Using Ecologic-Hydraulic-Hydrologic Methods for Evaluating Environmental Flows in Rivers

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 M.S.c Student of Hydraulic Structure Engineering, Science and Research Branch, Azad Islamic University, Tehran

2 Assoc. Prof. of River Engineering, Dept. of Water Resources Engineering, Urumia University

3 Prof. of Hydrology, Dept. of Water Science and Engineering, Science and Research Branch, Azad Islamic University, Tehran

Abstract

The assessment of environmental flows in a river ecosystem is a new practice in Iran. The main aim of the present study was to use different Eco-hydraulic-hydrologic methods to determine the environmental flow requirements in a typical perennial river. The ecological needs of the transboundary Zab River (located in the northwest of Iran) were investigated in three different reaches along the 160 km length of the river course using the hydraulic-wetted perimeter method (and taking advantage of the two different algorithms of slope method and maximum curvature), the synthetic habitat simulation method, and the water quality control method. The results were compared with those obtained from different echo-hydrologic methods. It was found that the FDC Shifting method (considering Class B: ecologically important rivers despite water resources development) is well adapted to the conditions in the upper reaches of the river (Derabkay Khaneh). The synthetic Eco-hydraulic method is to be recommended for the middle and downstream reaches (Grezhal and Pol–Sardasht) providing the ecological requirements of the Barbus Capito fish (as the bio– indicator species) are met. The mean annual flows in the three river reaches are determined as 2.3, 7.6, and 7.9 m3/s, respectively. The potential monthly flow rates are also proposed for preserving the riverine life.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

  1. Tharme, R.E. (2003). “A global perspective on environmental flow assessment: Emerging trends in the development and application of environmental flow methodologies for rivers.” J. of River Res. Appl.,
    19(5-6), 397-441.
  2. Smakhtin, V.U., Revenga, C., and Doll, P. (2004). “A pilot global assessment of environmental water requirements and scarcity.” J. of Water International, 29, 307-317.
  3. Dyson, M., Berkamp, G., and Scanlon, J. (2003). Flow: The essentials of environmental flows IUCN Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK
  4. Knights, P. (2002). “Environmental flows: Lessons from an Australian experience.” Proceedings of International Conference: Dialog on Water, Food and Environment, Hanoi, Vietnam.
  5. Arthington, A., Bunn, S., Poff, N., and Naiman, R. (2006). “The challenge of providing environmental flow rules tosustain river ecosystems.” J. of Ecological Applications, 16(4), 1311-1318.
  6. Gippel, C.J., and Stewardson, M.J., (1998). “Use of the wetted perimeter in defining the minimum environmental flows.” J. of Regulated Rivers: Research and Management, 14, 53-67.
  7. Poff, N., Richter, B., Arthington, A., Bunn, S., Naiman, R., Kendy, E., and Acreman, M. (2010). “The ecological limits of hydrologic alteration (ELOHA): A new framework for developing regional environmental flow standards.” J. of Freshwater Biology, 55, 147-170.
  8. Shokoohi, A., and Hong, Y. (2011). “Using hydrologic and hydraulically derived geometric parameters of pernnial rivers to determine minimum water requirements of ecological habitats, Case study: Mazandaran Sea Basin-Iran.” J. of Hydrol. Process., 25, 3490-3498. (In Persian)
  9. Nazari Doost, A. (2006). “Development of methodologies, instructions and software for calculating minimum water requirements of wetlands ecosystem, (Case study: International Urmia Plain Wetland).” Ph.D. Thesis, Tehran Science and Research University, Iran. (In Persian)

10. Shaeri Karimi, S., Yasi, M., and Eslamian, S. (2012) “Use of hydrological methods for assessment of environmental flow in a river reach.” International J. of Environmental Science and Technology, 9, 549-558.

11. Ahmadpour, Z. (2012). “Indices of hydrologic flow variables in the evaluation of environmental flows in rivers.” MSc Thesis in Water Resources Engineering, Dept. of Water Engineering, Urmia University, Iran. (In Persian)

12. Gordon, N.D., McMahon, T.A., and Finlayson, B.L. (2004). Stream hydrology: An introduction for ecologists, 2nd Ed., John Wiley and Sons, New York.

13. Suxia, L., Xingguo, M., Jun, X., Changming, L., Zhonghui, L., Baohui, M., and Lina, J. (2006) “Estimating the minimum in-stream flow requirements via wetted perimeter method based on curvature and slope techniques.” J. of Geographical Sciences, 16(2), 242-250.

14. Annear, T.C., and Conder, A.L. (1984) “Relative bias of several fisheries instream flow methods.” N. Am. J. Fish. Mgmt, 4, 531-539.

15. Iran Water Resources Management CO., Deputy of Research. (2005). Guideline of floodplain zoning and determination of floodway and flood fringe (Publication No. 307), Management and planning organization of Iran, Tehran. (In Persian)

16. Roberts, J., Young, W.J., and Marston, F. (2000). Estimating the water requirements for plants of floodplain wetlands: A guide, Land and Water Resources Research and Development Corporation, Australia.

17. Fanavarn Ab-Sazeh Consulting Engineers. (2009). “Studies of water transmission from Zab basin to Urmia lake basin (environmental and social report of Kanisib dam, Badin Abad diversion dam and tunnel).” West Azerbaijan Regional Water Company, Urmia. (In Persian)

18. Code, B. (1995). Freshwater fishes of Iran, Institute of Landscape Ecology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Czech Republic.

19. Tchobanoglous, G., Burton, F.L., and Stensel, H.D. (1978). Wastewater engineering: Treatment disposal reuse, 2nd Ed., Metcalf and Eddy Inc., McGraw-Hill, New York.

20. Smakhtin, V.U., and Anputhas, M. (2006). An assessment of environmental flow requirements of Indian River Basins, IWMI Research Report 107. International Water Management Institute, Colombo, SriLanka.

21. Arthington, A., Rall, J., Kennrad, M., and Pusey, B. (2003) “Environmental flow requirements of fish in Lesotho rivers using the DRIFT methodology.” J. of River Res. Applic., 19, 641-666.

22. Office of Standard and Technical Criteria, Planning and Budget Organization of Iran. (1992). “Drinking water standards (Publication No. 116-3).” Planning and Budget Organization of Iran, Tehran. (In Persian)

23. Biswas, H. (1997). Technical guidance manual for performing waste load allocations, Book II: Streams and Rivers-Part 1: Biochemical Oxygen Demand/Dissolved Oxygen and Nutrients/ Eutrophication. USEPA., USA.

24. Abgir Consulting Engineers. (2005). “Studies on the agricultural and environmental water needs of Zab and Gedar rivers.” West Azerbaijan Regional Water Company, Urmia. (In Persian)

25. Moshanir Consulting Engineers. (2008). “Studies of sardasht dam and power plant environmental impacts assessment.” Iran Water Resources Management Company, Tehran. (In Persian)

Journal of Water and Wastewater; Ab va Fazilab ( in persian )
Volume 26, Issue 2 - Serial Number 2
serial number:96
May 2015
Pages 71-81

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics