Impacts of environmental flow controls on the water table and groundwater chemistry in the Ejina Delta,northwestern China

The impacts of environmental flow controls on the water table and chemistry of groundwater in the Ejina Delta, an arid inland river basin in northwest China, were investigated with field observations in 2001 and 2009. The results indicate that the shallow groundwater level rose by 0–2 m in the upper reaches of the east tributary of the Heihe River and in the areas of Saihantaolai—Dalaikubu during the period of environmental flow controls. The chemical constituents of the groundwater show a distinct spatial heterogeneity with the total dissolved solids (TDS) in the groundwater increasing from the periphery towards the depocenter of the Ejina Basin. In addition, the rate of groundwater cycling in the south of the Ejina Delta increased, and the mineralization of groundwater declined, while the overall mineralization and salinity increased in the northern regions, especially in the depocenter of the Ejina Basin. Since shallow groundwater is important to the ecology of arid regions, and because understanding the changes in the shallow groundwater environment (groundwater level and hydrochemistry) in response to environmental flow controls is essential for the sustainable improvement of the ecological environment, the results of this paper can be used as a reference for watershed water resources planning and management to help maintain the health and proper function of rivers in arid regions.     

黑河流域中游盆地水文地球化学演化规律研究

黑河是我国第二大内流河,研究其水化学演化规律,对于区域水资源科学利用与管理、保障饮水安全和下游生态安全都具有重要作用。本文利用2014—2018年在黑河流域开展1∶50 000水文地质调查所获取的资料,研究了黑河干流和丰乐河两个典型剖面的水化学和同位素变化规律。结果表明,黑河中游盆地地下水主要来源于祁连山区大气降水补给,黑河干流区地下水氘氧同位素比丰乐河流域更为富集,反映了氘氧同位素的高程效应。在丰乐河流域排泄区发现了非现代气候条件下形成的古水,说明现在的盐湖盆地早期就是地下水滞留区。山前戈壁带含水层经长期淋滤作用,地下水溶解性总固体(total dissolved solids,TDS)较低,水化学类型以重碳酸型为主。溢出带以北下游地区TDS逐步增高,地下水类型以硫酸型、硫酸-氯型为主,具有两种地下水化学背景和演化模式:一种是石膏溶解-碳酸盐沉淀析出-氯化物溶解-缓慢的硅酸盐非完全溶解和阳离子交换反应模式;另一种在此基础上增加硫酸钠溶解演化模式。流域补给区和径流区地下水TDS升高的主要原因是溶滤作用。丰乐河排泄区地下水TDS升高的主要原因仍是溶滤作用,溶滤盐分的来源是表层的盐分,以石盐为主。黑河干流排泄区由于含水层较薄,水位埋深较浅,蒸发对地下水咸化的影响更大。     

Environmental changes after ecological water conveyance in the lower reaches of Heihe River,northwest China

This paper analyzed the dynamic change of the groundwater level by 6 years’ monitoring in field monitoring and the change of vegetation by the field survey and satellite remote sensing after watering in the lower reaches of Heihe River. The findings indicated: (1) the groundwater level elevation and the plant growth are closely related to the volume and the duration of watering. In general, groundwater level elevates dramatically and plants are growing much more vigorously after watering; (2) Watering incidence on groundwater keeps extending with the watering times increasing; (3) Plants grew rapidly in 100–400 m away from the water channel after watering. Watering incidence on vegetation reached 1,000 m; (4) In terms of the function and structure of ecosystem after watering in the lower reaches of Heihe River, the ecological water conveyance does not still reach the goal of ecological restoration at a large spatial scale at present. In addition, in order to solve fundamentally the problem of ecological environment worsens in the lower reaches of Heihe River, some suggestions and countermeasures are put forward.     

