavy metals in the water bodies and sediments of the Fenghe River Basin (FRB) in Shaanxi Province, and reveal their sources. The Water Quality Index (WQI), Nemero Index (Pn), Geological Accumulation Index (I-geo) and Potential Ecological Risk Index (RI) are used to assess heavy metals in water and sediments. Pearson correlation analysis (CA), hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), principal component analysis (PCA) and positive matrix factorization (PMF) models are used to study the relationship and source of heavy metals. The results show that most of the residual heavy metals in the water are below the corresponding environmental quality standards for surface water. Most of the heavy metals in the sediment exceed the background value of the soil. The factors or sources of heavy metals in water and sediment are revealed in detail through PMF models. The main sources of pollution in the region are urban construction and transportation, the electronics industry, machinery manufacturing and tourism. In water, the average contribution rates of these four sources to heavy metals were 36.8%, 11.7%, 9.4% and 42.0%, and in sediments were 8.0%, 29.2%, 23.9% and 38.9%. Therefore, these sectors should be given sufficient attention.

Assessment of extrinsic and intrinsic influences on water quality variation in subtropical agricultural multipond systems.

Understanding wetland water quality dynamics and associated influencing factors is important to assess the numerous ecosystem services they provide. We present a combined self-organizing map (SOM) and linear mixed-effects model (LMEM) to relate water quality variation of multipond systems (MPSs, a common type of non-floodplain wetlands in agricultural regions of southern China) to their extrinsic and intrinsic influences for the first time. Across the 6 test MPSs with environmental gradients, ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphate (TP) almost always exceeded the surface water quality standard (2.0, 2.0, and 0.4 mg/L, respectively) in the up- and midstream ponds, while chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) exhibited hypertrophic state (≥28 µg/L) in the midstream ponds during the wet season. Synergistic influences explained 69±12% and 73±10% of the water quality variations in the wet and dry season, respectively. The adverse, extrinsic influences were generally 1.4, 6.9, 3.2, and 4.3 times of the beneficial, intrinsic influences for NH4+-N, nitrate nitrogen (NO3--N), TP, and potassium permanganate index (CODMn), respectively, although the influencing direction and degree of forest and water area proportion were spatiotemporally unstable. While CODMn was primarily linked with rural residential areas in the midstream, higher TN and TP concentrations in the up- and midstream were associated with agricultural land, and NH4+-N reflected a small but non-negligible source of free-range poultry feeding. Pond surface sediments exhibited consistent, adverse effects with amplifications during rainfall, while macrophyte biomass can reflect the biological uptake of CODMn and Chl-a, especially in the mid- and downstream during the wet season. Our study advances nonpoint source pollution (NPSP) research for small water bodies, explores nutrient "source-sink" dynamics, and provides a timely guide for rural planning and pond management. The modelling procedures and analytical results can inform refined assessment of similar NFWs elsewhere, where restoration efforts are required.

Exploring the multiscale hydrologic regulation of multipond systems in a humid agricultural catchment.

