Application of CE-QUAL-W2 model for optimal selective withdrawal of reservoir concerning water quality (case study: Shahr Bijar Dam Reservoir, Iran)

This study addresses the water quantity and quality implications of greenhouse gas mitigation efforts in agriculture and forestry. This is done both through a literature review and a case study. The case study is set in the Missouri River Basin (MRB) and involves integration of a water hydrology model and a land use model with an econometric model estimated to make the link. The hydrology model (Soil and Water Assessment Tool, SWAT) is used to generate a multiyear, multilocation dataset that gives estimated water quantity and quality measures dependent on land use. In turn, those data are used in estimating a quantile regression model linking water quantity and quality with climate and land use. Additionally, a land use model (Forest and Agricultural Sector Optimization Model with Greenhouse Gases, FASOMGHG) is used to simulate the extent of mitigation strategy adoption and land use implications under alternative carbon prices. Then, the land use results and climate change forecasts are input to the econometric model and water quantity/quality projections developed. The econometric results show that land use patterns have significant influences on water quantity. Specifically, an increase in grassland significantly decreases water quantity, with forestry having mixed effects. At relatively high quantiles, land use changes from cropped land to grassland reduce water yield, while switching from cropping or grassland to forest yields more water. It also shows that an increase in cropped land use significantly degrades water quality at the 50% quantile and moving from cropped land to either forest or pasture slightly improves water quality at the 50% quantile but significantly worsens water quality at the 90% quantile. In turn, a simulation exercise shows that water quantity slightly increases under mitigation activity stimulated by lower carbon prices but significantly decreases under higher carbon prices. For water quality, when carbon prices are low, water quality is degraded under most mitigation alternatives but quality improves under higher carbon prices.

Copula-based framework for integrated evaluation of water quality and quantity: A case study of Yihe River, China

In the context of Water-Energy-Food (WEF) nexus security, it is imperative to place greater emphasis on the water quality dimension to ensure sustainable and resilient systems. While traditionally much focus has been placed on the availability of water, recently the quality of water emerged as a critical factor that limits its supply across various sectors, including agriculture, energy production, human and ecological needs. The impacts of global change—including climate change and land use intensification to meet socio-economic development needs—are reshaping water availability and quality in complex ways, influencing both the quantity of usable water and its suitability for specific purposes. Understanding these interconnections is vital for assessing the broader implications of clean water availability, as poor water quality can constrain sectoral efficiency and undermine ecosystem health. A spatial Bayesian Network (BN) model has been developed to predict the conjoined impacts of future climate change and land use trajectories on water chemistry in the Upper Adige River basin in Northern Italy. It allows to predict different water quality indicators (e.g. nutrient concentration, Dissolved Oxygen, temperature, pH, Total Suspended Solids) at the sub-catchment and seasonal scale and to classify their status (i.e. LIMeco Index) according to the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC. The model has been implemented using ARIES  (Artificial Intelligence for Environment and Sustainability), a Machine Reasoning platform for data and model integration. The model has been trained with historical water quality data from 2013-2022, considering as predictors specific indicators that serve as proxies for the different nexus sectors as well as external drivers (i.e. climate and land use). The strength of this work lies in enabling a spatial understanding of the drivers influencing water quality, allowing the identification of critical sources of pressures on water quality related to different economic sectors, and the spatial mapping of priority areas most affected by these pressures, as well as the prediction of the conjoined impacts of different scenarios (i.e. climate change,  land use change, anthropic stressors). The findings highlighted that diffuse sources attributable to agricultural activities, forest management, and the presence of highly urbanised areas play a greater role in influencing nutrient concentration than point sources and that while expected land use changes are quite significant in some basins, their impacts are moderated by hydroclimatic variables such as flow conditions and temperature, which vary considerably between seasons. By identifying hotspots of nutrient pollution and the key variables influencing water quality, the findings provide valuable tools for local authorities to implement measures and plans aimed at mitigating water quality deterioration. In the broader context of WEF nexus management, the results of this research underscore the importance of proactive water management strategies that account for the complex interactions between land use, climate, and water quality.

