Groundwater recharge and discharge in a hyperarid alluvial plain (Akesu,Taklimakan Desert,China)

Groundwater recharge and discharge in the Akesu alluvial plain were estimated using a water balance method. The Akesu alluvial plain (4842 km²) is an oasis located in the hyperarid Tarim River basin of central Asia. The land along the Akesu River has a long history of agricultural development and the irrigation area is highly dependent on water withdrawals from the river. We present a water balance methodology to describe (a) surface water and groundwater interaction and (b) groundwater interaction between irrigated and non‐irrigated areas. Groundwater is recharged from the irrigation system and discharged in the non‐irrigated area. Uncultivated vegetation and wetlands are supplied from groundwater in the hyperarid environment. Results show that about 90% of groundwater recharge came from canal loss and field infiltration. The groundwater flow from irrigated to non‐irrigated areas was about 70% of non‐irrigated area recharge and acted as subsurface drainage for the irrigation area. This desalinated the irrigation area and supplied water to the non‐irrigated area. Salt moved to the non‐irrigation area following subsurface drainage. We conclude that the flooding of the Akesu River is a supplemental groundwater replenishment mechanism: the river desalinates the alluvial plain by recharging fresh water in summer and draining saline regeneration water in winter. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Relationships Between Water Table and Model Simulated ET

This research was conducted to develop relationships among evapotranspiration (ET), percolation (PERC), groundwater discharge to the stream (GWQ), and water table fluctuations through a modeling approach. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) hydrologic and crop models were applied in the Big Sunflower River watershed (BSRW; 7660 km²) within the Yazoo River Basin of the Lower Mississippi River alluvial plain. Results of this study showed good to very good model performances with the coefficient of determination (R²) and Nash‐Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) index from 0.4 to 0.9, respectively, during both hydrologic and crop model calibration and validation. An empirical relationship between ET, PERC, GWQ, and water table fluctuations was able to predict 64% of the water table variation of the alluvial plain in this study. Thematic maps were developed to identify areas with overuse of groundwater, which can help watershed managers to develop water resource programs.     

Remote sensing and hydrological measurement based irrigation performance assessments in the upper Amu Darya Delta,Central Asia

In the Aral Sea Basin, where the Central Asian countries compete for limited water resources, reliable information on the actual water use for eight million ha of irrigated land are rare. In this study, spatially distributed land use data, seasonal actual evapotranspiration, and reference evapotranspiration derived from multitemporal MODIS data were combined with in situ water flow measurements for irrigation performance assessments in the upper Amu Darya Delta. The functioning of the major irrigation and drainage which supplies an agricultural area of 270,000 ha in the Uzbek province Khorezm was analysed using water balancing and adequacy indicators of irrigation water use.An average relative evapotranspiration of 95% indicated fulfilled water demands and partly over-irrigation, whereas values below 75% disclosed inadequate water supply in distant parts of the irrigation system. On the other hand, immense water withdrawals of approximately 24,000 m³ ha⁻¹ recorded at the system boundaries between April and September 2005 clearly exceeded the field water demands for cotton cultivation. Only 46% of the total irrigation amounts were consumed for crop production at field level. Throughout the vegetation period, approximately 58% of the total available water left the region as drainage water. Monthly observations of the depleted fraction and the drainage ratio highlighted drainage problems and rising groundwater levels at regional scale. In the most distant downstream subsystem, a high risk of groundwater and soil salinity during the main irrigation phase was found.A combination of high conveyance losses, hydraulic problems, direct linkages between irrigation and drainage, and low field application efficiencies were identified as major reasons for underperforming irrigation. The findings underlined the necessity of water saving and of reconsidering water distribution in Khorezm. The remote sensing approach was concluded as a reliable data basis for regular performance assessments for all irrigation systems in Central Asia.     

Assessment of water resources to support the development of irrigation in northwest Cambodia: a water budget approach

Water availability is the primary constraint on the improvement of food security in rural areas in northwestern Cambodia. A 4-year study was carried out in the upper Stung Sreng watershed to assess water resources. Four sub-watersheds with different land cover types, ranging in size from 1.5 to 185 km², were monitored using dedicated weather stations and rain- and streamgauges. Geophysics and observation boreholes were used to characterize aquifers. Rainwater is mostly split into evapotranspiration (annual mean of 54% rainfall) and streamflow components (49%), because groundwater recharge is low (1%). Thus, rainwater and streamflow are the main sources for irrigation development. Groundwater can be used only in specific locations for low water-demand crops. A total of 186 household ponds and three village-scale dams were built and 31 wells were installed. The household pond was determined to be the best solution for irrigation development because of its simple management.

