Downstream effects of dams on livelihoods of river-dependent communities: the case of Ghana’s Kpong Dam

Construction of dams affects the livelihoods of the population living along the dammed river. There is a need for more studies to guide dam development policies and management to safeguard the livelihoods of local river users. This paper examines the effects of dams on the socio-economic livelihoods of downstream communities by drawing on the Kpong Dam in Ghana constructed from 1979 to 1982 with the goal of supplying energy and for irrigation purposes. Primary data were collected in resettled and non-resettled downstream communities using a mixed-research approach. This case study highlights how the Kpong Dam has affected the downstream river-dependent population whose livelihoods, particularly farming and fishing revolved around the seasonal flow regimes of the Volta River. Our study challenges the general perception that dams increase agricultural production by illustrating that developing ancillary facilities such as irrigation schemes as part of dam projects can enhance all-year-round agricultural production to improve food and income security of downstream households only when constraints such as lack of farm inputs are addressed. To safeguard livelihoods and limit the social impacts of dams, compensation schemes and alternative livelihood activities should be designed to include resettled and non-resettled communities along the downstream areas affected by dam projects.     

曹娥江下游XYC孔粒度特征及沉积记录

基于曹娥江下游星一村钻孔(XYC)1717个沉积物样品的粒度分析,探讨钱塘江南岸地区全新世沉积环境记录。初步结论如下：①基于粒度组成,XYC孔沉积物分为粉砂质砂、砂质粉砂、粉砂、粘土质粉砂等4种岩性,自下而上分为9个单元,组成多个粒度粗细变化旋回。其中,第1、4两层为粉砂质砂,砂含量高于粉砂,粘粒含量10%~15%,分选差,动力条件复杂;第3、5两层属砂质粉砂,粉砂为主但含量不超过70%,砂含量20%以上,粘粒含量低;第2、7、9三层为粉砂,粉砂含量超过70%,粘粒、砂含量均低于20%;第6、8两层为粘土质粉砂,粉砂含量高于70%,粘粒含量20%以上。②基于C-M图最大搬运动能和平均搬运动能强弱及其变化幅度分析,初步识别出4种沉积相,自下而上依次为河流相、潮坪相、浅海相、湖沼相。第1、2两层为高能且不稳定的水动力搬运环境,属河流相沉积;第3~7层,最大搬运动能减弱,搬运动力与上虞近海滩涂样品SYTT相似,为潮坪相沉积;第8~9层,搬运动能低且变幅小,属低能静水沉积环境;第8层下段为浅海相,该层上段至第9层为湖沼相。③粒度纵向变化表明,粘粒含量自下而上波动增加;砂含量自下而上波动减少,平均粒径向上变细、分选性向上变好。XYC孔记录了该地区9690~5131 cal.a BP时段海面上升,达到高海面继而又海退的过程。研究结果有利于进一步探索钱塘江流域的古环境演变特征。     

Grain size along two gravel-bed rivers: statistical variation,spatial pattern and sedimentary links

A new set of field data facilitates a detailed analysis of variations in bed material grain size within two confluent gravel-bed rivers in northeastern British Columbia, Canada. A preliminary assessment of grain-size variability establishes a basis for examination of the spatial pattern of grain-size change. Standard ANOVA techniques are inappropriate because individual samples have unequal variances and are not normally distributed. Alternative tests for homoscedasticity and comparison of means are therefore utilized. Within-site, between-sample variability is not significant. The grain-size distributions that were obtained at individual sites are therefore representative of the depositional environments that were sampled. In both rivers mean grain size does vary significantly between sites and there is therefore a basis for examining the data for spatial patterns such as downstream fining. Textural variations along the two rivers studied here are complex and show negligible overall fining (in over 100 km). This is the consequence of a large number of tributary inputs and non-alluvial sediment sources which are the legacy of Late Pleistocene glaciation. The identification of lateral sources like these is fundamental for understanding textural changes within rivers. The sedimentary link (a channel reach between significant lateral sediment inputs) provides a means of isolating fluvial maturation processes (abrasion and sorting) from contingent lateral inputs. Strong fining trends are apparent in most links and classification of grain-size measurements according to their location within particular links greatly improves the statistical explanation of textural variation. Identification of sedimentary links provides a means of applying models of fluvial fining processes, so isolation of link networks will aid the development of basin-scale models of textural variation. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Downvalley fining of hillslope sediment in an alpine catchment: implications for downstream fining of sediment flux in mountain rivers