Land-use change and its environmental impact in the Heihe River Basin, arid northwestern China

Rapid land-use change has taken place in many arid and semi-arid regions of China over the last decade as the result of demand for food for its growing population. The Heihe River Basin, a typical inland river basin of temperate arid zone in northwestern China, was investigated to assess land-use change dynamics by the combined use of satellite remote sensing and geographical information systems (GIS), and to explore the interaction between these changes and the environment. Images were classified into six land-use types: cropland, forestland, grassland, water, urban or built-up land, and barren land. The objectives were to assess and analyze landscape change of land use/cover in Heihe River Basin over 15 years from 1987 to 2002. The results show that (1) grassland and barren land increase greatly by 22.3, and 268.2 km², respectively, but water area decreased rapidly by 247.2 km² in the upper reaches of Heihe River Basin; (2) cropland and urban or built-up land increased greatly by 174.9, and 64.6 km², respectively, but grassland decreased rapidly by 210.3 km² in the middle reaches of Heihe River Basin; and (3) barren land increased largely by 397.4 km², but grassland degraded seriously and water area decreased obviously by 313.3, and 21.7 km², respectively in the lower reaches of Heihe River Basin. These results show that significant changes in land-use occur within the whole basin over the study period and cause severe environmental degradation, such as water environmental changes (including surface water runoff change, decline of groundwater table and degeneration of surface water and groundwater quality), land desertification and salinization, and vegetation degeneracy.     

Hydrochemical and isotopic study of groundwater in the Yinchuan plain, China

The Yinchuan plain is located in the arid climate zone of NW China. The western margin of the plain is the Helan mountain connecting a series of normal slip faults. The eastern margin of the plain connects with the Yellow River and adjacents with the Ordos platform. The south of the plain is bordered by the EN fault of the Niushou mountain. The bottom of the plain is the Carboniferous, Permian, or Ordovician rocks. Based on the analysis of groundwater hydrochemical and isotopic indicators, this study aims to identify the groundwater recharge and discharge in the Yinchuan plain, China. The hydrochemical types of the groundwater are HCO₃–SO₄ in the west, HCO₃–Cl in the middle, and Cl–SO₄ in the east. The hydrochemical types are HCO₃–SO₄ in the south, HCO₃–Cl and SO₄–HCO₃ in the middle. The hydrochemical types are complex in the north, mainly SO₄–HCO₃ and Cl–SO₄. Deuterium, ¹⁸O, and tritium values of groundwater indicate that groundwater recharge sources include precipitation, bedrock fissure water, and irrigation return water. Groundwater discharges include evaporation, abstraction, and discharge to surface water. According to the EW isotopic profile, the groundwater flow system (GFS) in the Yinchuan plain can be divided into local flow systems (LFS) and regional flow systems (RFS). Groundwater has lower TDS and higher tritium in the southern Yellow River alluvial plain and groundwater age ranges from 6 to 25 years. The range of groundwater renewal rates is from 11 to 15 % a^?1. The depth of the water cycle is small, and groundwater circulates fast and has high renewal rates. Groundwater has higher TDS and lower tritium in the northern Yellow River alluvial plain. The range of groundwater age is from 45 to 57 years, and renewal rate is from 6 to 0.1 % a^?1. The depth of the water cycle is larger. Groundwater circulates slowly and has low renewal rates.     

黑河流域水资源及现阶段合理开发利用

黑河是我国西部较大的一条内陆河,近30多年来,由于中游地区水资源开发利用程度不断提高,使进入下游额济纳平原的地表水逐渐减少,导致下游生态环境发生恶化.为了拯救下游绿洲,改善生态环境,自1992年起对黑河中、下游用水实行计划调度,1999年开始实施国家定量分水方案.根据近几年的最新调查研究成果,计算评价了黑河流域的总水资源、地表水资源、地下水资源、地表水和地下水的利用现状及开采潜力.在此基础上,提出现阶段中游以加强引输水工程改造、提高地表水资源利用率和推广田间节水灌溉工程,发挥水利用效益;下游以适度开发利用地下水、加强地表水和地下水综合开发利用,改善生态环境.为中、下游科学分配地表水资源和合理开发利用地下水资源提供科学依据.     

