A spatial assessment of hydrologic alteration caused by dam construction in the middle and lower Yellow River,China

The ‘range of variability approach’ (RVA) and mapping technique are used to investigate the spatial variability of hydrologic alterations (HA) due to dam construction along the middle and lower Yellow River, China, over the past five decades. The impacts of climate variability on hydrological process have been removed during wet and dry periods and the focus is on the impacts of human activities, such as dam construction, on hydrological processes. Results indicate the following: (1) The impacts of the Sanmenxia reservoir on the hydrologic alteration are relatively slight with a mean HA value of 0·48, ranking in the last place among the four large reservoirs. (2) Xiaolangdi reservoir has significantly changed the natural flow regime downstream with mean HA value of 0·56, ranking it in first place among the large reservoirs. (3) The results of ranked median degrees of 33 hydrologic alteration indicators for 10 stations in the Yellow River show that the hydrologic alteration of Huayuankou ranks the highest among 10 stream gauges. (4) Impacts of reservoirs on hydrological processes downstream of the dams are closely associated with the regulating activities of the reservoirs. At the same time, alterations of streamflow regimes resulting from climatic changes (e.g. precipitation variability) make the situation more complicated and more hydrological observations will be necessary for further analysis. The results of the current study will be greatly beneficial to the regional water resources management and restoration of eco‐environmental systems in the middle and lower Yellow River characterized by intensified dam construction under a changing environment. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

复杂环境下华南东江中上游流域筑坝导致的水文变异

采用可视化分析软件包XmdvTool来评价复杂环境下东江中上游流域(1952-2002)水文变异以克服常规RVA方法的限制,在分离了气候变化对水文变异影响后,结合RVA方法系统地研究了华南东江中上游流域由于筑坝等人类活动引起的河流水文变异时空演化规律.结果表明:(1)1952-2002间由筑坝导致的最显著的东江中上游流域水文变异是最小3d流量,低流量持续时间、1月平均流量和7月平均流量等3个IHA因子;(2)在河源和岭下两站水文变异9个IHA因子相关图中,1月和2月平均流量,1月平均流量和最小90d流量相关图中各存在一个较为明显的线性回归趋势,表明上述因子存在较明显的相关关系;(3)东江中上游综合水文变异强度由大至小分别为:河源、龙川和岭下.运用高维水文数据可视化分析技术结合RVA方法可有效用于天然河流水文变异时空变化研究,研究结果对于东江河流生态环境管理、生态恢复和水资源一体化管理具有重要意义,可为流域水文变异的理论与方法研究提供借鉴.     

The effects of dam construction and precipitation variability on hydrologic alteration in the Lancang River Basin of southwest China

This paper presents an evaluation of the spatio-temporal patterns of hydrologic alteration induced by dam construction and precipitation variability in the Lancang River Basin of southwest China from 1957 to 2000. Analyses were conducted using the linear regression method, the Mann–Kendall test, and the Range of Variability Approach. The results indicate that there was considerable variation in the average monthly precipitation between the pre- and post-dam periods in the Lancang River Basin. Second, the magnitude of monthly runoff was strongly related to precipitation, which showed an up-down annual variation, and was significantly altered by dam construction and precipitation variability. In the modified series (hydrologic series with the precipitation impacts removed), runoff deviations between the pre- and post-dam periods became larger. Third, the extreme runoff cycles were influenced by dam construction and precipitation variability downstream from the dam, and the monthly maximum runoff increased from the pre-dam to post-dam period at all hydrologic stations. Fourth, the degree of hydrologic alteration (DHA) indicates that the precipitation variability not only affected the hydrologic regime of unregulated river reach but also modified the negative impacts of dam construction, which could provide a modest mitigation of the hydrologic alterations induced by dam construction, possibly decreasing the level of DHA. Last, the overall degree of hydrologic alteration in the observed series reached 25.2, 25.3, and 29.1 % for the upstream, midstream, and downstream areas, respectively. These results show that the hydrologic regimes of the Lancang River during the 1957–2000 period were affected by damming and precipitation variability, but the hydrologic alteration was relatively low in the upstream areas of the river without a dam.     

