• Title/Summary/Keyword: Ecological river

Search Result 944, Processing Time 0.026 seconds

THE CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM OF RIVER HEALTH FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT

  • Carolyn G. Palmer;Jang, Suk-Hwan
    • Water Engineering Research
    • /
    • v.3 no.4
    • /
    • pp.259-267
    • /
    • 2002
  • South Africa has developed a policy and law that calls and provides for the equitable and sustainable use of water resources. Sustainable resource use is dependent on effective resource protection. Rivers are the most important freshwater resources in the country, and there is a focus on developing and applying methods to quantify what rivers need in terms of flow and water quality. These quantified and descriptive objectives are then related to specified levels of ecological health in a classification system. This paper provides an overview of an integrated and systematic methodology, where, fer each river, and each river reach, the natural condition and the present ecological condition are described, and a level/class of ecosystem health is selected. The class will define long term management goals. This procedure requires each ecosystem component to be quantified, starting with the abiotic template. A modified flow regime is modelled for each ecosystem health class, and the resultant fluvial geomorphology and hydraulic habitats are described. Then the water chemistry is described, and the water quality changes that are likely to occur as a consequence of altered flows are predicted. Finally, the responses to the stress imposed on the biota (fish, invertebrates and vegetation) by modified flow and water quality are predicted. All of the predicted responses are translated into descriptive and/or quantitative management objectives. The paper concludes with the recognition of active method development, and the enormous challenge of applying the methods, implementing the law, and achieving river protection and sustainable resource-use.

  • PDF

Current Status of the Ecosystem at the Nakdong River Estuary and Management Plan (낙동강하구의 생태계 현황과 관리방안)

  • Sangwook Han;Kwangjin Cho;Pyoungbeom Kim;Haeseon Shin
    • Journal of Environmental Science International
    • /
    • v.32 no.12
    • /
    • pp.943-953
    • /
    • 2023
  • This study analyzed the ecological characteristics of the wetland protection area at tthe Nakdong River through vegetation and biota surveys, which showed that brackish water meets fresh water, a unique ecological environment has been created, biodiversity is high, and diverse habitats are distributed. Eleven plant communities, including four woody communities and seven grass communities, are distributed along the coast, and a total of 514 species, including 11 endangered wildlife species, were identified in terms of species diversity. Among them, the species diversity of the Eulsuk-do area was found to be relatively higher than that of other Barreir Islands areas. The presence of a population of Sterna albifrons on Sinja-do and a population of Eremias argus on Jinwo-do, an area outside the boundaries of the wetland protection area, confirmed the conservation value of the wetlands and the need to expand the boundaries of the wetland protection area. It is judged that this information can be used as basic information for a systematic conservation and management plan for the wetland protection area at the Nakdong River Estuary and as basic data to support the establishment of a policy.

Assessment of Riverine Health Condition and Estimation of Optimal Ecological Flowrate Considering Fish Habitat in downstream of Yongdam Dam (용담댐 하류의 하천건강성 평가 및 어류 서식처를 고려한 최적 생태유량 산정)

  • Hur, Jun-Wook;Kim, Jeong-Kon
    • Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
    • /
    • v.42 no.6
    • /
    • pp.481-491
    • /
    • 2009
  • In this study, a comprehensive field monitoring was conducted to understand habitat conditions of fish species in the upper Geum river. Based on the monitoring data, riverine health conditions such as composition ratio of fish species, richness and dominance indexes, bio-diversity (dominance index, diversity, evenness and richness), and index of biological integrity were assessed, and optimal ecological flowrates were estimated using the habitat suitability indexes established for three fish species Coreoleuciscus splendidus, Zacco platypus and Pseudopungtungia nigra selected as icon species using the physical habitat simulation system (PHABSIM). The total number of species sampled was 20 species, and two sensitive species of C. splendidus (22.4%) and Z. platypus (22.0%) dominated the fish community. The estimated IBI values ranged from 34 to 42 with average being 38 out of 50, rendering the site ecologically fair to good health conditions. An optimal ecological flowrate of 9.0 cms was recommended for the representative fish species at the site.

Analysis of Seasonal Water Quality Variation of a Natural Wetland in the Nakdong River Basin (낙동강 수계 자연습지의 계절별 수질변화특성 분석)

  • Kim, Young Ryun;Lee, Kwang Sup;Lee, Suk Mo;Kang, Daeseok;Sung, Kijune
    • Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
    • /
    • v.25 no.5
    • /
    • pp.713-719
    • /
    • 2009
  • A natural wetland in the Nakdong River basin which effectively removes non-point source pollutants was investigated for 2 years to understand wetland topography, vegetation types, and water quality characteristics. The water depth of the natural wetland was in the range of 0.5~1.9 m which is suitable for the growth of non-emergent hydrophytes. The wetland has a high length to width ratio (3.3:1) and a relatively large wetland to watershed area ratio (0.057). A broad-crested weir at the outlet increases the retention time of the wetland whose hydrology is mainly dependent on storm events. The concentrations of dissolved oxygen in the growing season and the winter season showed anoxic and oxic conditions, respectively. Diurnal variations of DO and pH in the growing season were also observed due to weather change and submerged plants. COD and TP concentrations were low in the winter season due to low inflow rate and increased retention time. Increased TP concentrations in the spring season were caused by degradation of dead wetland plants. Nitrogen in the wetland was mostly in organic nitrogen form (>75%). During the growing season, ammonium concentration was high but nitrate nitrogen concentration was low, possibly due to anoxic and low pH conditions which are adverse conditions for ammonificaiton and nitrification. The results of this study can be used as preliminary data for design, operation, monitoring and management of a constructed wetland which is designed to treat diffuse pollutants in the Nakdong river watershed.