EDITOR A. Castellarin ASSOCIATE EDITOR M. Piniewski     

近三百年来洪泽湖演变过程及其原因分析

洪泽湖是淮河水系中最重要的湖泊之一,是我国的第四大淡水湖,它在防洪、灌溉、航运、跨流域调水以及水资源与水环境保护等方面发挥着重要作用.过去300年来,由于黄淮关系的演变和人类活动的影响,洪泽湖水域面积发生剧烈变化.研究湖泊水域空间变化有助于认识流域环境变化与人类活动影响.本文利用18世纪初以来的古地图、历史文献资料及1981-2016年期间的7期遥感影像数据,采用遥感和地理信息系统技术相结合的方法,分析了近300年来洪泽湖水域时空演变过程及其原因.研究结果表明：过去300年来,洪泽湖面积总体呈减少趋势,年际缩减速率为0.17%,且湖域范围总体表现为由四周向中心缩小的趋势,其中西南湖域的形态变化最为显著.具体而言,清中期以前,黄河多次夺泗入淮,洪泽湖面积变化受黄淮关系、高家堰等水利枢纽的修建以及降水等因素影响.至清末,洪泽湖面积由3078.78 km²下降至2335.73 km²,共减少743.05 km²,其空间形态也发生了剧烈变化,该时期黄河改道、降水以及人口增长导致的湖滨围垦是影响洪泽湖演变的主要原因.建国以来（1949-2016年）,洪泽湖面积进一步缩小,由1757.60 km²下降至1488.43 km²,共减少了269.17 km²,其中1995-2000年间湖泊面积下降最为显著,共减少了281.43 km²,湖泊动态变化度达到2.78%,该时期自然因素对湖泊水域面积的影响减弱,而人口增长、围垦及水利工程的修建等人类活动逐渐成为影响洪泽湖演化的主导因素.     

Evaluating actual evapotranspiration and impacts of groundwater storage change in the North China Plain

As a critical water discharge term in basin‐scale water balance, accurate estimation of evapotranspiration (ET) is therefore important for sustainable water resources management. The understanding of the relationship between ET and groundwater storage change can improve our knowledge on the hydrological cycle in such regions with intensive agricultural land usage. Since the 1960s, the North China Plain (NCP) has experienced groundwater depletion because of overexploitation of groundwater for agriculture and urban development. Using meteorological data from 23 stations, the complementary relationship areal evapotranspiration model is evaluated against estimates of ET derived from regional water balance in the NCP during the period 1993–2008. The discrepancies between calculated ET and that derived by basin water balance indicate seasonal and interannual variations in model parameters. The monthly actual ET variations during the period from 1960 to 2008 are investigated by the calibrated model and then are used to derive groundwater storage change. The estimated actual ET is positively correlated with precipitation, and the general higher ET than precipitation indicates the contributions of groundwater irrigation to the total water supply. The long term decreasing trend in the actual ET can be explained by declining in precipitation, sunshine duration and wind speed. Over the past ~50 years, the calculated average annual water storage change, represented by the difference between actual ET and precipitation, was approximately 36 mm, or 4.8 km³; and the cumulative groundwater storage depletion was approximately 1700 mm, or 220 km³ in the NCP. The significantly groundwater storage depletion conversely affects the seasonal and interannual variations of ET. Irrigation especially during spring cause a marked increase in seasonal ET, whereas the rapid increasing of agricultural coverage over the NCP reduces the annual ET and is the primary control factor of the strong linear relationship between actual and potential ET. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Assessing crop yield and crop water productivity and optimizing irrigation scheduling of winter wheat and summer maize in the Haihe plain using SWAT model

