Environmental and ecological water requirement of river system: a case study of Haihe-Luanhe river system

In order to reduce the environmental and ecological problems induced by water resources development and utilization, this paper proposes a concept of environmental and ecological water requirement. It is defined as the minimum water amount to be consumed by the natural water bodies to conserve its environmental and ecological functions. Based on the definition, the methods on calculating the amount of environmental and ecological water requirement are determined. In the case study on Haihe-Luanhe river system, the water requirement is divided into three parts, i.e., the basic in-stream flow, water requirement for sediment transfer and water consumption by evaporation of the lakes or everglades. The results of the calculation show that the environmental and ecological water requirement in the river system is about 124×108 m3, including 57×108 m3 for basic in-stream flow, 63×108 m3 for sediment transfer and 4×108 m3 for net evaporation loss of lakes. The total amount of environmental and ecological water requirement accounts for 54% of the amount of runoff (228×108 m3). However, it should be realized that the amount of environmental and ecological water requirement must be more than that we have calculated. According to this result, we consider that the rational utilization rate of the runoff in the river systems must not be more than 40%. Since the current utilization rate of the river system, which is over 80%, has been far beyond the limitation, the problems of environment and ecology are quite serious. It is imperative to control and adjust water development and utilization to eliminate the existing problems and to avoid the potential ecological or environmental crisis.

Water quantity-quality combined evaluation method for rivers＇ water requirements of the instream environment in dualistic water cycle： A case study of Liaohe River Basin

In this article the meaning of the quantity and quality of environmental flows of river in dualistic water cycle is discussed, and compared with the meaning of unitary water cycle. Based on the analysis of the relationship between environmental flows of river requirements, the efficiency of water resource usage, the consumption coefficient, and the concentration of waste water elimination, the water quantity and water quality calculation method of the environmental flows of river requirements in dualistic water cycle is developed, and the criteria for environmental flows of river requirements are established, and therefore the water quantity-quality combined evaluation of natural river flows requirements are realized Taking the Liaohe River as a model, the environmental flows of river requirements for Xiliao River, Dongliao River, mainstream Liaohe River, Huntai River and northeast rivers along the coasts of the Yellow and Bohai seas in unitary water cycle are calculated, each taking up 39.3%, 63.0%, 43.9%, 43.3% and 43.5% of runoff respectively. Evaluated according to Tennant recommended flow, the results show that： except Xiliao River is ＂median＂, the rest are all upon ＂good＂, the Dongliao River is even ＂very good＂. The corresponding results in dualistic water cycle are that, the proportion of natural flows for each river is 57.5%, 74.1%, 60.8%, 60.3% and 60.4%; while the combined evaluation results show that： considering ＂quantity＂, except Xiliao River, the rest rivers can all achieve the ＂quantity＂ criteria of the en- vironmental flows of river requirements, but if considering the aspect of ＂quality＂, only Dongliao River can reach the ＂quality＂ standard. By water quantity-quality combined evaluation method, only Dongliao River can achieve the criteria. So the water quality is the main factor that determines whether the environmental flows can meet the river ecosystem demands.

Islamic traditional architecture environment overlapping the modern architecture design

This paper investigates the purpose and the functions of buildings and their compatibility with Islamic culture and the environment. An analysis from ecological and environmental points of view is carried out. The challenge is how these traditional outlines can best fit the functions of the building and the facilities intended to be offered, and how the new building has satisfied the requirements of the traditional environment. The investigation also shows the increasing usage of modem design materials for the hospital, which does not offer sufficient heat insulation or reasonable lighting. Although the Mashiakhet Al Azhar and Dar E1 Eftaa establishments have completely different functions, their designs consider and recognize the environmental requirements and the historical background. The sites of the Mashiakhet Al Azhar and Dar E1 Eftaa compound have achieved complete harmony with the surrounding environment. The hospital may meet its utilitarian needs and functions, but lacks a general environmental and traditional balance with the whole district. However, functional and traditional aspects can be combined successfully at the same time.

Channel erosion and its impact on environmental flow of riparian habitat in the Middle Yangtze River

Evaluating environmental flow(EF)is pivotal for conserving and restoring riverine ecosystems.Yet,prevalent EF evaluations presume that a river reach's hydraulic conditions are exclusively governed by inflow discharge,presupposing a state of equilibrium in the river channel.This presumption narrows the scope of EF evaluations in expansive alluvial rivers like the Middle Yangtze River(MYR),characterized by marked channel alterations.Here we show the profound channel erosion process and its impact on EF requirements for riparian habitats within the MYR.Our research unveils that:(i)pronounced erosion has led to a mean reduction of 1.0-2.7 m in the riverbed across four sub-reaches of the MYR;(ii)notwithstanding a 37-107%increase in minimal discharges post the Three Gorges Project,the lowest river stages at some hydrometric stations diminished owing to bed erosion,signifying a notable transformation in MYR's hydraulic dynamics;(iii)a discernible rightward shift in the correlation curve between the weighted useable area and discharge from 2002 to 2020 in a specific sub-reach of the MYR,instigated by alterations in hydraulic conditions,necessitated an increase of 1500e2600 m^(3)s^(-1)in the required EF for the sub-reach;(iv)it is deduced that macroinvertebrate biomass rapidly decreases as the flow entrains the riverbed substrate,with the maximum survivable velocity for macroinvertebrates being contingent on their entrainment threshold.These findings highlight the importance of incorporating channel morphological changes in devising conservation strategies for the MYR ecosystem.

An Ecologically Oriented Operation Strategy for a Multi-Reservoir System： A Case Study of the Middle and Lower Han River Basin, China

Constructing and operating a multi-reservoir system changes the natural flow regime of rivers, and thus imposes adverse impacts on riverine ecosystems. To balance human needs with ecosystem needs, this study proposes an ecologically oriented operation strategy for a multi-reservoir system that integrates environmental flow requirements into the joint operation of a multi-reservoir system in order to main- tain different ecological functions throughout the river. This strategy is a combination of a regular opti-mal operation scheme and a series of real-time ecological operation schemes. During time periods when the incompatibilities between human water needs and ecosystem needs for environmental flows are rel- atively small, the regular optimal operation scheme is implemented in order to maximize multiple human water-use benefits under the constraints of a minimum water-release policy. During time periods when reservoir-induced hydrological alteration imposes significant negative impacts on the river＇s key ecological functions, real-time ecological operation schemes are implemented in order to modify the out- flow from reservoirs to meet the environmental flow requirements of these functions. The practical use of this strategy is demonstrated for the simulation operation of a large-scale multi-reservoir system which located in the middle and lower Han River Basin in China. The results indicate that the real-time ecological operation schemes ensure the environmental flow requirements of the river＇s key ecological functions, and that adverse impacts on human water-use benefits can be compensated for by the regular optimal operation scheme. The ecologically oriented operation strategy for a multi-reservoir system that is proposed in this study enriches the theoretical application of the multi-reservoir system joint operation which considers environmental flow requirements.