• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.51 no.8
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• pp.713-727
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• 2018

This study is to develop an assessment system for stream physical environments by considering stream characteristics. Comprehensively, the descriptions of and steam classification, assessing reach selection, contents of assessment categories and indexes are summarized. Since the physical structure of stream is results of reaction by stream power, streams were classified into three types (as high gradient stream, mid gradient stream and low gradient stream) according to the slope of channel, the grain size of bed material and the characteristics of channel topography. The scale of assessment reach was selected based on 10 or 25 times of channel width according to typical characteristics such as interval of step or riffle and sinuosity in each stream type. The assessment indexes were organized into common indicators such as channel stability, flow status, cross-section shape, bank stability, channel alteration and stream crossing structure, and characteristic indicators by stream type such as effective habitats, bed embeddedness, diversity of flow and frequency of step or riffle. To evaluate the applicability, the assessment system was applied to 9 streams and the results were analyzed and presented.

• 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.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.179-193
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• 2021

This study examines the use of satellite images for river classification and determination of stream reach, which is the first priority in the river environment assessment system. In the river environment assessment system used in South Korea, it is proposed to set a stream reach by using 10 or 25 times the width of the river based on the result of river classification. First, river classification for the main stream section of Cheongmi stream was performed using various river-related data. The maximum likelihood method was applied for land cover classification. In this study, Sentinel-2 satellite imagery, which is an open data technology with a resolution of 10 m, was used. A total of four satellite images from 2018 was used to consider various flow conditions: February 2 (daily discharge = 2.39 m³/s), May 23 (daily discharge = 15.51 m³/s), June 2 (daily discharge = 3.88 m³/s), and July 7 (daily discharge = 33.61 m³/s). The river widths were estimated from the result of land cover classification to determine stream reach. The results of the assessment reach classification were evaluated using indicators of stream physical environments, including pool diversity, channel sinuosity, and river crossing shape and structure. It is concluded that appropriate flow conditions need to be considered when using satellite images to set up assessment segments for the river environment assessment system.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2011

This study was carried out to suggest the baseline data necessary for vegetation restoration at riverine wetland within stream corridor. We used the prevalence index for wetland assessment by applying the method of weighted averages with index values based on five hydrophyte indicator status as defined by estimated probability occurred in wetland. We selected near nature and urbanized reach of Gap and Yanghwa streams as experimental site. Although two sites have some different disturbance and characteristics of watershed, they showed that similarity of vegetation community including three dominant species - Salix koreensis, Phragmites communis, Miscanthus sacchariflorus - was very high. But in case of Yanghwa stream, various kinds of emergent plants along wetted condition were distinctly occurred, resulted from difference of hydrological regime and substrate, etc. Degree of naturalness of vegetation at the sampled areas indicated that near nature area of Gap stream and all area of Yanghwa stream were fitted as riverine wetland, while urbanized area of Gap stream has changed into upland condition. In conclusion assessment system using prevalence index would be considered an effective method for evaluating of natural states of riverine wetland, but further integrated consideration of physical, hydrological, and biological factors of stream process, and also with considering the difference between those qualitative data of vegetation community.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.511-519
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• 2016

National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER) has developed the Korean Reach File (KRF) for scientific and systematic analysis of variables related to water quality, pollutant sources and aquatic ecosystems in consideration of steam reach networks. The KRF provides a new framework for data production, storage, management and analysis for water related variables in relation to spatial characteristics, connections, and topologies of stream reaches. However, the current version of KRF (ver.2) has limited applicability because its nodes include not only the stream points based on topological characteristics but also those based on water quality monitoring stations, which may undermine its generality. In this study, a new version of KRF (ver.3) was designed and established to overcome the weak point of version 2. The version 3 is a generalization of the old KRF graphic data and it integrates the attribute data while separating it from the graphic data to minimize additional work that is needed for data association and search. We tested the KRF (ver.3) on actual cases and convenience and adaptability for each application was verified. Further research should focus on developing a database link model and real-world applications that are targeted to process event data.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.55-75
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to present the basic data for restoration of physical stream environment by analyzing habitat variables because habitat environment is changed due to the construction of waterfront space in urban streams. Assessment results of 10 habitat variables(three divisions) were almost same as optimal condition, in the reach of reference stream where there are no stream crossing structures and channel alteration. Assessment results of reaches in urban rivers, where streams were improved on water-friendly recreation activities, appeared to be marginal condition. Because habitat environment got worse due to stream improvement works such as construction of weir for water landscape, stepping stones for walking, low water revetment and high water revetment, and high water channel. In addition, in the case of mid gradient stream, the frequency of riffles was small or not existed because the intervals of the river crossing structures was short. In the case of mild stream types, the diversity of the pool was damaged due to the deposition of sludge in the upstream pool of weir and the installation of low water revetment.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.143-160
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• 2023