Water quantity and quality joint operation is a new mode in the present dams' operation research. It has become a hot topic in governmental efforts toward integrated basin improvement. This paper coupled a water quantity and quality joint operation model (QCmode) and genetic algorithm with Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). Together, these tools were used to explore a reasonable operation of dams and floodgates at the basin scale. Wenyu River Catchment, a key area in Beijing, was selected as the case study. Results showed that the coupled water quantity and quality model of Wenyu River Catchment more realistically simulates the process of water quantity and quality control by dams and floodgates. This integrated model provides the foundation for research of water quantity and quality optimization on dam operation in Wenyu River Catchment. The results of this modeling also suggest that current water quality of Wenyu River will improve following the implementation of the optimized operation of the main dams and floodgates. By pollution control and water quantity and quality joint operation of dams and floodgates, water quality of Wenyu river will change significantly, and the available water resources will increase by 134%, 32%, 17%, and 82% at the downstream sites of Sha River Reservoir, Lutong Floodgate, Xinpu Floodgate, and Weigou Floodgate, respectively. The water quantity and quality joint operation of dams will play an active role in improving water quality and water use efficiency in Wenyu River Basin. The research will provide the technical support for water pollution control and ecological restoration in Wenyu River Catchment and could be applied to other basins with large number of dams. Its application to the Wenyu River Catchment has a great significance for the sustainable economic development of Beijing City.

Copula-based analysis of socio-economic impact on water quantity and quality: A case study of Yitong River, China

Groundwater/surface-water (GW/SW) interactions play an important role in controlling the physical, chemical and biological integrity of surface water and groundwater systems in the Great Lakes Basin (GLB). Increased recognition of their importance is illustrated by the addition of Annex 8 on groundwater to the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement in 2012. GW/SW interactions in the GLB are complex can impact water quantity, water quality and ecosystem health of streams and lakes including the Great Lakes. Although considerable work has been done to characterize the geology, hydrology, and groundwater resources in Southern Ontario, there are still numerous science gaps with respect to GW/SW processes and no guidance or framework exists for evaluating the importance of GW/SW interactions. Decisions regarding land use and resource development are often made without an adequate understanding of the way in which GW/SW interactions may impact water quantity, water quality and ecosystem health. Therefore, to enhance the ability to make informed science-based decisions, a conceptual framework has been developed to help evaluate GW/SW interactions and identify potential impacts. The purpose of the framework is to provide a comprehensive and logical approach to understanding, evaluating, and identifying the important factors and processes that control GW/SW interactions of both streams and lakes and linking them to impacts on their water quantity, water quality, and ecosystems. The framework consists of five fundamental parts including: 1) the surface water system; 2) the groundwater system; 3) the interface connectivity; 4) GW/SW interactions; and 5) the ultimate impacts on the water quantity, quality and ecosystems associated with the surface water, groundwater and the transition zone. For each of the first four parts, lists of important factors and critical processes have been identified. For ease of use, the framework is presented as a flow chart that highlights the relationship between factors and processes and the potential impacts on the surface water, groundwater, and the transition zone. Processes that are common to both streams and lakes are identified as well as those processes unique to each. A benefit of the framework is that it is flexible and can be adapted to the needs of the end-user to develop scientifically sound understanding of a setting and to help answer key management questions. This flexibility is important in Southern Ontario because there is a range of hydrological landscape settings where the mechanisms controlling GW/SW interactions and resulting impacts are vastly different. To illustrate the application of the framework, case studies will be presented for different GW/SW interaction settings (i.e., riverine and nearshore lake settings) and management questions. The framework presented provides a comprehensive and accessible approach to evaluating GW/SW issues in Southern Ontario.

This article discusses the issues caused by traditional water resource development and utilization, as well as policy issues in China that have led to a water crisis. The article proposes a theoretical approach along with a quantitative accounting of water resources, in order to solve these problems. To improve the value accounting method for water resources, the study focuses on a unified accounting perspective of water quantity and quality, allowing for an evaluation of water use efficiency and quality. The study uses prefecture-level cities in Hubei Province as a case study and finds that the water use efficiency of these cities has constantly improved, while water quality has shown an annual improvement. Water resource assets, liabilities, and net assets have increased, but with fluctuations. The study shows differences in water resource assets, liabilities, and net assets in the eastern, central, and western regions of Hubei Province. The unified accounting perspective of water quantity and quality provides a new idea and method for the preparation of water resource balance sheets and will effectively improve the management level and efficiency of water resources.

