Changes In Hydrological Conditions Research Articles

Watershed hydrology mediates the recovery of an arsenic impacted subarctic landscape

A holistic understanding of the chemical recovery of lakes from arsenic (As) pollution requires consideration of within-lake biogeochemical cycling of As and processes occurring in the surrounding catchment. This study used a watershed mass balance approach, complemented by experimental sediment incubations, to assess the mobility and transport of As within a subarctic watershed (155 km2) impacted by more than 60 years of atmospheric mining emissions. The period of record spanned a transition from drought to high streamflow between September 2017 and September 2019, which yielded insights into the interacting effects of hydrology and within-lake biogeochemical cycling of As. Internal loading of As from contaminated lake sediments (25 – 46 kg As year-1) and contributions from terrestrial sources (16 – 56 kg As yr-1) continue to negatively impact lake water quality (19 – 144 μg As L-1), but the relative importance of these loads varies seasonally and inter-annually in response to changing hydrological conditions. Wet conditions resulted in greater transport of As from terrestrial reservoirs and upstream areas, shorter lake water retention time, and increased the downstream export of As. During dry periods, the lake was disconnected from the surrounding watershed resulting in limited terrestrial contributions and longer lake water residence time, which delayed recovery due to the greater relative influence of internal loading from contaminated sediments. This study highlights that changing hydroclimatic regimes will alter trajectories of chemical recovery for arsenic impacted lakes through the coupling of within-lake and watershed transport processes.

Cross-Border Water Management in Transboundary River conflicts in Palestine

Purpose: The aim of the study was to analyze cross-border water management in transboundary river conflicts in Palestine. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: Research on cross-border water management in transboundary river conflicts stresses cooperation, trust-building, and integrated approaches for sustainable solutions. Equitable resource allocation, effective communication among riparian states, and international legal frameworks play vital roles in resolving disputes. Adaptive governance mechanisms are crucial for addressing changing hydrological conditions and political dynamics. Collaborative efforts are essential for managing transboundary river conflicts effectively. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Hydro-hegemony theory, institutional collective action (ICA) theory & environmental peacebuilding theory may be used to anchor future studies on cross-border water management in transboundary river conflicts in Palestine. Implementing integrated water resources management (IWRM) approaches that involve stakeholders from all riparian countries can enhance practical efforts to address transboundary river conflicts. Developing robust legal and institutional frameworks at both national and international levels is crucial for resolving transboundary river conflicts and promoting cooperation.

Coupled effects of heavy rainfall and falling water‐level exhibit the most significant influences on reservoir bank failures

AbstractMass failures are often induced or activated by the variation of hydrological factors within a reservoir area. Clarifying the relationships between the failure volume and different hydrological factors may help to identify both the dominant factors influencing reservoir bank failures and the most hazardous combinations of factors inducing such events. This study examines the influence of different hydrological factors on bank failures using model experiments incorporating variations in rainfall, wave and water level. The results indicate that the coupled effects of heavy rainfall and falling water‐level had the most significant impact on bank failure. The cumulative failure mass of the reservoir bank peaked at 177.2 × 103 cm3 under the coupled effects of rainfall and falling water‐level. In comparison, the cumulative mass failures on the reservoir bank under rainfall superimposed onto waves and rainfall superimposed onto water level rise were 162.4 × 103 and 129.2 × 103 cm3, respectively. The impact of heavy rainfall significantly contributed the mass failures on soil reservoir bank. The analysis reveals that the highest cumulative failure, 106.3 × 103 cm3, occurred during periods of heavy rainfall. Compared with heavy rainfall, the cumulative failure volumes in the reservoir experienced a reduction of 46% and 55% under solely declining and solely rising reservoir water levels, respectively. The early phases of changing hydrological conditions have a significant effect on the stability of the soil reservoir bank. Mass failures on the bank predominantly occurred during the initial three events of the five simulation experiments performed for each landform, which could account for up to 87% of the total volume. Hence, it is advisable to avoid lowering reservoir water levels during periods of sustained heavy rainfall in order to mitigate the risk of bank failure.

