Impact of Water Projects on River Flow Regimes and Water Quality in Huai River Basin

Research on the impact of water projects (dams or floodgates) on river hydrology and the surrounding environment is important in river basin management. However, it is a difficult scientific issue due to its complexity. Huai River Basin is a unique region in China with high densities in both population and water projects and is experiencing a serious pollution problem. Based on the extended SWAT model with consideration of dams & floodgates, this paper proposes a quantitative framework to assess the impact of dams & floodgates on the river flow regimes and water quality in the middle and upper reaches of Huai River Basin. The results show that: (1) The dams & floodgates reduced the basin’s annual average flow by 2%, in comparison with the scenario of no water projects in the whole basin during 1991–2000, because of the regulation and storage of dams & floodgates. The flow in the non-flood season reduced 5% while the change of flow in the flood season was not acute. The impact of dams & floodgates on the annual flow are different in wet and dry years. In the wet year (1991), the impact of dams & floodgates is not obvious because the gates were opened to control the floods and their main functions are to change the temporal distribution in a year. In the dry year (1999), the flow reduced remarkably in comparison with the flow without dams & floodgates in the basin because the gates were closed in order to meet the water demand. The flow in the flood season increased by 8% whiles the flow in the non-flood season reduced by 12%. (2) There was a certain impact of dams & floodgates on water quality but they were quite different in the different area. It would be changed from the positive effect to the negative effect from the upriver to downstream. The dams & floodgates in the upper reaches played a positive role to improve water quality. But the ones in the middle and lower reaches played a negative role with contribution from 0 to 0.4. However, the contribution of exceeding pollutant discharge was more than 0.6. (3) The joint operation of dams & floodgates to control water quantity and quality will improve the water environment in Huai River Basin, but the key to improve the basin’s water environment is pollution control. This research will guide the anti-pollution and the united water quantity and quality assessment of dams & floodgates in Huai River Basin. Moreover it will provide a foundation to achieve the integrated basin management and sustainability of Huai River Basin.     

EFFECTS OF FLOW DYNAMICS ON THE AQUATIC‐TERRESTRIAL TRANSITION ZONE (ATTZ) OF LOWER MISSOURI RIVER SANDBARS WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR SELECTED BIOTA

Sandbars are an important aquatic terrestrial transition zone (ATTZ) in the active channel of rivers that provide a variety of habitat conditions for riverine biota. Channelization and flow regulation in many large rivers have diminished sandbar habitats and their rehabilitation is a priority. We developed sandbar‐specific models of discharge‐area relationships to determine how changes in flow regime affect the area of different habitat types within the submerged sandbar ATTZ (depth) and exposed sandbar ATTZ (elevation) for a representative sample of Lower Missouri River sandbars. We defined six different structural habitat types within the sandbar ATTZ based on depth or exposed elevation ranges that are important to different biota during at least part of their annual cycle for either survival or reproduction. Scenarios included the modelled natural flow regime, current managed flow regime and two environmental flow options, all modelled within the contemporary river active channel. Thirteen point and wing‐dike sandbars were evaluated under four different flow scenarios to explore the effects of flow regime on seasonal habitat availability for foraging of migratory shorebirds and wading birds, nesting of softshell turtles and nursery of riverine fishes. Managed flows provided more foraging habitat for shorebirds and wading birds and more nursery habitat for riverine fishes within the channelized reach sandbar ATTZ than the natural flow regime or modelled environmental flows. Reduced summer flows occurring under natural and environmental flow alternatives increased exposed sandbar nesting habitat for softshell turtle hatchling emergence. Results reveal how management of channelized and flow regulated large rivers could benefit from a modelling framework that couples hydrologic and geomorphic characteristics to predict habitat conditions for a variety of biota. Published in 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