Haihe plain is an important food production area in China, facing an increasing water shortage. The water used for agriculture accounts for about 70% of total water resources. Thus, it is critical to optimize the irrigation scheduling for saving water and increasing crop water productivity (CWP). This study first simulated crop yield and CWP for winter wheat and summer maize in historical scenario during 1961–2005 for Haihe plain using previously well‐established Soil and Water Assessment Tool model. Then, scenarios under historical irrigation (scenario 1) and sufficient irrigation (scenario 2) were, respectively, simulated both with sufficient fertilizer. The crop yield in scenario 2 was considered as the potential crop yield. The optimal irrigation scheduling with sufficient fertilizer (scenario 3) was explored by iteratively adjusting irrigation scheduling based on the scenario 1 and previous studies related to water stress on crop growth. Results showed that net irrigation amount was, respectively, reduced 23.1% and 18.8% in scenario 3 for winter wheat and summer maize when compared with scenario 1. The CWP was 12.1% and 8.2% higher with very slight change of crop yield. Using optimal irrigation scheduling could save 8.8 × 10⁸ m³ irrigation water and reduce about 16.3% groundwater over‐exploitation in winter wheat growth period. The corresponding yield was 18.5% and 12.9% less than potential yield for winter wheat and summer maize but using less irrigation water. Therefore, it could be considered that the optimal irrigation was reasonable, which provided beneficial suggestions for increasing efficiency of agricultural water use with sustainable crop yield in Haihe plain. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Impact of water withdrawals from groundwater and surface water on continental water storage variations

Humans have strongly impacted the global water cycle, not only water flows but also water storage. We have performed a first global-scale analysis of the impact of water withdrawals on water storage variations, using the global water resources and use model WaterGAP. This required estimation of fractions of total water withdrawals from groundwater, considering five water use sectors. According to our assessment, the source of 35% of the water withdrawn worldwide (4300 km³/year during 1998–2002) is groundwater. Groundwater contributes 42%, 36% and 27% of water used for irrigation, households and manufacturing, respectively, while we assume that only surface water is used for livestock and for cooling of thermal power plants. Consumptive water use was 1400 km³/year during 1998–2002. It is the sum of the net abstraction of 250 km³/year of groundwater (taking into account evapotranspiration and return flows of withdrawn surface water and groundwater) and the net abstraction of 1150 km³/year of surface water. Computed net abstractions indicate, for the first time at the global scale, where and when human water withdrawals decrease or increase groundwater or surface water storage. In regions with extensive surface water irrigation, such as Southern China, net abstractions from groundwater are negative, i.e. groundwater is recharged by irrigation. The opposite is true for areas dominated by groundwater irrigation, such as in the High Plains aquifer of the central USA, where net abstraction of surface water is negative because return flow of withdrawn groundwater recharges the surface water compartments. In intensively irrigated areas, the amplitude of seasonal total water storage variations is generally increased due to human water use; however, in some areas, it is decreased. For the High Plains aquifer and the whole Mississippi basin, modeled groundwater and total water storage variations were compared with estimates of groundwater storage variations based on groundwater table observations, and with estimates of total water storage variations from the GRACE satellites mission. Due to the difficulty in estimating area-averaged seasonal groundwater storage variations from point observations of groundwater levels, it is uncertain whether WaterGAP underestimates actual variations or not. We conclude that WaterGAP possibly overestimates water withdrawals in the High Plains aquifer where impact of human water use on water storage is readily discernible based on WaterGAP calculations and groundwater observations. No final conclusion can be drawn regarding the possibility of monitoring water withdrawals in the High Plains aquifer using GRACE. For the less intensively irrigated Mississippi basin, observed and modeled seasonal groundwater storage reveals a discernible impact of water withdrawals in the basin, but this is not the case for total water storage such that water withdrawals at the scale of the whole Mississippi basin cannot be monitored by GRACE.     

BIBLIOGRAPHIES

Abstract

On a regional scale (from about 10 to 10⁵km²) estimations of actual evapotranspiration ET for water balance equations are generally missing. The various methods available at present are briefly described and discussed. The use of remote sensing, in particular infra-red thermometry by satellite, in conjunction with soil energy budget data, is the only method to provide satisfactory data on the same scale in space and lime for water balance models. This method is being studied at the INRA Bioclimatology Station at Avignon in the framework of the European ‘Tellus’ project for using HCMM satellite data. Systems for continuously recording the components of the energy budget and ET have been installed in the Crau plain, north of Marseilles, in both a dry area and a large area of irrigated pastures. By combining the recorded measurements with the satellite data and starting from values for elements of 25 ha (500 m × 500 m), the ET for the whole of the Crau plain can be estimated. First results are analysed and the possibilities and limitations of the method are discussed.     

