• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.218-227
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• 2011

The objective approach for assessment of stream naturalness is an essential part of the stream restoration project. This study proposes the methodology for the assessment of stream naturalness considering physical, biological and chemical factors. Physical factors consists of riffle and pool, river bed material, bank protection, floodplain vegetation and levee materials; biological factors are benthic macroinvertebrate, KSI (Korean Saprobic Index), and IBI (Index of Biological Integrity) and chemical factors are pH, DO (dissolved oxygen), and TP (total phosphorus). This procedure is applied to the Mokgamcheon. As a result, the downstream of Mokgamcheon (zone I) needs the prompt improvement of stream naturalness, compared to the others (zone II and III). This evaluation technique will be an effective tool to quantify the stream naturalness and can be used to set the target of stream restoration project.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.768-783
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• 2006

Biological stream environment assessment has been an essential trend of aquatic ecosystems among advanced countries, because the chemical water quality assessment has limitations that only represent temporal water environmental status. Benthic macroinvertebrates are the most popular bioindicator group useful to biological water quality assessment for a long time. In addition, a number of indices using benthic macroinvertebrates have recently been developed not only for water quality assessment but also for ecological health assessment. In this paper Korean Saprobic Index (KSI) based on Zelinka-Marvan's saprobic valency concept is developed by applying DIN 38410 in Germany. The KSI value was widely applicable to most Korean streams with the exception of sand-based large streams, for example main stream of Nakdong River. But as a result of non-linear regression analysis the correlation between KSI and $BOD_5$ concentration was high and KSI reflected water quality alteration for mid and long-term period. In spite of applicability of KSI, it should be supplemented and developed to make it strong by accumulating field data as well as to manage integrated water environment in general through continuous biomonitoring.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.156-163
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• 2008

This study was to introduce a methodology of ecological health assessment for efficient management and to provide some diagnostic results of the survey. We evaluated ecological health assessment at five sampling locations of Sikjang Mountainous Stream using the index of biological integrity (IBI) and Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) during May - October 2006. The health condition, based on the IBI model, averaged 32 and varied from 27 to 37 depending on the sampling sites. Thus, the stream health was judged as "good" to "fair" conditions. IBI values showed slight differences between upstream and downstream sites. Whereas, QHEI values varied from 75 (fair condition) to 196 (excellent condition) and QHEI at St. 4~5, indicating the downstream reach had significantly lower than the headwater site (St.1). Regression analyses also showed that QHEI values had a linear decrease from the headwater to downstream. This result indicated that habitat quality was rapidly degradated by human influence. Overall, data of IBI and QHEI suggested that the stream health was maintained well in the present but the habitat and biological quality were partially degradated in the downstream. So, the human interference should be minimized to protect the downstream environment.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.61-69
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• 2011

Integrated stream naturalness based on abiotic and biotic factors were developed. Abiotic factors considered in this study were types of land use in the riparian area, river bank and high water bed streamside, revetment, bed substrate and artificial construction of streamside. Biotic factors included types of vegetation, assemblages of fish, macroinvertebrate, bird and mammal(Otter) in streams. The presence/absence of legal species and biological assessment index were also weighted as important parameters in this study. Scoring criteria selected for each matrix was five rating system; 1=poor, 2=moderate, 3=fair, 4=good, 5=excellent. Numerical ratings for the matrix were then summed. This resulted in a minimum score of 13 if all matrix at a site were poor, and a maximum score of 65 if all matrix were excellent. Five grade system from poor(I) to excellent condition(V) was employed. To verify its validity in natural environment, the evaluation system was applied to the Gapchun stream which is a test bed selected. Our result showed that stream naturalness of each reach was clearly distinguished by biotic and abiotic characteristics. Determination of correlation coefficient between abiotic and biotic factors was also high ($R^2=0.96$, p<0.05). In conclusion, assessment for stream naturalness reflecting abiotic and biotic factors was useful method representing stream integrated.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.606-614
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• 2009