CLASSIFICATION OF NATURAL FLOW REGIMES IN THE EBRO BASIN (SPAIN) BY USING A WIDE RANGE OF HYDROLOGIC PARAMETERS

This paper presents a classification of different natural flow regimes found in Ebro basin, one of the largest in the Mediterranean region. Determination of flow regimes was based on multivariate analyses using long‐term discharge series of unaltered flow data. Mean monthly discharges of the 30 ‘best’ flow series and a total of 52 flow series containing unaltered flow data were selected to represent baseline flow conditions for tributaries throughout the basin. Metrics representing magnitude, duration and frequency components of flow were used to identify hydrologic differences across the basin. A total of six natural flow regimes were identified in the Ebro Basin, using a Ward cluster method. The flow patterns identified and their spatial distribution largely corresponded with climatic zones previously reported for the Ebro Basin, with regime types ranging from pluvio‐oceanic in the western part of the basin to Mediterranean in the eastern region. Geologic characteristics of the catchment and altitude of headwaters were also found to play an important role in defining flow regime type. A 19‐hydrologic variable subset was used to explain main hydrologic differences among groups (such as magnitude and frequency of extreme flow conditions or magnitude and variance of average flow conditions). However, stepwise discriminant analysis was not able to identify consistent subsets of hydrologic variables that adequately identified the six natural flow regime types in this basin. Canonical discriminant analysis was useful to understand class separation and for the interpretation of results. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ecological perspectives on regulation and water allocation for the Ord River,Western Australia

Water management agencies throughout Australia are attempting to find a balance between the water requirements of ecological and socio‐economic environments as part of a holistic approach to managing flow‐dependent river ecosystems. Environmental water provisions are under consideration for the Ord River in far northern Western Australia. This river has been regulated for irrigation and there are plans for substantial expansion. Like other semi‐arid and tropical rivers, however, the hydrology of the Ord River is highly variable and unpredictable, and therefore, proportionate water release strategies for the environment that are based on average monthly flows are unsuitable. Regulation continues to produce pronounced ecological changes throughout the river system as the impacts of flow regime are negated. There is a dichotomy in optimal flow regimes for the contrasting management aspirations of ecological restoration based on low seasonal flows, and the dilution flows required for the drainage of agricultural effluent. Whilst current agricultural land and water management practices continue, the two cannot coincide, and consequently, a decision should be made regarding which environmental water allocation holds the primary value. Such a decision would guide the appropriate dry season flow regime on the lower Ord River. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

HYDROGEOMORPHIC CLASSIFICATION OF WASHINGTON STATE RIVERS TO SUPPORT EMERGING ENVIRONMENTAL FLOW MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

As demand for fresh water increases in tandem with human population growth and a changing climate, the need to understand the ecological tradeoffs of flow regulation gains greater importance. Environmental classification is a first step towards quantifying these tradeoffs by creating the framework necessary for analysing the effects of flow variability on riverine biota. Our study presents a spatially explicit hydrogeomorphic classification of streams and rivers in Washington State, USA and investigates how projected climate change is likely to affect flow regimes in the future. We calculated 99 hydrologic metrics from 15 years of continuous daily discharge data for 64 gauges with negligible upstream impact, which were entered into a Bayesian mixture model to classify flow regimes into seven major classes described by their dominant flow source as follows: groundwater (GW), rainfall (RF), rain‐with‐snow (RS), snow‐and‐rain (SandR), snow‐with‐rain (SR), snowmelt (SM) and ultra‐snowmelt (US). The largest class sizes were represented by the transitional RS and SandR classes (14 and 12 gauges, respectively), which are ubiquitous in temperate, mountainous landscapes found in Washington. We used a recursive partitioning algorithm and random forests to predict flow class based on a suite of environmental and climate variables. Overall classification success was 75%, and the model was used to predict normative flow classes at the reach scale for the entire state. Application of future climate change scenarios to the model inputs indicated shifts of varying magnitude from snow‐dominated to rain‐dominated flow classes. Lastly, a geomorphic classification was developed using a digital elevation model (DEM) and climatic data to assign stream segments as either dominantly able or unable to migrate, which was cross‐tabulated with the flow types to produce a 14‐tier hydrogeomorphic classification. The hydrogeomorphic classification provides a framework upon which empirical flow alteration–ecological response relationships can subsequently be developed using ecological information collected throughout the region. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Application of the ‘natural flow paradigm’ in a New Zealand context