Land use/land cover change and implications for ecosystems services in the Likangala River Catchment,Malawi

Likangala River catchment in Zomba District of Southern Malawi is important for water resources, agriculture and provides many ecosystem services. Provisioning ecosystem services accrued by the populations within the catchment include water, fish, medicinal plants and timber among others. In spite of its importance, the River catchment is under threat from anthropogenic activities and land use change. This paper studies land uses and land cover change in the catchment and how the changes have impacted on the ecosystem services. Landsat 5 and 8 images (1984, 1994, 2005 and 2013) were used to map land cover change and subsequent inventorying of provisioning ecosystem services. Participatory Geographic Information Systems and Focus group discussions were conducted to identify provisioning ecosystems services that communities benefit from the catchment and indicate these on the map.Post classification comparisons indicate that since 1984, there has been a decline in woodlands from 135.3 km² in 1984 to 15.5 km² in 2013 while urban areas increased from 9.8 km² to 23.8 km² in 2013. Communities indicated that provisioning ecosystems services such as forest products, wild animals and fruits and medicinal plants have been declining over the years. In addition, evidence of catchment degradation through waste disposal, illegal sand mining, deforestation and farming on marginal lands were observed. Population growth, urbanization and demand for agricultural lands have contributed to this land use and land cover change. The study suggests addressing catchment degradation through integrated method where an ecosystems approach is used. Thus, both the proximate and underlying driving factors of land-use and land cover change need to be addressed in order to sustainably reduce ecosystem degradation.     

Effects of land‐cover changes on the hydrological response of interior Columbia River basin forested catchments

The topographically explicit distributed hydrology–soil–vegetation model (DHSVM) is used to simulate hydrological effects of changes in land cover for four catchments, ranging from 27 to 1033 km², within the Columbia River basin. Surface fluxes (stream flow and evapotranspiration) and state variables (soil moisture and snow water equivalent) corresponding to historical (1900) and current (1990) vegetation are compared. In addition a sensitivity analysis, where the catchments are covered entirely by conifers at different maturity stages, was conducted. In general, lower leaf‐area index (LAI) resulted in higher snow water equivalent, more stream flow and less evapotranspiration. Comparisons with the macroscale variable infiltration capacity (VIC) model, which parameterizes, rather than explicitly represents, topographic effects, show that runoff predicted by DHSVM is more sensitive to land‐cover changes than is runoff predicted by VIC. This is explained by model differences in soil parameters and evapotranspiration calculations, and by the more explicit representation of saturation excess in DHSVM and its higher sensitivity to LAI changes in the calculation of evapotranspiration. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Estimation of potential evapotranspiration in the mountainous Panama Canal watershed

Spatially distributed hydrometeorological and plant information within the mountainous tropical Panama Canal watershed is used to estimate parameters of the Penman–Monteith evapotranspiration formulation. Hydrometeorological data from a few surface climate stations located at low elevations in the watershed are complemented by (a) typical wet‐ and dry‐season fields of temperature, wind, water vapour and pressure produced by a mesoscale atmospheric model with a 3 × 3 km² spatial and hourly temporal resolution, and (b) leaf area index fields estimated over the watershed during a few years using satellite data with two different spatial and temporal resolutions. The mesoscale model estimates of spatially distributed surface hydrometeorological variables provide the basis for the extrapolation of the surface climate station data to produce input for the Penman–Monteith equation. The satellite information and existing digital spatial databases of land use and land cover form the basis for the estimation of Penman–Monteith spatially distributed parameter values. Spatially distributed 3 × 3 km² potential evapotranspiration estimates are obtained for the 3300 km² Panama Canal watershed. Estimates for Gatun Lake within the watershed are found to reproduce well the monthly and annual lake evaporation obtained from submerged pans. Sensitivity analysis results of potential evapotranspiration estimates with respect to cloud cover, dew formation, leaf area index distribution and mesoscale model estimates of surface climate are presented and discussed. The main conclusion is that even the limited spatially distributed hydrometeorological and plant information used in this study contributes significantly toward explaining the substantial spatial variability of potential evapotranspiration in the watershed. These results also allow the determination of key locations within the watershed where additional surface stations may be profitably placed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

近百年鄱阳湖湿地格局演变研究

鄱阳湖是我国最大淡水湖和长江中游仅存的两个通江湖泊之一,重建其近百年自然通江的湖泊湿地演变过程,对于鄱阳湖湿地生态修复与保护具有重要意义.本研究基于两期历史时期地形图和遥感产品,构建了 1930s、1970s、1990s、2000s和2010s鄱阳湖湿地格局变化数据集,探究了土地利用方式改变和水文连通变化对鄱阳湖湿地变...     

