Reach-scale suspended sediment balance downstream from dams in a large Mediterranean river

Abstract

This paper presents a reach-scale sediment balance of a large impounded Mediterranean river (the lower Ebro, 1998–2008). Multi-temporal sediment storage and the influence of floods and tributaries on the sediment load were examined using continuous discharge and turbidity records. The mean annual suspended sediment load at the reach outlet (Xerta) is 0.12?×?10⁶ t, corroborating previous results. Suspended sediment concentrations were low (SSC_mean?=?13 mg L^-1), attaining a maximum of 274 mg L^-1. Erosion processes (channel-scour, bank erosion) are dominant, and net export of sediment occurs over the long term. Unexpectedly, ephemeral tributaries were found to contribute significantly: sediment delivered during torrential events attained 5% of the Ebro annual load, and was even larger than that in flushing flows. Overall, most of the suspended sediment load is transported by floods (up to 65% in some years). The results constitute basic information to underpin current management actions aiming to achieve the sustainability of the riverine and deltaic system.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis; Associate editor D. Hughes

Citation Tena, A., Batalla, R.J. and Vericat, D., 2012. Reach-scale suspended sediment balance downstream from dams in a large Mediterranean river. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 57 (5), 831–849.     

流域土地利用分区空间管制研究与初步实践——以太湖流域为例

流域空间开发和土地利用在推动经济社会发展的同时,对流域生态系统的健康和安全造成了剧烈影响,迫切需要在流域综合管理中充实完善土地利用分区与管制等研究内容,因而成为推动湖泊-流域相互作用研究的重要科学问题之一.本文在回顾相关土地利用分区与管制研究基础上,从流域自然地理单元特殊性和管理目标复杂性出发,探讨了流域水陆系统相互作用机制,分析了流域土地利用分区与空间管制的研究重点与基本思路,提出了流域土地利用分区的技术路线及关键方法,并以太湖流域为例进行了初步的实践探索,提出严格保护区、适度发展区、开发利用区和保留发展区四种类型区及其空间管制要求,符合流域资源环境与经济社会发展实际,为流域可持续开发和保护提供指导.最后,讨论了未来流域土地利用分区空间管制需要进一步研究的重点方向与关键问题.     

Geospatial-temporal analysis of land-use changes in the Yellow River Delta during the last 40 years

Research on land use/land cover changes (LUCC)has been the core project of the Global EnvironmentalChanges since the 1990s[1—6]. Scientists at home andabroad have been laying emphasis on integrationstudies on land-use change by “space and process”features[7—10] as researches on LUCC are in a greatdeal. It is of paramount important for us to studyLUCC at various spatial-temporal scales and build aquantitative assessment of land-use conversion by in-tegrated spatial-temporal features. …     

Comment on “Luminescence chronology of the Sankosh river terraces in the Assam–Buthan foothills of the Himalayas: Implications to climate and tectonics” by Quaternary Geochronology 72, 101364

In a study of which the main objective was to assess the impact of climate change and tectonics on the formation of river terraces along the Sankosh River, the eastern foreland of the Himalayas, the authors obtained geochrono-logical data using luminescence technique. Four strath river terraces (T4–T1) were distinguished within the valley bottom, and alluvial sediments from three terraces (T4, T2 and T1) were dated to the age range from 143 to 14 ka. The alluvial mantels of river terraces were then linked to the scheme of glacial-interglacial cycle. The paper, however, suffers from few inconsistent and missing information, and the assessment on the landscape evolution of the river valley is incomprehensive. The authors relied on feldspars and therefore the IRSL method was used, but “OSL ages” are discussed at the end. They state that (i) tectonics creates space for sediment accommodation and (ii) the luminescence ages flank deposition and incision phases. Despite the fact that the statements are questionable, the ways these happen are not elucidated within the paper. Due to the lack of geochronological data for T3 terrace, its formation is very enigmatic. It is even more mysterious in the light of the data for the other terraces, but the authors made no attempt to explain this riddle. However, that certain inability of reconstructing the history of T3 would shed a shadow on the robustness of the ages obtained.     