This study applied the stream physical habitat assessment system to obtain basic information for river restoration and watershed management in high-gradient and mid-gradient streams in the Naeseongcheon basin. The total length of high-gradient and mid-gradient streams in the Naeseongcheon basin is about 273 km, and as a result of the assessment, it was analyzed that suboptimal reach was about 8.2 km, normal reach was 180.3 km, and marginal reach was 84.7 km. In addition, the physical habitat quality of high-gradient streams was analyzed to be normal condition with an average of 106 points (53%), and in particular, the score of channel/hydraulic category, which is the most important for the habitat of aquatic animals, was analyzed to be normal, close to the limit, with an average of 54 points (45%). The physical habitat quality of mid-gradient streams was found to be in normal condition with an average of 90 points (45%), and the score of channel/hydraulic category was in marginal condition with an average of 39 points (32%). Overall, among 165 reaches of high-gradient and mid-gradient streams in the Naeseongcheon basin, 4 reaches (3%) were evaluated as suboptimal, 119 reaches (72%) were normal, and 42 reaches (25%) were considered marginal. These results showed that the physical habitat of Naeseongcheon was significantly disturbed. Disturbance of stream physical habitat in the Naeseongcheon basin occured due to farmland around stream, urbanization, reservoir construction, and river maintenance.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2020

The Stream/River Ecosystem Survey and Health Assessment has been carried out regarding the ecological health of the streams by the Ministry of Environment (MOE), South Korea. However, the sources of impairment of the stream ecosystem and the interactions between the sources, stressors, and the responses of impaired streams have not been taken into consideration. The purpose of this study is to propose the establishment of diagnosis systems for the impaired stream ecosystem because of the need to incorporate the same in the making of the policy to enable the recovery and improvement of the health of the impaired streams or river ecosystem. First, we define the concept of a diagnosis of the impaired stream or river ecosystem through a literature review. Second, through case studies [e.g., US CADDIS (Causal Analysis/Diagnosis Decision Information System), AUS. Eco Evidence, EU WFD (Water Framework Directive)], we try to develop the diagnosis system for the making of policy. In this study, the diagnosis system that is proposed consists of eight steps including the basic data collection, detecting or suspecting impairment, defining the impaired stream reach, identifying the biological impaired cases and listing the candidate causes, illustrating the interactive conceptual diagrams between stressors and responses, investigating the stressors-responses in the field, verifying causes and identifying the probable causes of the impaired cases, and summarizing and proposing the restoration of the streams. The results of this study will support and enable efficient decision-making for sustainable stream restoration and management based on the diagnosis of the probable causes for the impaired complex and the diverse stream ecosystem.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.189-203
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to build a GIS database that can utilized to provide a multi-dimensional analysis of aquatic health ecosystem. Especially, it was to build a GIS database for comprehensive analysis using the aquatic ecosystem health. So we collected data on aquatic ecosystem health assessment, Korea Reach File(KRF), Stream Naturalness and Water Environmental Information System, and detailed analysis of the collected data was performed. In addition, the core objects were extracted from individual data and a related entity was derived by pulling out the items associated with thematic characteristics and classifying them. The establishment of GIS database makes it possible to support the decision making for the user to quickly understand the information of water environment. Therefore, the database will provide the information for the effective management on water environment.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.535-545
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• 2011

This study was carried out to suggest the baseline data necessary for vegetation restoration by naturalness assessment of riverine wetland within stream corridor. We selected stream reach both of near nature and urbanized by Nonsan stream and Hongchun river as experimental site. Composition of vegetation community and land use pattern between two sites indicated considerable difference, which imply for many different watershed property and process disturbed each other at river ecosystem. Naturalness of the sampled reaches showed that near nature is in better condition for riverine wetland than urbanized of all two sites. However, the prevalence index of Hongchun river within its natural state was lower than that of Nonsan stream, because the index included some vegetation communities occurred at upland fringe and bank slope. In conclusion assessment system using prevalence index would be considered an effective method for evaluating of natural states of riverine wetland.