Temperature and nutrients drive distinct successions between diatoms and dinoflagellates over the past 40 years: Implications for climate warming and eutrophication

Diatoms and dinoflagellates are two typical functional groups of phytoplankton, playing important roles in ecosystem processes and biogeochemical cycles. Changes in diatoms and dinoflagellates are thought to be one of the possible mechanisms for the increase in harmful algal blooms (HABs), due to changing hydrological conditions associated with climate change and human activities. However, little is known about their ability to adapt to changing ocean environments, thus making it difficult to know whether and how they are adapting. By analyzing a 44-year monitoring dataset in the central Bohai Sea during 1978–2021, we found that the abundance ratio of diatoms to dinoflagellates showed a decreasing trend seasonally and ecologically, indicating that the phytoplankton community underwent distinct successional processes from diatom dominance to diatom-dinoflagellate co-dominance. These processes exhibited varying responses to temperature, nutrient concentrations and ratios, and their interactions, of which temperature primarily drove the seasonal succession whereas nutrients were responsible for the ecological succession. Specifically, diatoms showed a preference for lower temperatures and higher DIP concentrations, and were able to tolerate lower DIN at lower temperatures. In contrast, dinoflagellates tended to prevail at conditions of warming and high N/P ratios. These different traits of diatoms and dinoflagellates reflected the fact that warming as a result of rising temperature and eutrophication as a consequence of nutrient input would favor dinoflagellates over diatoms. Moreover, the increasing dominance of dinoflagellates indicated that dinoflagellate blooms were likely to become more frequent and intense in the central Bohai Sea.

Relative and Combined Impacts of Climate and Land Use/Cover Change for the Streamflow Variability in the Baro River Basin (BRB)

The interplay between climate and land use/cover significantly shapes streamflow characteristics within watersheds, with dominance varying based on geography and watershed attributes. This study quantifies the relative and combined impacts of land use/cover change (LULCC) and climate change (CC) on streamflow variability in the Baro River Basin (BRB) using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool Plus (SWAT+). The model was calibrated and validated with observed streamflow data from 1985 to 2014 and projected the future streamflow from 2041 to 2070 under two Shared Socio-Economic Pathway (i.e., SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5) scenarios, based on the ensemble of four Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6) models. The LULCC was analyzed through Google Earth Engine (GEE) and predicted for the future using the Land Change Modeler (LCM), revealing reductions in forest and wetlands, and increases in agriculture, grassland, and shrubland. Simulations show that the decrease in streamflow is attributed to LULCC, whereas an increase in flow is attributed to the impact of CC. The combined impact of LULCC and CC results in a net increase in streamflow by 9.6% and 19.9% under SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios, respectively, compared to the baseline period. Our findings indicate that climate change outweighs the impact of land use/cover (LULC) in the basin, emphasizing the importance of incorporating comprehensive water resources management and adaptation approaches to address the changing hydrological conditions.

Hydrological and biogeochemical processes controlling riparian groundwater quantity and quality during riverbank filtration

Groundwater exploitation in a riparian zone causes water infiltration from the river into the aquifer. Owing to adsorption and redox reactions along the flow path, the quality of water flowing from the river to groundwater wells is variably altered. The riverbed composition often involves spatiotemporal differences due to frequent changes in hydrological conditions. These changes create uncertainties in the transport and removal of solutes in the river water. In this study, the hydrodynamic field associated with riparian groundwater, changes in the structure of riverbed sediments caused by erosion and deposition, fluctuations in surface water and groundwater levels, and the removal efficiency of pollutants from groundwater through pumping were investigated. This involved in situ monitoring and sample testing of the composition of the river water, riverbed sediments, riverbed pore water, and groundwater during dry and wet seasons. Implementation of field in situ column experiments and molecular biology evidences were conducive to identifying the main biogeochemical processes occurring in the riverbed. The findings indicated that riparian groundwater exploitation alters the natural groundwater flow field, while fine sand deposition and microbial adsorption can reduce river recharge to aquifers by diminishing riverbed hydraulic conductivity. Shallow sediments within 1 m depth mainly involve NO3− reduction and E. coli adsorption. Reductive dissolution of Mn dominates in the deeper sediments. Additionally, reductive dissolution of Fe and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) drive high Fe2+ and NH4+ concentrations in groundwater. The findings can improve the management of riparian groundwater and aid in the optimization of a plan for its exploitation.