Assessing water sources for drinking and irrigation along with community vulnerability, especially in developing and rural regions, is important for reducing risk posed by poor water quality and limited water availability and accessibility. We present a case study of rural mining-agricultural communities in the Lake Poopó Basin, one of the poorest regions on the Bolivian Altiplano. Here, relatively low rainfall, high evaporation, salinization and unregulated mining activity have contributed to environmental degradation and water issues, which is a situation facing many Altiplano communities. Social data from 72 households and chemical water quality data from 27 surface water and groundwater sites obtained between August 2013 and July 2014 were used to develop locally relevant vulnerability assessment methodologies and ratings with respect to water availability and quality, and Chemical Water Quality Hazard Ratings to assess water quality status. Levels of natural and mining-related contamination in many waters (CWQHR ≥ 6; 78% of assessed sites) mean that effective remediation would be challenging and require substantial investment. Although waters of fair to good chemical quality (CWQHR ≤ 5; 22% of assessed sites) do exist, treatment may still be required depending on use, and access issues remain problematic. There is a need to comply with water quality legislation, improve and maintain basic water supply and storage infrastructure, build and operate water and wastewater treatment plants, and adequately and safely contain and treat mine waste. This study serves as a framework that could be used elsewhere for assessing and mitigating water contamination and availability affecting vulnerable populations.

The accessibility of water resource, encompassing both water quantity and quality, is pivotal for public health and aquatic ecosystem. It has been recognized by water related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as life on land and below water. This study underscores the importance of integrating these goals in the context of water resource accessibility. We develop water scarcity assessment that accounts for water demands of human activities by further introducing water quantity and quality requirements for different aquatic life uses. This is applied in a case study for Nooksack watershed that featured diverse anadromous fish habitats. In this study, local data including hydrological flows modelled using regional records, local water quality data, and water withdrawal reports are applied for enhancing the geographical specificity of our analysis. Using different geographical scales including management areas, drainages, and NHD stream reaches, along with annual and monthly temporal scales, this study presents a comprehensive view of water scarcity. Our findings reveal different levels of water scarcity across tributaries with residential distributions and the downstream region of the Nooksack River, with the most severe level observed in agriculture intensified area (Lower Nooksack) and moderately to highly developed urban coastal region (Lummi Bay Watershed). Impaired water quality contributes to exacerbated scarcity, especially during summer, peaking in August. The detailed water scarcity examination at stream reach level specifically identifies the border streams located in the Fishtrap drainage of Lower Nooksack as critically affected by both quantity and quality induced water scarcity. It highlights the need of effective management of border watersheds. It is noteworthy that water quality induced deficiencies of instream flow required by aquatic life uses distribute at mostly first level tributaries overlapping with those most affected drainages, but do not surge at some specific locations. The This study offers a novel framework for assessing water resources accessibility at watershed scale, advocating the downscaled application of water scarcity assessment results to the NHD reach level, thereby providing more intuitive and granular insights. 

A universal calibrated model for the evaluation of surface water and groundwater quality: Model development and a case study in China