Statistical analysis of groundwater chemistry of the Tarim River lower reaches,Northwest China

This study applied a comprehensive quantitative approach including statistical, principal component and gray relation analyses to assess the groundwater chemistry based on monitored data from 840 samples collected from the lower reaches of Tarim River from 2000 to 2009. The main findings were: (1) there were six types of groundwater chemistry in the lower reaches of Tarim River where Cl·SO₄–Na·Mg was the dominant type accounting for 73.57% in all samples. There were linear relationships among chemical parameters, where TDS had significant multiple correlations with Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺ and Cl⁻, respectively. (2) Three principal components (PC1, PC2 and PC3) were extracted. They included comprehensive measurements for salinization, alkalinity and pH, respectively. Most parameters showed decreasing trends during the period of 2000–2009, as well as the scores on PC1, because the concentrations of various chemical substances were diluted due to the uplift of the groundwater table in the lower reaches and the implementation of the ecological water delivery project in 2000. (3) HCO₃ ⁻ was the most sensitive chemical parameter affected by the groundwater table followed by TA, Mg²⁺, TH, SO₄²⁻, K⁺, TDS and TS. PC2 was the most sensitive principal component to the change of the groundwater table followed by PC1 and PC3.     

甘肃黑河中下游影响绿洲植被发育的某些因素

黑河下游额济纳绿洲区和中下游沿黑河干流河床附近的潜水位埋深较浅,是维系地表植被生长的重要因素。中游高台附近潜水位存在每年双峰值的变化,较之下游额济纳绿洲潜水位每年单峰值的变化更有利于植被的生长。在包气带剖面中,同一时刻水土势、含水量、含盐量随深度的变化趋势基本相同。采样点包气带土壤中易溶离子含量相对较低,全盐量小于5%,中游采样点土壤中以HCO3-为主,下游以SO42-为主,由SO42-、Cl-和Na+、Ca2+组成的盐类构成了包气带土壤中的主要盐分。土壤中易溶离子含量自地表至潜水面之间随深度总体上呈减小趋势。植被的根系分布对包气带土壤含水量、水土势和易溶离子含量随深度的分布有着重要的影响,在植物根系发育带的土壤中含水量、水土势和易溶离子含量升高。     

Impacts of river recharge on groundwater level and hydrochemistry in the lower reaches of Heihe River Watershed, northwestern China

Water resources have been overexploited for agricultural irrigation and industrial production in the upper and middle reaches of the Heihe River, northwestern China. Due to inadequate water resources management, the runoff entering into the lower reaches has been continuously reduced in recent years. The Heihe River is the primary recharge source for the groundwater of the lower reaches, so the decrease in runoff has caused the groundwater level to decline. As a result, a series of ecological and environmental problems has now appeared in the lower reaches, including river-flow interruptions, drying up of associated lakes, degeneration of vegetative cover and so on. In view of these issues, the National Water Diversion Project was put into practice in July 2000. It has significantly increased the quantity and frequency of flows entering into the lower reaches of the Heihe River, and has recharged the groundwater and improved the water quality to some degree along the length of the river. The water deliveries have had obvious influences on the groundwater in the lower reaches. The groundwater level increase and groundwater quality improvement have been of great benefit in restoring the ecological environment that was destroyed in past years.     

Response of groundwater chemistry to water deliveries in the lower reaches of Tarim River,Northwest China