2011–2015年东洞庭湖洲滩典型植物群落样方调查数据集

The fixed sample plot investigation obtains the dynamic characteristics of ecosystem through long-term data accumulation and accurate space-time comparison, which provides a solid basis for long-term ecosystem research. In accordance with the unified monitoring specifications set forth by the Chinese Ecosystem Research Network (CERN), Dongting Lake Wetland Ecosystem Research Station conducts long-term positioning monitoring on the species composition and community characteristics of typical beach vegetation in the wetland ecosystem in response to the changing hydrological conditions of Dongting Lake. We processed the data of long-term monitoring sample plots of three typical wetland plant communities (Carex sp, Miscanthus lutarioriparius and Polygonum hydropiper) in Dongting Lake to obtain the dataset of sample survey of typical plant communities on East Dongting Lake beach from 2011 to 2015. This dataset covers a total of 14 indicators, including species name, Latin name, number of plants (clusters) (plants or clusters/quadrats), average height of leaf layer (cm), average height of reproductive branches (cm), coverage (%), phenological period, dominant species, number of plant species, density (plants or clusters/m2), leaf layer height (cm) of dominant species, reproductive branch height (cm) of dominant species, total coverage (%), and total dry weight of aboveground green parts (g/m2). This dataset comes with detailed background information to ensure its consistency across both spatial and temporal dimensions. Moreover, to ensure data accuracy and reliability, the dataset underwent comprehensive quality control throughout the entire process and is subject to expert review and verification. It can serve as an important source of background data for studying the process and succession trends of the beach wetland ecosystem in response to the hydrological conditions of Dongting Lake, and provide data support for vegetation remote sensing monitoring, biodiversity protection, wetland ecological restoration and adaptive management of Dongting Lake.

2011–2015年洞庭湖洲滩群落植物生态型、生活型和生长型组成数据集

Analyzing plant life-forms and ecotypes can provide deep insights into the relationship between plant community structure and environmental conditions, and plant life-forms play an important role in understanding the emergence, development, and succession laws of plant community. An investigation was made on the species life-forms and ecotypes of wetland plants in Dongting lake wetland. In accordance with the unified monitoring specifications of the Chinese Ecosystem Research Network (CERN), the Dongting Lake Wetland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station conducts long-term positioning monitoring on the species composition, species life-forms, growth forms and ecotypes of typical beach vegetation in the wetland ecosystem in response to the changing hydrological conditions of Dongting Lake. The dataset of long-term monitoring conducted on three typical plant communities (Carex sp., Miscanthus lutarioriparius and Polygonum hydropiper) in Dongting Lake wetland has been verified by experts to ensure the accuracy of the data. We then classified and processed the data to obtain the dataset of community composition of plant life-forms, growth forms and ecotypes on Dongting Lake beach (2011–2015). The dataset covers a total of 8 indicators, namely species name, Latin name, life-form, growth form, ecotype according to light intensity, ecotype according to water requirement, ecotype based on soil pH and ecotype according to responses sediment burial. This dataset comes with detailed background information to ensure its consistency across both spatial and temporal dimensions. This dataset comes with detailed background information about site information and site management records to ensure its consistency across both spatial and temporal dimensions. This dataset can provide support for the analysis of the classification of plant life forms and the composition and structure of ecotypes, and serve as valuable reference for further study of vegetation succession in Dongting Lake wetland.

Reconstruction of missing streamflow series in human-regulated catchments using a data integration LSTM model

Study regionYellow River Basin in China, where streamflow dynamics were significantly impacted by human activities. Study focusWe introduced a deep learning-based method, i.e., Data Integration (DI) with Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), which leverages Global Flood Awareness System (GloFAS) streamflow data. Multiscale (Catchment, River) attributes were incorporated into the DI LSTM to represent human disturbances on land surface. We employed this method to reconstruct daily streamflow series in 60 human-regulated catchments across the Yellow River Basin, and identified the sensitivity of the DI LSTM model to the multiscale attributes. New hydrological Insights for the RegionOur findings revealed that the DI LSTM model achieved favourable performance in streamflow estimation, with the highest Kling-Gupta efficiency (KGE) reaching up to 0.9, outperforming the Regular LSTM model, which was forced by meteorological variables. Multiscale attributes can enhance the DI model performance, particularly in large catchments with significant human activities. A two-step validation demonstrated the high accuracy of the reconstructed streamflow data across the Yellow River Basin, as the KGEs for streamflow estimation in 40 catchments are over 0.6. In summary, the DI LSTM model shows great potential for reconstructing streamflow in human-regulated catchments in arid regions. The reconstructed daily streamflow data contribute valuable insights for monitoring changing hydrological conditions, especially in regions lacking extensive streamflow monitoring networks.

