Sediment Balance in the Danube River Mouth

The sediment balance in the mouth of the Kiliya Branch was analyzed on the basis of new data on the Danube sediment runoff and its distribution among branches. Through the comparison of variations in the fan volume in the branch mouth with the sediment runoff of this branch it was found that the sediment runoff data were underestimated, because they did not take into account the tractional load. The introduction of an appropriate correction made it possible not only to assess the sediment balance components for the Kiliya Branch mouth, but also to specify average long-term values of sediment runoff of the Danube River proper.     

Transformation of the Ebro River Delta under the Impact of Intense Human-Induced Reduction of Sediment Runoff

The regularities of the Ebro River delta formation and the impact of hydraulic construction on the river sediment runoff are discussed. As shown, the drastic reduction of the sediment runoff after the construction of two large reservoirs in the lower river reaches in the 1960s slowed down the delta protrusion and intensified the delta coastline washout.     

Long-Term Variations of Water Runoff and Suspended Sediment Yield in the Parana and Uruguay Rivers

The hydroclimatic conditions of water runoff formation and the hydrography of Parana and Uruguay river basins in the South America are considered. A survey of the recent studies of the hydrological regime of these rivers is given. Observation data are used to evaluate the long-term average values of water runoff and suspended sediment yield in the Parana and Uruguay and their variations along the rivers. Characteristics of many-year runoff variations in the rivers were evaluated. A climate-induced increase was identified in the Parana and Uruguay water runoff, and the corresponding present-day trends in river runoff variations in both rivers were evaluated. The total water runoff and suspended sediment yield of the Parana and Uruguay into La Plata estuary were calculated. Water balance of the drainage basin of La Plata estuary was characterized.     

Probabilistic Estimates of Water Level in the Ural River Mouth Reach at Interaction between the River Runoff and Positive Setups

A probabilistic technique is developed for assessing water level in the mouth reach of the Ural River in the course of interaction between the river runoff and irregular rises in the Caspian Sea level (positive setups) at the predicted background sea levels of –26.5 and –26.0 m abs.     

Nonlinear Models of River Runoff Variations

Simple dynamic models of long-term variations in river runoff are suggested. The models are based on a small number of parameters. Stochastic differential equations associated with these models are investigated. The theoretical density of probability distribution of river runoff values--stationary solutions of the Fokker–Planck–Kolmogorov equation--coincide with the distribution densities widely used in stochastic hydrology.     

Long-Term Water Level Variations in the Kiliya Branch of the Danube Delta

Water level variations in the Kiliya Branch of the Danube Delta over the period of 40 years (1958–1997) were analyzed. These level variations were subdivided into three components related to long-term variations of the share of the branch runoff and its redistribution within a year resulting from the Danube flow regulation; subsidence of deltaic deposits; and backup caused by the rising Black Sea level. It was revealed that, during the low-flow period, this backup had propagated to the river mouth at a distance of 160 km.     

Long-Term Water Level Variations in the Eastern Sea of Azov and in the Mouth Reach of the Don River

Studies of long-term water level variations at marine hydrometeorological stations in the eastern Sea of Azov established a rise in the sea level which accelerated in the past 40 years. Allowance for the tectonic component permitted assessing the average rate of eustatic rise in the level. Oppositely directed long-term level variations were established in the mouth area of the Don River. Water level was found to rise at the downstream gages because of the backwater effect caused by the Sea of Azov level rise and delta deposits subsidence and to drop at the upstream gages mainly because of bed erosion owing to a reduction in sediment runoff after the construction of the Tsimlyanskoe Reservoir.     

Analysis of Many-Year Variations in River Runoff into the Arctic Ocean

Statistical analysis of long-term hydrological observations has shown that the interannual variations in the total river runoff into the Arctic Ocean can be considered as a stationary process. Similar are the variations in the annual runoff of the Ob, Lena, and rivers of the northwestern Asia. However, some components of the total runoff into the Arctic Ocean feature distinct and fairly complicated disturbances in the homogeneity of runoff variations. For example, variations in the annual runoff of the Yenisei River have a distinct nonmonotonic trend: the runoff systematically decreased till the late 1950s and increased since the late 1960s. The rivers of the European part of the Arctic Ocean drainage basin featured a decrease in the amplitude of variations in runoff during the past decades. Rivers of the northwestern America and northeastern Asia featured a regular increase in the amplitude of runoff variations and their autocorrelation since the late 1960s.     

Early Hydrological Investigations in the Danube Mouth Area and Their Further Development

Water Resources - The article focuses on the history of researching the hydrometeorological regime in the Danube mouth area. In the middle of the XIX century, the start of the investigations was...     

Variations in Methane Concentrations in the Water of the Don River and Taganrog Bay under the Effect of Natural Factors

Seasonal and diurnal variations in CH₄ concentration in the water of the Don River and Taganrog Bay are examined, and two maximums are recognized in the seasonal variations. The diurnal variations are shown to be affected by the meteorological conditions.     

Analysis of the Variation Characteristics of Runoff and Sediment in the Yellow River Within 70 Years

Water Resources - The characteristics of the runoff and sediment in the Yellow River were analysed and predicted Based on measured data of from 1951 to 2017. Initially, the phase characteristics of...     

Current Distribution of Water and Sediment Runoff at the Parana Delta and Features of Its Water Balance

Water Resources - The current values of the components of the water balance of the Parana delta, one of the largest deltas of South America, as well as the results of calculations of the actual...     

Wind-induced Variations in Water Level in River Mouths

The principal factors that control the character of deformation variations in water level in mouth areas of rivers are considered. The role of wind regime and the sea level variations in the formation of positive and negative setups is assessed. River mouth zones are classified in terms of the predominance of positive or negative variations in water level. Specific features of the positive or negative setup regimes in the mouth zones of the Neva, Don, and Volga rivers are discussed.     

Assessing Amur Water Regime Variations in the XXI Century with Two Methods Used to Specify Climate Projections in River Runoff Formation Model

A regional numerical physico-mathematical model of river runoff formation is used to study the possibility to assess long-term variations of water regime characteristics in the Amur R. in the XXI century. Two methods were used to specify climate projections as boundary conditions in the hydrological model: (1) based on the results of calculations with an ensemble of global climate models of CMI5 project, (2) based on data obtained by linear transformation of series of actual meteorological observations with the use of normal annual climate parameters calculated by climate models. The results of numerical experiments were used to analyze the sensitivity of the anomaly of Amur normal annual runoff to changes in the climate normals of air temperature and precipitation. The anomalies of normal annual runoff were shown to respond similarly (within the accuracy of sensitivity coefficient estimates) to changes in the appropriate climate normals, whatever the way of specifying climate projections.     

Incorporating Natural Changes in Global Climate in Very-Long-Range Forecasting of River Runoff

A method is proposed for incorporating possible global changes in the state of the atmosphere, basing on K. Hasselmann’s theory of stochastic climate models, for assessing the significance of forecasts of variations of annual river runoff depth in the XXI century. The data used includes the results of river runoff simulation at warming, obtained using 21 IPCC climate models along with six IPCC scenarios of greenhouse gas emission, and MEI scenario. The significance index of forecasted runoff variations, i.e., the values of runoff depth increments divided by the standard error of forecasts was mapped. To demonstrate the role of the maps of significance index, which have been constructed taking into account forecast uncertainty because of the natural changes in global climate, those maps were compared with the maps of significance index calculated basing on other sources of errors. At large time scales, the uncertainty of runoff forecasts owing to natural changes in global climate plays the main role in assessing the reliability of forecasts in areas where greenhouse effect is strongest. Estimates of the significance index show that statistically significant changes in the annual runoff depth in the extreme northeast of Eurasia can be expected to occur not earlier than the late XXI century. In other RF regions, as well as in the majority of world areas, the forecasted changes in the annual runoff depth are comparable with the standard errors of the respective estimates or are less than they are.     

Occurrence of Clostridia in the Sediment of an Extremely Polluted Danube Reach

The species composition of clostridial communities of the sediment in a polluted area of the Danube (South of Budapest, Háros‐Bay, Hungary) was investigated. The spore counts exceeded 700...800 CFU per gram (wet weight). 23 clostridial strains were identified by using API 20A anaerobe identification kits, another 20 physiological, biochemical, and ecological tests were also carried out. Results of numerical analysis showed that the clostridial community in the sediment of the Danube is composed of at least 4 different species. Members of C. perfringens, indicating to fecal contamination, C. subterminale and related bacteria were dominant in the examined area. All strains showed wide pH (5...9) and temperature (3...45°C) tolerance. They were able to grow on media containing significant amounts of lead (Pb²⁺), mercury (Hg²⁺), copper (Cu²⁺), and zinc (Zn²⁺). Strains of C. perfringens showed a wide range of degradative capacities (acid production from many different carbohydrates, gelatinase, lecithinase, lipase production, etc.).     

The Impact of Deltas on the Mean Long-Term Water River Runoff

Specific features of the water balance of river deltas located in different geographic zones are discussed. Variations in the mean long-term water runoff in river deltas are estimated. As revealed, the river water runoff increases in the deltas located in subarctic, subequatorial, and equatorial regions, where precipitation exceeds evaporation, while the river water runoff decreases in deltas located in the temperate zone, subtropics, and tropics, where evaporation exceeds precipitation. It is noted that increase in water runoff is typical of the river deltas of the world as a whole.     

Deltas as Indicators of Natural and Human-Induced Changes in the Regimes of Rivers and Seas

The way in which the joint action of fluvial and marine factors control delta formation is illustrated by examples of the mouths of rivers discharging into the Black and Mediterranean seas. The processes of active delta out-building under the effect of cold, wet climatic conditions and human-induced erosion in river basins and the processes of sea-wave erosion of deltas under the effect of a significant decrease in the sediment discharge of rivers that was caused by impact of human activities in the second half of the 20th century are discussed.     

防止河道泥沙淤积的最小生态环境需水量

水土流失问题是生态系统面临的重要问题. 对于多沙河道来说,必须维持一定的生态环境需水量用于输沙,以保证河道生态平衡. 本文以多沙河流为研究对象,以输沙动力学理论为基础,分析了河流输沙能力和水流挟沙能力,在此基础上提出了河道在不冲不淤的临界状态下河流最小流量的计算方法,此为防止河道泥沙淤积的最小生态环境需水量. 通过实际算例,本文还说明了所提出的计算方法的应用,以期为多沙河道水资源合理配置及生态平衡维护提供科学依据.