A revised range of variability approach considering the periodicity of hydrological indicators

Comprehensively assessing the hydrological alteration of river flows is a prerequisite for the scientific management, protection, and restoration of rivers. The range of variability approach (RVA), which is based on indicators of hydrological alteration (IHAs), is a widely used method to evaluate hydrological alteration. However, the RVA only considers the frequency of each IHA, neglecting the equally important temporal order of these IHAs. The order of IHA event can be reflected by its periodicity. On the basis of the RVA, in this study, we propose a revised RVA that considers both the frequency and periodicity of IHAs. In the revised RVA, first, the periodic time of each IHA is identified; next, the periodicity alteration (P) of river flow is calculated by comparing the periodic times of the pre‐impact‐period and post‐impact‐period IHAs; finally, P and the frequency alteration(D) in traditional RVA are incorporated into a single index (H) to reflect the overall hydrological alteration. A case study of the Xi Dayang (XDY) Reservoir and rearranged flow suggests that the traditional RVA underestimates hydrological alterations because it neglects the alteration of periodicity. Compared with the traditional RVA and its alternatives, the revised RVA could give a more comprehensive representation of hydrological alteration caused by human and nature impacts. Thus, better protection of an ecosystem could be obtained by applying this method in the evaluation and management of water resources. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Reservoir-induced hydrological alterations and environmental flow variation in the East River,the Pearl River basin,China

The East River basin is the major source of water supply for megacities in the Pearl River Delta and Hong Kong. Intensifying development of water resources and reservoir-induced hydrological alterations negatively affect ecological hydrological requirements. In this study, hydrological alterations and environmental flow variation are determined. Results indicate that: (1) multi-day maxima have reduced, while multi-day minima have increased, due to hydrological regulations of water reservoirs; (2) hydrological regimes of the East River have also been severely affected by hydropower generation, leading to a greater frequency of high and low pulses of lesser duration, and these effects are increasingly evident from the upper to lower East River basin; (3) owning to the water being released rapidly for hydropower generation or flood protection, the number of hydrologic reversals have increased after reservoir operations, also with increasing rise and fall rate; and (4) the alteration of three different types of environmental flow components have been shown in the study, which can be used to support the determination of environmental flow requirements in the East River basin.     

Assessment of the flow regime alterations in the middle reach of the Yangtze River associated with dam construction: potential ecological implications

Hydrological regimes strongly influence the biotic diversity of river ecosystems by structuring physical habitat within river channels and on floodplains. Modification of hydrological regimes by dam construction can have important consequences for river ecosystems. This study examines the impacts of the construction of two dams, the Gezhouba Dam and the Three Gorges Dam, on the hydrological regime of the Yangtze River in China. Analysis of hydrological change before and after dam construction is investigated by evaluating changes in the medians and ranges of variability of 33 hydrological parameters. Results show that the hydrological impact of the Gezhouba Dam is relatively small, affecting mainly the medians and variability of low flows, the rate of rise, and the number of hydrological reversals. The closure of the Three Gorges Dam has substantially altered the downstream flow regime, affecting the seasonal distribution of flows, the variability of flows, the magnitude of minimum flows, low‐flow pulses, the rate of rise, and hydrological reversals. These changes in flow regime have greatly influenced the aquatic biodiversity and fish community structure within the Yangtze River. In particular, populations of migratory fish have been negatively impacted. The results help to identify the magnitudes of hydrological alteration associated with the construction of dams on this important large river and also provide useful information to guide strategies aimed at restoration of the river's ecosystems. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