In this paper, we analysed the monitored data from nine groundwater-monitoring transects in the lower reaches of Tarim River during the five times of stream water deliveries to the river transect where the stream flow ceased. The results showed that the groundwater depth in the lower reaches of Tarim River rose from −9.30 m before the conveyances to −8.17 and −6.50 m after the first and second conveyances, −5.81 and −6.00 m after the third and fourth the conveyance, and −4.73 m after the fifth. The horizontal extent of groundwater recharge was gradually enlarged along both sides of the channel of conveyance, i.e., from 250 m in width after the first conveyance to 1,050 m away from the channel after the fourth delivery. With the rising groundwater level, the concentrations of major anions Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻ and cations Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, as well as total dissolved solids (TDS) in groundwater underwent a significant change. The spatial variations in groundwater chemistry indicated that the groundwater chemistry at the transect near Daxihaizi Reservoir changed earlier than that farther from it. In the same transect, the chemical variations were earlier in the monitoring well close to watercourse than that farther away from the stream. In general, the concentration of the major ions and TDS at each monitoring well increased remarkably when the water delivery started, and decreased with the continued water delivery, and then increased once again at the end of the study period. Hence, the whole study period may be divided into three stages: the initial stage, the intermediate stage and the later stage. According to the three stages of groundwater chemistry reaction to water delivery and the relationships between groundwater chemical properties and groundwater depths, we educe that under the situation of water delivery, the optimum groundwater depth in the lower reaches of the Tarim River should be −5 m.     

The research of groundwater flow model in Ejina Basin,Northwestern China

Water resources is a primary controlling factor for economical development and ecological environmental protection in the inland river basins of arid western China. Groundwater, as the important component of total water resources, plays a dominant role in the development of western China. In recent years, with the utilization ratio of surface water raised, the groundwater recharge rate has been reduced by surface water, and groundwater was exploited on a large-scale. This has led to the decline of groundwater levels and the degradation of eco-environments in the lower reaches of Heihe watershed, especially. Therefore, the study on the groundwater-level change in recent years, as well as simulating and predicting groundwater levels changes in the future is very significant to improve the ecological environment of the Heihe River Basin, coordinate the water contradiction, and allocate the water resources. The purpose of this study is to analyze the groundwater-level variations of the Ejina region basin on a large-scale, to develop and evaluate a conceptual groundwater model in Ejina Basin; according to the experimental observation data, to establish the groundwater flow model combining MODFLOW and GIS Software; simulated the regional hydrologic regime in recent 10 years and compared with various delivery scenarios from midstream; determined which one would be the best plan for maintaining and recovering the groundwater levels and increasing the area of Ejina Oasis. Finally, this paper discusses the possible vegetation changes of Ejina Basin in the future.     

利用GRACE重力卫星数据反演黑河流域地下水变化

干旱区地表水资源有限, 地下水资源被超采利用, 黑河流域是西北干旱区典型内陆河流域, 有同样的地下水资源利用问题. 然而由于监测地下水变化的测井数目有限且分布不均, 难以从流域尺度上把握地下水资源的时空变化. 利用GRACE重力测量卫星数据反演黑河流域2003-2008年间的地下水时空变化, 为合理分配利用水资源提供科学依据, 为掌握无资料区域地下水水资源及其变化趋势提供了计算方法. 为验证GRACE反演结果的可靠性, 首先将计算出的黑河中上游地下水的变化, 与该区域实测地下水变化数据进行对比分析, 结果显示二者之间相关性较好, 在一定程度上表明GRACE数据具备反演整个黑河流域水储量变化及其各个组分的能力. 此后, 利用GRACE数据反演了全黑河流域的地下水变化, 对其时空变化进行了分析和讨论. 结果表明: 黑河流域2003-2004年间地下水减少的幅度越来越少, 2005年夏季期间地下水资源量增加量最多, 自此地下水增加幅度逐渐减少, 至2008年趋于平衡. 空间上流域局部变化波动较大, 2003-2004年间黑河上游地下水资源量处于减少状态, 2005年相对于6 a地下水平均含量有轻微增加趋势, 2006年处于6 a平均值状态, 2007-2008年有稍微上升趋势; 中游在2005年有略微的上升, 之后3 a下降; 下游地下水含量在6 a中整体呈上升趋势.     

