Transboundary nature management problems within the Irtysh basin

Analysis of the indicators of economic exploitation of the territory of the Irtysh river basin identified five types of nature management systems. An assessment is made of anthropogenic load on water bodies and catchment. A detailed account is given of the transboundary issues relating to an equitable division of water and to the river water quality. A schematic map of ecologo-economic regionalization of the catchment has been compiled to be used as a tool for settling disputes.     

淮河(安徽段)南岸诸河流水质标识指数评价

2010年夏季,对淮河(安徽段)南岸诸河流水质进行调查,共设置采样点160个,选取总氮、总磷、氨氮和化学需氧量4项水质指标,利用综合水质标识指数评价法(WQI)对淮河(安徽段)南岸诸河流水质进行评价。结果表明,淮河(安徽段)南岸诸河流水质达标率77%,超标的评价因子为氮营养盐和化学需氧量。污染物主要来自农业面源和生产、生活废水;水流流速、沉积物性质和周围环境对水质产生一定影响。     

Assessing the geoecological state of ecosystems in the Balkhash region

We examine the current ecological problems of the Balkhash region. An assessment is made of the ecological status of the territory and water resources among which Lake Balkhash and the Ili, Karatal and Lepsy were assessed as the most severely polluted rivers. Lake Balkhash is represented not only as a fishery water body but also as the unique center of the region’s ecological integrity. A rationale is provided for the need to carry out a geoecological monitoring as well as comprehensive measures for maintaining stability of the Lake Balkhash level, preventing the water bodies from pollution, the protection of the lakes’ floodplains, the preservation of tugai forests and saxaul vegetation, and a monitoring of desertification processes. Based on studying and analyzing the spatiotemporal physical-geographical characteristics of the territory of the Balkhash region, we constructed a fragment of the geoecological regionalization map. A study into the spatialregular distribution revealed the region’s dominant plant communities. The main pollution sources have been identified: mining industries, housing and communal facilities, influences from settlements, and agrocenoses, specifically irrigated agriculture. As a result of our investigations, it was found that all landscapes of the region have been undergoing changes due to anthropogenic impacts to become anthropogenic modifications of natural landscapes. It was further found that irrational consumption and ill thought-out strategies for utilization of biological resources, coupled with an inadequate scientific regulation of anthropogenic impacts, continue to inflict damage to the region’s bioresources.     

Assessing the Influence of the Mining Operations on the State of Streams in the Northern Part of the Red River Basin (Viet Nam)

A study was made of the influence of extraction of lead and zinc ores in the northern part of Vietnam (the Red river basin, Chodon district of Bac Can Province, and the basins of the Dai, Ban Thi, Ta Dieng and Cau rivers). Background concentrations of macro- and microelements and biogenic elements are determined in the river waters and water extracts from bottom sediments of small streams of the study area. A significance exceedance of background concentrations was revealed in stretches of the headwaters of the Ban Thi and Dai rivers caused by a combination of natural and anthropogenic factors. It is established that the river waters near the pollution sources contain increased (compared with the geochemical background) concentrations of Zn, Pb, Fe, Ni, Co, As, Bi, Cd, Cs, Sb, Ag,NO₂^? and SO₄^2?. The waters are estimated as moderately and heavily polluted, and at the other points as minimally polluted. It is determined that the level of accumulation of matter in water extracts from bottom sediments with respect to the geochemical background in the vicinity of the ore dressing factories corresponds to weakly and heavily polluted bottom sediments, and further downstream, to thy minimum level of pollution. It is shown that the influence of extraction of lead and zinc ores on the state of small streams is observed in stretches as long as 11–12 km (with a maximum in stretches of up to 4.5 km). The mathematical model of Pb and Zn distribution in the river waters of the study area has been developed and tested.     

基于生态功能的河流等级划分及应用——以浙江省河流为例

河流等级划分是认识河流规律的一项基础性工作,对河流的治理和保护管理具有现实意义。现有的河流等级划分难以反映河流的时空特性,有的人为影响较大,有的不具备河流地貌特征,有的仅具备物理特征,有的仅方便行政管理。本研究基于河流连续体概念,综合了河流的物理、生物特征,引用北美新近提出的"基于生态功能的河流等级划分",阐明了对浙江省河流进行基于生态功能的等级划分意义。从流域尺度上构建了浙江省河流的等级层次结构,分析了浙江省河流各等级层次的物理特征和生态特征的共性和差异,明确了河流各等级层次的生态保护目标和相关对策。以钱塘江流域为例,对其进行了详细的等级划分,探讨了基于生态功能的河流等级划分在确定浙江省河流生态需水的作用及应用前景,并明确了在人类活动影响下,浙江省水行政管理机构在河流等级层次的相关管理范围和内容。     

河湖水系连通特征及其利弊

随着水资源以及水环境健康的恶化,河湖水系连通性作为河流健康以及提高水资源利用的一个重要指标在国家＂十二五＂战略规划中被着重提出。目前,中国对河湖水系连通特征及其对河流健康的影响缺乏足够的认识,本文主要对河湖水系连通的定义、分类、评判指标、影响因素及其对水环境健康的影响进行了一一阐述。分析表明：维持水系连通可以明显地改善...     

淮河流域经济增长与生态环境质量变化的关系——来自1998-2007年安徽淮河流域的经验

基于淮河流域安徽段8个地市1998—2007年经济与环境统计数据,构建了淮河流域环境库兹涅茨曲线模型,系统分析了淮河流域经济增长与生态环境质量变迁的关系。研究结果表明,在考查期内,淮河流域人均GDP基本呈逐年递增趋势,工业废水排放量、工业废气排放量、工业固体废物产生量等环境污染指数均较高;淮河流域经济增长与生态环境之间的关系曲线基本呈现上升趋势,不完全符合典型的库兹涅茨曲线特征,伴随着经济快速增长的同时,生态环境也在不断恶化。因此,为保证淮河流域经济环境的协调发展,各级政府要不断增加环保经费投入,大力发展循环经济,注重开发洁净煤技术,充分挖掘旅游资源的潜力,大力加强环保执法力度,努力推进新型工业化道路。     

The ecologo-geochemical state of water bodies in the Taz-Yenisei interfluve

Presented are the results from investigating the chemical composition and quality of surface waters and bottom sediments in the Taz-Yenisei interfluve. The mean values of hydrochemical and geochemical indicators were determined, which can be used as background values in assessing the actual and allowable anthropogenic impact on water bodies. The elevated contents of a number of metals and organic and biogenic substances in the water are largely associated with the climatic conditions favorable for accumulation in aqueous medium of plant remains and products of their decomposition.     

Water use in the transboundary basin of the Amur river

This paper summarizes the problems and consequences associated with water use in the Russian and Chinese parts of the Amur river basin. Taking into consideration the set of indicators involving the water withdrawal, the utilization of source water, the volumes of recirculated and repeated-consecutive water supply, the volumes of waste waters, the capacity of pollution control facilities, etc., an outline is given of the present status of water use in the national parts of the basin. The future amounts of water consumption are forecasted, and it is shown how it will increase in the Russian as well as the Chinese parts. An analysis of the spatiotemporal dynamics of water-use indicators revealed the differently directed tendencies in the water-use pattern in the Russian and Chinese parts of the Amur river basin, and the existence of quantitative disproportions caused by a different degree of development and a different intensity of economic growth. In the Russian part of the basin, the amounts of water used have stabilized in recent years after a decrease, whereas they are increasing steadily in the Chinese and Russian parts where the highest proportion of water is used to meet agricultural and production needs, respectively. It is shown that water use, the density of the water-economy structure and the discharges of pollutants in the Chinese part of the basin are larger by factors of several tens than those in the Russian part. The manufacture of water-intensive industrial products and the load of agriculture on water resources also differ by factors of several tens. The indicator of population size is used to characterize the degree of development of the basin’s territory. For the Russian part of the basin the study revealed a dependence of water consumption on the population size and on the volumes of water-intensive products in the production facilities with a low coefficient of recirculated water use. This dependence can also be extended to the Chinese part where circulated water supplies are being used only moderately.     

尼泊尔Andhi Khola河研究参照点的识别及确认（英文）

参照条件是开展河流生态学研究的基础,这些条件不受或很少受到人为干扰。为研究尼泊尔Andhi Khola河上一处河坝的生态影响,采用野外快速生物筛分(RFB)法预先划分出2个研究参照点或最少干扰参照点,于2013年1月和2月采集了生物学样品(大型脊椎动物)和物理-化学样品。对大型无脊椎动物区系使用多栖息地采样(MHS)法。通过一些指标对预选的研究点进行了确认,这些指标是:尼泊尔生物评价法(NEPBIOS)、生物监测评价法(BMWP)、兴都库什喜马拉雅生物评价法(HKHBIOS)、Hilsenhoff法(HILSENHOFF),以及国家卫生基金会水质指标法(NSFWQI)。NEPBIOS、HKHBIOS、HILSENHOFF、RFB以及NSFWQI指标预测2个参照点的河水水质都比较好,达到II级水准。只有BMWP/ASPT水质指标预测2个参照点的河水水质都很好,达到I级水准。如此,预选的这2个水质较好的点(II级)被确认为研究参照点。本研究表明,多度量法适用于即将修建水利工程的河流的监测与评价。     

Influence of water management activity on the state of streams within the Selenga River basin

A water management assessment for the Selenga basin is made. The territorial-sectoral utilization of water for separate areas of the basin is considered. The influence of discharged waste waters on the river runoff is demonstrated.     

新疆内陆河流水质模型及模拟治理规划

将污水排放口污染物质的实测值与河流中同种物质的量，通过各河段推求的参数Ｋ１建立起数学关系，利用这种数学模型来预测和模拟河流各河段的各种污染物质量，这是当前流域水质管理和污染治理规划最经济适用的办法。     

The Ecosystem Condition of Basin of the Trans Border River Argun-Zabaikalsky Krai,Russia

Cyclic climatic changes, as well as the press of anthropogenic impact, affect ecosystems of the river Argun basin. Specialization of basin management is industrial and agricultural. The main impact is connected with the development of mining companies (including the mining of ore and placer gold), energy facilities, and the formation of reservoirs in the basin of rivers: the Argun — the Hailar. As a result of natural and anthropogenic pressure, the limiting factor for ecosystem exploitation in this basin is water resources (water deficiency and its quality).     

闸坝的水文水环境效应及其量化方法探讨

如何正确处理流域开发与生态环境保护的关系,客观评价闸坝对生态环境的影响,是我国流域管理中亟待解决的科学问题之一。本文从河流的自然特性入手,剖析了闸坝修建和调控引起的水文水环境效应,探讨了闸坝对河流水量水质影响评价的理论基础、关键内容和技术手段等,提出了基于流域水循环过程认识和模拟的闸坝效应量化体系和分析方法;并以我国水利工程最密集、污染最严重的淮河流域为例,初步探索了流域闸坝的水文水环境效应。研究可为多闸坝调控流域水资源开发利用和水污染治理提供理论支持,为实现流域综合管理及社会经济可持续发展作出贡献。     

Geochemical indicators of technogenic pollution of bottom sediments of small rivers in an urbanized environment

We have explored the possibility of using the geochemical characteristics of migration and accumulation of alkali metals (lithium, rubidium, and caesium) as the indicators of anthropogenic status of heavy metals in bottom sediments of small rivers of a technogenically disturbed (urbanized) environment. A study was made of the behavior of the above elements in bottom sediments of the rivers of Petrozavodsk (Republic of Karelia). The chemical composition of the sediments used in the study was determined with X-ray fluorescence spectrometer ARL ADVANT’X and mass spectrometer XSeries-2 ICP-MS; the content of organic matter in bottom sediments (from the LOI index) was estimated by the weighing method upon heating the samples under investigation to the temperature of 1100°C. As a result of the investigations, it was found that among the heavy metals, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Mo, Sb, W and Pb are of predominantly technogenic origin in river sediments, which Cr and Cs are of predominantly natural origin due to a high background of these elements in Quaternary formations of the study area. We determined a close association of the trace elements of technogenic status as well as of Li, Rb and Cs with content levels of iron-manganese formations and organic matter in river sediments, which does indicate a commonalty of the processes promoting their input into the urban water stream. It is established that the commonalty of accumulation of a number of heavy metals in bottom sediments with lithophylic elements (Li, Rb and Cs), due to the high chemical activity of these latter, makes it possible to use the geochemical characteristics of the alkali metals as the indicator of technogenic status of the main pollutants of the urban environment.     