Quality of drinking water and risk to the health of the population of the south Baikal region (Russia)

Providing good quality water in sufficient quantities is a major challenge in the world. The purpose of the study is to assess the quality of drinking water and the health risk of various population groups in the southern Baikal region (Siberia, Russia) under changing hydrological conditions. Lake Baikal is the largest freshwater body of water and is one of the sites protected by UNESCO. Materials and methods. An analysis of centralized and non-centralized water supply was carried out in the south-eastern part of the Irkutsk region, adjacent to Lake Baikal. The data used are from the Baikal (regional) Information Center for 2011–2022, and they include the results of monitoring the water quality of the centralized domestic and drinking water supply (CDW) with 140 thousand samples, and non-centralized domestic and drinking water supply (NDW) with 108 thousand samples. In all samples, 17 substances were determined. In addition, during the flood period, accompanied by additional water disinfection, trihalomethanes were determined in populated areas exposed to negative impacts. The quality of drinking water was assessed in comparison with the maximum permissible concentrations of substances (MPCs) approved by regulatory documents of Russia. An assessment of the characteristics of drinking water consumption by the population of the Baikal region was carried out, based on interview data from sample groups of the population. The assessment of the risk to public health, due to chronic oral intake of chemicals, was carried out using the values of the hazard coefficient (HQi), the hazard index (HI), individual carcinogenic risk (ICR), and population carcinogenic risk (PCR).Village residents more often use underground water sources (centralized and non-centralized). Residents of cities are provided with water from surface sources (Lake Baikal and the Angara River). Significant concentrations of iron, nitrates, and manganese were found in drinking water used by villagers. Average concentrations of iron - 2.25 mg/dl, manganese - 0.6 mg/dl, nitrates - 135 mg/dl were recorded in the water of underground springs in villages of the Irkutsk region. Among rural residents of the Irkutsk region, 60.8 % live in settlements with non-water supply systems, 28.4 % have mixed water supply.The non-carcinogenic risk for the adult and child population was calculated; HI > 1 was identified for the population using underground water sources. the non-carcinogenic hazard for the adult population, it was found that HI in the Irkutsk region slightly exceeded the standard value (1), amounting to 1.3, and for the child population - 1.6, the main contribution to the hazard index is represented by nitrates. For children of individual rural settlements of the Angarsk region HI = 1.38. The carcinogenic risk for water from underground sources reached in the range 1.56 × 10−5- 2.1 × 10−4 (in some settlements). Priority carcinogens were identified: arsenic (the contribution of which is 56.3–100 %), hexavalent chromium (29.9–35.8 %). A carcinogenic risk for city residents arises from increased disinfection during periods of microbiological contamination (floods, rains, high water levels), and it is associated with the formation of halogen-containing compounds. ConclusionThe need to strengthen the drinking water quality monitoring system in risk areas has been proven by increasing the number and frequency of sampling during flood periods.

Water Level Fluctuations Modulate the Microbiomes Involved in Biogeochemical Cycling in Floodplains.

Drastic changes in hydrological conditions within floodplain ecosystems create distinct microbial habitats. However, there remains a lack of exploration regarding the variations in microbial function potentials across the flooding and drought seasons. In this study, metagenomics and environmental analyses were employed in floodplains that experience hydrological variations across four seasons. Analysis of functional gene composition, encompassing nitrogen, carbon, and sulfur metabolisms, revealed apparent differences between the flooding and drought seasons. The primary environmental drivers identified were water level, overlying water depth, submergence time, and temperature. Specific modules, e.g., the hydrolysis of β-1,4-glucosidic bond, denitrification, and dissimilatory/assimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium, exhibited higher relative abundance in summer compared to winter. It is suggested that cellulose degradation was potentially coupled with nitrate reduction during the flooding season. Phylogenomic analysis of metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) unveiled that the Desulfobacterota lineage possessed abundant nitrogen metabolism genes supported by pathway reconstruction. Variation of relative abundance implied its environmental adaptability to both the wet and dry seasons. Furthermore, a novel order was found within Methylomirabilota, containing nitrogen reduction genes in the MAG. Overall, this study highlights the crucial role of hydrological factors in modulating microbial functional diversity and generating genomes with abundant nitrogen metabolism potentials.