Numerical study of the effects of check dams on erosion and sedimentation in the Pachang River

Scouring and deposition processes resulting from variable rainfall and typhoon occurrence in tropical climatic conditions induce significant changes in the riverbeds of Taiwan. Along the Pachang River of western Taiwan, severe damage occurs during typhoons due to large and sudden variations in discharge, erosion, sediment transport and deposition. In order to simulate this process, the NETSTARS numerical modeling tool was used in the present paper. The influence of existing and planned check dam structures on flow control was also analyzed to determine their capacity to resist river erosion or to not be buried beneath sediments. Not only does the modeling tool allow calculation of the erosion-deposition behavior at the scale of the whole river, but it also provides local determination of the optimum location and characteristics such as foundation depth and lateral encroachment of future check dams. The results of a 10-year, long-term modeling simulation in terms of riverbed stability and scouring potential thus provide insights about unsafe future behavior at 4 sites. This numerical model provides a better general understanding and useful information for the optimal prevention of both the scouring damage and the burial related to sediment deposition with large changes in discharge and sediment transport.     

基于程函方程与三维速度模型的中国东北地区地幔过渡带接收函数研究

本文利用中国东北地区NECESSArray记录到的45505条接收函数,结合该区域最新三维速度模型,采用快速行进法求解程函方程,计算了P-S转换波相对走时,并通过共转换点叠加成像方法获得了该地区下方地幔间断面起伏情况.结果显示,在长白山—五大连池连线一带东西约300 km,南北约900 km的狭长形区域内,660-km间断面下陷幅度达20~40 km.其结构可细分为南北两部分,南部更为狭窄且与日本海沟走向一致,对应于从日本海沟俯冲的太平洋板块在地幔过渡带的滞留区;北部对应于从千岛海沟俯冲的太平洋板块在地幔过渡带的滞留区.同时,在长白山西部,存在与长白山—五大连池下陷区形状类似的南北向狭长形抬升区,660-km间断面抬升幅度约为10 km,显示俯冲太平洋板块只延伸至松辽盆地东侧;而在盆地西侧,660-km间断面的下陷区可能与该地区岩石圈拆沉有关.同时,410-km间断面在松辽盆地—渤海一带,以及长白山火山西南和东北方向存在明显的下陷区;另外,在阿巴嘎及阿尔山也有小范围的下陷区.所有这些下陷区,均与地表新生代火山活动区/拉伸区有很好的对应关系,表明这些地表构造与深部热物质上涌有关.

     

金沙江支流黑水河松新电站短须裂腹鱼（Schizothorax wangchiachii）过坝后上溯行为

鱼类过坝后的上溯行为对鱼类寻找适宜的产卵、索饵等功能性栖息地至关重要。现阶段我国大多数研究聚焦于鱼类上溯通过鱼道的游泳行为量化,而过坝后的上溯行为分析鲜有报道。本研究在金沙江下游支流黑水河松新坝址处利用PIT(passive integrated transponder)遥测技术对松新电站过鱼对象短须裂腹鱼(Schizothorax wangchiachii)过坝后的上溯行为开展监测,考虑监测过程中水文情势变化对过坝后上溯行为的影响,采用生存分析方法,构建了耦合多因素(流量、水温、河道涨落水率、昼夜节律、肥满度等)的Cox风险比例回归模型,利用AIC模型准则筛选出最优模型参数,识别了影响鱼类过坝后上溯成功率的关键因素。结果表明:(1)短须裂腹鱼在松新鱼道的上溯效果显著优于河道;(2)水温及河道涨落率是影响短须裂腹鱼过坝后上溯效果的关键因素;(3)水温与短须裂腹鱼过坝后河道上溯成功率呈负相关,当水温超过短须裂腹鱼最适温度后,河道上溯成功率随着温度的上升呈递减趋势;河道涨落水率与短须裂腹鱼过坝后河道上溯成功率呈正相关,其中涨水情势下短须裂腹鱼河道成功上溯的概率高于落水,河道上溯成功率随着涨...     