The size distributions of sediment delivered from hillslopes to rivers profoundly influence river morphodynamics, including river incision into bedrock and the quality of aquatic habitat. Yet little is known about the factors that influence size distributions of sediment produced by weathering on hillslopes. We present results of a field study of hillslope sediment size distributions at Inyo Creek, a steep catchment in granitic bedrock of the Sierra Nevada, USA. Particles sampled near the base of hillslopes, adjacent to the trunk stream, show a pronounced decrease in sediment size with decreasing sample elevation across all but the coarsest size classes. Measured size distributions become increasingly bimodal with decreasing elevation, exhibiting a coarse, bouldery mode that does not change with elevation and a more abundant finer mode that shifts from cobbles at the highest elevations to gravel at mid elevations and finally to sand at low elevations. We interpret these altitudinal variations in hillslope sediment size to reflect changes in physical, chemical, and biological weathering that can be explained by the catchment's strong altitudinal gradients in topography, climate, and vegetation cover. Because elevation and travel distance to the outlet are closely coupled, the altitudinal trends in sediment size produce a systematic decrease in sediment size along hillslopes parallel to the trunk stream. We refer to this phenomenon as ‘downvalley fining.’ Forward modeling shows that downvalley fining of hillslope sediment is necessary for downstream fining of the long-term average flux of coarse sediment in mountain landscapes where hillslopes and channels are coupled and long-term net sediment deposition is negligible. The model also shows that abrasion plays a secondary role in downstream fining of coarse sediment flux but plays a dominant role in partitioning between the bedload and suspended load. Patterns observed at Inyo Creek may be widespread in mountain ranges around the world. © 2020 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.     

三峡工程运用后坝下游河道泥沙输移变化规律

三峡工程蓄水后"清水"下泄,坝下游河段将会长期处于严重不饱和状态,水流含沙量沿程恢复将会引起坝下游长距离冲刷,本文根据三峡工程蓄水前、后的实测资料分析了坝下游河道泥沙输移变化规律,探索不同粒径组沙量沿程恢复对河床冲刷的影响,得到以下结论:在蓄水初期d≤0.031 mm沙量恢复主要受河床补给与江湖入汇共同的影响,随着水库下泄该粒径组沙量递减,使得各站该粒径组年均输沙量均远小于蓄水前的水平,沙量恢复仍主要受河床补给与江湖入汇的影响,这是造成坝下游河道发生长距离冲刷的主要原因之一;在蓄水初期0.031 mmd≤0.125 mm沙量恢复主要受河床补给的影响,但江湖入汇的影响较大,随着河床补给量逐渐减少,各站该粒径组年均输沙量均小于蓄水前的水平,沙量恢复仍主要受河床补给的影响,江湖入汇的影响逐渐减小,这也是坝下游河道发生长距离冲刷的主要原因之一; d0.125 mm沙量恢复主要受河床补给的影响,蓄水初期该粒径组沙量在宜昌监利河段沿程恢复速率较快,且在监利站达到蓄水前的水平,随着时间推移,在宜昌监利河段沿程恢复且速率仍较快,在监利站达到最大值,其数值逐渐小于蓄水前的水平,这是造成坝下游河道冲刷重点集中在宜昌监利河段的主要原因.     

西藏玉曲河下游岸坡倾倒变形机制及稳定性分析

西藏玉曲河下游河谷由板岩组成的岸坡普遍发生倾倒变形,其变形特征在青藏高原东南部"三江"地区具有典型性。随着该地区水利水电项目的不断开发,倾倒变形边坡问题日益突出。本文根据在工程实践中遇到的倾倒变形边坡问题,采用现场调查、勘探和原位试验的方法,重点对边坡变形特征与板岩变形特性的相关性进行研究,并分析了3种倾倒类型：倾倒折断型呈脆性破坏,破坏模式主要为由前部向后部逐级后退式破坏,适合采用极限平衡方法进行稳定性分析;倾倒弯曲型属延性变形,破坏模式主要为边坡浅部的坠覆和松驰,适合采用建立在非连续介质模型基础上的应力应变分析方法;倾倒揉皱弯曲型与倾倒弯曲型类似,仅是在倾倒弯曲的基础上叠加了冰川的推覆作用而发生褶曲。     

Interacting effects of multiple factors on the morphological evolution of the meandering reaches downstream the Three Gorges Dam

