Habitat suitability of the invasive water hyacinth and its relation to water quality and macroinvertebrate diversity in a tropical reservoir

In this study, we assessed the relationship between the occurrence of the invasive water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) and water quality properties as well as macroinvertebrate diversity in a tropical reservoir, situated in western Ecuador. Macroinvertebrates and physico-chemical water quality variables were sampled at 32 locations (during the dry season of 2013) in both sites covered and non-covered by water hyacinth in the Daule-Peripa reservoir. The results indicated that, in terms of water quality, only turbidity was significantly different between sampling sites with and without water hyacinth (Mann–Whitney U-test, p < 0.01). The habitat suitability model showed that water hyacinth was present at sites with a low turbidity. The percentage water hyacinth cover increased with decreasing turbidity. The Biological Monitoring Working Party-Colombia score and the Margalef diversity index were significantly higher (Mann–Whitney U-test, p < 0.01) at sampling sites where water hyacinth was present compared to water hyacinth absent sites. However, there were no significant differences in the Shannon–Wiener index, Evenness index and Simpson index between the sampling sites with and without water hyacinth. Our results suggest that water hyacinth cover was an important variable affecting the diversity of macroinvertebrates in the Daule-Peripa reservoir, with intermediate levels of water hyacinth cover having a positive effect on the diversity of macroinvertebrates. Information on the habitat suitability of water hyacinth and its effect on the physico-chemical water quality and the macroinvertebrate community are essential to develop conservation and management programs for large tropical reservoirs such as the Daule-Peripa reservoir and the Guayas river basin, where water resources are being at high risk due to expansion of agricultural and industrial development activities.     

龙滩库区库水加卸载过程深部电阻率变化与水库地震

广西龙滩库区于2009年度至2010年2个年度库水加卸载及渗透过程中,在交比屯、坪上、中良坪和向阳4个地点进行了5期次大地电磁定点测量,观测频段为320 Hz~1000 s.结合区域深部电性结构探测研究成果分析.结果显示,4个测点位于不同的岩性和深部电性结构区域,4个测点上观测的5期次视电阻率值发生变化的频段不同,位于库区中游的坪上、中良坪和向阳3个测点上5期次测量的视电阻率数值在频率1 Hz以下频段在高水位时段测量值小、在低水位时段测量值大,位于库首区域的交比屯测点在最高水位时段视电阻率数值最小,说明库水在加卸载及渗透过程中对地下介质有明显影响,库区上游库水渗透影响深度可达7 km左右,在坝首区域可达10 km.龙滩水库区4个地震丛集区中的3个地震丛集区的震源区位于具有低阻特性的二迭系下统和石炭系地层的下部,以岩溶水体诱发地震为主;位于坝首地震丛集区的震源区位于上宽下窄似"铆钉状"的高阻体下部,推测是因水库蓄水后水体压力增大和库水渗透作用下,在聚集高变形能的脆性高电阻体内部发生的地震.电磁探测结果说明库水渗透对龙滩水库区地震孕育和发生起着重要、直接的作用.     

水位波动的幅度与频率对刺苦草(Vallisneria spinulosa)生物量和形态特征的影响

沉水植物是维持浅水湖泊清水稳态以及湖泊生态系统结构与功能的关键生物类群.近年来,气候变化和人类活动的双重作用造成湖泊水文情势的明显改变,对沉水植物的生长、繁殖和演替有着较大的影响.本文选取2个水位波动幅度与2个波动频率(逐渐改变水位),以恒定水位作为对照,研究湿地中具有重要生态功能的沉水植物刺苦草(Vallisneria spinulosa)的生物量及地上和地下营养器官形态结构对水位波动的响应.结果表明,相对于恒定水位,波动水位(低幅度低频率、低幅度高频率、高幅度低频率、高幅度高频率)对刺苦草的总生物量和获取限制资源相关器官有显著影响.相比于对照组,水位波动能够显著降低刺苦草分株数、叶片数、根数、根长、匍匐茎数、总匍匐茎长以及叶、根、地上和地下生物量,但会显著增加其株高和比叶面积.不同波动频率(低频率和高频率)和幅度(低幅度和高幅度)对光合器官的形态特征都没有显著影响,但叶和地上部分的生物量积累均受到波动幅度的显著影响.水位波动幅度显著改变了刺苦草的根数和根长,而波动频率的影响不显著.因此,对浅水湖泊受损刺苦草群落进行重建时,应避免较大幅度的水位波动,从而有利于增强植株快速恢复的能力.     

