Multi-scale ecological operation model of reservoir group coupled with ecological infiltration irrigation

Abstract

Aiming at the extensive management problems in ecological operation and ecological irrigation, this paper proposed a novel ecological irrigation method—ecological infiltration irrigation (EII), and established a multi-scale ecological operation model of reservoir group coupled with EII for the irrigation and restoration of river valley grasslands. Firstly, the ecological available water supplies in ecological periods were obtained by long-term ecological operation. Then, reservoirs on mainstream and tributaries gathered flood peaks through real-time ecological operation to create artificial ecological flood processes. Finally, by the joint operation of EII projects, the water level of artificial flood was raised, and the artificial flood was controllably introduced into irrigation districts for the precision irrigation of river valley grasslands. The rationality of ecological operation model and the feasibility of EII technology were then verified through case analysis. Results indicate that: (1) through the 5–9–13 division of ecological irrigation districts, analysis of the ecological water demand, multi-scale ecological operation, EII technology and projects, and other measures, suitable artificial floods can be created and fully introduced into ecological irrigation districts to realize the timely and appropriate irrigation of river valley grasslands; (2) in the critical ecological period in 2018, the core protected area was basically fully irrigated through EII, with an effective irrigation rate of 82.4% and a vegetation coverage of 74.8%, which basically met the ecological water demand of river valley forests and grasses; and (3) for animal husbandry, after using EII technology for grassland irrigation, the average forage yield of river valley grasslands has an increase of 25%, and the direct economic benefit has an average increase of 18.9 million yuan per year, effectively improving the economic income of local herdsmen. The research results have important theoretical and practical significance for the ecological protection and restoration of river valley vegetation.