Author(s): Cunwen Niu; Yangwen Jia; Chunfeng Hao; Fang Wang
Linked Author(s): Chunfeng Hao, Yangwen Jia, Cunwen NIU
Keywords: No Keywords
Abstract: Determination of environmental flow in a semi-arid and semi-humid region is a challenging issue because of the serious competition of social-economic water demand and eco-system water demand. In this study, Holistic Ecoenvironmental Flow Assessment in a Semi-arid and Semi-humid region (HEFASS) is proposed based on the coupling characteristics of river hydrology, eco-environment and social economy and the holistic method concept. HEFASS adopts an integrated approach of Up-to-Bottom (Development and protection target-toEnvironment low) and Bottom-to-Up (Environment low-to-Development and protection target). HEFASS includes 4 modules, i. e., HOMEE, an integrated model for simulating hydrological processes and water allocation to obtain the naturalized river flows and those under various water resources development scenarios, ecology-hydrology response relation analysis and river reach zoning, theoretical computation of ecoenvironmental flow, and revision based on stakeholder meetings. HEFASS is applied to calculate ecoenvironmental flows at key sections of main stream and tributaries of the Weihe River, the largest tributary of the Yellow River. Values of eco-environmental flows at 5 key sections of the Weihe River are suggested. It is concluded that HEFASS is a valid method. The results have been adopted in the basin management and will provide a support to the sustainable development in the basin.
Year: 2018