Rivers turned to rock: Late Quaternary alluvial induration influencing the behaviour and morphology of an anabranching river in the Australian monsoon tropics

Late Quaternary alluvial induration has greatly influenced contemporary channel morphology on the anabranching Gilbert River in the monsoon tropics of the Gulf of Carpentaria. The Gilbert, one of a number of rivers in this region, has contributed to an extensive system of coalescing low-gradient and partly indurated riverine plains. Extensive channel sands were deposited by enhanced flow conditions during marine oxygen isotope (OI) Stage 5. Subsequent flow declined, probably associated with increased aridity, however, enhanced runoff recurred again in OI Stages 4–3 (65–50 ka). Aridity then capped these plains with 4–7 m of mud. A widespread network of sandy distributary channels was incised into this muddy surface from sometime after the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) to the mid Holocene during a fluvial episode more active than the present but less so than those of OI Stages 5 and 3. This network is still partly active but with channel avulsion and abandonment now occurring largely proximal to the main Gilbert flow path.A tropical climate and reactive catchment lithology have enhanced chemical weathering and lithification of alluvium along the river resulting in the formation of small rapids, waterfalls and inset gorges, features characteristic more of bedrock than alluvial systems. Thermoluminescence (TL) and comparative optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages of the sediments are presented along with U/Th ages of pedogenic calcrete and Fe/Mn oxyhydroxide/ oxide accumulations. They show that calcrete precipitated during the Late Quaternary at times similar to those that favoured ferricrete formation, possibly because of an alternating wet–dry climate. Intense chemical alteration of the alluvium leading to induration appears to have prevailed for much of the Late Quaternary but, probably due to exceptional dryness, not during the LGM. The result has been restricted channel migration and a reduced capacity for the channel to adjust and accommodate sudden changes in bedload. Consequent avulsions have caused local stream powers to increase by an order of magnitude, inducing knickpoint erosion, local incision and the sudden influx of additional bedload that has triggered further avulsions. The Gilbert River, while less energetic than its Pleistocene ancestors, is clearly an avulsive system, and emphasizes the importance in some tropical rivers of alluvial induration for reinforcing the banks, generating nickpoints, reworking sediment and thereby developing and maintaining an indurated and anabranching river style.     

Household routines—A time-space issue: A theoretical approach applied on the case of water and sanitation

The emerging chemical society and new political demands on improved ecological sustainability have put the urban water and sanitation system under pressure. It is recognised that the users need to partake in the problem solving, but to influence human practice we must understand it. A theoretical framework, founded on time-geography and cultural analysis, was developed and applied in a study on the interrelationship between changes in water and sanitation arrangements at the household level and residents’ routines. This article describes the theory cross-fertilisation and its prospect of application in studies of human environmental action.     

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

In this article the meaning of the quantity and quality of environmental flows of river in dualistic water cycle is discussed,and compared with the meaning of unitary water cycle. Based on the analysis of the relationship between environmental flows of river re-quirements,the efficiency of water resource usage,the consumption coefficient,and the concentration of waste water elimination,the water quantity and water quality calculation method of the environmental flows of river requirements in dualistic water cycle is developed,and the criteria for environmental flows of river requirements are established,and therefore the water quantity-quality combined evaluation of natural river flows requirements are realized. Taking the Liaohe River as a model,the environmental flows of river requirements for Xiliao River,Dongliao River,mainstream Liaohe River,Huntai River and northeast rivers along the coasts of the Yellow and Bohai seas in unitary water cycle are calculated,each taking up 39.3%,63.0%,43.9%,43.3% and 43.5% of runoff respectively. Evaluated according to Tennant recommended flow,the results show that: except Xiliao River is "median",the rest are all upon "good",the Dongliao River is even "very good". The corresponding results in dualistic water cycle are that,the proportion of natural flows for each river is 57.5%,74.1%,60.8%,60.3% and 60.4%; while the combined evaluation results show that: considering "quantity",except Xiliao River,the rest rivers can all achieve the "quantity" criteria of the en-vironmental flows of river requirements,but if considering the aspect of "quality",only Dongliao River can reach the "quality" standard. By water quantity-quality combined evalua-tion method,only Dongliao River can achieve the criteria. So the water quality is the main factor that determines whether the environmental flows can meet the river ecosystem de-mands.     