金沙江下游支流黑水河松新电站幼鱼下行过坝研究

梯级小水电的开发一定程度上破坏了河流连通性并阻碍了鱼类洄游通道。黑水河流域松新坝址为了满足鱼类上行产卵修建了松新鱼道,然而作为洄游物种生命周期中的关键行为,鱼类下行洄游的需求也同等重要。为了寻求一种可行、高效、低损伤的下行过鱼方式,了解河流中不同环境因素对鱼类下行效率的影响,本研究在金沙江下游支流黑水河松新水电站补水通道开展鱼类下行过坝效果评估研究。针对两种鲤科鱼类(棒花鱼Abbottina rivularis和短须裂腹鱼Schizothorax wangchiachii)幼鱼和两种鳅科鱼类(短体副鳅Paracobitis potanini和红尾副鳅Paracobitis variegatus)幼鱼各放鱼90尾,定量分析鱼种、水体透明度、放鱼位置、流量、水温、水位等因素对鱼类下行效率的影响。结果表明:棒花鱼、短须裂腹鱼、短体副鳅、红尾副鳅的下行率依次为22.22%(20尾)、28.89%(26尾)、8.89%(8尾)、15.56%(14尾);幼鱼下行成功率与上游河道水温呈正相关趋势,且放鱼位置、鱼种、上游河道水温和流量均对鱼类下行成功率有显著影响。通过构建二元Logistic回归模型识...     

Spatial and temporal controls on historical channel responses – study of an atypical case: Someşu Mic River,Romania

In this paper the spatial and temporal responses of the Some?u Mic River (Romania) to natural and anthropogenic controls over the past 150 years are analysed, based on a series of morphometric parameters extracted from five successive sets of topographic maps and one set of orthophotos. Prior to the intensive hydrotechnical interventions of the last four decades, the river was characterized by a complex alternation of different channel types, resulting in a mixture of alluvial and mixed sinuous – meandering – sinuous anabranched – meandering anabranched reaches, each a few hundred metres to a few kilometres long. The main cause for this spatial behaviour was the local geology. Its effects were intensified by a larger scale slope, slightly higher than along a longitudinal profile with normal concavity, as a consequence of the presence of a 400 m elevation knick‐point located in the catchment area. A generalized maintenance of river in the floodplain perimeter during the entire interval of study (centennial scale), with local planform adjustments and lack of median scale avulsion in lateral tilting areas and along the anabranched reaches, channel lengthening and meander development during hydrological stable periods and channel shortening and increasing of natural cutoffs during periods with higher incidence of floods (decadal scale), and the incapacity of local morphologic changes resulted from human interventions to completely counterbalance general trends (decadal scale), supports the idea of decreasing the amplitude and frequency of important floods, after the end of the Little Ice Age. Channel metamorphosis by canalization, diminishing/elimination of overflows and medium‐scale avulsions by changes in flow regimes (dams) and the presence of dykes in the floodplain perimeter, channel narrowing (43%) and incision (at least after 1945) downstream from dams, and probably because of in‐channel gravel mining are the main anthropically induced changes along the Some?u Mic River. Even if human impact is important, both at the drainage basin scale and along the Some?u Mic River, it has only local impacts, subordinated to climate. The low level of human impact on this river could be the consequence of the higher general slope downstream from 400 m elevation knick‐point, which probably forces the positioning of its effects under an important internal threshold of the fluvial system. This boundary condition defines Some?u Mic River as an atypical river. This study supports the idea that climate has a more important role in the post‐Little Ice Age (LIA) rivers' behaviour than currently accepted. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Application of snowmelt runoff model for water resource management

Snow‐covered areas (SCAs) are the fundamental source of water for the hydrological cycle for some region. Accurate measurements of river discharge from snowmelt can help manage much needed water required for hydropower generation and irrigation purposes. This study aims to apply the snowmelt runoff model (SRM) in the Upper Indus basin by the Astore River in northern Pakistan for the years 2000 to 2006. The Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM) data are used to generate the Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of the region. Various variables (snow cover depletion curves (SCDCs), temperature and precipitation) and parameters (degree‐day factor, recession coefficient, runoff coefficients, time lag, critical temperature and temperature lapse rate) are used as input in the SRM. However, snow cover data are direct and an important input to the SRM. Satellite data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) are used to estimate the SCA. Normalized difference snow index (NDSI) algorithm is applied for snow cover mapping and to differentiate snow from other land features. Nash–Sutcliffe coefficient of determination (R²) and volume difference (D_V) are used for quality assessment of the SRM. The results of the current research show that for the study years (2000–2006), the average value of R² is 0·87 and average volume difference D_V is 1·18%. The correlation coefficient between measured and computed runoff is 0·95. The results of the study further show that a high level of accuracy can be achieved during the snowmelt season. The simulation results endorse that the SRM in conjunction with MODIS snow cover product is very useful for water resource management in the Astore River and can be used for runoff forecasts in the Indus River basin in northern Pakistan. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.