Water Tower Research Articles

Historical evaluation and projection of precipitation phase changes in the cold season over the Tibetan Plateau based on CMIP6 multimodels

The solid precipitation in the cold season over the TP is important for the recharge of snow cover, glaciers, rivers, etc. During the past decades, the TP has experienced enhanced warming in the cold season, which could transfer more snowfall to rainfall and influence the land-atmosphere hydrological cycle of the Asian water tower. However, most CMIP6 models underestimate the cold season temperature and overestimate the total precipitation, and the performance of the precipitation phase in the CMIP6 simulations remains unclear. This study investigates the precipitation phase bias in the cold season by comparing simulations from CMIP6 to observations. The results suggest that the snowfall-to-precipitation ratio (SPR) from CMIP6 was significantly underestimated, and the SPR at the southern edge of the TP was underestimated by approximately 30%. However, the decreasing trend of SPR is significantly overestimated. Comparing the influence of the surface temperature and total precipitation, the correlation coefficient between the mean SPR bias and the simulated temperature bias is −0.701 with a 99% confidence level, which is much greater than that with total precipitation bias. The mean SPR in the seven best models is much greater than the ensemble mean of the original 23 CMIP6 models over the TP. Moreover, the SPR varies significantly under different future scenarios. Under the most severe scenario, the decrease in SPR exceeds −21.45%, substantially influencing the water balance over the TP, while the decline is only −9.79% under the weak scenario. Therefore, the warming caused by high emissions should not be ignored when projecting the precipitation phase, and the significant effect of surface temperature on the precipitation phase requires additional consideration when investigating the hydrological cycle imbalance over the TP.

Thermokarst lake changes over the past 40 years in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, China

A thermokarst lake is generally defined as a lake that occupies a closed basin and is created by the massive melting of ground ice in ice-rich permafrost regions, which has a great impact on regional hydro-ecological equilibrium and permafrost-engineering infrastructure facilities. Global warming and increasing human activities have been accompanied by permafrost degradation and glacier retreat in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP). The QTP, source of many international rivers in Asia, is known as the “Asian Water Tower.” The number and area of lakes in the QTP have increased in the past 40 years; however, lakes with areas of less than 1 km2 have been overlooked when calculating the water storage. To address the evolution of thermokarst lakes in the QTP, visual interpretation and the Modified Normalized Difference Water Index were applied to extract the water area based on Landsat data from the 1980s to 2020. The results indicate that thermokarst lake area was reduced from 932.5 km2 to 799.25 km2 from the 1980s to 1990. From 1990 to 2020, the number and area of lakes grew substantially, with the number increasing from 66506 to 120374 and the area increasing by 113.14% (932.5 km2 in 1980s and 1703.56 km2 in 2020). As heat carriers, thermokarst lakes transfer heat vertically and horizontally. The temperature of the surrounding permafrost rises as the number and area of lakes increase and when permafrost is extensively degraded. Longtime carbon stocks are also released into atmosphere during lake formation, which affects the regional carbon cycle.

Water Tower Conservation and Sriwijaya University Law Efficiency Based on Indonesian Green Building Certification

The problem of global warming is increasing due to an increase in CO2 emissionsby 33%, an increase in water consumption by 17%, energy consumption by 30% - 40% and raw materials by 40% - 50% in building operations. One of the efforts to reduce the occurrence of these problems can be done through one of the green building , namely water conservation and efficiency. According to Yudo, saving water is a very important effort to avoid water scarcity. In addition, saving water is an effort to use water efficiently. Therefore, this study was conducted to analyze the application of water conservation and efficiency in the Tower LawThe data collection method used in this study was based on interviews, observations and measurements. The data obtained will be analyzed for water conservation which is applied to towers legal existing Greenship building and water efficiency levels using the Excellence in Design for Greater (EDGE) system. Based on the results of the analysis carried out on tower , the results of the application of water conservation with the Greenship existing building standard only got 11 points out of a maximum total of 20 points. In addition, the application of water efficiency that has been carried out tower based on the EDGE system obtained 24.28% water efficiency measures. From the results of the analysis, it was found that tower has not met the criteria for water conservation well but has met the level of water use efficiency based on the green building .

