Hydrodynamic investigation of surface hydrological connectivity and its effects on the water quality of seasonal lakes: Insights from a complex floodplain setting (Poyang Lake, China)

Abstract

Small, seasonal lakes that exist in floodplains are rarely investigated, and yet they play an important role in the protection of biodiversity and are highly susceptible to modification due to human activities. This study presents a first attempt to combine hydrodynamic modeling and statistical methods to investigate hydrological connectivity and its relationship with the water quality of nine seasonal lakes within the floodplains of Poyang Lake (China). The hydrodynamic model reproduced reasonably well the hydrological regime of the lake and surrounding floodplains, based on field measurements and remote sensing data. Floodplain lakes exhibit similar water-level dynamics to the main lake during connected periods of flooding, while they decouple from the main lake during recession periods. Geostatistical results reveal that although the north-south hydrological connectivity extends over a longer pathway than the west-east connectivity, the rapid reduction in the west-east connectivity indicates a more sensitive response. The west-east connectivity tends to play a dominant role in affecting the interactions between the main lake and floodplains, as expected. Statistical methods indicate that surface hydrological connectivity across the floodplain results in an enhanced spatial similarity in the water quality of the floodplain lakes, in terms of a multitude of water quality parameters (TN, TP, NH4+-N, NO3−-N, NO2−-N, PO43−, CODMn, and Chl a), while surface hydrological isolation was observed to increase the water quality differences between the seasonal lakes. Additionally, enhanced hydrological connectivity may lead to improved water quality of the seasonal lakes from low connectivity to high connectivity condition. Hydrological connectivity may be a key factor controlling the dynamics in water quality between seasonal lakes. The findings of this study support the management of both Poyang Lake and the floodplain wetlands by providing important information on both water resource and water quality, and proposals to better manage the impacts of intensive human activities.