Impact of irrigation implementation on hydrology and water quality in a small agricultural basin in Spain

Abstract

Irrigation practice has increased considerably recently and will continue to increase to feed a growing population and provide better life standards worldwide. Numerous studies deal with the hydrological impacts of irrigation, but little is known about the temporal evolution of the affected variables. This work assesses the effects on a gully after irrigation was implemented in its hydrological basin (7.38 km²). Flow, electrical conductivity, nitrate concentration and exported loads of salts and nitrates were recorded in Lerma gully (Zaragoza, Spain) for eight hydrological years (2004–2011), covering the periods before, during and after implementation of irrigation. Non-parametric statistical analysis was applied to understand relationships and trends. The results showed the correlation of irrigation with flow and the load of salts and nitrates exported, although no significant relationship with precipitation was detected. The implementation of irrigation introduced annual trends in flow (3.2 L s^-1, +23%), salinity (–0.38 mS cm^-1, –9%), and nitrate concentration (5.4 mg L^-1, +8%) in the gully. In addition, the annual loads of contaminants exported increased (salts and nitrates, 27.3 Mg km^-2 year^-1, +19%, and 263 kg NO₃^–-N km^-2 year^-1, +27%, respectively). The trends presented a strong seasonal pattern, with higher and more significant trends for the irrigation season. The changes observed were different from those of larger irrigation districts or regional basins, due to the differences in land use and irrigation management. It is important to understand these changes in order to achieve an adequate management of the environment and water resources.

Editor Z.W. Kundzewicz

Citation Merchán, D., Causapé, J., and Abrahão, R., 2013. Impact of irrigation implementation on hydrology and water quality in a small agricultural basin in Spain. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 58 (7), 1400–1413.     

The relationship between dissolved organic carbon in stream water and soil organic carbon pools at different spatial scales

The relationship between stream water DOC concentrations and soil organic C pools was investigated at a range of spatial scales in subcatchments of the River Dee system in north‐east Scotland. Catchment percentage peat cover and soil C pools, calculated using local, national and international soils databases, were related to mean DOC concentrations in streams draining small‐ (<5 km²), medium‐ (12–38 km²) and large‐scale (56–150 km²) catchments. The results show that, whilst soil C pool is a good predictor of stream water DOC concentration at all three scales, the strongest relationships were found in the small‐scale catchments. In addition, in both the small‐ and large‐scale catchments, percentage peat cover was as a good predictor of stream water DOC concentration as catchment soil C pool. The data also showed that, for a given soil C pool, streams draining lowland (<700 m) catchments had higher DOC concentrations than those draining upland (>700 m) catchments, suggesting that disturbance and land use may have a small effect on DOC concentration. Our results therefore suggest that the relationship between stream water DOC concentration and catchment soil C pools exists at a range of spatial scales and this relationship appears to be sufficiently robust to be used to predict the effects of changes in catchment soil C storage on stream water DOC concentration. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Assessment of surface water resources and evapotranspiration in the Haihe River basin of China using SWAT model

Quantitative assessment of surface water resources (SWRs) and evapotranspiration (ET) is essential and significant for reasonably planning and managing water resources in the Haihe River basin which is facing severe water shortage. In this study, a distributed hydrological model of the Haihe River basin was constructed using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool, well considering the reservoirs and agricultural management practices for reasonable simulation. The crop parameters were independently calibrated with the observed crop data at six experimental stations. Then, sensitivity ranks of hydrological parameters were analysed, which suggested the important parameters used for calibration. The model was successfully calibrated using the monthly observed data of discharge in around 1970–1991 and actual ET (ET_a) in 2002–2004 for the mountainous area and Haihe plain, respectively. Meanwhile, good agreements between the simulated and statistical crop yields in 1985–2005 further verified the model's appropriateness. Finally, the calibrated model was used to assess SWRs and ET_a in time and space during 1961–2005. Results showed that the average annual natural SWRs and the ET_a were about 17.5 billion cubic metre and 542 mm, respectively, both with a slight downward trend. The spatial distributions of both SWRs and ET_a were significantly impacted by variations of precipitation and land use. Moreover, the reservoir in operation was the main factor for the noticeable decline of actual SWRs. In the Haihe plain, the ET_a with irrigation was increased by 46% compared with that under rainfed conditions. In addition, this study identified the regions with potential to improve the irrigation effects on water use. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