Automatized characterization of a 2D-multiplexed Micromegas detector for muon tomography

Muon tomography consists in using cosmic muons to probe structures in a neither invasive nor destructive way. Following the first muography of a water tower using a muon telescope based on micro-pattern gaseous detectors and developed at CEA Saclay in 2015, the gaseous detectors and electronics have been developed to be more robust to high variations of temperature, allowing to operate in Egypt for the ScanPyramids mission since 2016. More recently, simulations showed that muon telescopes based on multiplexed Micromegas detectors could also be used to detect cavities for geology studies or dismantling of nuclear facilities leading to several partnerships with industry.However, telescopes are directional and have a limited compactness. To expand the spectrum of applications, CEA is developing a highly pixelated and 2D-multiplexed compact time projection chamber that would allow a full track reconstruction with a quasi-isotropical angular acceptance.The characterization of the Micromegas readout plane using a fully automatized test bench with precise positioning is presented here.

Territory and objects of the plant named after M.V. Frunze in the context of urban environment development in Penza

The objects located on the territory of the city-forming enterprise Frunze Plant (ZIF), built in the pre-revolutionary period of 1914-1916, are considered. These objects are of interest for the preservation and continuity of the historical architectural environment in the conditions of modern development. Based on field surveys and archival materials, the water tower of the engineer P.L. Pasternak system and a fragment of a production shop are considered as one of the first examples of the use of monolithic reinforced concrete in Russia and in order to preserve identity in the context of urban development.

ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON RISING WATER LEVELS OF LAKE NAKURU

Lake Nakuru is one of the rift valley lakes that has experienced flooding occasioned by climate change and catchment areas degradation. The increasing water levels have been a great threat to livelihoods and flora and fauna, to the extent of the lake experiencing flamingoes’ migration. There have been attempts to establish the causes of flooding, with some scientists attributing the phenomenon to tectonic movements and geothermal power plant activities. This research aimed at studying the impact of climate change on the rising water levels of the lake. The objective of this study included assessing the rainfall amounts and temperature variations around the lake over time and predicting the lake's flooding by modelling the surface area variations. Validated rainfall and temperature data, lake’s water level data with regards to surface area variations and Mau encroachment data were collected from the Kenya Meteorological Department, GIS applications and Landsat 8 and composite bands 5, 4 and 3 and the Kenya Water Towers Agency, respectively. Statistical analysis was done using Microsoft Excel 2013 and the relationship amongst various variables was determined. The statistical analysis involved a regression model equation, y=0.933x+26.606 with an r2 value of 0.79, where y-Lake Nakuru surface area (km2) and x- count of years since 1990. The findings showed that encroachment of Mau forest and high rainfall and temperature amounts in the 2010-2019 decade attributed to climate change are contributing factors to the lake’s flooding. It is concluded that climate change is a major contributing factor to the rising water levels of the lake and it greatly impacts hydrologic changes that the lake continues to experience. Therefore, catchment areas have to be protected to save the situation, not only for Lake Nakuru but also for other lakes in the region.

Mining the drivers of forest cover change in the upper Indus Valley, high Asia region from 1990 to 2020

The high Asia region is the water tower for many river valleys in East and South Asia, which has vital significance for regional environmental conservation and ecological security. In the upper Indus Valley, the role of forests is often overlooked, and their loss will lead to a reduction in ecological services, such as water conservation and disaster prevention, and will indirectly affect the water and food security of 230 million people in South Asia. Quantifying the drivers of forest cover change is a prerequisite for ensuring sustainable development in the upper Indus Valley. This study used forest disturbance and recovery data, history fire data, topographic data, and land use data to construct a decision tree model for mining the of drivers of forest cover change. Classification of the drivers of forest disturbance and recovery was achieved in the upper Indus Valley. The results showed that (1) disturbance mainly occurred in the central region of the upper Indus Valley, where forest degradation was the main driver accounting for 69.0%, and agricultural transfer was the secondary driver accounting for 21.6%; commercial cultivation and deforestation drivers both disturbed about 4% of the area, and fire, human activities, and natural hazards disturbed only a small area of forest accounting for less than 1%; (2) the spatial distribution of recovery was basically consistent with the disturbance, with natural recovery being the main driver of forest recovery, accounting for 60.1%, and artificial recovery being the secondary driver, accounting for 39.9%; (3) relevant governance measures or forest conversation policies in the Indus Valley were recommended, such as increasing the supply of non-biomass energy, controlling the scale of livestock, and establishing friendly land use policies, to maintain the growth and balance of forest area and quality.