Minor effect of beaver dams on stream dissolved organic carbon in the catchment of a German drinking water reservoir

Rising concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) are negatively affecting the water quality in several drinking water reservoirs. The presence of beaver dams can influence surface water quality on a catchment scale. In recent years, beavers have been re-introduced in numerous locations in Central Europe. We investigated whether the presence of beaver dams in the catchment of a German drinking water reservoir impacts DOC quantity and quality in the streams entering the Wehebach reservoir in Germany.By comparing water quality upstream and downstream of beaver dams during three low discharge situations we did not find a significant effect of dams both on DOC quantity and quality. The analysis of long term monitoring data at the gauges showed that beaver dams had a negligible effect on the DOC load to the reservoir. DOC quantity was closely linked to iron concentration in the streams. Co-precipitation with iron minerals was an effective process removing DOC from the stream-water. By analyzing fluorescence excitation emission indices we show that beaver dams did not have a clear effect on DOC quality. We conclude that the presence of beaver dams has only small effects on water quality and is not a problem for water quality in the downstream drinking water reservoir.     

辽宁省大伙房水库及入库河流水质空间特征与河库水质关系

入库河流与水库存在空间上的连续性,河流污染物输入是水库水质恶化的主要原因,对大伙房水库及其入库支流61个采样点的水质状况进行调查,并运用聚类分析和主成分分析对大伙房水库及入库支流的水质空间特性和主要污染物进行分析.聚类分析显示,按照水质相似性将大伙房水库及入库支流水质可分为上游区、下游区和库区3个典型空间区域.分别对3个区域进行主成分分析,结果显示:入库支流上游区和下游区水质主要影响因素为氨氮、总氮和化学需氧量,库区影响水质的主要因素为温度、p H值、浊度、溶解氧、电导率、氨氮和总氮.对上游、下游和库区水质均有显著影响的因子为氨氮和总氮,上游区、下游区和库区氨氮浓度均值分别为0.06、0.10和0.19 mg/L,总氮浓度均值分别为0.13、0.16和0.26 mg/L.入库河流下游区对水库水质影响较大,受社河和浑河污染物输入的影响,大伙房水库水质在空间上呈现社河入库区水质优于浑河入库区水质.并且库区氨氮和总氮浓度均与距岸边距离呈负相关,溶解氧和p H值均与距入库口距离呈负相关,表明入库河流污染物输入和环库区面源污染均对大伙房水库水质产生一定影响.     

换水率和营养水平对太湖流域横山水库硅藻水华的影响

为探讨水文过程对水库硅藻异常增殖的影响,对江苏宜兴横山水库的硅藻生消过程中浮游植物、水质、降水、水位、气温等指标进行观测研究.结果表明,横山水库硅藻年际生物量波动很大,9月出现明显的异常增殖,总生物量达到14.27 mg/L,硅藻的优势属为针杆藻(Synedra)、小环藻(Cyclotella)、曲壳藻(Achnanthes)和直链藻(Melosira),以针杆藻的优势度最高;浮游植物生物量与营养盐浓度关系不明显,与总氮浓度甚至呈负相关,但小环藻生物量与水体溶解性磷浓度呈正相关;水库的换水率与浮游植物生物量、硅藻的异常增殖过程和营养盐浓度水平均密切关联,总氮、溶解性磷浓度与水库换水率呈正相关,而硅藻生物量与水库换水率呈指数负相关.数值拟合分析显示硅藻生物量可以用换水率和磷浓度推算而得.研究表明,对于中营养水平的水库,硅藻生物量变化可能受水文过程与水质条件共同控制,在水库的硅藻水华防控中,既要加强营养盐水平的严格控制,也需考虑水文过程的调控手段.     