松原灌区建设对查干湖生态风险分析及对策

松原灌区将对国家自然保护区查干湖周围的盐碱地实施大面积围垦,若大量高浓度碱性尾水直排入湖,将导致查干湖生态系统严重污染.对这一风险合理评估并防范,关系到湖区生态安全与灌区的可行.本文在对湖区生态环境及灌区尾水排放模式与含盐特性系统分析基础上,提出利用退化沼泽湿地(盐沼)构建湿地处理系统(生态缓冲区),而非直接入湖的构想.当灌区运行一定时期,尾水水质得到改善,再入湖发挥补水效应.同时在设计上采取盐碱地分批滚动开发,以控制年排盐总量,降低排盐强度;以及充分利用碱湖泡随机承泄,减轻对查干湖的压力,既可防止湖水污染,又可保证灌区建设可行.     

Identifying surface water evaporation loss of inland river basin based on evaporation enrichment model

Accurately quantifying the evaporation loss of surface water is essential for regional water resources management, especially in arid and semi-arid areas where water resources are already scarce. The long-term monitoring of stable isotopes (δ¹⁸O and δ²H) in water can provide a sensitive indicator of water loss by evaporation. In this study, we obtained surface water samples of Shiyang River Basin from April to October between 2017 and 2019. The spatial and temporal characteristics of stable isotopes in surface water show the trend of enrichment in summer, depletion in spring, enrichment in deserts and depletion in mountains. The Local Evaporation Line (LEL) obtained by the regression of δ²H and δ¹⁸O in surface water has been defined by the lines: δ²H = 7.61δ¹⁸O + 14.58 for mountainous area, δ²H = 4.19δ¹⁸O − 17.85 for oasis area, δ²H = 4.08δ¹⁸O − 18.92 for desert area. The slope of LEL shows a gradual decrease from mountain to desert, indicating that the evaporation of surface water is gradually increasing. The evaporation loss of stable isotopes in surface water is 24.82% for mountainous area, 32.19% for oasis area, and 70.98% for desert area, respectively. Temperature and air humidity are the main meteorological factors affecting the evaporation loss, and the construction of reservoirs and farmland irrigation are the main man-made factors affecting the evaporation loss.     

Stable oxygen and hydrogen isotopes as indicators of lake water recharge and evaporation in the lakes of the Yinchuan Plain

The Yinchuan Plain has more than 2000 years of history of irrigation by diverting water from the Yellow River. Currently, the amount of water diverted from the Yellow River is about 21.7 times the water formed on the plain as a result of precipitation and inflow of groundwater. Under the intensive influence of irrigation, the plain changed from a desert into a rich and populous area, earning its name as ‘South China Beyond the Great Wall’, with lakes scattered across the Yinchuan Plain just as stars in the sky. In this research, 17 representative lakes were sampled to analyze and study ²H and ¹⁸O content; the results showed that lakes on the plain have undergone obvious non‐equilibrium evaporation. Recharges of the lakes can be divided into three types: recharge from the Yellow River, from groundwater and from both of these. The Craig–Gordon non‐equilibrium evaporation model for isotope fractionation was used to estimate the evaporation proportion of each lake. The results showed that evaporation from lakes on Yinchuan Plain is generally extensive under the dry climatic conditions. Most lakes have an evaporation proportion of over 25%, with the largest originating from Shahu lake and Gaomiaohu lake in the northern part of the plain, at 42.5% and 42.8%, respectively. The evaporation proportions calculated on the basis of ¹⁸O and ²H are very close to each other. This shows that the method used in this paper is feasible for estimating the evaporation proportions of lakes in areas with a heavy anthropogenic influence. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

新疆平原沙漠区湖泊干缩现象的初步评价

对新疆平原沙漠区湖泊干缩现象作了初步评价,指出这一现象是干旱、半干旱地区农业灌溉和国民经济发展到一定规模时所必然产生的现象,因而可以视为正常。同时指出,平原区湖泊之存亡既取决于自然条件,更取决于社会经济发展的需要。现存湖泊资源的开发与保护,既要立足于生态环境价值论,也要立足于经济价值论。