• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.120-131
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• 2022

Microcystins (MCs) are cyano-toxins mainly produced by cyanobacteria in the genera of Microcystis, Anabaena, and Oscillatoria. The concentrations of MCs in the water bodies and fish tissues taken from the four weirs (Ipo, Gangjeong-goryeong, Baekje, and Juksan) in the four main rivers in Korea, and the health risk of human due to consumption of toxin-detected fish was examined. The maximum values of MCs concentration in the water samples were as follows: Juksan (3.261 ㎍ L^-1), Gangjeong-goryeong (1.014 ㎍ L^-1), Baekje (0.759 ㎍ L^-1), and Ipo (0.266 ㎍ L^-1) weirs. The MC-RR concentration was the highest among the MCs, and MC-YR was not detected. MCs of 0.222~9.808 ㎍ g^-1 dry weight were detected in the liver of 3 out of 215 fishes of 16 species, and below the detection limit in muscle. As a result of comparing the feeding characteristics of the collected fishes and toxin concentrations in water and fish tissue, it was concluded that the biomagnification of MCs through the food chain did not occur. It was judged that there was no health risk due to the consumption of the fish detected the toxin, based on the amount of the fish intake of the Korean people and the allowable daily intake of MCs. However, in order to reduce the health risk due to MCs, further studies should be conducted to analyze the concentration of MCs contained in fish tissues collected at various times in the area dominated by harmful cyanobacteria to obtain data on the exposure of MCs due to fish consumption. In addition, it is necessary to establish the management guidelines for MCs in fish tissues.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.348-362
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• 2023

This study analyzed the monitoring results of fishways at 16 weirs constructed on four large Rivers to provide data helpful for the operation and management of fishways. The average utilization rate of the fishways at the weirs was confirmed to be 64.9%. When comparing the dominant species in the mainstream and fishway monitoring results, differences were observed in 9 weirs (56.3%). This indicated that the species prevalent in the mainstream were not necessarily the ones most frequently using the fishways. The average number of individuals using the fishways per day was 336. When classifying the fish species using the fishway by life type, 92.3% were primary freshwater fish, and migratory species accounted for only 5.6%. Analysis based on the season of fishway usage revealed that an average or higher number of fish species used the fishways from May to October, with the highest number of individual users occurring from June to August. Between May and July, 80% of the fish species using the fishways were in their spawning period, while during other season, less than 40% were species that move during the spawning period. The fishways that showed a significant alignment between the spawning period and the fishway passage period were Rhinogobius brunneus, Leiocassis nitidus, Squalidus chankaensis tsuchigae, Pseudogobio esocinus, Acheilognathus rhombeus, and Pungtungia herzi, in that order. When comparing the fishway monitoring results of the Gangjeong-Goryeong Weir and the Dalseong Weir with the upper part water level of the weir, both the number of fish species and individuals using the fishway showed positive correlations with the upper part water level of the weir. This suggests that a higher water level of the weir increases the inflow discharge within the fishway, leading to increased use by fish (number of individuals in Gangjeong-Goryeong Weir, P<0.001; number of species in Dalseong Weir, P<0.05). This study summarized and analyzed the results of fishway monitoring at 16 weirs built on four large Rivers, considering fishway efficiency, operation and management, monitoring period, and regulation of water level in the upper part of the weir. It is thought that this will help understand the status of fish use in fishways on large River and aid the construction, operation, and management of fishways in the future.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.1395-1408
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• 2014

In this research, a River Recreation Index Model (RRIM) was developed to provide sufficient information on the water quality of rivers to the public in order to secure safety of publics. River Recreation Index (RRI) is an integrated water quality information for recreation activities in rivers and expressed as the point from 0 to 100. The proposed RRIM consisted of two sub models: Fecal Coliform Model (FCM) and Water Quality Index Model (WQIM). FCM predicted Fecal Coliform Grade (FCG) using a logistic regression and WQIM synthesized water quality parameters of, DO, pH, turbidity and chlorophyll a into Water Quality Index (WQI). FCG and WQI were integrated into RRI by the integrating algorithm. The proposed model was applied to upstream of Gangjeong Weir in Nakdong River, and compared with Real Time Water Quality Index (RTWQI) which is the existing water quality information system for recreation use. The results show that calculated RRI reflected change of integrated water quality parameters well. Especially chlorophyll a showed Pearson correlation coefficient -0.85 with RRI. Also, RRIM produced more conservative index than RTWQI because RRI was calculated considering uncertainty of water quality criteria. Further, RRI showed especially low values when fecal coliform was predicted as low grade.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.277-288
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• 2017

