A hydrologic index based method for determining ecologically acceptable water-level range of Dongting Lake

Abstract

Water-level fluctuation (WLF) is regarded as a key environmental factor for lake ecosystems. Keeping moderate WLFs approximating to its natural conditions is substantially essential to maintain its biodiversity and integrity. In this study, a hydrological index based method for determining ecologically acceptable water-level range (EAWLR) was illustrated by a case-study of Dongting Lake. This method was proposed based on a consideration of hydrological alterations induced by natural variability and human activity. It was during this process that two hydrological indices, the ratio flow deviation (RFD) and the amended annual proportional flow deviation (AAPFD), played vital roles in change point detection and the determination of EAWLR, respectively. The WLFs are closely related to species richness. The relationship between them follows a hump-backed curve and EAWLR serves as the hump part of the curve. The final results indicated that EAWLRs of Beijinggang, Nanzui and Chenglingji during flood season were 27.78-38.26 m, 25.19-38.45 m and 24.48-30.96 m, respectively, while those during non-flood season were 18.33-27.79 m, 17.68-29.19 m and 15.59-22.07 m, respectively

Quantitative assessment of the contribution of climate variability and human activity to streamflow alteration in Dongting Lake, China

“…The lake is also fed by four other major rivers, namely, Xiangjiang River, Zishui River, Yuanjiang River and Lishui River (Figure 1). At last, the water directly drains back into Yangtze River from Chenglingji (Liang et al, 2015a).…”

A Forecasting and Prediction Methodology for Improving the Blue Economy Resilience to Climate Change in the Romanian Lower Danube Euroregion

“…An increase in water temperature and water level are both primary indicators of climate change [26][27][28]. According to several studies [29][30][31], water level fluctuations could have a major impact on communities of fish species within rivers and, therefore, on commercial fish stocks, in addition to a considerable influence upon the topography of the basin in time and space [32]. Under climate change, the supply of water resources is unlikely to remain constant, and regional water availability is no longer assured [33].…”

Development of a Composite Hydrologic Index for Semi‐Arid Region of India

“…Various researches has been conducted in India and aboard to indexes for spatial estimation of surface runoff considering variables such as rainfall, drought frequency, available moisture content, extent and percent of degraded and wastelands, irrigation intensity, extent and percent of rainfed areas and groundwater status (National Rainfed Area Authority ). Gajbhiye et al (, ) developed the geomorphological erosion index using PCA for Shakkar Watershed, Madhya Pradesh, and Matthew () developed a hydrological index by using HEC‐ResSim model for stream flow in watershed and for ecologically acceptable water‐level range in lake ecosystems by using water level fluctuations parameters (Liang et al ); evapotranspiration (ET) index for monitoring surface moisture status using Aqua/MODIS model (Nishida et al ); water resources vulnerability index using TOPSIS model (Jun et al ); and runoff based drought index was developed using statistical distribution (Wang et al ).…”

“…5-Groundwater-September-October 2019 (pages 749-755) available moisture content, extent and percent of degraded and wastelands, irrigation intensity, extent and percent of rainfed areas and groundwater status (National Rainfed Area Authority 2012). Gajbhiye et al (2015aGajbhiye et al ( , 2015b developed the geomorphological erosion index using PCA for Shakkar Watershed, Madhya Pradesh, and Matthew (2012) developed a hydrological index by using HEC-ResSim model for stream flow in watershed and for ecologically acceptable water-level range in lake ecosystems by using water level fluctuations parameters (Liang et al 2014); evapotranspiration (ET) index for monitoring surface moisture status using Aqua/MODIS model (Nishida et al 2003); water resources vulnerability index using TOPSIS model (Jun et al 2011); and runoff based drought index was developed using statistical distribution (Wang et al 2009). Earlier, indices were developed for characterization of spatial problems like composite hydrological drought index (Karamouz et al 2009;Waseem et al 2015) for areas where rainfall is not a primary source of water (Shafer and Dezman 1982); soil moisture deficit index and evapotranspiration deficit index for soil moisture deficit and ET deficit conditions (Narasimhan and Srinivasan 2005); multimetric index for river biological conditions (Emery et al 2003;Pont et al 2007); groundwater quality index (Saeedi et al 2010; Kumar and James 2013) for sea water intrusion in coastal aquifers (Tomaszkiewicz et al 2014), for lakes (Chow-Fraser 2006) and such as developed a watershed sustainability index for a watershed (Chandniha et al 2014).…”