To evaluate the biological water quality, diatom-based biological indices (DAIpo and TDI) were examined in the Sum-River and the Dal-stream. Having BOD concentrations below $2mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ in most sites, water quality of both rivers was good. The DAIpo and TDI values ranged from 29.8 to 91.4 and from 38.7 to 93.0 respectively. From the biological water quality assessment, DAIpo and TDI for both rivers displayed fair to fairly poor water quality levels. However, the two indices showed more polluted conditions than expected from the BOD vlaues. In addition, DAIpo, having wider range of differences, appears to be more sensitive to the change in water quality when compared to TDI values. Statistical analysis using principal component analysis showed that Nitzschia palea and Diatoma vulgare might not be the appropriate indicators due to their low correlations with other indicators.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.631-648
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• 2012

The integrative ecological approaches of chemical assessments, physical habitat modelling, and multi-metric biological health modelling were applied to Gwanpyeong Stream within Gap-Stream watersheds to evaluate environmental impacts on the constructions of residential and commercial complex. For the analysis, the surveys conducted from 45 sites of reference streams within the Gap-Stream watershed and 3 regular sites during 2009 - 2010. Physical habitat health, based on the habitat model of Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index(QHEI) declined from the headwaters(good - fair condition) to the downstream(poor condition). Chemical water quality, based turbidity and electric conductivity(EC), was degraded toward to the downstream, and especially showed abrupt increases, compared to the values of control streams(CS). Also, concentrations of chlorophyll-a in the downstreams were greater compared to the control stream(CS), indicating an eutrophication. Biological health conditions, based on the Index of Biological Integrity(IBI) using fish assemblages, averaged 19.3 which is judged as a fair condition by the biological criteria of the Ministry of Environment, Korea. The comparisons of model metric values in sensitive species and riffle-benthic species on the Maximum Species Richness Line(MSRL) of 45 reference streams indicated a massive disturbances in all sampling locations. Also, tolerance guild and trophic guild analyses suggest that dominances of tolerant species and omnivores were evident, indicating a biological degradation by habitat disturbances and organic matter pollutions. There was no distinct longitudinal variations of IBI model values from the headwater to the downstream in spite of slight chemical and habitat health gradients among the sampling sites. Overall, integrative ecological health(IEH) scores, based on the chemical, physical, and biological parameters, were low compared to the 45 reference streams due to physical and chemical disturbances of massive constructions of the residential and commercial complex. This stream, thus showed a tendency of typical urban streams which are disturbed in the chemical water quality, habitat structures, and biological integrity. Effective stream management plans and restoration strategies are required in this urban stream for improving integrative stream health.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.127-140
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• 2010

This study investigates the relation between the location of a habitat and the ecological connections according to the habitat type in the riparian zone at the Nonsan Stream and Yanghwa Stream. Stream habitat is classified into nine types for the aquatic insects and fish. For vegetation and birds, habitat is classified into two types of medium-scale streams, including both physical and chemical streams are analyzed accordingly. Nowadays, The fundamental goal of the river environment restoration enterprise is the rehabilitation or the restoration of the characteristic the river scenic or environment. For instance, The Channel habitats which has physical nature environment such as flat, speedy rapids, or closed-channel wetland, pool are constructed by artificial, Consequently, make them autogenesis smoothy eco-environment. However, the river environment are controlled not only physical environment, but it also need reasonable the quality of the water to compose smoothly. Finally, understanding what influence are effecting on physical habitat environment which are made by natural factors to water quality are very important factor for the river environment restoration enterprise Therefore, In this research, we are targeting to a basin to investigate the environment of the physical channel habitat and evaluate the changing of the water quality. This results will be a important characteristic that can judge the physical habitat and reciprocality connected to the water quality or adequacy of restoration technology. Therefore in this study, as a step to quantify functions and values of habitats and definite factors to perform habitat, we selected a representative stream of sand-stream, gravel-stream to classify habitat characteristics and quantified the physical, chemical, biological characteristics.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.108-117
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• 2015