A probabilistic risk analysis of levee system estimates the overall level of flood risk associated with the levee system, according to a series of possible flood scenarios. It requires the uncertainty analysis of all the risk components, including hydrological, hydraulic and geotechnical parts computed by employing MCMC (Markov Chain Monte Carlo), MCS (Monte Carlo Simulation) and FOSM (First-Order Second Moment), presents a joint probability combined each probability. The methodology was applied to a 12.5 km reach from upstream to downstream of the Gangjeong-Goryeong weir, including 6 levee reaches, in Nakdong river. Overtopping risks were estimated by computing flood stage corresponding to 100/200 year high quantile (97.5%) design flood causing levee overflow. Geotechnical risks were evaluated by considering seepage, slope stability, and rapid drawdown along the levee reach without overflow. A probability-based compound risk will contribute to rising effect of safety and economic aspects for levee design, then expect to use the index for riverside structure design in the future.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.51-60
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• 1990

Parasites of freshwater fishes in Cheju-do were studied from May 1989 to April 1990, and incidence of infection in 16 fish species was reported. Protozoan parasites (Trichodina sp., Chilodonella sp., Ichthyophthirius sp., Vorticella sp., Myxidium sp., Myxobolus sp., Henneguya sp:, Ichthyobodo sp., and Trychophrya sp.), water mold (Saproregnia sp.), two monogenes (Dactylogyrus sp. and Gyrodactylogyrus sp.), Trematods, Cestods, Nematods, Acanthocephalas, parasitic copepods(Lernaea sp. and Pseudergasilus sp.) and a Hirudinea were recognized as freshwater fish parasites in Cheju-do. Trichodina sp. showed the highest infection rate (18.3%). Fifty seven individual fishes out of 311 were infected by this parasite. Nematods showed the second highest infection rate (13.5%). Dactylogyrus sp., Acanthocephalas, and Trematods showed the third (4.8%), fourth (4.2%), and fifth (2.6%) infection rate respectively. Of the 16 fish species Cryptocentrus filifer (Gobiidae) showed the highest infection rate. Nineteen fish out of 28 have Trichodina sp., and 14 fish out of 28 have Nematods. Those infection rates were 67.9% and 50.0% respectively. No parasites were collected from the fishes of Gwangryung vally, Dosoon-chun, Gangjeong-chun, and Hyodon-chun.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.316-323
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• 2019

This study was carried out to investigate sedimentary environment changes in Nakdong River sediments. For this purpose, sediments at six sites upstream of Gangjeong-Goryung Weir in the middle of the Nakdong River were collected before and after the rainy season. Particles size, IL, TOC, TN, TP, and SRP were analyzed for the sediment environment. The changes in the watershed environment before and after the rainy season (precipitation, discharge, and SS concentration) were investigated. After the rainy season, the amount of precipitation and discharge increased more than three times, and the average concentration of SS in the stream increased more than two times. Fine grained sediment and the concentrations of IL, TOC, TN, TP, SRP were increased after the rainy season. As a result of sediment contamination assessment, IL was 19~68% of the reference value, TN and TP were 21~76% and 21~58% of the reference value. The result showed strong correlation between particle size (Silt+Clay) and organic contents of sediment (IL, TOC, TN, TP and SRP). It is considered that the change of the river watershed environment (precipitation, discharge) is an important factor of the change of sedimentation environment.