Assessing the hydrologic processes over scales ranging from single wetland to regional is critical to understand the hydrologically-driven ecosystem services especially nutrient buffering of wetlands. Here, we present a novel approach to quantify the multiscale hydrologic regulation of multipond systems (MPSs), a common type of small, scattered wetland in humid agricultural regions, because previous studies have stopped in commending the catchment scale flood and drought resilience of these waters, and contemporary models do not adequately represent the corresponding intra-catchment fill-spill relationships. A new version of Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was developed to incorporate improved representation of: (1) perennial or intermittent spillage connections of pond-to-pond and pond-to-stream, and (2) bidirectional exchange between pond surface water and shallow groundwater. We present SWAT-MPS, which adopts rule-based artificial intelligence to model the possibilities of different spillage directions and GA-based parameter optimization over the two simulation years (June 2017 to May 2019), with successfully replicated streamflow and pond water-level variations in a 4.8 km2 test catchment, southern China. Water balance analysis and scenario simulations were then executed to assess the hydrologic regulation at single pond, single MPS, and entire catchment scales. Results revealed (1) the presence of 9 series- or series-parallel connected MPSs, in which pond overflow accounted for as much as 59% of the catchment water yield; (2) seasonally- and MPS-independent baseflow support and quickflow attenuation, with ranked level of pond water storage for baseflow support across different landuse types: forest > farm > village, and inversed correlation of pond spillage to baseflow and quickflow variations in the farmland; and (3) MPS-aggregated catchment flood peak reduction (>20%) and baseflow increment (26%) in the following dry days. Meteorological data analysis and simulated average daily values indicated these hydrologic patterns are credible even if extending to a 5-year period. As a first modelling attempt to explore the intra-catchment details of MPSs, our study underscores the water storage and connectivity in their hydrologic regulation, and suggests inventories, long-term field monitoring, and several research directions of the new model for integrated pond management in watersheds and river basins. These findings can inform refined assessment of similar small, scattered wetlands elsewhere, where restoration efforts are required.

Water quality trend assessment in Jakarta: A rapidly growing Asian megacity.

Megacities are facing serious water pollution problems due to urbanization, rapid population growth and economic development. Water is an essential resource for human activities and socio-economic development and water quality in urban settings has important implications for human and environmental health. Urbanization and lack of sewerage has left the water in Jakarta, Indonesia in a heavily polluted condition. Rigorous assessment of urban water quality is necessary to understand the factors controlling water quality conditions. We use trend analysis to assess the current water quality conditions in Jakarta, focusing on Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Dissolved Oxygen (DO), and Total Suspended Solids (TSS). In most monitoring stations analyzed, BOD and TSS concentrations have decreased over time, but from large starting concentrations. DO in most monitoring stations has increased. Although Jakarta's water quality has shown some improvement, it remains heavily impaired. The average value of BOD is low in upper stream stations compared to middle and lower stream stations. BOD and TSS trends of some water quality stations in middle and lower streams show increasing trends. Cluster analysis results suggest three groups for BOD and TSS, and four groups for DO. Understanding water quality conditions and factors that control water quality suggest strategies for improving water quality given current trends in climate, population growth and urban development. Results from this study suggest research directions and management strategies to address water quality challenges.

Farm ponds in southern China: Challenges and solutions for conserving a neglected wetland ecosystem.

Farm ponds, which are sometimes numerous and widely distributed in agricultural regions, have faced widespread degradation in recent decades. Although conservation strategies for these biodiversity hotspots have gradually increased, appropriate approaches for developing country contexts are lacking. Farm ponds provided hydrologic, biogeochemical, and socioeconomic benefits to southern China for thousands of years, but they are facing contemporary threats and management challenges, including (1) inadequate planning in terms of construction and conservation regulations; (2) rural nonpoint source and mini-point source pollution; (3) climate change induced abnormalities in the hydroperiod and disturbance to wildlife; (4) invasive species; and (5) inadequate social and political capacity to consider ecological conservation. Because farm ponds function as wetland complexes that are embedded within or integral to larger ecosystems, their conservation requires collaborative efforts over scales ranging from within-pond to regional. We highlight approaches that build public awareness and involve inventory maps as a basis. Policies that integrate top-down regulation and bottom-up engagement and emphasize sustainable management and utilization are recommended to ensure the effectiveness and continuous improvement of conservation programs. Techniques that involve interconnected smart sensors, volunteering and citizen science, and integrated process-based modeling are preferred when conducting comprehensive descriptions of the pond landscape, numerical assessments on their ecosystem services, and associated conservation cost analyses. Nature-based solutions are increasingly recognized as an important opportunity for coping with water-related crises. This paper presents the first synthetic perspective on the ecological roles of farm ponds in agriculturally dominated developing countries. The analytical framework and conservation suggestions are referential to sustainable rural development and the management of other small, scattered wetlands.