Micropollutants in four Brazilian water reservoirs

The concern about emerging contaminants such as pharmaceuticals is growing, mainly due to the increased global consumption of synthetic chemicals and the potential risk to environmental and human health. Although developing countries may be hotspots of pharmaceutical pollution, the knowledge about the occurrence of pharmaceuticals is still limited and patchy. Brazil holds one of the largest freshwater volumes globally, yet, little is known about the occurrence of pharmaceuticals in reservoirs although they make up key water sources. The aim of this study was, therefore, to investigate micropollutant occurrence, mainly pharmaceuticals, in four freshwater reservoirs distributed in Brazil. Water samples were collected in the Curuá-Una (CUN, Amazon region), Chapéu D’Uvas (CDU, Atlantic Forest region), Funil (FUN, Atlantic Forest region), and Simplício (SIM, Atlantic Forest region) reservoirs. The occurrence of 28 different micropollutants, including 26 pharmaceuticals, was investigated with target analysis on a UHPLC-Orbitrap-MS/MS, and a non-target screening approach was performed on all water samples to identify the presence of additional contaminants. The highest micropollutant concentrations were observed in FUN and SIM, which are the reservoirs with the largest population size in the catchment. Only caffeine was detected in CDU and CUN, which are reservoirs less influenced by urbanization. Metformin was the pharmaceutical with the highest concentrations, reaching 2 191 ng L⁻¹ in FUN. The non-target screening identified 125 chemicals, of which most were pharmaceuticals. The numbers of compounds identified and which were above the LOQ were higher in FUN and SIM, in agreement with results from the target analysis. Metformin is the compound with the highest risk to affect FUN reservoir negatively, based on calculated risk quotients. Considering that the reservoirs are used for multiple purposes, including water supply, irrigation, and aquaculture, it is important to continue investigating micropollutant occurrence to guarantee environmental and human health.     

Effects of rainfall on thermal stratification and dissolved oxygen in a deep drinking water reservoir

Thermal stratification is crucial for water quality and ecological processes in deep lakes and reservoirs and can be substantially affected by meteorological and hydrological processes in the catchment. However, how thermal stratification responds to rainfalls of different intensities and changing hydrological processes has not been documented very well. Here, high frequency water column profiles at three stations in a large subtropical deep reservoir (Lake Qiandaohu, China) in 2017 were used to elucidate the impacts of rainfall on lake physical process and chemical environment. The impact of rainfalls on the thermal stratification and dissolved oxygen in riverine zone was more impressive than that in transitional and lacustrine zones. The effect on thermal stratification by rainfall was largely affected by the magnitude of rainfall. Moderate and heavy rainfall events could reduce the thermal stability of water column, deepen the mixing layer depth, and shape the thermocline, resulting from decrease of surface water temperature and increased inflows. While rainstorms could totally break up thermoclines in the riverine zone by high volume inflow flushing. In addition, we found that the hypoxia and anoxia initial depths increased during rainfall events in this reservoir, which were well related to the changes of mixing layer depths. This research highlights that quantifying the effects of rainfalls on thermal stratification and dissolved oxygen will be beneficial for optimizing reservoir management.     

一座新建水库——广东剑潭水库浮游植物动态特征

剑潭水库是珠江水系东江下游新建水库,2006年10月开始蓄水,2007年6月蓄水完毕.该水库属直流型水库,2008年水力滞留时间为0.46-3.62d.2006-2008年调查了该水库浮游植物的动态特征.结果表明,调查期间浮游植物丰度为182-6267cells/ml,从空间变化看,在调查期间,浮游植物丰度由上游向下游呈上升趋势.从年间变化看,蓄水后第一年坝区浮游植物丰度不仅明显高于蓄水前和蓄水期间,并且浮游植物最高丰度出现在蓄水后第一年的枯水期(12月).与此同时,在蓄水过程中,浮游植物群落结构也逐渐发生了变化,蓝藻相对丰度明显上升,绿藻相对丰度呈下降趋势.水力滞留时间、透明度和总磷是影响剑潭水库浮游植物时空变化的重要因素.高的平流损失率和低的透明度使得浮游植物现存量与水库氮、磷水平并不相符.相对较长的水力滞留时间、较高的透明度和总磷导致了浮游植物在蓄水后第一年(2008年)的枯水期出现一个峰值.     