• Journal of Environmental Policy
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.45-61
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• 2015

The river environment in Korea has changed significantly after the completion of the Four Major Rivers Project due to the outdated river management methods and thus, it is necessary to modify the current river management process. A typical example of this management is dredging but it is a method that usually results in socio-environmental side effects. Therefore, in order to minimize the socio-environmental impacts of dredging, Korea is currently applying the Environmental Windows, a management practice currently being used in the United States that eliminates the risk of potentially harmful impacts of dredging. The use of statistical methods was suggested to address the issue of data insufficiency and this methodology was applied in the downstream part of the Gangjeong-Goryeong weir located within the Nakdong river basin. The results show that when performing a month of dredging, the optimal period is March whereas the optimal month to start dredging is August in case of an eight-month dredging project. If Korea's flood season is also considered for an eight-month dredging process, then October is the optimal month to start dredging. Non-structural methods such as the Environmental Windows reduce maintenance costs and also bring only short-term side effects to the environment, as opposed to structural methods such as the development of environmentally-friendly dredging machine. Given that few studies have explored this topic in Korea, the findings and suggestions could serve as basic data in studying river dredging in the future.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.997-1005
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• 2013

Since the cross-sectional shape of the Nakdong river is compound type, the water stage rises up to the top of the flood plane, as the flow discharge increases during the extreme rain storm in summer. The recent increase of rainfall intensity and flood frequency results in the immersions of parks and hydrophilic facilities located in the flood plain. Therefore it is necessary to analyze the hydraulic characteristics evolved by the extreme rain storm in the flood plain. The study reach ranging from the Gangjeong Goryeong Weir and the Dalseong Weir, where several hydraulic facilities are located along the channel, was selected and numerical simulations were conducted for 42 hours including the peak flood of the typhoon Sanba. The 2-D transient model, FaSTMECH was employed and the accuracy of the model was assessed by comparing the water level between the simulation results and the measured ones at a gauging station. It showed a high correlation with $R^2$ of 0.990, AME of 0.195, and RMSE of 0.252. In addition, the inundation time, the inundation depth, the inundation velocity, and the shear stress variation in the flood plain facilities were analyzed.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.55-62
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• 2020

Chironomidae widely utilize as a biological indicator that has various types of feeding pattern such as omnivorous, herbivorous and carnivorous. Polypedilum scalaenum is known as omnivorous, it plays an important role in the food chain of freshwater ecosystems in Korea. Nevertheless, detailed information about diet items of P. scalaenum is still lacking. The purpose of this study is to identify the gut and intestine contents of items on P. scalaenum inhabiting the large-scale weirs of the four major river ecosystems(Ipoh Weir, Sejong Weir, Juksan Weir, Gangjeong-Goryeong Weir, and Dalseong Weir). Phytoplankton was dominant diet items among the study sites. However, zooplankton (i.e. appendages, setae) only found in Ipoh Weir. The phytoplankton species composition in the study sites was correspond to the diet items in the gut and intestine contents of P. scalaenum. In summary, analysis of P. scalaenum gut and intestine contents in this study was able to identify the feeding characteristics of omnivorous Chironomidae, and in particular, it was possible to study the species composition of basic producers in the surrounding aquatic environment by analyzing the contents of the digestive tracts.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.46-54
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• 2020

Artificial and natural changes such as weir construction and climate change often cause abnormal blooming of organism. Therefore, variations in species community of organisms have been actively investigated to identify influential environmental changes on the fresh water ecosystem. In this study, we investigated Chironomidae community and environmental factors at 5 representative weirs (Ipo, IP; Sejong, SJ; Juksan, JS; Gangjeong-goryung, GG; and Dalsung weir) in 4 Korean major rivers to figure out relationship between Chironomidae community and environmental factors. Environmental factors indicating organic matter (total organic carbon, TOC and Chlorophyll-a, Chl-a) showed lower concentration in IP and SJ compared with other sites(JS, GG and DS). 3 sub-family 18 genus 25 species of Chironomidae community were found in this study. Among them, Chironominae was dominant in JS (Tanytarsus sp.1), GG (Polypedilum scalaenum) and DS (Polypedilum scalaenum), while different sub-family were dominant in IP (Orthcladinae, Tokunagayusurika akamushi) and SJ (Tanypodinae, Tanypus punctipennis). Moreover, based on the dominant species of Chironomidae community and environmental factors, the cluster analysis classified our study sites into 3 groups. These results imply that the diet resource is the most important factor for dominance of Chironomidae in Korean rivers. We also suggest that further study on the identification of diet resources for each Chironomidae specie is required for better understating of distribution in species community of Chironomidae at various ecosystems.