Assessing Water Resource Sustainability in the Kabul River Basin: A Standardized Runoff Index and Reliability, Resilience, and Vulnerability Framework Approach

The sustainability of water resources is fundamental for basin management, especially in regions where changing hydrological conditions due to climate extremes are prevalent. This study presents a comprehensive assessment of the Kabul River Basin (KRB) sustainability using the Standardized Runoff Index (SRI) as a runoff indicator. By integrating the concepts of reliability, resilience, and vulnerability (RRV), this research aims to provide a granular understanding of water sustainability within the basin. Utilizing future climate projections derived from the mean ensemble of Global Climate Models (GCMs) of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) under two shared socioeconomic pathways (SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5), the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model simulated surface runoff for the KRB. Employing a grid-based approach, this study uncovers the internal variabilities within the basin, recognizing that individual grid points may present distinct water availability characteristics. Historical analysis indicated a decline in the KRB’s sustainability, attributed to increased vulnerability and reduced reliability and resilience. Future projections emphasize the basin’s susceptibility to runoff variations, particularly in downstream areas characterized by dense populations and intense agricultural activities. These findings accentuate the need for strategic water resource management within the KRB to address localized vulnerabilities and ensure sustainable water availability amidst climatic uncertainties.

Short-term influences of flow alteration on microbial community structure and putative metabolic functions in gravel bar hyporheic zones

Microbial communities in the hyporheic zone are important for self-purification as the riverbed is metabolically active and responsible for the retention, storage, and mineralisation of organic matter transported in the surface water. Studies exploring the response of the hyporheic microbial community to flow regime alterations remain scarce. Here, we characterised the microbial community structure over downwelling, upwelling and intermediate hyporheic zone areas within and among gravel bars at high and low discharge levels to determine flow-induced changes in a dam-regulated river using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. At low discharge, microbial composition varied across the different areas of gravel bars, reflecting heterogeneity in local abiotic conditions. However, high discharge lead to microbial community homogenisation across the three areas of the gravel bars. Microbial communities across adjacent gravel bars remained dissimilar regardless of discharge levels, likely reflecting differences in bar morphology. Our results can help better understand how anthropogenic changes in hydrologic conditions can affect microbial diversity and function in the hyporheic zone. This knowledge will help us to understand better how changes in hydrological conditions affect ecosystem functions and services in rivers affected by human impacts.

Impacts of 1.5 °C global warming on hydrological conditions of navigation along the Northern Sea Route and Northwest Passage

Arctic navigability is crucial to the global economy and landscape, while there is an omission in understanding how Arctic navigability changes as a function of 1.5 °C of the Paris Agreement. This study investigated the impact of 1.5 °C global warming above the preindustrial level on sea ice conditions and accessibility of the Northern Sea Route (NSR) and Northwest Passage (NWP) with the Polar Operational Limit Assessment Risk Indexing System and new risk demarcation criteria. The Arctic is colder on the Canadian side than on the European side under 1.5 °C warming. Sea ice is mostly less than three years old, and the younger, thinner and less concentrated ice is mainly in the seas along the NSR. Ships above Polar Class (PC) 6 might be unimpeded along two passages all the year. Besides, the NSR and NWP have great potential for PC6 ships in October–December, while it is only the NSR for PC7 ships. Caution is still required when navigating the western East Siberian Sea, its surrounding straits, and the Parry Channel. These changes in hydrological conditions are important for global shipping, and this work is helpful for supporting coordinated international decision-making.