Water protection zoning of the Baikal natural territory: Conflicts of laws,landscape-hydrological approach

We examine the complicated situation with demarcation of the boundary of the Lake Baikal water protection zone. It was found that although the principles of ecological zoning, a unique legal instrument regulating the development of a territory with a special nature conservation status and the preservation of the Lake Baikal ecosystem, have been developed and implemented, it was not until 2015 that the boundaries of the water protection zone of Lake Baikal itself were defined. The boundaries of the water protection zone along the boundary of the central ecological zone of Lake Baikal as established by a Decree of the RF Government combined severe restrictions on water use of the two zones across the territory with the area more than 50 thou km2. It is concluded that there is a need to reconsider the decision and develop the project of the water protection zone of Lake Baikal substantiated from the landscape-hydrological perspective. It is demonstrated that the substantiation of the size of the water protection zone must rely on the hydrological runoff-forming and runoffregulating functions of landscapes that determine the formation and transformation of the local runoff between the watershed and the draining water body. The approach to implementing the water protection zoning project on the landscape-hydrological principles is developed to provide maximum protection of Lake Baikal against the input of pollutants with the subsurface and surface runoff from the neighboring coastal territories due to the natural processes of self-purification in landscapes and soil-ground layers. The main criterion is defined for the width of the water protection zone: all pollutants beyond the imposed limits of the zone are drained by the inflows from the lake and do not enter directly Lake Baikal; also, the protection of subsurface waters from the vertical penetration of pollutants is taken into account. For the settlements situation on the shores of Lake Baikal, it is proposed to delineate the boundary of the lake’s water protection zone having regard to the existing and future plans of development and engineering-technological infrastructuring of the territory.     

基于河流健康及国际法的跨境水分配关键指标及阈值

基于前期研究中获得的8个河流健康主要评价指标、3个主要跨境水分配指标的结果以及指标之间的相关性,确定了河流健康和跨境水分配的关键指标：多年平均水量、最大取用水量和最小维持水量。跟踪查询《国际淡水条约数据库》内1864-2002年应用3个关键指标的38个国际条约及其所涉及28条国际河流的主要水文信息,通过对条约中水分配指标的标准化计算和分析,得到各指标阈值及其区域性特征：① 最小维持水量指标得到普遍应用,其次是多年平均水量指标,而最大取用水量指标应用率明显低于前两个指标。② 应用多年平均水量指标,在界河上基本确定了平均分配方案,阈值为50%;“内河”属性支流的阈值为100%;跨境河流上产生了较多的差额分配方案和较多的上游国用水多于下游国的方案。③ 最小维持水量指标,其应用有从发达地区向发展中地区扩展、从保证用水向维持生态用水发展的特点;当该指标在跨境和界河的河流尺度上用于保证供水时,该指标阈值平均分别为41.7%和50%,且流域国家实力对其影响极为明显,而在跨境河流河段尺度上阈值平均为36.1%;用于维持河道生态水量时,阈值平均为14.7%,并有逐步增长的趋势。     