淮河流域水环境污染防治能力空间差异

采用淮河流域35个地市2010年社会经济、网络调查和水环境污染相关数据,在突出主导因素和可操作原则的基础上,系统的构建了流域水污染防治综合评价体系,运用熵权法对流域各市水污染防治能力进行评价,并采用GIS空间分析方法对流域水环境污染防治能力的总体、局部的空间差异变化、特征和规律进行探索。结果表明: ① 淮河流域各地市水污染防治能力普遍较低,且呈现显著空间差异性,流域水污染防治能力整体呈现干流高于支流,下游高于中游,中游高于上游的梯级趋势;② 流域经济发达地区防治能力明显高于欠发达地区,省会城市防治能力远高于普通地级市;③ 流域水污染综合防治能力空间分布与流域实测水质空间分布高度契合,即防治能力较高地区水质普遍较高,防治能力较低地区水质则较差。     

Integrated water resource management and institutional integration: realising the potential of spatial planning in England

This paper explores the various dimensions of integration that need consideration in developing appropriate institutional arrangements for integrated water resource management (IWRM), drawing upon both IWRM and spatial planning sources. As a result, a framework of integration in IWRM is set out. This is then used to consider the strengths and weaknesses of the new spatial planning system in England, and its potential to contribute to IWRM activities that are being developed, partly in response to the European Union Water Framework Directive. From this analysis it is argued that, taken overall, spatial planning is well placed to meet these challenges and it could in fact play a much more central role than is currently envisaged. An alternative model for IWRM in England is set out which sees the new river basin management plans as integral, rather than parallel, to the spatial planning system.     

Water quantity-quality combined evaluation method for rivers&rsquo|water requirements of the instream environment in dualistic water cycle: A case study of Liaohe River Basin

In this article the meaning of the quantity and quality of environmental flows of river in dualistic water cycle is discussed, and compared with the meaning of unitary water cycle. Based on the analysis of the relationship between environmental flows of river re-quirements, the efficiency of water resource usage, the consumption coefficient, and the concentration of waste water elimination, the water quantity and water quality calculation method of the environmental flows of river requirements in dualistic water cycle is developed, and the criteria for environmental flows of river requirements are established, and therefore the water quantity-quality combined evaluation of natural river flows requirements are realized. Taking the Liaohe River as a model, the environmental flows of river requirements for Xiliao River, Dongliao River, mainstream Liaohe River, Huntai River and northeast rivers along the coasts of the Yellow and Bohai seas in unitary water cycle are calculated, each taking up 39.3%, 63.0%, 43.9%, 43.3% and 43.5% of runoff respectively. Evaluated according to Tennant recommended flow, the results show that: except Xiliao River is “median”, the rest are all upon “good”, the Dongliao River is even “very good”. The corresponding results in dualistic water cycle are that, the proportion of natural flows for each river is 57.5%, 74.1%, 60.8%, 60.3% and 60.4%; while the combined evaluation results show that: considering “quantity”, except Xiliao River, the rest rivers can all achieve the “quantity” criteria of the en-vironmental flows of river requirements, but if considering the aspect of “quality”, only Dongliao River can reach the “quality” standard. By water quantity-quality combined evalua-tion method, only Dongliao River can achieve the criteria. So the water quality is the main factor that determines whether the environmental flows can meet the river ecosystem de-mands.     

林业生态扶贫政策的评价与建议:怒江州和阿坝州案例

中国采取了长期不懈的扶贫行动,近十年来,人们越来越认识到生态扶贫可以实现环境保护和农村脱贫的双重目标,中国把重点放在深度贫困地区的林业生态扶贫上。然而,贫困人口从林业扶贫项目中获利的程度、贫困户对这些扶贫政策是否满意、以及林业扶贫政策是否有效仍然是个未知数。通过对西南地区"三区三州"深度贫困区具有代表性的怒江州和阿坝州79户农户的问卷调查,运用层次分析法对林业扶贫政策的有效性进行了检验。结果表明,产业扶贫、就业扶贫、小额金融扶贫、结对驻村帮扶四条扶贫路径明显增加了建档贫困户的收入,解决了"两不愁三保障"问题。贫困群众对林业生态扶贫政策感到满意,两州的生态扶贫取得了良好的效果。但是,在政策实施过程中还存在参与不积极、精准识别不完善、资金来源有限和资金不足等问题。我们的研究结果突出了林业产业和公益性岗位在贫困地区扶贫中的重要地位。通过健全林业生态扶贫政策,实现深度贫困区的生态保护和减贫之间的协同是可能的,文章最后还提出了通过林业发展实现扶贫开发和生态环境保护的五项政策建议:(1)精准识别深度贫困地区和贫困人群;(2)选择有效适宜的林业扶贫模式;(3)拓宽扶贫资金渠道;(4)建立林业产业脱贫体系;(5)完善生态保护机制。     