Elucidating the influence of dams on fluvial processes can inform river protection and basin management. However, relatively few studies have focused on how multiple factors interact to affect the morphological evolution of meandering reaches. Using hydrological and topographical data, we analyzed the factors that influence and regulate the meandering reaches downstream the Three Gorges Dam (TGD). Our conclusions are as follows. (1) The meandering reaches can be classified into two types based on their evolution during the pre-dam period: G1 reaches, characterized by convex point bar erosion and concave channel deposition (CECD), and G2 reaches, characterized by convex point bar deposition and concave channel erosion (CDCE). Both reach types exhibited CECD features during the post-dam period. (2) Flow processes and sediment transport are the factors that caused serious erosion of the low beaches located in the convex point bars. However, changes in the river regime, river boundaries and jacking of Dongting Lake do not act as primary controls on the morphological evolution of the meandering reaches. (3) Flood discharges ranging from 20,000 to 25,000 m³/s result in greater erosion of convex point bars. The point bars become scoured if the durations of these flows, which are close to bankfull discharge, exceed 20 days. In addition, the reduction in bedload causes the decreasing of point bar siltation in the water-falling period. (4) During the post-dam period, flood abatement, the increased duration of discharges ranging from 20,000 to 25,000 m³/s, and a significant reduction in sediment transport are the main factors that caused meandering reaches to show CECD features. Our results are relevant to other meandering reaches, where they can inform estimates of riverbed change, river management strategies and river protection.     

入海河口闸下河道泥沙淤积危害评估研究

入海河口闸下河道淤积会带来防洪排涝安全问题、影响上游的排灌环境、恶化下游的通航条件、威胁水闸的正常运行等,本文主要针对其增大防洪排涝灾害风险进行探讨。首先介绍了海河流域主要入海河口和苏北里下四港闸下河道的淤积情况和排水能力的变化,然后根据闸下淤积影响因子、洪涝灾害发生频率和抗灾能力等指数建立了风险评估体系,以海河流域和江苏里下四河为例,划分闸下淤积危害为五级,分别为极轻危害、轻危害、中危害、较重危害和重危害。计算分析表明:海河流域的海河闸和永定河闸闸下河道淤积为较重危害,泥沙淤积为严重淤积;独流减河闸下淤积为中危害,泥沙淤积为相对严重淤积。江苏里下四河的射阳河闸和黄沙港闸闸下淤积为较重危害,泥沙淤积为严重淤积;新洋港闸和斗龙港闸闸下淤积为中危害,泥沙淤积为相对严重淤积。     

黄河下游(山东段)主要生态环境地质问题及对策

在收集分析大量最新资料基础上,阐述了黄河下游(山东段)存在的水质污染、地下水资源短缺,以及地面沉降、地裂缝、地面塌陷、砂土液化、土壤盐渍化、黄河堤防河道稳定性等主要生态环境地质问题,并提出了区内主要生态环境地质问题的防治对策,这对黄河下游(山东段)国土资源开发、防灾、黄河"治黄"与防洪减灾、地质生态环境保护及管理等,具有较高的参考价值。     

Contrasting morphodynamics in alluvial fans and fan deltas: effect of the downstream boundary

Alluvial fans and fan deltas can, in principle, have exactly the same upstream conditions, but fan deltas by definition have ponding water at their downstream boundary. This ponding creates effects on the autogenic behaviour of fan deltas, such as backwater adaptation, mouth bars and backward sedimentation, whereas alluvial fans may lack these effects. Hence the present authors hypothesize that morphodynamics on alluvial fans are determined primarily by upstream boundary conditions, whereas morphodynamics on fan deltas are determined by both the upstream and the downstream boundary condition and changes therein. To isolate the effects of the upstream and downstream boundaries, five new alluvial fan experiments are compared with the details of three fan deltas published earlier that were formed under very similar and simple conditions. Similar to the fan deltas, the alluvial fans build up by sheet flow, whilst quasi‐regular periods of incision cause temporary channelized flow. Incision is followed by channel backfilling, after which the fan returns to sheet flow. The channelization and backfilling in alluvial fans is markedly less pronounced and more prone to autogenic disturbance than in fan deltas. The difference is caused by morphodynamics at the downstream boundary. In a fan delta, the flow expansion of the channel causes deposition of all the sediment, which forms a mouth bar and causes strong backfilling. In an alluvial fan, on the other hand, the slope break at the fan perimeter causes some deposition, but transport is not reduced to zero. Consequently, the backfilling in alluvial fans is less pronounced than in fan deltas. Other published experiments support this trend: removal of the mouth bar by a river leads to permanent channelization, whilst pronounced mouth‐bar formation in highly channelized deltas promotes backward sedimentation. The experimental results for this study predict that, when alluvial fans prograde into lakes or deep rivers, they transition to fan deltas with increasingly deeper channels and thicker backfill deposits.