The natural flow paradigm (NFP) emphasizes the need to partially or fully maintain or restore the range of natural intra‐ and interannual variation of hydrologic regimes to protect native biodiversity and the evolutionary potential of aquatic, riparian and wetland ecosystems. Based on our studies of natural and managed flow regimes in New Zealand, we do not believe that all components of the natural flow regime are necessary to achieve the objectives of the NFP, either partially or fully, because many aquatic species have very flexible niches and life‐history requirements (i.e. there is ‘ecological redundancy’). Obviously, maintaining the natural flow regime will maintain the hydrologic and hydraulic conditions necessary for sustaining natural ecosystems. However, if there is adequate knowledge of what ‘values’ need to be maintained in a waterway, and the aspects of the flow regime that are required to maintain those values are also known, then regimes can be designed that target these requirements and thus optimize conditions for the ‘values’. We believe that an assessment of ecosystem requirements using information on river processes together with habitat requirements and life‐history strategies of biota can achieve the best balance between resource use and sustaining ecosystem function and value, and show examples where changes to natural flow regimes have maintained, or even improved, instream values in some New Zealand rivers. We caution that simple flow‐based rules, such as those that might be developed under the NFP, could be unnecessarily restrictive on multiple use of water in New Zealand while, at the same time, preclude the opportunity for enhancement of key ecosystem values in many waterways. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A REGIONAL CLASSIFICATION OF UNREGULATED STREAM FLOWS: SPATIAL RESOLUTION AND HIERARCHICAL FRAMEWORKS

River regulation has resulted in substantial losses in habitat connectivity, biodiversity and ecosystem services. River managers are faced with a growing need to protect the key aspects of the natural flow regime. A practical approach to providing environmental flow standards is to create a regional framework by classifying unregulated streams into groups of similar hydrologic properties, which represent natural flow regime targets. Because spatial resolution can influence the structure of regional datasets, it may be advantageous to relate datasets created at different scales in order to establish hierarchical structure and to understand how the relative importance of variables change with regard to scale. The purpose of this study was to classify unregulated streams within an eight‐state region into groups in order to provide environmental flow standards for managers and to relate that dataset to frameworks created at larger scales. Using USGS daily stream gauge information, we used 66 hydrologic statistics to classify 292 streams in groups of similar hydrologic properties. We isolated six flow classes in a sub‐region of the Southeastern US that ranged from extremely stable to highly variable to intermittent. We developed classification trees to reduce the number of hydrologic variables for future classifications. By comparing flow classes in our study to those of the entire US, we found that hierarchical structure did exist and that the divergence of flow classes will largely depend on the spatial resolution. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effects of dams in river networks on fish assemblages in non‐impoundment sections of rivers in Michigan and Wisconsin,USA

Regional assessment of cumulative impacts of dams on riverine fish assemblages provides resource managers essential information for dam operation, potential dam removal, river health assessment and overall ecosystem management. Such an assessment is challenging because characteristics of fish assemblages are not only affected by dams, but also influenced by natural variation and human‐induced modification (in addition to dams) in thermal and flow regimes, physicochemical habitats and biological assemblages. This study evaluated the impacts of dams on river fish assemblages in the non‐impoundment sections of rivers in the states of Michigan and Wisconsin using multiple fish assemblage indicators and multiple approaches to distinguish the influences of dams from those of other natural and human‐induced factors. We found that environmental factors that influence fish assemblages in addition to dams should be incorporated when evaluating regional effects of dams on fish assemblages. Without considering such co‐influential factors, the evaluation is inadequate and potentially misleading. The role of dams alone in determining fish assemblages at a regional spatial scale is relatively small (explained less than 20% of variance) compared with the other environmental factors, such as river size, flow and thermal regimes and land uses jointly. However, our results do demonstrate that downstream and upstream dams can substantially modify fish assemblages in the non‐impoundment sections of rivers. After excluding river size and land‐use influences, our results clearly demonstrate that dams have significant impacts on fish biotic‐integrity and habitat‐and‐social‐preference indicators. The influences of the upstream dams, downstream dams, distance to dams, and dam density differ among the fish indicators, which have different implications for maintaining river biotic integrity, protecting biodiversity and managing fisheries. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