Terrestrial dissolved organic matter inputs drive the temporal dynamics of riverine bacterial ecological networks and assembly processes

Rivers receive, transport, and are reactors of terrestrial dissolved organic matter (DOM) and are highly influenced by changes in hydrological conditions and anthropogenic disturbances, but the effect of DOM composition on the dynamics of the bacterial community in rivers is poorly understood. We conducted a seasonal field sampling campaign at two eutrophic river mouth sites to examine how DOM composition influences the temporal dynamics of bacterial community networks, assembly processes, and DOM-bacteria associations. DOM composition and seasonal factors explained 34.7% of the variation in bacterial community composition, and 14.4% was explained purely by DOM composition where specific UV absorbance (SUVA254) as an indicator of aromaticity was the most important predictor. Significant correlations were observed between SUVA254 and the topological features of subnetworks of interspecies and DOM-bacteria associations, indicating that high DOM aromaticity results in more complex and connected networks of bacteria. The bipartite networks between bacterial taxa and DOM molecular formulae (identified by ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry) further revealed less specialized bacterial processing of DOM molecular formulae under the conditions of high water level and DOM aromaticity in summer than in winter. A shift in community assembly processes from stronger homogeneous selection in summer to higher stochasticity in winter correlated with changes in DOM composition, and more aromatic DOM was associated with greater similarity in bacterial community composition. Our results highlight the importance of DOM aromaticity as a predictor of the temporal dynamics of riverine bacterial community networks and assembly.

Analysis of Changes in Water Flow after Passing through the Planned Dam Reservoir Using a Mixture Distribution in the Face of Climate Change: A Case Study of the Nysa Kłodzka River, Poland

Climate change and extreme weather events have the potential to increase the occurrences of flooding and hydrological droughts. Dam reservoir operation can mitigate or aggravate this impact. This study aims to evaluate the influence of the planned Kamieniec Ząbkowicki dam reservoir on the flow patterns of the Nysa Kłodzka river in the context of changing hydrological conditions and climate change. In the study, a 40-year observational series of hydrological data was used to simulate changes in water flow through the river valley in a numerical model. This simulation was conducted both for the natural river valley and for the same river valley but with the added reservoir dam. Flow simulations revealed that dam operation increased downstream flow values, reducing variability in extreme high-flow events. Addition, the mixture log-normal distribution shows that the operation of the dam resulted in a reduction in the variability of both low flows and extreme high-flow events. Furthermore, the model illustrates that moderate-flow conditions remain relatively stable and similar before and after dam construction. The Mann–Kendall trend test, Sen slope trend test and Innovative Trend Analysis indicated that the dam had a significant impact on flow trends, reducing the negative trend. This hydrotechnical structure stabilizes and regulates flows, especially in response to climate-induced changes. These findings highlight the effectiveness of the dam in mitigating flood risk and supporting water resource management. It is essential to consider the role of the dam in adapting to changing hydrological conditions influenced by climate change. For practical application, efficient flow regulation by reservoir administration is crucial.

Changing processes flooding a salt marsh in a microtidal estuary with a drying climate

Estuarine salt marshes globally face numerous threats, not least of which include changing hydrological conditions from human alteration and climate change impact to river flows, sea levels and coastal processes. While changing inundation is evident in many systems, often, the detail of which estuarine processes are changing and to what extent they contribute to flooding and habitat distribution remains unknown. Water levels in the microtidal Swan River Estuary (Derbarl Yerrigan), Western Australia, which has experienced significant climate drying since the 1970's, were disaggregated to assess contributions from tides, mean sea level, barometric effects, river flows and river-tide interactions. These contributions were mapped to the habitat of a salt marsh community. The effect of declining river flows on tides were further assessed by wavelet and harmonic analyses. We found that tides and barometric effects presently dominate flooding events of relevance to the salt marsh community. Declining winter runoff resulted in an increase in the tidal amplitude in the upper estuary. There was also a positive winter mean sea level pressure trend, associated with the winter rainfall decline. Altogether, there was zero net change to flooding of a salt marsh in the estuary from these processes. Therefore, steady sea level rise masked changes in the relative contribution of flooding mechanisms in the estuary which have implications for the stability of the marsh ecosystem. Disaggregating process contributions to salt marsh water levels offers a means to better assess the hydrodynamic processes presently sustaining salt marsh communities and to inform how they might change in the future. These results show that numerous hydrological processes can interact to mask non-stationary changes to estuarine hydrology supporting salt marsh habitat.

Is water resources management at the expense of deteriorating water quality in a large river-connected lake after the construction of a lake sluice?