Effects of Phytoremediation Treatment on Bacterial Community Structure and Diversity in Different Petroleum-Contaminated Soils.

Increased exploitation and use of petroleum resources is leading to increased risk of petroleum contamination of soil and groundwater. Although phytoremediation is a widely-used and cost-effective method for rehabilitating soils polluted by petroleum, bacterial community structure and diversity in soils undergoing phytoremediation is poorly understood. We investigate bacterial community response to phytoremediation in two distinct petroleum-contaminated soils (add prepared petroleum-contaminated soils) from northwest China, Weihe Terrace soil and silty loam from loess tableland. High-throughput sequencing technology was used to compare the bacterial communities in 24 different samples, yielding 18,670 operational taxonomic units (OTUs). The dominant bacterial groups, Proteobacteria (31.92%), Actinobacteria (16.67%), Acidobacteria (13.29%) and Bacteroidetes (6.58%), increased with increasing petroleum concentration from 3000 mg/kg⁻10,000 mg/kg, while Crenarchaeota (13.58%) and Chloroflexi (4.7%) decreased. At the order level, RB41, Actinomycetales, Cytophagales, envOPS12, Rhodospirillales, MND1 and Xanthomonadales, except Nitrososphaerales, were dominant in Weihe Terrace soil. Bacterial community structure and diversity in the two soils were significantly different at similar petroleum concentrations. In addition, the dominant genera were affected by available nitrogen, which is strongly associated with the plants used for remediation. Overall, the bacterial community structure and diversity were markedly different in the two soils, depending on the species of plants used and the petroleum concentration.

Flood inundation assessment for the Hanoi Central Area, Vietnam under historical and extreme rainfall conditions.

Flash floods have long been common in Asian cities, with recent increases in urbanization and extreme rainfall driving increasingly severe and frequent events. Floods in urban areas cause significant damage to infrastructure, communities and the environment. Numerical modelling of flood inundation offers detailed information necessary for managing flood risk in such contexts. This study presents a calibrated flood inundation model using referenced photos, an assessment of the influence of four extreme rainfall events on water depth and inundation area in the Hanoi central area. Four types of historical and extreme rainfall were input into the inundation model. The modeled results for a 2008 flood event with 9 referenced stations resulted in an R2 of 0.6 compared to observations. The water depth at the different locations was simulated under the four extreme rainfall types. The flood inundation under the Probable Maximum Precipitation presents the highest risk in terms of water depth and inundation area. These results provide insights into managing flood risk, designing flood prevention measures, and appropriately locating pump stations.

Impact of forest maintenance on water shortages: Hydrologic modeling and effects of climate change.

The importance of water quantity for domestic and industrial water supply, agriculture, and the economy more broadly has led to the development of many water quantity assessment methods. In this study, surface flow and soil water in the forested upper reaches of the Yoshino River are compared using a distributed hydrological model with Forest Maintenance Module under two scenarios; before and after forest maintenance. We also examine the impact of forest maintenance on these variables during extreme droughts. Results show that surface flow and soil water increased after forest maintenance. In addition, projections of future water resources were estimated using a hydrological model and the output from a 20km mesh Global Climate Model (GCM20). River discharge for the near-future (2015-2039) is similar to that of the present (1979-2003). Estimated river discharge for the future (2075-2099) was found to be substantially more extreme than in the current period, with 12m3/s higher peak discharge in August and 7m3/s lower in July compared to the discharges of the present period. Soil water for the future is estimated to be lower than for the present and near future in May. The methods discussed in this study can be applied in other regions and the results help elucidate the impact of forests and climate change on water resources.

Identification of long-term trends and seasonality in high-frequency water quality data from the Yangtze River basin, China.