南水北调西线一期工程调水对下游水文情势影响

南水北调西线一期工程从雅砻江、大渡河上游7条河流调水80亿m3,调水河流下游的水文情势将发生变化。根据雅砻江、大渡河现有水文站网收集的水文资料,主要从径流、水位两方面研究西线一期工程调水后对下游河流的影响。参照国际惯例和现行规范标准,将调水对水文情势的影响分为3类研究区。西线一期工程调水对径流影响较大的时段主要为连续枯水年和每年的丰水期,调水使得一类研究区水文过程均一化,小流量常态化。调水对水位的影响主要集中在一类水文情势研究分区的近坝河段。     

Determining the effects of dams on subdaily variation in river flows at a whole‐basin scale

River regulation can alter the frequency and magnitude of subdaily flow variations causing major impacts on ecological structure and function. We developed an approach to quantify subdaily flow variation for multiple sites across a large watershed to assess the potential impacts of different dam operations (flood control, run‐of‐river hydropower and peaking hydropower) on natural communities. We used hourly flow data over a 9‐year period from 30 stream gages throughout the Connecticut River basin to calculate four metrics of subdaily flow variation and to compare sites downstream of dams with unregulated sites. Our objectives were to (1) determine the temporal scale of data needed to characterize subdaily variability; (2) compare the frequency of days with high subdaily flow variation downstream of dams and unregulated sites; (3) analyse the magnitude of subdaily variation at all sites and (4) identify individual sites that had subdaily variation significantly higher than unregulated locations. We found that estimates of flow variability based on daily mean flow data were not sufficient to characterize subdaily flow patterns. Alteration of subdaily flows was evident in the number of days natural ranges of variability were exceeded, rather than in the magnitude of subdaily variation, suggesting that all rivers may exhibit highly variable subdaily flows, but altered rivers exhibit this variability more frequently. Peaking hydropower facilities had the most highly altered subdaily flows; however, we observed significantly altered ranges of subdaily variability downstream of some flood‐control and run‐of‐river hydropower dams. Our analysis can be used to identify situations where dam operating procedures could be modified to reduce the level of hydrologic alteration. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Site modelling methods for detecting hydrologic alteration of flood frequency and flood duration in the floodplain below the carlyle dam,lower Kaskaskia River,Illinois, USA

Reports concerning the influence of dams on river hydrology vary among researchers, interest groups and government agencies. These often contradicting statements may occur because changes in hydrology caused by dams are distinct for each dam and river watershed. The objective of this research was to use site specific techniques to determine if the 1967 installation of the Carlyle Dam, lower Kaskaskia River, Illinois, altered flood frequency and duration within the forested floodplain located below the dam. Results indicated a decrease in flood duration and frequency, and a decrease in annual flood frequency variation at a site 6.4 km below the dam. Pre‐dam versus post‐dam differences in flood frequency and duration at the site 32.2 km below the dam were related to climate rather than dam effects. Although dam impacts are a concern, this research shows that distance downstream from the dam and downstream tributary and watershed characteristics should be considered before assuming that the dam has changed hydrologic parameters for portions of rivers. This research also indicates that areas of the lower Kaskaskia River may still maintain hydrologic ecological integrity, and could be targeted for restoration and adaptive management purposes. Hydrologic modelling combined with river gage and on‐site well measurement techniques presented in this study could provide detailed flood frequency and duration information for land use, sociological and geomorphological questions in focus areas within river floodplains. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A collaborative and adaptive process for developing environmental flow recommendations