生态最相关水文指标的优选及其在洞庭湖环境流量估算中的应用

水文改变指标(IHA)能够较为全面地描述水文状况,在评估水文情势改变及其生态系统影响方面具有广泛的应用.尽管该指标体系较为完善,但是数量众多的水文变量仍然存在信息冗余问题.根据洞庭湖城陵矶水文站1955-2014年的径流量数据,采用主成分分析(PCA)筛选了生态最相关水文指标(ERHIs),结合ERHIs改进了用于估算环境流量的变化范围法(RVA),并将其应用在洞庭湖出口的环境流量估算中.基于PCA选取了年最大90日流量、年最小3日流量、年最小流量出现时间、3月流量、6月流量、流量逆转次数和低流量年内平均历时7个变量作为洞庭湖出口的ERHIs.纵向和横向的对比分析都表明选取的ERHIs是合理的.ERHIs不仅有效缓解了IHA的冗余性问题,还有利于抓住最关键的生态水文变量.根据ERHIs改进的RVA方法在设定洞庭湖出口环境流量时,极大地简化原来的众多管理目标,对生态水文研究、水资源管理和生态保护都具有重要的参考价值和借鉴意义.     

Changes in streamflow regimes and their responses to different soil and water conservation measures in the Loess Plateau watersheds,China

Investigating the changes in streamflow regimes in response to various influencing factors contributes to our understanding of the mechanisms of hydrological processes in different watersheds and to water resource management strategies. This study examined streamflow regime changes by applying the indicators of hydrologic alteration method and eco-flow metrics to daily runoff data (1965–2016) from the Sandu, Hulu and Dali Rivers on the Chinese Loess Plateau, and then determined their responses to terracing, afforestation and damming. The Budyko water balance equation and the double mass curve method were used to separate the impacts of climate change and human activities on the mean discharge changes. The results showed that the terraced and dammed watersheds exhibited significant decreases in annual runoff. All hydrologic metrics indicated that the highest degree of hydrologic alteration was in the Sandu River watershed (terraced), where the monthly and extreme flows reduced significantly. In contrast, the annual eco-deficit increased significantly, indicating the highest reduction in streamflow among the three watersheds. The regulation of dams and reservoirs in the Dali River watershed has altered the flow regime, and obvious decreases in the maximum flow and slight increases in the minimum flow and baseflow indices were observed. In the Hulu River watershed (afforested), the monthly flow and extreme flows decreased slightly and were categorized as low-degree alteration, indicating that the long-term delayed effects of afforestation on hydrological processes. The magnitude of the eco-flow metrics varied with the alteration of annual precipitation. Climate change contributed 67.47% to the runoff reduction in the Hulu River watershed, while human activities played predominant roles in reducing runoff in the Sandu and Dali River watersheds. The findings revealed distinct patterns and causes of streamflow regime alteration due to different conservation measures, emphasizing the need to optimize the spatial allocation of measures to control soil erosion and utilize water resources on the Loess Plateau.     

Impacts of dams and land-use changes on hydromorphology of braided channels in the Lhasa River of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,China

Among braided rivers developed on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau of China at very high elevations（>3,500 m）,the middle and lower reaches of the Lhasa River have been affected by comprehensive human activities mainly involving dam construction,urbanization,farming,afforestation,and mining.In the current study,the impacts of these human activities on hydrology and morphology of the four braided reaches downstream of a cascaded of two dams are investigated.The study period was divided into 1985-2006（...     

Precipitation change and human impacts on hydrologic variables in Zhengshui River Basin, China

Climate change and anthropogenic impacts on hydrologic variables have received significant attention in recent years. We assessed stream flow and water level in the Zhengshui River basin, China, in the period 1960 to 2003 in response to precipitation variation and anthropogenic factors. Analyses of daily discharge and water level records, and derived annual, seasonal and monthly series, showed that Zhengshui River flows had a significant increasing trend, with an abrupt change point in 1990. There was a significant decreasing water level trend with an abrupt change point in 1995. Human activities and precipitation contributed 53 and 47%, respectively, to increase in stream flow during 1991–2003. Anthropogenic activities such as sand dredging, dominated the decrease in water level during 1994–2003. Human-induced land use change, soil erosion and sand excavation driven by rapid economic development have played a more important role than precipitation variation in hydrological changes in the Zhengshui River basin over the past 50 years.     