Comprehensive understanding of the long-term trends and seasonality of water quality is important for controlling water pollution. This study focuses on spatio-temporal distributions, long-term trends, and seasonality of water quality in the Yangtze River basin using a combination of the seasonal Mann-Kendall test and time-series decomposition. The used weekly water quality data were from 17 environmental stations for the period January 2004 to December 2015. Results show gradual improvement in water quality during this period in the Yangtze River basin and greater improvement in the Uppermost Yangtze River basin. The larger cities, with high GDP and population density, experienced relatively higher pollution levels due to discharge of industrial and household wastewater. There are higher pollution levels in Xiang and Gan River basins, as indicated by higher NH4-N and CODMn concentrations measured at the stations within these basins. Significant trends in water quality were identified for the 2004-2015 period. Operations of the three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) enhanced pH fluctuations and possibly attenuated CODMn, and NH4-N transportation. Finally, seasonal cycles of varying strength were detected for time-series of pollutants in river discharge. Seasonal patterns in pH indicate that maxima appear in winter, and minima in summer, with the opposite true for CODMn. Accurate understanding of long-term trends and seasonality are necessary goals of water quality monitoring system efforts and the analysis methods described here provide essential information for effectively controlling water pollution.

Spatiotemporal patterns and source attribution of nitrogen pollution in a typical headwater agricultural watershed in Southeastern China.

Excessive nitrogen (N) discharge from agriculture causes widespread problems in aquatic ecosystems. Knowledge of spatiotemporal patterns and source attribution of N pollution is critical for nutrient management programs but is poorly studied in headwaters with various small water bodies and mini-point pollution sources. Taking a typical small watershed in the low mountains of Southeastern China as an example, N pollution and source attribution were studied for a multipond system around a village using the Hydrological Simulation Program-Fortran (HSPF) model. The results exhibited distinctive spatio-seasonal variations with an overall seriousness rank for the three indicators: total nitrogen (TN) > nitrate/nitrite nitrogen (NOx--N) > ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), according to the Chinese Surface Water Quality Standard. TN pollution was severe for the entire watershed, while NOx--N pollution was significant for ponds and ditches far from the village, and the NH3-N concentrations were acceptable except for the ponds near the village in summer. Although food and cash crop production accounted for the largest source of N loads, we discovered that mini-point pollution sources, including animal feeding operations, rural residential sewage, and waste, together contributed as high as 47% of the TN and NH3-N loads in ponds and ditches. So, apart from eco-fertilizer programs and concentrated animal feeding operations, the importance of environmental awareness building for resource management is highlighted for small farmers in headwater agricultural watersheds. As a first attempt to incorporate multipond systems into the process-based modeling of nonpoint source (NPS) pollution, this work can inform other hydro-environmental studies on scattered and small water bodies. The results are also useful to water quality improvement for entire river basins.

Preparation of ureido-functionalized PVA/silica mesoporous fibre membranes via electrospinning for adsorption of Pb2+ and Cu2+ in wastewater.

Ureido-functionalized mesoporous polyvinyl alcohol/silica composite nanofibre membranes were prepared by electrospinning technology and their application for removal of Pb2+ and Cu2+ from wastewater was discussed. The characteristics of the membranes were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and N2 adsorption-desorption analysis. Results show that the membranes have long fibrous shapes and worm-like mesoporous micromorphologies. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the membranes were successfully functionalized with ureido groups. Pb2+ and Cu2+ adsorption behavior on the membranes followed a pseudo-second-order nonlinear kinetic model with approximately 30 minutes to equilibrium. Pb2+ adsorption was modelled using a Langmuir isotherm model with maximum adsorption capacity of 26.96 mg g-1. However, Cu2+ adsorption was well described by a Freundlich isotherm model with poor adsorption potential due to the tendency to form chelating complexes with several ureido groups. Notably, the membranes were easily regenerated through acid treatment, and maintained adsorption capacity of 91.87% after five regeneration cycles, showing potential for applications in controlling heavy metals-related pollution and metals reuse.