Many river restoration projects are focusing on restoring environmental flow regimes to improve ecosystem health in rivers that have been developed for water supply, hydropower generation, flood control, navigation, and other purposes. In efforts to prevent future ecological damage, water supply planners in some parts of the world are beginning to address the water needs of river ecosystems proactively by reserving some portion of river flows for ecosystem support. These restorative and protective actions require development of scientifically credible estimates of environmental flow needs. This paper describes an adaptive, inter‐disciplinary, science‐based process for developing environmental flow recommendations. It has been designed for use in a variety of water management activities, including flow restoration projects, and can be tailored according to available time and resources for determining environmental flow needs. The five‐step process includes: (1) an orientation meeting; (2) a literature review and summary of existing knowledge about flow‐dependent biota and ecological processes of concern; (3) a workshop to develop ecological objectives and initial flow recommendations, and identify key information gaps; (4) implementation of the flow recommendations on a trial basis to test hypotheses and reduce uncertainties; and (5) monitoring system response and conducting further research as warranted. A range of recommended flows are developed for the low flows in each month, high flow pulses throughout the year, and floods with targeted inter‐annual frequencies. We describe an application of this process to the Savannah River, in which the resultant flow recommendations were incorporated into a comprehensive river basin planning process conducted by the Corps of Engineers, and used to initiate the adaptive management of Thurmond Dam. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Response by fish assemblages to an environmental flow release in a temperate coastal Australian river: A paired catchment analysis

Defining appropriate environmental flow regimes and criteria for the use of environmental water allocations requires experimental data on the ecological impacts of flow regime change and responses to environmental water allocation. Fish assemblages in one regulated and one unregulated tributary paired in each of two sub‐catchments of the Hunter River, coastal New South Wales, Australia, were sampled monthly between August 2006 and June 2007. It was predicted that altered flow regime due to flow regulation would reduce species richness and abundance of native fish, and assemblage composition would differ between paired regulated and unregulated tributaries. Despite significant changes in richness, abundance and assemblage composition through time, differences between regulated and unregulated tributaries were not consistent. In February 2007, an environmental flow release (‘artificial flood’) of 1400 ML was experimentally released down the regulated tributary of one of the two catchments over 6 days. The flow release resulted in no significant changes in fish species abundances or assemblage composition when compared to nearby unregulated and regulated tributaries. Flow regulation in this region has reduced flow variability and eliminated natural low‐flow periods, although large floods occurred at similar frequencies between regulated–unregulated tributaries prior to and during 2006–2007, resulting in only moderate changes to regulated flow regimes. Barriers to dispersal within catchments also compound the effects of flow regulation, and findings from this study indicate that the location of migratory barriers potentially confounded detection of the effects of flow regime change. Further experimental comparisons of fish assemblages in regulated rivers will refine river‐specific response thresholds to flow regime change and facilitate the sustainable use of water in coastal rivers. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

基于淮河中游鱼类不同等级生境保护目标的生态需水

随着社会经济发展,生产生活用水长期挤占生态环境用水,造成河道断流、生境破坏、生态系统恶化等一系列生态环境问题。针对淮河流域目前的水生态环境问题,以淮河中游鱼类为研究对象,通过分析河段天然流量过程,以淮河流域生态恢复为目标,建立鱼类保护目标概念模型,采用IHA及EFC指标体系分析天然流量变化特性,并用HEC-RAS模型基于鱼类生态水力需求确定流量值大小,得出符合天然流量动态变化且满足不同等级生境目标需求的生态需水推荐结果,可为淮河流域水资源优化配置提供依据。     

An Optimal Reservoir Operation Model Based on Ecological Requirement and Its Effect on Electricity Generation

Rather than optimizing water regimes for one or a few species, a better approach is to approximate the natural flow regime that maintains the entire panoply of species. RVA method generally describes flow regimes through 32 hydrologic indicators, quantifies the changes of the indicators post-dam, and distinguishes the highly changed indicators. Based on this function, an ecological objective which takes natural flow regimes into consideration is established. The objective synthesize highly changed indicators selected from the 32 hydrologic indicators and minimize their degree of change to approximate the natural status. The function of the hydrologic indicators are quantified through fuzziology according to their effect on river environment when changed. The model is applied to Xiangyang section of the Han River downstream the Danjiangkou reservoir, which maximizes the ecological objective to close to a natural flow regime. By optimization, model results indicate that the maximum synthetical membership of the selected indicators is 0.5, which means that the post-regulation optimum release is 50?% closer to the natural flow regime. It is much better than the traditional power generation regulation model, the membership of which is only 0.2. The result indicates that the ecological model is better in improving the river ecosystem, but with reduced power generation because of excessive abandon water. However, when deeply evaluate the effect of the new model, it shows the possibility of a win-win scenario between maintaining ecosystem health and power generation.     