西北干旱区地下水生态功能评价指标体系构建与应用

西北干旱区降水稀少、蒸发强烈,水资源紧缺,自然湖泊湿地、天然植被绿洲和土壤盐渍化程度对地下水生态水位具有强烈依赖性,因此,西北干旱区地下水生态功能评价指标体系构建成为一个重要课题.本文基于对干旱区不同类型生态状况与地下水位埋深之间关系的机制研究,构建了以浅层地下水埋藏状况为核心要素的"西北干旱区地下水生态功能评价指标体系",它由地下水对自然湿地景观维持性、天然植被绿洲维持性、农田土地质量维持性及其隶属的6项要素指标构成;在石羊河流域中、下游平原区应用结果表明,该套指标体系可为西北干旱区地下水功能评价提供参考,同时还表征石羊河流域中、下游平原区地下水生态功能脆弱,生态功能较弱和弱的分布范围占示范应用区总面积的87.86％,地下水生态功能强、较强分布范围仅占5.07％.由此可见,进一步提高西北干旱区地下水生态功能保护能力刻不容缓.     

黑河流域地下水循环演化规律研究

大量野外调查研究表明，气候变化和人类活动对黑河流域地下水循环和更新演变具有重要影响；平原区浅层地下水主要是现代水补给，35％来自祁连山区基岩裂隙水通过地表径流转化补给，其他是降水和冰雪融水在山前戈壁带入渗补给，具有较强的更新能力；深层承压水主要形成于地质历史时期区域性补给，与现代水循环有联系；中游区人类活动是造成下游区地下水补给能力减弱、地下水水位持续下降和生态环境退化的重要因素。因此强化中游区人类活动的科学调控，是实现黑河流域地下水可持续利用和下游区生态环境有效保护的关键。     

甘肃省黑河流域土地沙漠化的水文学指征初探

黑河流域土地沙漠化及水资源合理利用一直是该流域研究的焦点问题。文章首先从土地沙漠化分布范围、种类、面积、沙漠化程度等方面，分析了黑河流域土地沙漠化的现状：土地沙漠化主要发生在流域的中下游地区，尤以额济纳绿洲沙漠化形势严峻；其次，从地表水、地下水之水质、水量方面分析了黑河流域水环境变化的状况：人类不合理的经济活动，导致黑河流域水资源环境恶化，具体表现在地下水、地表水水位下降、水质恶化。在此基础上，从黑河流域地表水及地下水着手，初步提出了黑河流域土地沙漠化的水文学指征体系：其中，地表水主要包括蒸发与蒸腾的消耗、径流和渗漏3个部分；径流部分又分为地表水流经区域及水量变化、干流水量的系列变化以及泥沙沉积3方面；地下水则主要有水质变化及水位的连续变化2方面。     

西北地区额济纳绿洲非饱和带水分和盐分分布

在西北地区黑河流域下游的额济纳绿洲选择3个土壤剖面采集不同深度土壤样品和潜水样品进行测试,并在野外观测非饱和带不同深度的水土势变化。结果表明,SO4^2-是非饱和带土壤和地下水中的主要离子成分,土壤和地下水呈偏碱性。土壤易溶离子含量随深度大体上呈减少趋势。绿洲非饱和带发育有收敛型和发散型零通量面,自夏季至冬季,零通量面变得不清晰直至消失。在非饱和带中,土壤易溶盐含量、含水量和总水土势随深度的变化趋势基本相同,植物根系的吸收对水分和盐分的垂直分布有着重要的影响。     

Application of hydrochemical signatures to delineating portable groundwater resources in Ordos Basin, China

The Ordos Basin of China encompasses Shaanxi, Gansu, and Shanxi provinces, Ningxia and Inner Mongolia autonomous regions. It lacks significant surface water resources. Among the water-bearing formations, the Luohe formation, with an area of 1.32×10⁵ km², is the most prospective aquifer. Groundwater quality data collected at 211 boreholes drilled into the Luhe formation indicate a complex distribution of groundwater chemistry. The hydrochemical properties were used to study the recharge, runoff, and discharge conditions of the groundwater in Ordos Basin and to evaluate sustainable groundwater resources. In the northern part of the basin, the hydrochemistry types and the total dissolved solids (TDS) show a clear lateral transition from SEE to NWW, indicating that the groundwater gets recharge in the northwest region and discharges in the southeast region. In the southern part of the basin, maximum TDS occurs at the center of the Malian River valley, from which the TDS decreases radially. Therefore, the groundwater in the southern basin gets recharge from the southeast and southwest regions, and the Malian River valley is the discharge zone. As a result of this research, the areas with portable groundwater were delineated. They include most of the southeast region of the Sishili Ridge, east of the Ziwu Mountain, and the southwest corner of the basin. The TDS of the groundwater in these regions is less than 1 g/l, and the hydrochemistry type is either HCO₃ or HCO₃·SO₄.     