Impacts of cascade run-of-river dams on benthic diatoms in the Xiangxi River, China

The ecological effects of small run-of-river dams on aquatic ecosystems are poorly understood, especially on downstream benthic algal communities. We examined impacts of such dams on the benthic diatom community at a regional scale in the Xiangxi River, China. A total of 90 sites were visited, which were divided into five habitats (H1–H5) according to impact extent of each dam. Using partial least squares (PLS) modeling, we developed two predictive models (diatom species richness and total diatom density) based on environmental variables of an unregulated habitat (H1). These models were then used to predict species richness and total densities at impacted habitats (H2–H5) and residuals, i.e. the differences between observed and predicted values, were used to evaluate impact strength of flow regulation. Significant impacts of flow regulation on diatom species richness were detected at three impacted habitats (H3–H5), where observed species richness were significantly higher—70.6, 63.9 and 46.6%, respectively—than predicted values. Then, possible mechanisms for observed impacts were discussed. Further research is necessary to address the potential negative impacts of cascade run-of-river dams on other aquatic organisms in different seasons, and to explore more appropriate mechanisms for such impacts, which may lead to sustainable management strategies and help to determine the optimal ecological water requirement for the Xiangxi River.     

Distinguishing streamflow trends caused by changes in climate,forest cover,and permafrost in a large watershed in northeastern China

Understanding how rivers respond to changes in land cover, climate, and subsurface conditions is critical for sustainably managing water resources and ecosystems. In this study, long‐term hydrologic, climate, and satellite data (1973–2012) from the Upper Tahe River watershed (2359 km²) in the Da Hinggan Mountains of northeast China were analysed to quantify the relative hydrologic effects of climate variability (system input) and the combined influences of forest cover change and permafrost thaw (system characteristics) on average annual streamflow (system response) using 2 methods: the sensitivity‐based method and the Kendall–Theil robust line method. The study period was subdivided into a forest harvesting period (1973–1987), a forest stability period (1988–2001), and a forest recovery period (2002–2012). The results indicated that the combined effects of forest harvesting and permafrost thaw on streamflow (+ 47.0 mm) from the forest harvesting period to the forest stability period was approximately twice as large as the effect associated with climate variability (+20.2 mm). Similarly, from the forest stability period to the forest recovery period, the decrease in average annual streamflow attributed to the combined effects of forest recovery and permafrost thaw (?38.0 mm) was much greater than the decrease due to climate variability (?22.2 mm). A simple method was used to separate the distinct impacts of forest cover change and permafrost thaw, but distinguishing these influences is difficult due to changes in surface and subsurface hydrologic connectivity associated with permafrost thaw. The results highlight the need to consider multiple streamflow drivers in future watershed and aquatic ecosystem management. Due to the ecological and hydrological susceptibility to disturbances in the Da Hinggan Mountains, forest harvesting will likely negatively impact ecohydrological processes in this region, and the effects of forest species transition in the forest recovery process should be further investigated.     

Changes in the long-term hydrological regimes and the impacts of human activities in the main Wei River,China

ABSTRACT

Under the combined influence of climate changes and human activities, the hydrological regime of the Wei River shows remarkable variations which have caused many issues in the Wei River in recent decades, such as a lack of freshwater, water pollution, disastrous flooding and channel sedimentation. Hence, hydrological regime changes and potential human-induced impacts have been drawing increasing attention from local government and hydrologists. This study investigates hydrological regime changes in the natural and measured runoff series at four hydrological stations on the main Wei River and quantifies features of their long-term change by analysing their historical annual and seasonal runoff data using several approaches, i.e., continuous wavelet transform, cross-wavelet, wavelet coherence, trend-free pre-whitening Mann-Kendall test and detrended fluctuation analysis. By contrasting two different analysis results between natural and measured river runoff series, the impacts of human activities on the long-term hydrological regime were investigated via the changes of spatio-temporal distribution in dominant periods, the trends and long-range memory of river runoff. The results show : (a) that periodic properties of the streamflow changes are the result of climate, referring to precipitation changes in particular, while human activities play a minor role; (b) a significant decreasing trend can be observed in the natural streamflow series along the entire main stream of the Wei River and the more serious decrease emerging in measured flow should result from human-induced influences in recent decades; and (c) continuous decreasing streamflow in the Wei River will trigger serious shortages of freshwater in the future, which may challenge the sustainability and safety of water resources development in the river basin, and should be paid great attention before 2020.