Estimating future temperature maxima in lakes across the United States using a surrogate modeling approach.

A warming climate increases thermal inputs to lakes with potential implications for water quality and aquatic ecosystems. In a previous study, we used a dynamic water column temperature and mixing simulation model to simulate chronic (7-day average) maximum temperatures under a range of potential future climate projections at selected sites representative of different U.S. regions. Here, to extend results to lakes where dynamic models have not been developed, we apply a novel machine learning approach that uses Gaussian Process regression to describe the model response surface as a function of simplified lake characteristics (depth, surface area, water clarity) and climate forcing (winter and summer air temperatures and potential evapotranspiration). We use this approach to extrapolate predictions from the simulation model to the statistical sample of U.S. lakes in the National Lakes Assessment (NLA) database. Results provide a national-scale scoping assessment of the potential thermal risk to lake water quality and ecosystems across the U.S. We suggest a small fraction of lakes will experience less risk of summer thermal stress events due to changes in stratification and mixing dynamics, but most will experience increases. The percentage of lakes in the NLA with simulated 7-day average maximum water temperatures in excess of 30°C is projected to increase from less than 2% to approximately 22% by the end of the 21st century, which could significantly reduce the number of lakes that can support cold water fisheries. Site-specific analysis of the full range of factors that influence thermal profiles in individual lakes is needed to develop appropriate adaptation strategies.

Toxic effects of NH4+-N on embryonic development of Bufo gargarizans and Rana chensinensis.

Although nitrogen fertilizer is commonly used worldwide, little information is currently available about NH4+-N toxicity on amphibians. This study determined the acute and chronic toxic effects of NH4+-N on two native Chinese amphibian species (Bufo gargarizans and Rana chensinensis), and compared the negative sensitivity of different embryos to NH4+-N. Static renewal aqueous exposures were performed using B. gargarizans and R. chensinensis embryos at Gosner stage 2 over 96 h. In terms of 96 h-LC50, B. gargarizans and R. chensinensis embryos had significantly different responses to NH4+-N, and the latter was more sensitive to NH4+-N than the former. In the chronic toxicity test, exposure to 10 mg L-1NH4+-N or higher significantly decreased the hatching rate of embryos in both species. Significant increases in the abnormality rate of embryos at 50 mg L-1NH4+-N or higher were observed and morphological abnormalities were characterized by axial flexures, yolk sac edema, and hyperplasia in both species. Additionally, the total length of embryos decreased in a dose-dependent manner after exposure to NH4+-N. The results indicate that NH4+-N exposure can increase abnormality and inhibit the hatching and development of embryos in B. gargarizans and R. chensinensis.

Spatial and temporal trends in estimates of nutrient and suspended sediment loads in the Ishikari River, Japan, 1985 to 2010.

Nutrients and suspended sediment in surface water play important roles in aquatic ecosystems and contribute strongly to water quality with implication for drinking water resources, human and environmental health. Estimating loads of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) and suspended sediment (SS) is complicated because of infrequent monitoring data, retransformation bias, data censoring, and non-normality. To obtain reliable unbiased estimates, the Maintenance of Variance-Extension type 3 (MOVE. 3) and the regression model Load Estimator (LOADEST) were applied to develop regression equations and to estimate total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP) and SS loads at five sites on the Ishikari River, Japan, from 1985 to 2010. Coefficients of determination (R(2)) for the best-fit regression models for loads of TN, TP, and SS for the five sites ranged from 71.86% to 90.94%, suggesting the model for all three constituents successfully simulated the variability in constituent loads at all studied sites. Estimated monthly average loads at Yishikarikakou-bashi were larger than at the other sites, with TN, TP, and SS loads ranging from 8.52×10(3) to 2.00×10(5) kg/day (Apr. 1999), 3.96×10(2) to 5.23×10(4) kg/ day (Apr. 1999), and 9.21×10(4) to 9.25×10(7) kg/day (Sep. 2001), respectively. Because of variation in river discharge, the estimated seasonal loads fluctuated widely over the period 1985 to 2010, with the greatest loads occurring in spring and the smallest loads occurring in winter. Estimated loads of TN, TP, and especially SS showed decreasing trends during the study period. Accurate load estimation is a necessary goal of water quality monitoring efforts and the methods described here provide essential information for effectively managing water resources.