Water Projects in Ethiopia and their Implications for the Future of the Nile Water

Ethiopia is well known as the “East Africa water tower.” Water flows from it in all directions, north and west to the Nile River (Sudan and Egypt), And south to Lake Turkana (Kenya), Shabelle and Juba (Somalia). To the east, Lake Assal (Djibouti), Mountainous nature, and complex terrain dominate Ethiopia. Rainwater and its run-off mountain slopes and hills are the source of surface water for most Ethiopian lands. This paper discusses Ethiopia’s water situation, as the primary source country, which contributes about 85% of the Nile’s water, and discusses Ethiopia’s possibility to establish great dams. And the most important geological reasons behind the failure of many water projects in Ethiopia, whether on a large or small scale. Including the temporal and spatial diversity of rainfall, the high evaporation rate (87%), the different terrain, the severity of the slopes, the spread of weak basaltic volcanic rocks and fractured limestone, and a large number of faults and faults as a result of the seismic activity associated with the African trench, as well as the increase of the Ethiopian plateau. Alluvial sedimentation that negatively affects the storage capacity of dams.It also aims to assess the impact of existing or under-construction water projects on the water share of Egypt and Sudan and to identify future water projects in Ethiopia by analyzing previous data, reports, and scientific research, and finally finding ways to get out of the current crisis between countries The source on one side and the downstream countries (Egypt and Sudan) on the other side.

Securing water quality of the Asian Water Tower

Securing water quality of the Asian Water Tower

Interannual and Monthly Variability of Typical Inland Lakes on the Tibetan Plateau Located in Three Different Climatic Zones

Changes in lake water volume can reflect variations in regional hydrometeorology and are a sensitive indicator of regional environmental change. The Tibetan Plateau, referred to as the “Asian Water Tower”, has a large number of lakes. These lakes are in a natural state and are relatively unaffected by human activities. Understanding the changes to lake water volume is a key issue for the study of lake-atmosphere interactions and the effects of lake expansion and contraction on regional climate. By using multisource remote sensing and water level observations, this study systematically analyzed inter-annual changes from 1970 to 2021 of three typical inland lakes basin (Bamu Co-Peng Co basin, Langa Co-Mapum Yumco basin andLongmu Co-Songmuxi Co basin), which are located in different climatic regions of the Tibetan Plateau and monthly changes from 2019 to 2021 of Bamu Co, Langa Co and Longmu Co in the lake area, water level, and water volume. In addition, the study analyzed the response of lakes in different climate regions to climate change from 1979 to 2018. The main conclusions are as follows. (1) From 1970 to 2021, there were similar trends in lake changes between the primary and twin lakes. (2) The changes to lakes in different climatic regions are different: lakes in the monsoon-dominated region showed a significant trend of expansion from 2000 to 2014, but the trend slowed down and stabilized after 2014; lakes in the westerlies-dominated region showed a small expansion trend; lakes in the region affected by both westerlies and the monsoon showed an overall shrinking trend. (3) The monthly variation of lake water volume showed a trend of first increasing and then decreasing, with the largest relative change of lake water volume in August and September. (4) Precipitation is a dominant factor controlling lake variation during the year. (5) Temperature and precipitation are dominant meteorological elements affecting the decadal variation of the lake, and with the warming of the TP, temperature plays an increasingly important role.

‘Asian water towers’ are not a sustainable solution to the downstream water crisis

Quantifying climate change- and socioeconomic development-induced changes in the ‘water tower’ function is a major challenge in high-mountain Asia (HMA), especially when considering the affected downstream areas. This study applies historical monsoon-influenced rainfall patterns and the water stress index to quantify the climate change- and socioeconomic growth-induced changes in the ‘Asian water tower’ function through the middle of the 21st century by nonparametric empirical quantile mapping and empirical orthogonal function analysis. Water pressures are predicted to intensify in 25.84 ± 7.87 % of ‘water tower’ downstream watersheds. Enhancements in the ‘Asian water tower’ function are vulnerable to help stop the deterioration of downstream water pressure while increasing the water sufficiency probability by 7.97 ± 15.52 %. Water withdrawals are projected to explain 55.90 ± 21.77 % of water security in the ‘water tower’ function-affected watersheds in 2050; thus, this study calls for more effective policies and the development of technologies to reduce the water crisis in downstream HMA.