Population Dynamics of Intermediate-Host Snails in the White Nile River, Sudan: A Year-Round Observational Descriptive Study

  • Ismail, Hassan A.H.A.;Ahmed, Abed el Aziz A. el R.M.;Lee, Young-Ha;Elhag, Mousab Siddig;Kim, Youngjin;Cha, Seungman;Jin, Yan
    • Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
    • /
    • v.59 no.2
    • /
    • pp.121-129
    • /
    • 2021
  • We aimed to explore the population dynamics of snail in 3 sites of the White Nile in Sudan. More specifically, we aimed to investigate the annual patterns of snail populations that act as intermediate hosts of schistosomes and monthly snail infection rates and ecological characteristics presumably related to snail populations. We collected snails for 1 year monthly at 3 different shore sites in the vicinity of El Shajara along the White Nile river in Khartoum State, Sudan. In addition, we measured air and water temperatures, water turbidities, vegetation coverages, and water depths and current speeds. Most of the collected snails were Biomphalaria pfeifferi and Bulinus truncatus. The population densities of snails and their infection rates varied across survey sites. The collected snails liberated S. mansoni and S. haematobium cercariae as well as Amphistome and Echinostome cercariae. Infected snails were found during March-June. The ecological characteristics found to be associated with the absence of snails population were: high turbidity, deep water, low vegetation coverage (near absence of vegetation), high water temperature, and high current speed. To our knowledge, this is the first longitudinal study of the snail population and ecological characteristics in the main basin of the White Nile river.

Structural Characteristics and Maintenance Mechanism of Ulmus pumila Community at the Dong River, Gangwon-do, South Korea

  • Choung, Heung-Lak;Kim, Chul-Hwan;Yang, Keum-Chul;Chun, Jae-In;Roh, Huan-Chuen
    • The Korean Journal of Ecology
    • /
    • v.26 no.5
    • /
    • pp.255-261
    • /
    • 2003
  • To analyze ecological characteristics of the Ulmus pumila community, an on-the-spot survey was conducted in August, 1998 in the Dong River, Gangwon-do, South Korea. The Ulmus pumila community is partially distributed in Dong River's midstream and upper stream. Topographical characteristics of this community are significant in the point bar or sandbank of the river. The community is classified into two types, disturbed and non-disturbed types, by the effect of flooding. The Ulmus pumila community (bush forests of Siberian elms) is a representative community which forms riparian forests, but its distribution is rare in South Korea. Only in Dong River is the Ulmus pumila distributed enough to form a community, and none is known that is lager than this community in South Korea. The non-disturbance type progresses more homogeneously than the disturbance type because it is formed on riverside banks where it is affected less by flooding. We concluded that the Ulmus pumila community in this study area has characteristics of riparian forests. In South Korea, Ulmus pumila community can be regarded as important element of vegetation landscape constituting riparian forests. Specifically, these riparian forests are evaluated as high in conservation value due to their being formed spontaneously. Moreover, Dong River is regarded as the southern limit of Ulmus pumila, which has a northern origin. The species or community needs continuous interests and conservation countermeasures because there are limitations in its spread of distribution by natural or artificial efforts.

Status of Water Infrastructure and Future Tasks in Jeollabuk-do Province(Focussed on the Mangyeong River and Dongjin River) (전라북도 물이용 체계 및 과제(만경강과 동진강 중심으로))

  • Kim, Boguk
    • Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
    • /
    • v.36 no.5
    • /
    • pp.289-296
    • /
    • 2022
  • Mangyeong River and Dongjin River are highly dependent on external regions for domestic and agricultural water, and the agricultural water supply and use system of those rivers are very complicated. For smooth water supply, rivers are used as a supply system. Of the total river water use permits (as of 2019), agricultural water accounts for 97.5%, 80.4% in Mangyeong River and Dongjin River, respectively. The excessive intake of river water as agricultural purpose is causing the stream to dry out and to deteriorate the ecological health of the river. It is necessary to minimize the water use system that takes in and utilizes river water. In both rivers, the flow rate of agricultural drainage and the load of major water quality items that flowing into the main stream are similar to or higher than those of the major tributaries, indicating that management is necessary to improve the water quality of the river. It is necessary to understand the effect of agricultural drainage on river water quality by establishing a continuous monitoring system for the form of agricultural drainage.