基于二元水循环的河流生态需水水量与水质综合评价方法——以辽河流域为例

通过考虑水的自然循环与水在人类活动影响下的循环 (二元水循环),后者包括水资源开发利用率、耗水率、污水排放浓度影响,探讨了二元水循环下河流生态需水“质”与“量”的综合评价,以区别以往仅从自然水循环 (一元) 出发评价河流生态需水的缺陷。建立了二元水循环下的河流生态需水的水量与水质计算方法,并确定了河流生态需水的“质”与“量”的评价标准,实现了河流生态需水水量与水质的综合评价。以辽河流域为例进行实证分析,计算了一元水循环下西辽河、东辽河、辽河干流、浑太河、东北沿黄渤海诸河等水资源分区的河流生态需水,分别占径流的39.3%、63.0%、43.9%、43.3%、43.5%,采用Tennant推荐流量及等级进行评价,结果是：除西辽河属于“中”等级外,东辽河、浑太河、辽河干流、东北沿黄诸河等均在“好”等级以上,东辽河达到“极好”等级。与之对应的二元水循环下的河流生态需水比例分别是57.5%、74.1%、60.8%、60.3%、60.4%,综合评价结果显示：从水量角度评价,西辽河不能达到生态需水“量”的标准,其余能够达标,从水质角度评价,西辽河、浑太河、辽河干流、东北沿黄诸河等均不能够达到“质”的标准,东辽河可以达标。从“量”与“质”相结合的角度评价,仅有东辽河可以达标。因此,水质状况是决定辽河流域河流生态需水是否满足生态系统需求的主要问题。     

The status of the aquatic ecosystem of the Selenga river delta under long-duration low-water conditions

We examine the ecological aspects concerning the status of the surface waters in the delta of the Selenga river for the low-water conditions which have been observed since 1996. The ongoing changes in the most important indicators of the status of the waters in the river delta are assessed on the basis of results of hydrological, hydrochemical and hydrobiological investigations made by these authors in 2013–2015 and with consideration for earlier research efforts. It is established that the low-water conditions resulted in a decrease of the role of the main delta branches, Kharauz and Levoberezhnaya, in streamflow. An increase in the contribution of groundwater in the alimentation of the river led to an increase in concentrations of main ions: for the current low-water period their total content has varied from 119 to 780 mg/L, with a maximum in small delta branches in the wintertime. Changes in concentrations of biogenic elements were recorded: total phosphorus from 10 to 190 μg P/L, mineral phosphorus from 0 to 35 μg P/L, and nitrate nitrogen from 0.01 to 0.81 μg N/L. A minimum of mineral phosphorus compounds and nitrogen was observed at the time of mass development of algae. It is established that the dynamics of organic matter content is determined by changes in hydraulicity, and by the intensity of phytoplankton development. Within the long-term context, a deterioration of water regime and vegetation infill and swamping of shallow delta branches were recorded. The development level of the phytoplankton and changes in its structure point to a progressive eutrophication of the Selenga waters. According to the value of the saprobic index, the quality of the Selenga waters corresponds largely to the category of “moderately polluted” waters (class II and III), and it decreases at low-water periods, especially in shallow delta branches with a high population of cryptophytic algae, to the category of “polluted” waters.     

Anthropogenic influences on estuarine sedimentation and ecology: examples from the varved sediments of the Pettaquamscutt River Estuary,Rhode Island

Estuaries and lakes are undergoing anthropogenic alterations as development and industry intensify in the modern world. Assessing the ecological health of such water bodies is difficult because accurate accounts of pre-anthropogenic estuarine/lacustrine conditions do not exist. Sediments preserved in water bodies provide archives of environmental changes that can be used to understand both natural and anthropogenic forcings. Here, a high-resolution, multi-proxy approach is used to reconstruct environmental conditions of the Pettaquamscutt River Estuary, Rhode Island, over the last millennium. Two specific time periods reveal anthropogenic alterations to sediment supply and water-column productivity. First, European land clearance at the end of the seventeenth century caused two decades of increased sediment transport through the watershed and increased primary productivity in the water column. Turbidity increases associated with increased water column biomass likely limited green sulfur bacteria that reside below the oxycline. The second anthropogenic effect began in the 1950s with increased residential development in the watershed. Evidence of resulting cultural eutrophication is apparent in both stable nitrogen isotope values as well as in productivity proxies. This effect is likely related to residential development in the watershed and the use of septic systems to treat human waste. These results demonstrate that true base-line conditions of the estuary have not occurred for over three centuries, and that anthropogenic effects can last on the order of decades. The Pettaquamscutt River record serves as a model for using high-resolution sediment records to better understand anthropogenic forcing to natural estuarine/lacustrine systems.