In this work, a hydrodynamic and water quality model was developed for Lake Nubia based on a two-dimensional, laterally averaged and finite difference hydrodynamic and water quality code, CE-QUAL-W2. The model was calibrated and verified using data which were measured in the years of 2006 and 2007 during low flood periods, respectively. Measurements during the flood season are not available. The results of the presented model show a good agreement with the observed hydrodynamic and water quality records. Two water quality indices (WQIs), NSF WQI and CCME WQI, have been developed to assess the state of water quality in the investigated case study, Lake Nubia, during the first low flood period of January 2006. The CCME WQI has been modified to use the Egyptian standards (objectives) of raw water. Moreover, another two trophic status indices, Carlson TSI and LAWA TI, have been developed to evaluate the trophic status of Lake Nubia during the same period of January 2006. Results of the previously developed hydrodynamic and water quality model for Lake Nubia were used to validate the model. According to the developed water quality indices results, Lake Nubia has a good water quality state during the low flood period. The modified CCME WQI (based on measured data) indicates that the Lake Nubia water quality state is excellent according to the Egyptian standards of water quality for surface waterways. Results of the applied trophic status indices show that the Lake Nubia trophic status is eutrophic during the studied period. The effect of the global climate change on the hydrodynamic and water quality characteristics of Lake Nubia was conducted for the 21st century. To do that, the outputs of eleven global climate models for two global emissions scenarios combined with hydrological modeling were used. A theoretical process algorithm has been simplified, further developed and calibrated to modify the initial conditions of dissolved oxygen due to the global climate change effects. A sensitivity analysis has been conducted by using each of the predicted air temperature and inflow data separately in the model in order to investigate its effect on the characteristics of the hydrodynamic and water quality. Three hydrodynamic characteristics of the reservoir were investigated with respect to the climate change: water surface levels, evaporation water losses and thermal structure. In addition, eight water quality characteristics of the reservoir were investigated with respect to the climate change: dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll-a, ortho-phosphate, nitrate-nitrite, ammonium, total dissolved solids, total suspended solids and potential of hydrogen (pH). Moreover, the climate change effects on the water quality and trophic status indices have been studied. The results of the climate change study show partially significant impacts on the examined hydrodynamic and water quality characteristics, while the water quality and trophic status indices are slightly affected by the climate change scenarios.

Sustainable Landscape Construction: A Guide to Green Buildings Outdoors: J. William Thompson, Kim Sorvig, Island Press, Washington, DC, 2000, 348 pp.

In the European Union the basic requirements in the subject of the appropriate quality of water, constituting a habitat for fish, was established in Directive 2006/44/EC (EU, 2006) on the quality of fresh waters needing protection or improvement in order to support fish life (currently implicitly repealed by Directive 2000/60/EC). This legislation presents the list of parameters that should be controlled together with their guide and mandatory levels, methods of analysis as well as minimum sampling and measuring frequency. Based on the case study from the Podhale region in southern Poland, the impact of used geothermal water discharge on river water quality was assessed, in particular in the context of the quality of the life of salmonid fish species. The variability of the chemical composition of river water as a result of used geothermal water discharge was assessed both in statistical terms and in correlation to river flows. To quantify the water quality in terms of protection of the fish life, a new Fish-Water Pollution Index was developed. In the presented case, similarly to the Water Quality Indices and Heavy Metal Pollution Indices, also the Fish Water Pollution Indices values calculated upstream and downstream of the used geothermal water discharge, do not display significant differences.

Water Resources Management VI

The importance of water quality is well understood, and it becomes even more critical when is use for drinking purposes. A case study was carried out to know the applicability of GIS tool for determining the quality of supply water. Water samples from 21 houses at different locations of Delhi were collected. Sample analysis was done for physicochemical parameters viz., pH, EC, TDS, Total Hardness, Total Alkalinity, Chloride, Fluoride, and Nitrate. The water quality data from these selected locations was analyzed using Geographical Information System (GIS) Technique. GIS software did interpolation through the inverse distance weighted (IDW) method to know the water quality (WQ) in different part of the city for various parameters mentioned above and prepare thematic maps from the analysis of water quality data as a database. These thematic maps show the distribution of different water quality parameters. Using Weighted Arithmetic Index (WAI) method, Water Quality Index is calculated. After that, the Drinking Water Quality Index (DWQI) map was generated using thematic layer, reclassification, and weight value assigned in weighted overlay tools in GIS software. Five categories viz., excellent, good, satisfactory, poor, and very poor is assign to describe DWQI. Out of all the selected locations, DWQI was good only at two locations, whereas, at the remaining sites, the DWQI was found satisfactory. However, the overall water quality was found suitable for human consumption. The analysis outcome was represented as maps that will be advantageous to know the water quality status for the area under study. The spatial database established can be a reliable technique for monitoring and managing water quality in the water supply system.