Geomorphic diversity as a river management tool and its application to the Ganga River,India

Understanding of geomorphic processes and the determination of geomorphic diversity in catchments are prerequisites for the sustainable rehabilitation of river systems and for reach‐scale assessment of river health. The Ganga River system in India is a large, complex system consisting of several long tributaries, some >1,000 km, originating from 2 distinct hinterlands—the Himalaya to the north and the cratons to the south. Traversing through a diverse climatic regime across the Plain and through precipitation zones ranging from 600 mm/year near Delhi to 1,200 mm/year in the eastern plains, the Ganga River system has formed very diverse landform assemblages in 3 major geomorphic domains. We have recognized 10 different river classes for the trunk river from Gangotri (source) to Farakka (upstream of its confluence with the Brahmaputra) based on (a) landscape setting, (b) channel and active floodplain properties, and (c) channel planform parameters. The mountainous stretch is characterized by steep valleys and bedrock channels and is dominated by large‐scale sediment production and transport through hill slope processes. The alluvial part of the river is characterized by 8 different river classes of varying reach lengths (60–300 km) many of which show sharp transitions in landscape setting. We have highlighted the application of this approach for the assessment of habitat suitability, environmental flows, and flood risk all of which have been significantly modified during the last few decades due to large‐scale anthropogenic disturbances. We suggest that the diversity embedded in this geomorphic framework can be useful for developing a sustainable river management programme to “work with” the contemporary character and behaviour of rivers.     

Estimating discharge in gravel‐bed river using non‐contact ground‐penetrating and surface‐velocity radars

Discharge measurement is a critical task for gravel‐bed channels. Under high‐flow conditions, the elevation of the riverbed changes significantly by intensive torrential flow. The stage–discharge relations commonly used for stream discharge estimation may no longer be adequate. The contact‐type velocity measuring is also subject to measurement errors and/or instrument failures by the high‐flow velocities, driftwood, stumps, and debris. This study developed a new real‐time method to estimate river discharge in gravel‐bed channels. A systematic measuring technology combining ground‐penetrating radar and surface‐velocity radar was employed. The rating curves representing the relations of water surface velocity to the channel cross‐sectional mean velocity and flow area were established. Stream discharge was then deduced from the resulting mean velocity and flow area. The proposed method was examined in a steep gravel‐bed reach of the Cho‐Shui River in central Taiwan. The estimated stream discharge during three flood events were compared to the prediction by using the stage–discharge relation and the index‐velocity method. The proposed method of this study is capable of computing reasonable values of discharge for an entire flood hydrograph, whereas the other two methods tend to produce large extrapolation errors. Moreover, when the computed discharge is used in 2D flood flow simulation, the proposed method demonstrates better performance than the commonly used stage–discharge and index‐velocity methods.     

鄂尔多斯盆地镇北地区三叠系延长组长8油组储层特征

鄂尔多斯盆地镇北地区延长组长8油层段是盆地重要的储集层之一。通过储层岩石学、储层物性、孔隙结构等方面对储层特征进行深入研究,研究结果表明,储层岩石类型主要为中细粒长石砂岩和岩屑长石砂岩,成分成熟度低,结构成熟度中—高;发育粒间孔隙、溶蚀孔隙、晶间孔等孔隙类型,喉道以中细喉—细喉为主。岩石物性总体较差,属低孔、低渗砂岩储层。研究结果对油田开发具有重要的指导意义。     

台阶式溢流坝消力池压强特性试验研究

为研究台阶式溢流坝不设反弧段连接时消力池底板压强特性,结合某水库实际工程,采用物理模型试验方法,对台阶式溢流坝消力池底板时均压强、脉动压强强度和峰值等压强特性进行了研究。结果表明,消力池底板时均压强均为正值;在滑行水流和过渡水流时,时均压强在水流冲击区出现一个较大值,最大为0.926kPa,下游反弹区形成极小值;在跌落水流时,时均压强沿程变化较小,且随流量的增加而增大;脉动压强强度和峰值沿程变化规律基本一致,总体上随流量的增加而增大,最大值出现在水流冲击区,脉动压强最大为1.198kPa,随后沿下游方向逐渐减小,并趋于稳定;台阶尺寸对消力池底板时均压强和脉动压强影响不大;消力池内脉动优势频率为0.01~4 Hz,属低频振动,不会危害泄水建筑物的安全。研究成果可为台阶式溢流坝消力池的优化设计提供参考。     

基于MIKE FLOOD的洪泽湖周边滞洪区洪水演进模拟研究

基于实测断面资料建立了研究区的一维水动力模型,基于高精度DEM以及1∶10000地形图建立了研究区的二维水动力模型,并用MIKE FLOOD将一维模型和二维模型进行耦合,构建了洪泽湖周边滞洪区一、二维耦合的洪水演进数学模型。利用2003年历史洪水资料对模型参数进行了率定,并以2007年历史洪水资料进行了验证。以洪泽湖百年一遇设计洪水为模型上边界,二河闸、三河闸以及高良涧闸的现行调度方案的水位-流量关系为模型下边界,对洪泽湖百年一遇设计洪水方案进行模拟计算,当蒋坝水位达到14.33m时,洪泽湖周边滞洪区开始滞洪,得到开始滞洪后不同时段研究区内各类洪水风险要素的动态分布情况以及最大淹没水深、淹没历时,验证了模型的合理性,可用于蓄滞洪区洪水演算分析。     

Quantifying Whitewater Recreation Opportunities in Cataract Canyon of the Colorado River,Utah: Aggregating Acceptable Flows and Hydrologic Data to Identify Boatable Days

The structural norm approach was combined with the Potential for Conflict Index to define recreation streamflow needs for the Colorado River in Utah and Colorado. An online survey was completed by 128 commercial and non‐commercial boaters, who evaluated a range of flows for whitewater boating. For the Cataract Canyon reach, respondents rated the quality of their recreation experience of specific flows, describing the quality of boating opportunities across the full range of historical streamflows. Ranges for both acceptable and optimum flows were defined, as well as thresholds for unacceptable flows. These ranges were then evaluated against historical hydrologic records to quantify the timing, frequency, and duration of days when defined whitewater flows exist across different year types (i.e. average boatable days). Results indicated that on average, a total of 257 boatable days existed in dry years, and 353 total boatable days occurred in dry‐typical years. In wet and wet‐typical years, 362 and 365 total boatable days respectively, occurred on average. Results of the boatable days' analysis indicated that over the 23‐year period of record, whitewater boating opportunities occurred nearly every day of the year in all but the driest year types. Results from this study provide resource managers with information which can be used in the development of annual operating plans for the Colorado River Basin and help managers understand how changes in flow impact the quality of recreational opportunities. This application demonstrates the value of analysing boatable days on any river where recreation management is a priority. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Importance of Shallow‐Low Velocity Habitats to Juvenile Fish in the Middle Mississippi River

Habitat management is a crucial aspect of fisheries management. Without knowledge of habitat associations, fisheries scientists are unable to effectively make habitat conservation or restoration recommendations. This becomes especially prominent when trying to manage commercially harvested populations and protect threatened or endangered species. To determine juvenile fishes habitat associations in the Middle Mississippi River, we analysed mini‐trawl catch data of six common juvenile fish species: blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus), channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), channel shiner (Notropis wickliffi), freshwater drum (Aplodinotus grunniens), paddlefish (Polyodon spathula), and shovelnose sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus). Overall, we conducted 2251 mini‐trawl sampling efforts between 2002 and 2013, resulting in the capture of 23,742 target specimens. Catch per unit effort was evaluated by structural habitat (i.e. velocity, depth, and substrate). Overall, these data suggest that juvenile fish species are more prevalent in shallow water and slower velocities. Ultimately the information garnered during this evaluation should be incorporated when considering habitat modifications, especially those modifications that impact the availability of shallow‐low velocity habitats. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Benchmarking Fluvial Dynamics for Process‐Based River Restoration: the Upper Rhine River (1816–2014)

Multi‐temporal analysis of river‐floodplain processes is a key tool for the identification of reference conditions or benchmarks and for the evaluation of deviations or deficits as a basis for process‐based river restoration in large modified rivers. This study developed a methodology for benchmarking fluvial processes at river segment level, focusing on those interrelations between morphodynamics (aggradation, erosion, channel shift) and vegetation succession (initial, colonization, transition) that condition habitat structure. Habitat maps of the free‐flowing Upper Rhine River downstream from Iffezheim dam (France–Germany border) were intersected with a geographic information system‐based approach. Patches showing trajectories of anthropization, changeless, progression and regression allowed for the identification of natural and human‐induced processes over almost 200 years. Before channelization, the riverine system was characterized by a shifting habitat mosaic with natural heterogeneity, high degree of surface water connectivity and equilibrium between progression and regression processes. On the other hand, the following 175 years of human interventions led to severe biogeomorphologic deficits evidenced by loss of natural processes and habitat heterogeneity, hydrological disconnection between the river and its floodplain and imbalance of progression versus regression dynamics. The main driving forces of change are found in hydromorphological impacts (channelization, regulation and hydropower plant construction). Regression processes are now almost absent and have to be the objective of process‐based river restoration measures for the studied river‐floodplain system. A sustainable view on water management and river restoration should aim at a more resilient riverine system by balancing the recovery of natural processes with societal needs. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

塔里木河干流人工与天然绿洲转化及适宜比例研究

利用1990,2000,2010年3期Landsat TM/ETM遥感影像,基于RS/GIS技术,分别提取土地利用/覆被类型信息,分析1990~2010年塔里木河流域人工绿洲和天然绿洲的变化规律及其比例,探讨该区人工绿洲和天然绿洲的适宜配比。研究结果表明:(1)1990~2010年,研究区域人工绿洲呈不断扩张,天然绿洲面积不断缩小,人工绿洲替代天然绿洲的趋势。(2)1990~2010年,人工与天然绿洲总面积几乎无差异,面积变化主要是人工绿洲与天然绿洲之间的相互转换。具体表现为:天然草地、林地等向人工绿洲中的耕地、建筑用地转化;同时植被长势衰退:高覆盖草地向中、低覆盖草地转化,中覆盖草地向低覆盖草地转化,灌木林地逐渐退化为草地,低覆盖草地向沙漠转化。(3)人工与天然绿洲面积比例在近20 a呈增加的趋势,在1990,2000,2010年,人工与天然绿洲面积比值分别是1∶9,2∶8,3∶7。