This study was carried out to assess problems related to legislative regulations and guidelines concerning some biological assessment systems applied to stream corridor in Korea. We comparatively reviewed the law of stream corridors and the guidelines for master plan concerned, and the law of water quality and health assessment criteria for the aquatic ecosystem concerned. Stream environments were not managed effectively due to the absence of detail regulations and the criteria for stream assessment. A biological assessment system was not equivalently integrated within the management of water resources in process implementation of projects resulting from the dualistic management system for stream corridors in Korea. The current biological assessment system was reflected to mainly physical habitats or only oriented to some aquatic species correlated with water quality. This system was also recognized as part of environment impact assessment based on an intensive survey method of most biological taxa. Conclusively rapid and quantitative assessment techniques based on advanced organisms, such as vegetation, fish and birds, etc. should be urgently provided for considering as representative indicators of stream conditions in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.117-128
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• 2010

The water qualities of Namdae-stream, Yeongok-stream and Sacheon-stream were examined, by using physicochemical factors, trophic status and epilithic diatoms from May 2008 to February 2009. The physicochemical water qualities of three streams were, except for some construction areas and sites of downstream, generally good, having less concentration than BOD of $2\;mg\;L^{-1}$. As for the sites of downstream, there were ongoing pollution such as graduation of nutrients in Namdae-stream and Sacheon-stream, due to salinity of seawater and topographical feature of the closed estuary. The examination of trophic status of Namdae-stream showed mesotrophic status in all the sites. Also, eutrophication was in progress as from the upstream to the downstream of Yeongok-stream, and Sacheon-stream showed eutrophic status in all its sites. As a result of the biological water quality assessment, Namdae-stream, excluding the downstream site, came out to be $\beta\sim\alpha$-oligosaprobic, and biological water quality was good, having TDI less than 50. Some construction sites and downstream site of Namdae-stream are $\beta$-mesosaprobic, and with the TDI over 70, the biological water quality assessment came out to be polluted. Yeongok-stream is $\beta\sim\alpha$-oligosaprobic, and its biological water quality is good, having TDI less than 40. Sacheon-stream, excluding the upstream site on May 2008 and February 2009, is $\beta\sim\alpha$-mesosaprobic, and its TDI over 70 shows that it has been polluted. The correlation analysis showed a high correlation in both DAlpo and TDI. Also, biological assessment of water quality (DAIpo, TDI) showed higher correlation with TSI rather than BOD.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.151-160
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• 2009

In order to use fundamental data for conservation of species diversity and stream health with dam development, fish investigation in up- and downstream of Pyeonglim Dam was seasonally conducted in 2007~2008. In addition, data of water qualities, investigated for environmental impact assessment, were used to determine a water quality standard level in Pyeonglim Stream, and it revealed that water environment condition was good in the stream. During the study period, a total number of fish caught from the 4 study sites was 5,449 representing 9 families 25 species, and there were 8 Korean endemic species (32.0%) including Rhodeus uyekii, Squalidus gracilis majimae, and Microphysogobio yaluensis. Two species of Zacco temminckii (37.5%) and Zacco platypus (26.3%) were dominant and subdominant in all sites. There were few individuals of the $2^{nd}$-class endangered species (Sand lamprey, Lampetra reissneri) and the introduced species (Bluegill, Lepomis macrochirus), found in the upstream of the dam. and further investigation for conservation of the endangered species and for prevention of the introduced species is needed in future. With fish fauna and multi-metric health assessment model in each sampling attempt, index of biotic integrity(IBI) was evaluated and it resulted mostly in good(26~35) and excellent(36~40) condition in all sites. The results indicate that it is very important to study not only environmental impact assessment with fish composition but also stream health assessment in order to conserve healthy aquatic ecosystem.