Water wars in the Middle East: a looming threat

This paper explains how hydropolitical dynamics and spatial variables almost triggered a water war between Israel and Lebanon because the latter was building a pump on the Wazzani Spring, a tributary of the Jordan River. The convergence of a regional drought, history of violent confrontations between the two riparians, distrust, varying development needs and territorial disputes almost culminated in a war between these east Mediterranean neighbours. While most international water disputes in the Middle East will be resolved peacefully, some are likely to trigger violent confrontations threatening political stability in the Middle East in the next few decades.     

Hydraulic and sedimentary controls on the availability and use of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) spawning habitat in the River Dee system, north-east Scotland

The hydraulic and sedimentary characteristics of the spawning habitat of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) in tributary and mainstem locations in a river system in north-east Scotland are described. Salmon used spawning sites with a relatively wide range in sediment characteristics, although measures of central tendency were all in the gravel (2–64 mm) size-class. The dominant factor differentiating the sediment characteristics of study sites was the level of fine sediment, which accounted for significant differences between tributary and mainstem samples. The ranges of depth and velocity in areas used for spawning by salmonids were found to be similar in all tributary study sites. However, due to the interdependence of depth and velocity, major differences were observed between tributary and mainstem study sites in that spawning in larger streams tended to be associated with deeper, faster flowing water. Spawning locations were shown to have similar Froude number, despite different sized streams and species of salmonid. Due to its dimensionless nature and significance in characterising flow hydraulics, the Froude number is proposed as a potentially useful variable for describing the habitat of aquatic organisms.     

Human Modification of the Geomorphically Unstable Salt River in Metropolitan Phoenix

In‐stream gravel mining, massive bridge piers, and channelization have all contributed to the geomorphic instability of the Lower Salt River channel in Arizona. Dam closure, changing dam operating rules, and the frequent modification of the channel bed have decreased our ability to predict the Salt River hydrology. Engineering practice has adapted to this situation and to a public that is increasingly intolerant of service disruptions by constructing larger bridges and extending levees. Building these larger structures may be counterproductive; future construction should not constrict the channel and should re‐establish a braided river to decrease the energy available to the system.     

近、现代黄河三角洲地貌形态反演

1855年黄河改夺大清河河道后于山东利津县东北入海。至今黄河尾癌河道历经10次大的改道变迁，塑造了近、现代黄河三角洲，形成了7个主要的亚三洲堆积体。该文利用黄河尾癌河道改道资料，近、现代河口流路变迁图，近、现代黄河三角洲体系图以及1985－1986年的水文工程地质钻孔资料，在研究黄河三角洲沉积模式的基础上，对工程地质钻孔数据进行沉积层序分析，将今论古，反推近、现代黄河三角洲沉积地貌，研究结果近似展示了近、现代黄河三角洲二维平面的发育演变和其时其地的地貌形态。     

汾河流域水环境地理信息系统设计

该文结合汾河流域水环境地理信息系统设计的具体实践，论述了系统所采用的三层结构体系、设计的技术策略，重点对系统的功能特别是数据库设计和应用系统功能进行了详细的描述，是地理信息系统在水环境管理领域应用的有益探索。     

塔里木河下游输水与生态恢复监测初报

根据近三年塔里木河下游生态输水前后地下水位、水质、土壤、植被等项内容的监测资料，分析了塔里木河下游输水对地下水位、水质的影响，揭示了输水与地表生态的响应过程，探讨了地下水位与天然植被生长、恢复的相互关系，阐述了植被退化过程及相关因子，确定了维系塔河下游生态安全的最低生态需水量、最佳生态水位。     

塔里木河下游地下水位与水化学成分关联度排序分析

根据2001年塔里木河下游第四次生态输水前后地下水位、水质变化的监测和取样分析资料。运用灰色关联分析法。对塔里木河下游地表生态输水前、后的地下水位与地下水化学成分进行了关联分析。分析研究表明，生态输水对地下水质的影响比较明显。在关联排序中。阴离子的SO4^2-、Cl^-以及阳离子的Ca^2 、Mg^2 与地下水位变化的关联性较强；pH值与地下水位的关联度最低。仅为0．534；矿化度与地下水位关联度最高,达到0．863。     

基于GIS的黄河上游龙羊峡库区生态环境遥感监测研究

本项研究以黄河上游生态环境严重退化的龙羊峡库区为研究区，应用遥感与GIS一体化的方法，建立了库区生态环境动态监测信息系统。在系统的支持下，利用多时相、多波段TM遥感数据，对库区近十年来生态环境变化进行监测分析，揭示了库区土地沙漠化、水土流失、土地利用／土地覆盖的现状，以及建库近十年来生态环境时空演化的过程与发展趋势，为库区生态环境治理提供科学依据。本项研究利用遥感和GIS技术，采用生态环境综合分类系统，在一次分类处理中通过多层次不同级别的组合获得了基于同一信息源的土地沙漠化、草场盖度、土地利用处地覆盖等多种环境类型信息，并利用环境信息模型对库区的土壤侵蚀进行了评价。基于GIS的分类后再处理使遥感分类精度有了一定程度的提高。研究表明，在GIS的支持下充分利用遥感信息监测与评价生态环境，是区域生态环境定量化研究的有效途径。     

气候变化对洮河流域水资源的影响

过去40多年来，洮河流域主要产流区甘南高原的气候和生态环境发生了显著变化，通过对引洮工程的引水区——流域上游40多年的实测水文气象数据的统计分析发现，降水和径流总体下降趋势非常明显，20世纪80年代至90年代降水径流减少更多，达35％；而气温则呈上升趋势，但上升幅度没有降水径流的下降幅度大。由于气候升温变暖、草原载畜过量以及过度砍伐森林，导致气候干旱化、山区水土流失加剧、草原植被退化和沙漠化，这一切都将对未来引洮工程发挥效益产生不利影响。     

Luminescence chronology of incision and channel pattern changes in the River Ganga, India

The River Ganga in the central Gangetic plain shows the incision of 20 m of Late Quaternary sediments that form a vast upland terrace (T₂). The incised Ganga River Valley shows two terraces, namely the river valley (terrace-T₁) and the present-day flood plain (terrace-T₀). Terrace-T₁ shows the presence of meander scars, oxbow lakes, scroll plains, which suggests that a meandering river system prevailed in the past. The present-day river channel flows on terrace-T₀ and is braided, sensu stricto. It is thus inferred that the River Ganga experienced at least two phases of tectonic adjustments: (1) incision and (2) channel metamorphosis from meandering to braided.Optical dating of samples from three different terraces has bracketed the phase of incision to be <6 and 4 ka. Different ages of the top of terrace-T₂ show that this surface experienced differential erosion due to tectonic upwarping in the region, which also caused the river incision. River metamorphosis occurred some time during 4 and 0.5 ka.