Editor Z.W. Kundzewicz; Associate editor K. Hamed     

An insight into the Palmer drought mechanism based indices: comprehensive comparison of their strengths and limitations

Considering the drawbacks of the original Palmer drought severity index (PDSI) in terms of its simplified hydrologic algorithm and spatio-temporal inconsistency, we compare six variants of PDSI derived from different combinations of two hydrologic algorithms and three standard processes so as to provide deep insights into the individual impacts of hydrological processing and standardization on final PDSI values as well as their combined effects. Investigations are conducted in whole Yellow River basin. On basis of 52 years’ (1961–2012) hydro-meteorological data, comprehensive analysis on multiple drought characteristics are carried out for each PDSI variant, combined with comparison of three crucial intermediate variables of PDSI. Results show that variable infiltration capacity (VIC) model based modification in the hydrologic accounting section significantly improve drought trends with more reasonable spatial distributions presented. For the statistical characteristics of drought areas and frequency, comparable performance is found between VIC-based modification and self-calibrating standard procedure-based modification, though they are derived from different mechanisms. However, in case of the coupling of these two modifications, indices derived from combined modifications perform poorly than single modification-based indices with unexpected high frequency of extreme events detected in certain regions. This reflects the complicated mechanism of PDSI and it is essential to propose an appropriate standardization to match the hydrological algorithm and further improve the performance of relevant drought index. With the crucial findings mentioned above, this study is promising to provide some theoretical supports and serve as a competent reference for future PDSI based researches.     

Validation and use of rainfall radar data to simulate water flows in the Rio Escondido basin

This paper presents a combined validation method of radar-sensed rainfall, using rain gauge data and hydrologic closure, with an application to the Rio Escondido basin (North-East of Mexico). The space–time scaling behavior of rainfall between rain gauge and radar scales is compared with the intrinsic variability of rainfall, for a statistical validation of space–time variability. For hydrological validation purposes, the CEQUEAU model is used to perform rainfall-runoff routing. It provides a basin-wide water balance, to be compared with the measured water flow at the Villa de Fuentes hydrometric station, for mean-value gauging closure. A good qualitative agreement in terms of hydrograph shape and timing is obtained between the simulated and the observed water flows, and a multiplicative correction factor of an initially proposed Z–R relationship is adopted for the watershed under study, which agrees approximately with other authors’ findings about that relationship. The results are considered particularly useful as a validation-and-correction methodology of radar rainfall estimates for areas sparsely covered by rain gauges.     

The integrated effects of climate and hydrologic uncertainty on future flood risk assessments

This work examines future flood risk within the context of integrated climate and hydrologic modelling uncertainty. The research questions investigated are (1) whether hydrologic uncertainties are a significant source of uncertainty relative to other sources such as climate variability and change and (2) whether a statistical characterization of uncertainty from a lumped, conceptual hydrologic model is sufficient to account for hydrologic uncertainties in the modelling process. To investigate these questions, an ensemble of climate simulations are propagated through hydrologic models and then through a reservoir simulation model to delimit the range of flood protection under a wide array of climate conditions. Uncertainty in mean climate changes and internal climate variability are framed using a risk‐based methodology and are explored using a stochastic weather generator. To account for hydrologic uncertainty, two hydrologic models are considered, a conceptual, lumped parameter model and a distributed, physically based model. In the conceptual model, parameter and residual error uncertainties are quantified and propagated through the analysis using a Bayesian modelling framework. The approach is demonstrated in a case study for the Coralville Dam on the Iowa River, where recent, intense flooding has raised questions about potential impacts of climate change on flood protection adequacy. Results indicate that the uncertainty surrounding future flood risk from hydrologic modelling and internal climate variability can be of the same order of magnitude as climate change. Furthermore, statistical uncertainty in the conceptual hydrological model can capture the primary structural differences that emerge in flood damage estimates between the two hydrologic models. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatial assessment of hydrologic alteration across the Pearl River Delta,China, and possible underlying causes