An analytical approach for the scattering of SH waves by a symmetrical V-shaped canyon: shallow case

Based on the application of the region-matching technique, an analytical approach is presented for the scattering of plane SH waves from a shallow symmetrical V-shaped canyon, and then a series solution is derived. The analysed region is divided into an enclosed and an open region by introducing a semi-circular auxiliary boundary. In each region, the displacement field can be expressed as infinite sum of appropriate wavefunctions satisfying partial boundary conditions, respectively. The unknown coefficients can be determined by enforcing the continuity conditions in connection with the Graf's addition formula. The frequency- and time-domain responses are both evaluated and displayed for several physical parameters. From graphical results, the effects of the canyon depth on surface ground motion are conspicuous. The proposed series solutions can serve as benchmark for numerical methods, in particular for those at much higher frequencies.     

Geomorphic studies of landslides in the Tully Valley, New York: implications for public policy and planning

On April 27, 1993, a large landslide in the Tully Valley, Onondaga County, NY, destroyed three houses and resulted in the evacuation of four others; it also triggered a loss of potable drinking water for about 15 homes north of the slide area and affected a total of 20 ha of land. In the 7 years following this slide, several studies have been conducted by federal and state environmental agencies and by local universities. The goal of these investigations has been to determine what caused this slide, document the history of past landslides in the region, and establish whether future slides are likely to occur. This paper reports on the results of these investigations and examines their effect on the Tully Valley community.     

Chinese overseas industrial parks in Southeast Asia: An examination of policy mobility from the perspective of embeddedness

The development of overseas industrial parks is a key component of the Belt and Road Initiative and an expected experimental way of promoting inclusive globalization by inventing new forms of cooperation between China and local host countries. Policy mobility, a classic theory within international political geography addressing the connection between local and global policies, has implications for overseas industrial parks development. In this paper, we argue that policies are not easily moved directly from one place to another; instead, policies are embedded due to the role of local actors in policy mobility. This article first provides an overview of seven China-Southeast Asia economic and trade cooperation zones identified by the Ministry of Commerce, and analyzes their key participants. It then discusses policy mobility by looking into the roles of revenue, land, and talent in developing these industrial parks. The paper finds that these parks face challenges, such as the complicated geographical environments of host countries, huge pressure from enterprise investment capital, the lack of overseas service platforms, and underdeveloped agglomeration economies. In the light of the current situation, policy suggestions for the future sustainable development of overseas industrial parks are put forward.     

Quantitative relationship between channels and bars in a tidal reach of the lower Yangtze River: Implications for river management

Deep-water navigation channels in the tidal reaches of the lower Yangtze River are affected by water and sediment fluxes that produce complex shoals and unstable channel conditions. The Fujiangsha reach is particularly difficult to manage, as it has many braided channels within the tidal fluctuation zone. In this study, hydrologic and topographic data from the Fujiangsha reach from 2012 to 2017 were used to examine the variations in deposition and erosion, flow diversion, shoals, and channel conditions. Since the Three Gorges Dam became operational and water storage was initiated, the Fujiangsha reach has shown an overall tendency toward erosion. Channels deeper than 10 m accounted for 83.7% of the total erosion of the Fujiangsha reach during 2012–2017. Moreover, the dominant channel-forming sediments have gradually changed from suspended sediments to a mixed load of suspended and bed-load sediments. Deposition volumes of these sediments has varied significantly among different channels, but has mainly occurred in the Fubei channel. Furthermore, periodic variations in the Jingjiang point bar have followed a deposition-erosion-deposition pattern, and the downstream Shuangjian shoal mid-channel bar has been scoured and shortened. Approximately 44.0% of the bed load from the upstream Fujiangsha reach is deposited within the 12.5-m deep Fubei channel. The increased erosion and river flow from the Jingjiang point bar and the Shuangjian shoal during the flood season constituted 59.3% and 40.7%, respectively, of the total amount of siltation in the Fubei channel.