Understanding the Thermal Regime of Rivers Influenced by Small and Medium Size Dams in Eastern Canada

Although small and medium‐size dams are prevalent in North America, few studies have described their year‐round impacts on the thermal regime of rivers. The objective of this study was to quantify the impacts of two types of dams (run‐of‐river, storage with shallow reservoirs) on the thermal regime of rivers in eastern Canada. Thermal impacts of dams were assessed (i) for the open water period by evaluating their influence on the annual cycle in daily mean water temperature and residual variability and (ii) for the ice‐covered winter period by evaluating their influence on water temperature duration curves. Overall, results showed that the run‐of‐river dam (with limited storage capacity) did not have a significant effect on the thermal regime of the regulated river. At the two rivers regulated by storage dams with shallow reservoirs (mean depth < 6 m), the annual cycle in daily mean water temperature was significantly modified which led to warmer water temperatures in summer and autumn. From August to October, the monthly mean water temperature at rivers regulated by storage dams was 1.4 to 3.9°C warmer than at their respective reference sites. During the open water period, the two storage dams also reduced water temperature variability at a daily timescale while increased variability was observed in regulated rivers during the winter. Storage dams also had a warming effect during the winter and the winter median water temperature ranged between 1.0 and 2.1°C downstream of the two storage dams whereas water temperature remained stable and close to 0°C in unregulated rivers. The biological implications of the altered thermal regimes at rivers regulated by storage dams are discussed, in particular for salmonids. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The effect of altered flow regime on the frequency and duration of bankfull discharge: Murrumbidgee River,Australia

On meandering rivers with well‐developed floodplains, bankfull stage has geomorphological and ecological significance because it approximates the level of connection between the channel and the floodplain. As a river rises to bankfull stage, sediment begins to be deposited on the floodplain, wetlands are progressively inundated and organisms migrate between the channel and floodplain habitats. On many rivers large headwater dams have reduced the frequency and duration of floodplain inundation downstream. However, the lack of reliable pre‐regulation flow data has made it difficult to quantify the effects of river regulation. This study used historical regulated and modelled natural flow data to determine the effects of regulation on the frequency and duration of bankfull flows on the Murrumbidgee River, one of Australia's largest and most heavily regulated rivers. In combination with floodplain surveys the flow data show that regulation has halved the frequency and duration of bankfull flows. This reduction in channel–floodplain connection has implications for the ecological health of the Murrumbidgee River. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hydrological changes and ecological impacts associated with water resource development in large floodplain rivers in the Australian tropics

The majority of rivers in the Australian tropics possess near‐natural flow regimes and are an ecological asset of global significance. We examined flow variability in large floodplain rivers in the Gulf of Carpentaria, northern Australia, and the potential ecological impacts of future water resource development (WRD). Flow metrics based on long‐term records were used to classify flow regimes and predict hydrological drivers of ecological function. Flow regimes of selected rivers were then compared with those simulated for pre‐ and post‐WRD flows in the Darling River, a highly modified river in Australia's south‐east. Generally, rivers were classified as typically ‘tropical’ (more permanent, regular flows) or ‘dryland’ (more ephemeral, with greater flow variability). In addition, all rivers displayed wet–dry seasonality associated with changes in flow magnitude or number of zero‐flow days. We propose that these features (flow permanence and regularity; flow variability and absence; wet–dry seasonality) are the key hydrological drivers of biodiversity and ecological function in the floodplain rivers of Australia's north. In terms of WRD, inter‐annual flow variability was predicted to increase or decrease depending on rivers' natural flow regimes, specifically their tendency toward lower or higher flow magnitudes. Either outcome is expected to have adverse effects on the biodiversity and ecological function of these relatively pristine rivers and floodplain habitats. In particular, reduced and homogenized habitat, loss of life‐history cues, inhibited dispersal and shifts in community composition, as a result of WRD, threaten the ecological integrity of rivers adapted to the three hydrological drivers above. These findings serve as a caution for careful consideration of WRD options for rivers in the Australian tropics and for those with similar flow regimes the world over. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.