Wavelet-based characterization of water level behaviors in the Pearl River estuary, China

In this paper, we analyzed the high/low water levels of eight stations along the Pearl River estuary and the high/low tidal levels of Sanzao station, and streamflow series of Sanshui and Makou stations using wavelet transform technique and correlation analysis method. The behaviors of high/low water levels of the Pearl River estuary, possible impacts of hydrological processes of the upper Pearl River Delta and astronomical tidal fluctuations were investigated. The results indicate that: (1) the streamflow variability of Sanshui and Makou stations is characterized by 1-year period; 1-, 0.5- and 0.25-year periods can be detected in the high tidal level series of Sanzao station, which reflect the fluctuations of astronomical tidal levels. The low tidal level series of Sanzao station has two periodicity elements, i.e. 0.5- and 0.25-year periods; (2) different periodicity properties have been revealed: the periods of high water levels of the Pearl River estuary are characterized by 1-, 0.5- and 0.25-year periods; and 1-year period is the major period in the low water levels of the Pearl River estuary; (3) periodicity properties indicate that behaviors of low water levels are mainly influenced by hydrological processes of the upper Pearl River Delta. High water levels of the Pearl River estuary seem to be affected by both hydrological processes and fluctuations of astronomical tidal levels represented by tidal level changes of Sanzao station. Correlation analysis results further corroborate this conclusion; (4) slight differences can be observed in wavelet transform patterns and properties of relationships between high/low water levels and streamflow changes. This can be formulated by altered hydrodynamic and morphodynamic processes due to intensifying human activities such as construction of engineering infrastructures and land reclamation.     

我国城市水源水库水质风险成因及对策

我国城市水源中约40%为湖泊或水库,且大部分为水库,因此水源水库的水质状况对我国城市安全极其关键。本文综述了我国水源水库水质问题研究进展,分析了22个代表性水源水库的周年水质状况。结果发现,当前我国城市水源水库水质风险类型主要是异味问题、藻类水华、铁锰超标、有机质偏高、营养盐超标等。引发水源水库水质问题的主要原因包括流域开发强度过大、库底淤积及内源释放、生态系统结构失衡、气候与水文异常变化等。针对上述主要问题,提出了构建在线水质监测预警体系、控制流域土地开发强度、构建面源拦截及流域净化系统、疏浚底泥、优化生态系统结构、实施应急曝气与控藻工程、完善流域生态保护法律法规等多种水源水库水质安全保障技术措施。鉴于水源水库水质及水生态对暴雨、高温热浪等极端气象响应敏感而复杂,在当前极端天气事件频发、强度不断增加的气候背景下,还应加强水库生态学基础研究,以深入理解水源水库水质对气候变化的响应机制,提高水库水安全保障科技支撑能力,满足我国城市高质量发展的水资源需求。     

2002-2017年千岛湖浮游植物群落结构变化及其影响因素

为认识大型水库中浮游植物群落结构的演替特征及其驱动机制,以钱塘江流域新安江水库（下称"千岛湖"）为例,基于2002-2017年16年的水库浮游植物数据,结合同期千岛湖水质与水文气象资料,分析了千岛湖浮游植物结构及优势属的长期变化特征,探讨了影响浮游植物群落结构变化的主要因素.结果表明：2002-2017年千岛湖共鉴定出浮游植物7门93属,主要由硅藻门、绿藻门、蓝藻门及隐藻门种类组成.16年间,浮游植物年均丰度和群落结构经历了4个阶段：2008年前丰度持续低值且蓝藻不是主要类群,2009-2012年丰度较高且蓝藻成为主要类群,及2013-2015丰度降低且蓝藻占比降低,2016-2017年丰度增加且蓝藻再次成为主要类群.浮游植物门类变化的同时伴随着优势属的变化：浮游植物年优势属从2002-2008年的小环藻属（Cyclotella）、隐藻属（Cryptomonas）和蓝隐藻属（Chroomonas）转变为2009-2012年的颤藻属（Oscillatoria）、小球藻属（Chlorella）、小环藻属和蓝隐藻属,2013-2017年又转变为鱼腥藻属（Anabaena）、束丝藻属（Aphanizomenon）、小环藻属、针杆藻属（Synedra）、直链藻属（Melosira）、栅藻属（Scenedesmus）和蓝隐藻属.冗余分析表明,气温、风速、水位、入库流量等气象水文因子和总氮浓度、电导率、氮磷比、透明度等水质因子与浮游植物群落结构变化关系密切.研究结果表明,在千岛湖这种大型贫-中营养水库,浮游植物群落结构不仅受来水营养盐负荷的影响,还在很大程度上受水文、气象条件的影响,给水库藻类水华等生态风险的预测以及水库水质管理带来了挑战.     