甘肃西北部黑河流域中游地表径流和地下水补给变异特征

大量实际资料和综合研究表明,在西北内陆区当人类活动影响强度超过37%时,地表径流过程由天然状态转变为以人为干扰为主,不仅造成下游区获得的地表径流量大幅减少,而且中游区地下水补给也失去自然特征,补给量明显减少,同时还影响地下水径流过程及其溢出量衰减,进而导致下游区生态环境需水更加紧缺和退化.调控中游区安全引水量和调整中游区种植产业结构,发展节水型农业,是解决黑河流域下游区生态环境问题的关键.     

黑河流域水环境演变及其驱动机制研究进展

基于近几十年来诸多学者对西北干旱区典型内陆河流域——黑河流域水环境演变诸方面研究成果,综述了上游山区成水环境、中游绿洲用水环境和下游荒漠天然绿洲水成环境在不同时间尺度上的演变过程及其驱动机制。通过对各种古环境代用指标的对比研究表明：在大尺度上,流域上下游表现出阶段性的一致性水环境演变趋势;在小尺度上,则表现水环境演变的时空异质性。驱动机制方面,在空间上,流域上、中、下游水环境演变的气候变化和人类活动影响驱动作用各有侧重;在时间上,表现为不同尺度上气候变化与流域人类活动耦合作用的驱动机制。     

The impact of the development of water resources on environment in arid inland river basins of Hexi region, Northwestern China

Water resources use is a key parameter in the hydrological cycle, especially in arid inland of Northwest China, groundwater movement and circulation processes are closely related to the surface water, while recoverable and renewable groundwater mainly comes from the conversion of surface river water, and there is extensive transfer among rainfall, surface water and groundwater. Human activity, in particular, large-scale water resources exploitation and development associated with dramatic population growth in the last decades, has led to tremendous changes in the water regime. There are misuse and wastage of surface water with traditional multi-channel irrigation for most rivers, which in turn leads to over-exploitation of groundwater to augment supplies. This situation has been exacerbated by rapid population growth and socio-economic development, with decreased irrigational systems return to groundwater due to the irrigation system in the middle reaches of rivers in the Hexi region becoming better. The investigations of this study revealed that over the last decades, man-made oases have developed rapidly in various inland river basins. With the increasing human demand for water, the contradiction between water demand and water supply is becoming increasingly acute and the amount of groundwater usage significantly increased. Notwithstanding the annual surface water from mountains is relatively stable in the Hexi region, the recharges of groundwater have been reduced by 11.1%, with a maximum reduction of 50% in the Shiyang River basin. Groundwater abstraction increased by approximately six times, particularly in the Shiyang River basin, groundwater abstraction exceeds recharge by 4.1×10⁸ m³ year⁻¹ in recent decades. Consequently, the groundwater level has declined widely by 3–16 m, with a maximum decline of 45 m in several groundwater observation wells in the Minqin basin on the lower reaches of the Shiyang River basin. These cause serious human activity-induced environmental problems, such as water-quality deterioration, vegetation degradation, soil salinization and land desert desertification, etc. It is suggested that modernized irrigation technology and new regulation to cover water resources management and allocation with the river basins are urgently needed to achieve a sustainable development. The aim of this study is to analyze the impact of the development of water resources on the environment in arid inland river basins in Northwestern China, which were analyzed by comparing the three main river basins (i.e., the Shuilei, the Heihe and the Shiyang River basins) with different water resources development cases.