River-connected lakes with floodplain characteristics have substantial effects on terrestrial hydrologic cycles and are highly sensitive to external disturbances; thus, large-scale hydraulic projects are often constructed in such lakes to mitigate problems in the water environment. However, the spatiotemporal dynamics of the water environment in river-connected lakes and the differences in the water environment before and after the hydraulic project operation have received little attention. Here, a well-established coupled hydrodynamic–water quality model was applied to estimate the effects of the Chenglingji Sluice (CS) operation on the hydrodynamic features and water quality of Dongting Lake, a typical river-connected lake in China. The model successfully reproduced the water level and water quality dynamics of Dongting Lake, with a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 0.29–1.24 m for water level and a Mean Relative Error (MRE) of 5.76–10.28% and 6.25–8.14% for total nitrogen (TN) and permanganate index (CODMn), respectively. The spatiotemporal fluctuation of lake water levels was observed over different hydrological periods. Water quality varied considerably spatially, with considerable pollution in East Dongting Lake and the Xiang River inlet. Concentrations of NH3-N (ammonia nitrogen), TN, and total phosphorus (TP) first decreased and then increased during the study period, whereas CODMn concentrations displayed the opposite trend. After the CS operation, the water level increased to 27.11 m and the water surface area increased by 19.29% in the dry period; furthermore, the water quality in the CS operation scenario had low concentrations compared to that of the baseline scenario in the dry period, with concentrations ranging from 0.03 to 0.24 mg/L for TN, 0.001 to 0.015 mg/L for TP, 0.006 to 0.09 mg/L for NH3-N, and 0.02 to 0.22 mg/L for CODM, effectively improving the water environment of Dongting Lake. However, the subsequent reaction of the lake environment to changes in hydrological conditions after the CS operation requires further attention.

Analysis of the suitable ecological flow of benthic animals in the lower reaches of Xiangjiaba Reservoir in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River based on the physical habitat model

Abundant water resources have facilitated the completion and operation of numerous large-scale water conservation projects. However, the operation of cascade hydropower stations has changed the natural hydrological regime of rivers, thereby affecting the integrity and stability of downstream benthic animal habitats. To quantitatively evaluate the impact of infrastructure development, we proposed a coupling of hydrodynamic and habitat models, with benthic animals as indicator species (because they are highly sensitive to hydrological changes). This study established a physical habitat model of benthic animals in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, from the Xiangjiaba to Zhutuo sections by coupling the MIKE21 hydrodynamic model with a habitat model. This model coupled the changes in hydrological conditions and ecological processes to quantitatively reflect the effects of flow changes on river habitat quality, which can be used to predict the effects of hydrological changes on water ecosystems and provide fundamental information for ecological flow and scheduling decisions. Our results showed that by jointly regulating the suitable outflow of the Xiangjiaba Reservoir and the inflow of the Tuojiang, Minjiang, and Hengjiang rivers (three tributaries with water conservancy projects), the minimum flow in the non-flood season and the maximum flow in the flood season could be controlled more precisely. This increases the suitable habitat area for benthic animals as well as improves the stability of their habitat. This study fills the gap in the physical habitat model of benthic animals in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River as well as enriches the research ideas of ecological flow regulation. Moreover, this indicates the first application of the physical habitat model to the joint ecological flow regulation of the main tributaries, thus opening new directions for the application of the physical habitat model.

Spatiotemporal distribution and controlling factors on ammonium in waters in the central Yangtze River Basin, China

High levels of ammonium in water can compromise the ecological environment and be harmful to human beings. It is of great significance to understand the source and controlling factors of ammonium in waters. However, the distribution and controlling factors on ammonium in the central Yangtze River Basin have been rarely reported. The results showed that 6.58% of the surface water (SW) exceeded the China national guideline of category III for NH4+-N (i.e., 1.0 mg/L) and 30.19% of the groundwater (GW) exceeded the China national guideline of category III for NH4+-N (i.e., 0.5 mg/L). Notably, the ammonium concentrations of the plain area in the middle were much higher, which reached to the highest value at the junction of the Yangtze River and Dongting Lake. Nitrogen in SW may originate from manure but more nitrogen sources in GW. The net anthropogenic nitrogen input (NANI) can provide enough organic nitrogen for the mineralization. NH4+-N in SW was more affected by fertilizer nitrogen and feed nitrogen input but more affected by agricultural nitrogen fixation in GW. Agricultural and industrial activities controlled NH4+-N in SW and GW by increasing nitrogen input and changing hydrological conditions. In general, this research exposed the controlling of different types of factors on ammonium in waters, providing a guidance for the water pollution prevention in study area.