Climate–water quality relationships in Texas reservoirs

Water temperature, dissolved oxygen, and concentrations of salts in surface water bodies can be affected by the natural environment and local human activities such as surface and ground water withdrawals, land use and energy extraction, and variability and long‐term trends in atmospheric conditions including temperature and precipitation. Here, we quantify the relationship between 121 indicators of mean and extreme temperature and precipitation and 24 water quality parameters in 57 Texas reservoirs using observational data records covering the period 1960 to 2010. Over time scales ranging from 1 week to 2 years, we find that water temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, specific conductance, chloride, sulfate, and phosphorus all show consistent correlations with atmospheric predictors, including high and low temperature extremes, dry days, heavy precipitation events, and mean temperature and precipitation. Based on these relationships combined with regional climate projections, we expect climate change to increase water temperatures, decrease dissolved oxygen levels, decrease pH, increase specific conductance, and increase levels of sulfate and chloride in Texas reservoirs. Over decadal time scales, this may affect aquatic ecosystems in the reservoirs, including altering the risk of conditions conducive to algae occurrence, as well as affecting the quality of water available for human consumption and recreation. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

中国水库生态学研究的回顾与展望

水库是通过人工筑坝形成的水体,其早期功能主要是防洪、发电、灌溉和航运等,但随着全球水资源供需矛盾的加剧,水库供水成为缓解供水压力的最主要途径.水坝是人类影响地球表面水体最重要的工程建筑,筑坝修建水库利用水资源对全球水环境系统产生了巨大的影响.中国是水资源短缺的国家,水库供水在国民经济发展中发挥着重要作用,大量水库的建成也对我国水环境系统产生了多方面的影响.刘建康先生在1955年发表了我国水库生态学研究的第一篇论文,揭开了我国水库生态学研究的序幕.我国水库生态学大致分为三个阶段,1955-1975年的起步阶段、1976-2000年以水库渔业生产为目标的研究阶段和2001年至今以水库水质管理为目标的研究阶段.当前,水质、水质模拟、富营养化、环境容量和生态调度等已成水库生态学研究中的关键词.我国水库研究主要集中在珠江流域和长江流域,以大型供水水库为对象.在水利学科领域,有大量有关水库水文、水动力学和调度的研究论文,这些工作还未能被以生物和化学为研究基础的生态或环境科学的学者所重视.多数以水库为对象的生态学研究还没有很好地体现水库作为人工湖泊的特殊性.近10年来,中国水库生态学经历了从任务导向到学科导向的生态学研究过渡,有不断增加学科交流的趋势.有理由相信,作为水库大国,中国水库生态学和湖沼学今后将会有一很大的发展,并对我国淡水生态学和湖沼学作出重要的贡献.     

热分层对水库水质的季节性影响——以西安黑河水库为例

深水水库作为城市的重要供水水源,通常由于热量在垂向水体上的不均匀分配形成热分层.热分层会阻碍垂向上水体交换引发水质分层现象,在冬季水库发生“翻库”之后,水体混合导致水库的整体水质下降.结合热分层指数可以客观、直接地表达水库热分层的稳定程度.综合水库的气温、水体更新率和水质参数(溶解氧、pH、总磷、氨氮)的年度变化,对陕西黑河水库2008-2010年的热分层状况进行研究.研究表明:水库的热分层形成会直接恶化底部水质尤其会加速底部水体中溶解氧的消耗;热分层的年度变化主要受气温控制,但在特定时期较大的水体更新率可以在一定程度上弱化水体热分层,减缓底部水质恶化.该结果可使水库管理者在水库分层最稳定、水质恶化最严重时期以人工调节水体更新率的方式弱化热分层,为保证水质安全提供参考.     

水深对沉水植物苦草(Vallisneria natans)和穗花狐尾藻(Myriophyllum spicatum)生长的影响

水深是影响浅水湖泊沉水植物生长的主要因素之一.莲座型苦草（Vallisneria natans）和冠层型穗花狐尾藻（Myriophyllum spicatum）是我国长江中下游浅水湖泊中常见的沉水植物种类,二者在形态特征上具有较大的差异.在自然水体中,水深变化对这两种植物的生长以及竞争格局的影响还有待研究.本文设计了3个水深梯度（水深0.5、1.5、2.5 m）,探讨混栽条件下苦草和穗花狐尾藻生长和竞争格局对水深变化的响应.结果显示在实验系统内,中水深（1.5 m）处理组对两种植物的生长均最有利,表现为两种植物的相对生长率和生物量均最高.低水深（0.5 m）处理组苦草的生物量和相对生长率均显著低于高水深（2.5 m）处理组;穗花狐尾藻则相反,高水深对其生长的抑制作用更大.2种沉水植物在高水深胁迫时均表现出地上部分（叶长或茎长）增加,地下部分（根长）减少的形态响应特征.此外,随着水深由高到低,苦草与穗花狐尾藻生物量之比逐渐减小,表明苦草在两种植物中的竞争优势逐渐降低.研究表明湖泊水深变化不仅能够影响沉水植物的丰度,同时还可能会影响沉水植物的群落结构,而在我国浅水湖泊的生态修复实践中,在通过水位调控恢复沉水植物时,调控范围应考虑目标植物（如苦草）的光合特征.     

