Maintaining healthy rivers and lakes through water diversion from Yangtze River to Taihu Lake in Taihu Basin

On the basis of the Taihu water resources assessment, an analysis of the importance and rationality of the water diversion from the Yangtz,e River to Taihu Lake in solving the water problem and establishing a harmonious eco-environment in the Taihu Basin is performed. The water quantity and water quality conjunctive dispatching ＇decisi＂ofi-makifig support system, which ensures flood control, water supply and eco-aimed dispatching, is built by combining the water diversion with flood control dispatching and strengthening water resources monitoring and forecasting. With the practice and effect assessment, measures such as setting the -integrated basin management format, further developing water diversion and improving the hydraulic engineering projects system and water monitoring system are proposed in order to maintain healthy rivers and guarantee the development of the economy and society in the Taihu Basin.

Unraveling the mechanisms underlying lake expansion from 2001 to 2020 and its impact on the ecological environment in a typical alpine basin on the Tibetan Plateau

Yanhu Lake basin(YHB)is a typical alpine lake on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau(TP).Its continuous expansion in recent years poses serious threats to downstream major projects.As a result,studies of the mechanisms underlying lake expansion are urgently needed.The elasticity method within the Budyko framework was used to calculate the water balance in the Yanhu Lake basin(YHB)and the neighboring Tuotuo River basin(TRB).Results show intensification of hydrological cycles and positive trends in the lake area,river runoff,precipitation,and potential evapotranspiration.Lake expansion was significant between 2001 and 2020 and accelerated between 2015 and 2020.Precipitation increase was the key factor underlying the hydrological changes,followed by glacier meltwater and groundwater.The overflow of Yanhu Lake was inevitable because it was connected to three other lakes and the water balance of all four lakes was positive.The high salinity lake water diverted downstream will greatly impact the water quality of the source area of the Yangtze River and the stability of the permafrost base of the traffic corridor.

Comparative study of carbonic anhydrase activity in waters among different geological eco-environments of Yangtze River basin and its ecological significance

This study provides the presence of carbonic anhydrase（CA） activity in waters of the Yangtze River basin, China, as well as the correlation of CA activity with HCO-3 concentration and CO2 sink flux. Different degrees of CA activity could be detected in almost all of the water samples from different geological eco-environments in all four seasons. The CA activity of water samples from karst areas was significantly higher than from non-karst areas（PP3-concentration（r = 0.672, P2 sink flux（r = 0.602, P = 0.076） in karst areas. This suggests that CA in waters might have a promoting effect on carbon sinks for atmospheric CO2 in karst river basins. In conditions of similar geological type, higher CA activity was generally detected in water samples taken from areas that exhibited better eco-environments, implying that the CA activity index of waters could be used as an indicator for monitoring ecological environments and protection of river basins. These findings suggest that the role of CA in waters in the karst carbon sink potential of river basins is worthy of further in-depth studies.