A review of the impacts of pumped hydro energy storage construction on subalpine and alpine biodiversity: lessons for the Snowy Mountains pumped hydro expansion project

ABSTRACT

The Australian government’s proposal to expand the Snowy Hydro Scheme to include a second pumped hydro energy storage (PHES) system, and support for feasibility studies for PHES in Tasmania, offer an opportunity to incorporate more intermittent renewable energy generation into the National Energy Market. However, the infrastructure construction required for PHES expansion may have negative effects for biodiversity in subalpine and alpine areas. To identify the potential effects of PHES on biodiversity in Kosciuszko National Park (KNP), this systematic literature review assesses: (i) the key environmental disturbances likely to arise from PHES construction; and (ii) the specific impacts of these construction processes on biodiversity in subalpine and alpine environments. We find that the effects of PHES construction-related disturbances are likely to be negative for subalpine and alpine biodiversity, with impacts including the proliferation of exotic flora, habitat loss resulting from vegetation clearing, altered landscape hydrology and reduced water quality. Management recommendations to limit these impacts are provided and further research is recommended to assess: (i) the effects of PHES on fish populations in alpine reservoirs; (ii) the utility of spoil as artificial habitat for endemic fauna; and (iii) the chemical and physical impacts of spoil dumping in alpine reservoirs.     

Sediment yield and storage variations in the Négron River catchment (south western Parisian Basin,France) during the Holocene period

In the Négron River catchment area (162 km²), surface‐sediment stores are composed of periglacial calcareous ‘grèze’ (5 × 10⁶ t) and loess (21 × 10⁶ t), and Holocene alluvium (12·6 × 10⁶ t), peat (0·6 × 10⁶ t) and colluvium (18·5 × 10⁶ t). Seventy‐five per cent of the Holocene sediments is stored along the thalwegs. Present net sediment yield, calculated from solid discharge at the Négron outlet, is low (0·6 t km^?2 a^?1) due to the dominance of carbonate rocks in the catchment. Mean sediment yield during the Holocene period is 7·0 t km^?2 a^?1 from alluvium stores and 7·6 t km^?2 a^?1 from colluvium stores. Thus, the gross sediment yield during the Holocene period is about 18·7 t km^?2 a^?1 and the sediment delivery ratio 3 per cent. The yield considerably varies from one sub‐basin to another (3·9 to 24·5 t km^?2 a^?1) according to lithology: about 25 per cent and 50 per cent of initial stores of periglacial grèze and loess respectively were reworked during the Holocene period. Sediment yield has increased by a factor of 6 in the last 1000 years, due to the development of agriculture. The very high rate of sediment storage on the slope during that period (88 per cent of the yield) can be accounted for by the formation of cultivation steps (‘rideaux’). It is predicted that the current destruction of these steps will result in a sediment wave reaching the valley floors in the coming decades. Subboreal and Subatlantic sediments and pollen assemblages in the Taligny marsh, where one‐third of the alluvium is stored, show the predominant influence of human activity during these periods in the Négron catchment. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Method to improve the mitigative effectiveness of a series of check dams against debris flows

The advance of technology has led to more competent countermeasures, but lives and properties still continue to suffer from water‐induced disasters, such as floods, landslides, and debris flows. To increase the effectiveness of counter systems, improved methods of planning and designing such systems are prerequisite. This paper describes briefly a methodological approach for predicting debris flow characteristics, and proposes techniques for evaluating and improving the mitigative effectiveness of check dams against debris flows in steep mountain torrents. Additionally, a non‐dimensional parameter, namely potential storage volume, is introduced to generalize the evaluation processes. As an example, the 1999 debris‐flow event in the San Julian River, Venezuela, is chosen for discussion. The paper also proposes a method of evaluating the control function of a series of check dams as well as the criteria for the selection of their sizes, numbers and locations. It is hoped that this work will help to determine which combinations of check dams will fit best together for the optimal control of debris flows and available resources in any river basin. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

莱州湾沉积有机碳储量及海洋健康评估

海洋沉积碳储量在全球碳循环中发挥着重要作用,而海湾作为海洋的重要组成部分,近几十年来由于受人类活动影响有机碳循环发生了明显变化,对碳储备能力的响应同样不可忽视,但却鲜有报道。研究区域位于莱州湾(37°~38°N,118.9°~120.3°E),是渤海三大海湾之一。利用39个表层沉积物和其6根沉积箱式柱状样(站位为6154、6174、6184、6194、7211和7214,柱长在17~39cm之间)对海湾有机碳储量进行评估。同时,通过计算海洋健康指数(OHI)十个目标之一的碳储(carbon storage)来评估海洋健康状况。结果表明,莱州湾表层沉积物1cm的有机碳储量平均为0.3t/ha,在研究区域的中部、东部和北部偏高,莱州湾东南部、区域西北部以及黄河口处有机碳储量偏低。莱州湾0~20cm有机碳储量为20.6t/ha,低于我国表层土壤0~20cm有机碳储量29.7t/ha以及浙江、云南、海南和重庆等省市。莱州湾碳储(carbon storage)得分为37,远低于中国平均值51以及世界平均水平75。

     

M-Quadtree索引:一种基于改进四叉树编码方法的云存储环境下空间索引方法

为了解决基于"键-值"模型的云存储环境仅支持简单的关键字查询,不支持多维空间查询的问题,提出了一种新的分布式空间索引方法——M-Quadtree索引。在索引构建过程中,设计了一种基于改进四叉树的空间数据划分方法,该方法规定了叶节点区域的最小数据量,通过四叉树叶节点的再合并,解决了划分后各子区域间存储量不平衡的问题,并且满足了MapReduce并行化要求。给出了MapReduce框架下M-Quadtree索引的快速构建、查询与更新算法,并在搭建的Hadoop平台进行了关键参数对索引效率的影响以及不同规模数据下索引的创建、查询和更新试验。与现有分布式空间索引的对比试验及分析结果表明,M-Quadtree索引在数据存储量负载均衡、算法并行化和空间查询效率等方面表现得更好。     

湖北交通运输大数据存储应用平台设计与实现

针对当前湖北省交通运输数据的存储管理与应用瓶颈,结合目前大数据技术的发展背景,本文基于Hadoop生态体系设计与实现了针对湖北交通运输业务的大数据存储分析平台。文中从总体架构、存储结构、扩展架构、数据接入与治理、分布式任务调度的设计实现到平台的应用场景进行了论述,并使用10年的高速公路数据与具体业务场景对平台进行了存储与效率实验。实验结果表明,相比传统关系型数据库,该平台在数据存储、查询计算方面均具有非常明显的优越性。     

应急地理信息数据管理探讨

应急地理信息作为地理信息的重要组成部分,涉及众多行业部门,要想有效地利用应急地理信息资源,对应急地理信息数据管理的研究则非常重要。本文以应急地理信息的分类、资源目录管理、采集与入库、授权与共享为主要研究内容,结合数据管理原型对研究内容进行了实践开发。为建设应急地理信息服务平台积累了经验,为政府应急部门快速利用应急信息分析研判、处置应急事件提供了技术支撑。     

浅谈数字测绘成果的归档、保管、利用、安全保密

主要分析数字测绘成果归档与存储是信息技术发展的必然性,对存储介质的种类及选择进行简要介绍,阐释了对存档测绘数据的安全保管、保密和广泛应用以及针对不利条件应采取的对策。     

GRACE重力卫星在陆地水储量变化监测中的应用

介绍了GRACE重力卫星,并对GRACE重力卫星数据在陆地水储量变化中的应用现状进行分析,总结了GRACE重力卫星数据在陆地水储量变化检测中的数据获取、计算方法和精度分析,以及Grace数据在不同区域尺度陆地水储量变化估算中的应用情况,最后,指出GRACE在水储量应用中的不足和未来的研究方向。     

中国蓄滞洪区洪水管理与可持续发展途径

蓄滞洪区的行蓄洪启用频率和蓄水方式决定着洪水管理与可持续发展途径,影响流域经济社会的可持续发展.根据各大流域蓄滞洪区的设计启用频率,设置了未来35年内蓄滞洪区发展的3种情景:维持现状、部分水库化和部分湿地化,构建了涵盖防洪、社会经济和生态发展等因子的途径选择指标体系,运用数据包络分析法(DEA),识别了不同设计启用频率的蓄滞洪区洪水管理与可持续发展的最优途径.结果表明:① 不同设计启用频率的蓄滞洪区在建成35年内,部分湿地化情景是中国70%蓄滞洪区的最优发展途径.② 设计启用频率50年一遇是蓄滞洪区发展途径选择的边界值;当等于或低于50年一遇时,部分湿地化是其最优途径;当高于50年一遇时,维持其现状是最优途径.