水位变化对河流、湖泊湿地植被的影响

水位是湿地生态水文过程的关键因素之一,其改变将影响湿地植被覆盖度和物种组成,最终产生群落演替.从水位梯度,水位波动和人工控湖、控河工程3方面论述水位变化对湿地植被的影响:由于对水位选择的不同及彼此竞争力的差异,湿地植物种沿水位具有梯度分布现象,同时形态可塑性能对其分布范围产生一定影响;水位波动的频率和淹没持续时间对于植被演替具有基础性的作用,水位波动幅度的影响则相对较小,周期性波动能维持以草本植物为主的湿地植被的物种多样性和稳定性,非周期性波动以洪水、干旱为主,易促进湿地植被向固定的水生或陆生方向演替;人工控湖、控河的影响在机理上并无特殊之处,但保证物种多样性和生态系统稳定性的各种缓解措施具有较高的参考价值.基于机理的量化模型,自然、人为因素驱动下水位变化对湿地植被影响的差别研究,模拟水位波动实验以及人工控湖、控河工程的跟踪观测将是今后该领域研究的热点.     

中国东南丘陵山区水质良好水库现状与天目湖保护实践

东南丘陵山区是我国水库分布最为集中的区域之一,这些水库在保障区域供水安全方面具有极其重要的作用,应该优先保护.然而,水库水环境保护正面临丘陵山区开发强度持续增加,开发方式和空间布局不合理,氮、磷污染及富营养化趋势严峻,缺乏完善监测和管理体系等众多问题.本文以2000年以来天目湖水库保护实践过程为例,从库体水环境治理、流域污染物削减和综合管理3个方面介绍天目湖沙河水库保护的措施和成效,在此基础上提出良好湖库优先保护的建议:建立具有部门协调能力的水库管理机构,实行基于湖库水生态目标的水质目标管理,治理丘陵山区茶果园的面源污染,注重流域生态系统整体的恢复,禁止上游水源涵养区和临湖地带的开发,划定生态保护红线,明确禁止和限制的开发类型与规模,加强湖库及流域的监测和预警,开展必要的水库水体治理工程,并针对性地制定湖库管理条例.天目湖十几年的保护实践中有效地解决了流域开发与水库水质保护之间的矛盾,使天目湖水质由快速恶化转为稳步好转,为东南丘陵山区经济发展过程中水库的环境保护探索了一条道路.     

Reservoir induced seismicity in the Koyna–Warna region,India: Overview of the recent results and hypotheses

The state of the art in the geological and geophysical study of the region of Koyna and Warna water reservoirs is reviewed. The probable geodynamical factors of induced seismicity are discussed. The detailed geophysical surveys, satellite geodetic data, and time history of the seismicity in the region reveal a complicated pattern of the structure and recent geodynamics of the region. The existing data suggest that the induced seismicity is here most likely to be caused by the regional (intraplate) stresses driving the displacements along the orthogonal network of the faults whose strength has dropped and continues decreasing due to the reservoir impoundment and operation processes. The evolution of the seismicity which started immediately after the rapid filling of the Koyna reservoir in the region of the dam, then rapidly expanded southwards and eventually became concentrated in the region of the subsequently constructed Warna reservoir shows that seismic events can be initiated by a number of factors whose contributions may vary with time. The key ones among them include reservoir loading and its seasonal variations; water saturation of the faults which guide the propagation of the front of fracture, increased permeability, and, probably, mineral transformations (hydrolysis) under the water level fluctuations in the reservoirs; and displacement of the front of the high pore pressure down to the main source zone of the earthquakes at a depth of 6–8 km. Based on the analysis presented in the paper, we outline the directions of the future research aimed at studying the nature and dynamics of induced seismicity in the region of large water reservoirs.