The alterations of the water level across the Pearl River Delta (PRD) were investigated using a ‘range of variability approach’ (RVA) based on monthly water level datasets extracted from 17 gauging stations. A mapping method was used to illustrate the spatial patterns in the degrees of alteration of water levels. The results indicated that more stations showing moderate and high alterations in monthly mean maximum and minimum water levels when compared with monthly maximum and minimum water levels. River channels characterized by higher alterations of water levels were observed mainly in the regions north of 22° 30′N. Alterations of water levels across the PRD were a consequence of various influencing factors. However, changed hypsography due to extensive and intensive human activities, particularly the large‐scale dredging and excavation of the river sand, may be taken as one of the major causes for the substantial hydrologic alteration. This study indicated that the river channels characterized by altered water levels are mostly those characterized by highly and moderately intensive sand dredging. The changed ratio of the streamflow between Makou and Sanshui stations, the major upstream flow control stations, also influenced the water level alterations of the Pearl River delta. The results of this study will be of great significance in water resources management and better human mitigation of the natural hazards due to the altered water level under the changing environment. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Regional earthquake catalogues of Russia

Some aspects concerning collection and analysis of primary materials, on whose basis the Tambov (1954) and Tyumen’ (1926) earthquakes have appeared in the “New Catalogue...” [Novyi..., 1977] are discussed. Moreover, the regional catalogues of the Urals (1914–2002) and Kamchatka Region (1737–1899, 1900–1952) have been compiled.     

Assessment of hydrologic impacts of climate change in Tunga–Bhadra river basin,India with HEC‐HMS and SDSM

Climate change would significantly affect many hydrologic systems, which in turn would affect the water availability, runoff, and the flow in rivers. This study evaluates the impacts of possible future climate change scenarios on the hydrology of the catchment area of the Tunga–Bhadra River, upstream of the Tungabhadra dam. The Hydrologic Engineering Center's Hydrologic Modeling System version 3.4 (HEC‐HMS 3.4) is used for the hydrological modelling of the study area. Linear‐regression‐based Statistical DownScaling Model version 4.2 (SDSM 4.2) is used to downscale the daily maximum and minimum temperature, and daily precipitation in the four sub‐basins of the study area. The large‐scale climate variables for the A2 and B2 scenarios obtained from the Hadley Centre Coupled Model version 3 are used. After model calibration and testing of the downscaling procedure, the hydrological model is run for the three future periods: 2011–2040, 2041–2070, and 2071–2099. The impacts of climate change on the basin hydrology are assessed by comparing the present and future streamflow and the evapotranspiration estimates. Results of the water balance study suggest increasing precipitation and runoff and decreasing actual evapotranspiration losses over the sub‐basins in the study area. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Catchment-scale observations at the Niwot Ridge long-term ecological research site

The Niwot Ridge and Green Lakes Valley (NWT) long-term ecological research (LTER) site collects environmental observations spanning both alpine and subalpine regimes. The first observations began in 1952 and have since expanded to nearly 300 available datasets over an area of 99 km² within the north-central Colorado Rocky Mountains that include hydrological (n = 101), biological (n = 79), biogeochemical (n = 62), and geographical (n = 56) observations. The NWT LTER database is well suited to support hydrologic investigations that require long-term and interdisciplinary data sets. Experimentation and data collection at the NWT LTER are designed to characterize ecological responses of high-mountain environments to changes in climate, nutrients, and water availability. In addition to the continuation of the many legacy NWT datasets, expansion of the breadth and utility of the NWT LTER database is driven by new initiatives including (a) a catchment-scale sensor network of soil moisture, temperature, humidity, and snow-depth observations to understand hydrologic connectivity and (b) snow-albedo alteration experiments using black sand to evaluate the effects of snow-disappearance on ecosystems. Together, these observational and experimental datasets provide a substantial foundation for hydrologic studies seeking to understand and predict changes to catchment and local-scale process interactions.