Measuring Qinghai-Tibet plateau's sustainability

• We construct a new comprehensive development capacity framework to survey the sustainability. • Ecological capacity diversity, ecological footprint diversity and resources efficiencies were combined from systems view. • Qinghai-Tibet plateau (QTP) presented low in the southwest and high in the northeast in sustainability. • The comprehensive development capacity of QTP grew by 4.37 times, from 0.5751 to 3.0883. • Feasible suggestions are provided to promote the sustainable development of the plateau. Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) is a unique geographical unit on the earth with abundant habitat types and biological species and has an inimitable role and status—Ecological Security Barrier and Asian Water Tower. Its development has far-reaching impacts on the surrounding areas, countries and even the world. Understanding the overall development capacity and status of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is essential to implementing the ecosystem protection strategy while balancing the needs of people in western China. Integrating ecosystem dynamics, resource consumption changes and resource utilization levels from systems view can inform management strategies and decisions for sustainable development on the Plateau. This study constructs a comprehensive development capacity index to reveal the real sustainability and to grasp how the socioeconomic system evolves in this unique geographical unit by integrating ecological capacity diversity, ecological footprint diversity, and resources efficiencies. From 2000 to 2020, the comprehensive development capacity of the QTP increased by 4.37 times. Most regions undergo improvements in the comprehensive development capacity. By 2020, except Ganzi and Ali, all other regions surpass the medium-level development capacity. We discuss the spatiotemporal characteristics of comprehensive development capacity and the reasons leading to these changes, and put forward targeted measures to promote sustainable development.

The ‘Asian water tower’ is brimming — with glacial melt water

The ‘Asian water tower’ is brimming — with glacial melt water

Integrated Control of Spray System and Active Suspension Systems Based on Model-Assisted Active Disturbance Rejection Control Algorithm

Due to the lack of body stability of emergency rescue vehicles, their attitude stability is insufficient and they are unable to realize working while driving, resulting in low rescue efficiency. Aiming at the water tower fire truck, which is equipped with an active suspension system, the vehicle attitude stability is studied. First, combined with the active suspension system and spray system, a 13-DOF integrated dynamic model for the water tower fire truck is established. Using the model-assisted active disturbance rejection control method, the controllers are designed for the vertical displacement, pitch angle, and roll angle of the vehicle attitude. Then, the computer simulation is carried out to verify the effectiveness of this control method. Finally, the water spray obstacle crossing experiment is carried out with a JP32G water tower fire truck. The results show that when the vehicle runs over the triangular obstacle on one side and two sides in the integrated spray-active suspension mode, the peak–peak values of body pitch angle and roll angle are reduced by 10.9% and 23.2%, and 23.7% and 16.3%, respectively, compared with the passive hydro pneumatic suspension.

Protecting the Mountain Water Towers of Spain’s Sierra Nevada

Students and community members monitor the health of mountain water reserves, which capture and release water, evening out wet and dry periods downstream.

Fragmentation alters the soil water conservation capacity of hillside alpine meadows on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau—known as the roof of the world and the water tower of Asia—is facing serious degradation of its ecosystems, with alpine meadows being particularly threatened. However, little is known about how the loss of mattic epipedon (the characteristic topsoil of alpine meadows) alters the water conservation capacity of the region. Here we examined the effects of different mattic epipedon coverages on surface runoff, evapotranspiration, and soil water storage under different rainfall conditions. Our results showed that the surface runoff was significantly higher under moderate rain conditions (P > 10 mm day−1) than under light rain conditions (P < 10 mm day−1), and that declining coverage significantly increased surface runoff, especially under moderate rain conditions. The average evapotranspiration at 90 %, 60 %, and 30 % mattic epipedon coverages were 5.38 mm, 5.88 mm, and 6.38 mm under non-rainfall conditions, and 0.97 mm, 1.60 mm, and 2.24 mm under moderate rain conditions. Meanwhile, mattic epipedon coverage had a positive effect on the supplementation of soil water under moderate rainfall and on the conservation of soil water under non-rainfall conditions. Overall, alpine meadows with higher mattic epipedon coverage were more effective at maintaining surface runoff and improving soil water conservation. These findings highlight the importance of conserving and restoring alpine meadows to improve the water security in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and other downstream regions.

Warming-induced monsoon precipitation phase change intensifies glacier mass loss in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau

Glaciers are key components of the mountain water towers of Asia and are vital for downstream domestic, agricultural, and industrial uses. The glacier mass loss rate over the southeastern Tibetan Plateau is among the highest in Asia and has accelerated in recent decades. This acceleration has been attributed to increased warming, but the mechanisms behind these glaciers' high sensitivity to warming remain unclear, while the influence of changes in precipitation over the past decades is poorly quantified. Here, we reconstruct glacier mass changes and catchment runoff since 1975 at a benchmark glacier, Parlung No. 4, to shed light on the drivers of recent mass losses for the monsoonal, spring-accumulation glaciers of the Tibetan Plateau. Our modeling demonstrates how a temperature increase (mean of 0.39 ∘C ⋅dec-1 since 1990) has accelerated mass loss rates by altering both the ablation and accumulation regimes in a complex manner. The majority of the post-2000 mass loss occurred during the monsoon months, caused by simultaneous decreases in the solid precipitation ratio (from 0.70 to 0.56) and precipitation amount (-10%), leading to reduced monsoon accumulation (-26%). Higher solid precipitation in spring (+18%) during the last two decades was increasingly important in mitigating glacier mass loss by providing mass to the glacier and protecting it from melting in the early monsoon. With bare ice exposed to warmer temperatures for longer periods, icemelt and catchment discharge have unsustainably intensified since the start of the 21st century, raising concerns for long-term water supply and hazard occurrence in the region.

Characteristics, sources, and risk assessment of thallium and associated with metal(loid)s in the Yarlung Tsangpo River Basin, southern Tibetan Plateau.

The Tibetan Plateau (TP) is known as the water tower of Asia, and the water quality has long been a focus of public concern, especially in the Yarlung Tsangpo River Basin (YTRB), a unique area that is climate-sensitive, geologically complex, eco-fragile, and densely populated. Thallium (Tl) is a typical metal that is more toxic than Pb, Cd, and As and often occurs in sulfide minerals. Although large-scale polymetallic sulfide mineralization developed in the YTRB, the geochemical dispersion and potential risk of Tl in aquatic environments of the YTRB remain poorly understood. In this study, the concentration, distribution, source, and health risk of Tl and associated metal(loid)s in the hot springs and surface water in the YTRB were systematically analyzed. The results showed that the trace elements (Cd, Cr, Zn, Cu, Al, Sr, Ni, Co, Mn, Pb) in water environments are within the recommended limits, except for Tl and As. Principal component analysis (PCA) and correlation analysis (CA) showed that the elements of Tl and As were positively related to each other in either both hot spring water and surface water, indicating their common origin. Spatial variations suggested that high levels of Tl and As observed in the north YTRB, which may be relevant to the reduction-dissolution of Tl (As)-bearing minerals and the magmatic hydrothermal system formed in the shallow part of the northern YTRB. Furthermore, source apportionment identified natural sources of Cu, Ni, Cr, Co, Mn, Zn, and Cd and anthropogenic inputs of Al and Pb. Exposure assessment studies have found that ingestion is the primary route of As and Tl exposure to local population, and balneological and bathing purposes do not constitute a human health concern. This study offers valuable insights into the risk of naturally occurring Tl enrichment being hidden in As-rich hydrosphere in the YTRB and other regions with similar geoenvironmental contexts.

Is the ‘water tower’ reassuring? Viewing water security of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau from the perspective of ecosystem services ‘supply-flow-demand’

Ecosystem service flow plays a vital role in the formation, transportation, transformation, and maintenance of ecosystem services. For ecosystem services with spatiotemporal mismatch of supply and demand, ecosystem service flow explains the integrated process of ‘supply-flow-demand’ of ecosystem services. The present study evaluates the supply and demand of ecosystem water provision services in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and simulates the spatial flow pattern and transmission mechanism of water provision services. Additionally, the study establishes dynamic and static water security indices and identify water security level to quantify the water resources security of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau under the changing ecological environment. The research shows: (a) the annual total water surplus were 6.71 × 1011 m3, 8.43 × 1011 m3, 7.86 × 1011 m3 and 2.91 × 1011 m3. The supply–demand relationship of water provisioning service in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau shows an obvious oversupply condition; (b) The water security level of the plateau is high (level V and level IV), indicating that the water security status of the Qinghai- Tibet Plateau is under good condition, however, the area with low-security levels (Level I and Level II) is increasing. (c) From the perspective of ‘supply-demand-flow’ of ecosystem services, although the function of the water tower on the Qinghai Tibet Plateau has declined, it remained safe condition on the whole study area. The method of establishing spatial correlation between mismatched supply and demand of ecosystem services and evaluating regional water security based on ecosystem service flow constructed in this study presents the water security status and spatial distribution of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau more scientifically, providing a reference for water resource management in other regions.

Multifunctional water tower

The aim of this article is to present a new technical solution of the multifunctional water tower. The principle of the new designed a water tower is fundamentally based on self-sufficiency and independence of energy sources, either the energy of the sun or the wind is used. To the conversion of this energy into mechanical energy for pumping of water to storage tank is used a ball screw mechanism, which driving a high discharge displacement pump based on the piston principle.