Spatiotemporal evaluation of water quality incidents in Japan between 1996 and 2007.

We present a spatiotemporal evaluation of water quality incidents in Japan considering incident numbers, incident causes, pollutant categories, and pollution effects. Water pollution incidents in first-class river systems almost tripled to about 1487 in the 12 years from 1996 to 2007. In addition, oil makes up the largest proportion of pollutants nationwide (76.61%) and the major source of pollution for each region in Japan. Moreover, every category shows a growth trend, especially since 2005. The main cause of incidents was "Unknown" (43%), followed by "Poor working practice" (24%), and then by "Accident" (10%) and "Other" (10%). In Hokuriku, however, the main cause of incidents was "Poor working practice" (36%), which is greater than "Unknown" (30%). Finally, waterworks (approximately 60%) was the largest of four kinds of water supply infrastructure affected by pollution incidents, followed by simplified waterworks. The population affected by offensive odors and tastes peaked in 1990 and has been decreasing. Overall, the results show the characteristics of incidents from 1996 to 2007, with significant implications for adaptation measures, strategies and policies to reduce water quality incidents.

Statistical analysis and estimation of annual suspended sediments of major rivers in Japan.

We evaluate the spatiotemporal trends of recent suspended sediment conditions in Japanese rivers. Statistical and spatiotemporal trend analysis is conducted on the 92 major rivers in Japan based on water quality monitoring data from 1992 to 2005. The Mann-Kendall non-parametric method was used to investigate the spatial and temporal trends for the suspended sediment indicator. Results show that the mean concentration of suspended sediments in Japanese rivers has generally declined in recent years, although there are still water quality problems at some monitoring sites (Kanto, Chubu, Kinki and Kyushu regions). A positive relationship between observed yearly discharge and suspended sediment load was found. Land use maps with 100 meter spatial resolution were used to apply an empirical model and develop a regression model for estimating annual suspended sediment loads directly from land use and hydrologic data. Rivers were assigned to three groups according to statistical cluster analysis of suspended sediment (SS) concentration. The correlation between the simulation result from the empirical model and the observed data had R(2) values of 0.62 and 0.71 for groups 2 and 3, and the correlation between the simulation result from the regression model and the observed data had R(2) values of 0.48 and 0.34 for groups 2 and 3. Results show that the proposed simulation technique can be used to predict the pollutant loads to river basins in Japan. Results also suggest prioritization methods and strategies that policy-makers can use to address suspended sediment pollution in rivers and water quality management in general.

Spatiotemporal trend analysis of recent river water quality conditions in Japan.

In order to promote pollutant monitoring and preservation of water resources, we evaluate the spatiotemporal trends in recent water quality conditions in Japanese rivers. Trend analysis is conducted on the 92 major rivers in Japan using the available water quality data recorded from 1992 to 2005 and the characteristics of major pollutants in these rivers are analyzed. Spatial and temporal analysis of trends for six water quality indicators is conducted using the Mann Kendall test, a non-parametric statistical method. The indicators analyzed are biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), dissolved oxygen (DO), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP) and pH. The majority of sampling locations monitoring BOD, COD, TN and TP show trends toward decreasing concentrations over time. Many sampling locations show increasing DO concentrations. Our results show that water quality in Japanese rivers has improved dramatically over the past decade, although there are still problems in some places, most notably in the Hokkaido, Kanto, Kinki and Kyushu regions. The improvements seen in water quality appear to be the result of improved wastewater treatment and other water quality improvement efforts achieved through government initiative.