Effect of Human Mobility Changes due to COVID-19 on Stream Water Quality in Watersheds with Different Predominant Land Uses
Publication: Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management
Volume 149, Issue 10
Abstract
The unprecedented changes in human mobility in the United States during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic provided a unique opportunity to relate changes in urban stream water quality to the intensity of human activity on six types of land use. This study evaluated the baseflow-dominated stream response of pH, total nitrogen (TN), and nitrate-nitrogen between five in-stream sampling sites located in four watersheds with different types and degrees of development in Delaware County, Pennsylvania before and during the COVID-19 pandemic (2018 to 2021). This investigation found that significant water quality changes coincided with dramatic declines in human mobility during the pandemic. Human mobility was quantified using county-level volunteer reports of the use of Google apps on electronic devices. A two-way analysis of variance identified significant changes in pH, TN, and nitrate-nitrogen at all four sampling locations during monthly baseflow-dominated stream flow sampling before and during the pandemic to the decline in human movement and activity. However, the limited pre-pandemic sampling design did not observe overall significant water quality trends for the interaction of water quality between locations before and during the pandemic. The lack of significant interaction could suggest that changes in human mobility due to COVID-19 restrictions impacted stream water quality across sites at least in a similar fashion. This study provided definitive evidence that cell phone tracking can identify some of the impact of urban nonpoint sources spatially and dynamically, highlighting the role of political and socio-economic factors on the intensity of human activities that might be reflected on stream water quality changes.
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Data Availability Statement
All data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon request.
Acknowledgments
The authors thank the Villanova Center for Resilient Water Systems (VCRWS) for the resources and support provided to complete this research, including support from Amanda Garzio-Hadzik (Director) and Dr. John Komlos (Quality Assurance Manager) of the VCRWS Water Resources Laboratory for collection, management, and quality control of stream water quality data. The authors also thank the Williamson College of the Trades, Tyler Arboretum, the Natural Lands Trust (Wawa Preserve), the homeowners association and residents of Granite Run Townhomes, CAMCO Management, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, and Nether Providence Township for allowing access to the monitoring sites. This research was supported financially by the William Penn Foundation, Pennsylvania Sea Grant, and the College of Engineering at Villanova University. The opinions expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the sponsors.
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Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management
Volume 149 • Issue 10 • October 2023
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© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Nov 17, 2021
Accepted: May 31, 2023
Published online: Jul 27, 2023
Published in print: Oct 1, 2023
Discussion open until: Dec 27, 2023
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