Abstract
The overall purpose of the research is to develop a method to compute ecological flows in line with the EU Water Framework Directive (Directive 2000/60/EC) for the whole Romanian territory, for a variety of hydrological, morphological and ecological conditions. The method has three components: a Quantity component, a Dynamic component, and a Real-time operation component. The Quantity component is a hydrological method with elements of the aquatic fauna habitat indirectly linked to biological organisms based on the current Romanian knowledge on the linkages between hydrology and aquatic biology. The Dynamic and Real-time operation components are related to the hydrological forecast. The method is practical, robust and easy to apply. The concept and the ideas use the hydrological forecast to ensure the water dynamics required by the Water Framework Directive, and to develop the quantitative component, keeping in mind that putting it into practice might have importance for a broader audience. In order to better highlight the concept, the paper shows three practical examples of the RoEflow method’s application.
Highlights
For many rivers, the hydrological regimes are being modified due to dams, weirs, abstractions for water supply, industry and agriculture, hydropower and different structures for flood control
The European Guidance Document No 31—Ecological flows, in the implementation of the Water Framework Directive, recommends that member states develop “a conceptual definition of ecological flows with a clear reference to both flow quantity and dynamics and to their consistency with the environmental objectives required under the Water
The Dynamic component has a sequence of four steps
Summary
The hydrological regimes are being modified due to dams, weirs, abstractions for water supply, industry and agriculture, hydropower and different structures for flood control. The water demands continue to grow in many countries, including those situated in semi-arid regions, which are already affected by medium or high-water stress [3]. Even in these conditions, the hydrological regimes must not be significantly altered in terms of quantity and dynamics. The hydrological regimes must not be significantly altered in terms of quantity and dynamics In this sense, the ecological flow was defined for the aim “to protect or restore the integrity and health of river ecosystems (functions and processes)” [4,5]. The recommendations for the computation of ecological flows have been grounded in the relationships among the flow variables and ecological responses to natural flow variability and flow alterations from the natural or historic baseline [6,7]
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