The Volta Lake and Declining Rainfall and Streamflows in the Volta River Basin

This paper looks at the rainfall and streamflow patterns over two distinct time periods, i.e., 1950–1970 and 1971–1991 within the two most prominent catchments in the Volta river system – White Volta and the Oti basins. The first period (1950–1970) represents relatively vegetated catchments and low population whilst the latter (1971–1990) represents intense land use practices resulting from increased population that have severely degraded the environment. These two catchments are among the most significant contributors to the Volta lake. The Volta lake, which was formed between 1962 and 1966 in Ghana and created primarily for hydroelectric power generation, will probably be one of the greatest man-made lakes for a long time. It produces 912MW of electricity at its maximum operating capacity. Recently, there have been declines in the lake levels resulting most probably from inadequate rainfall and/or runoff from the river catchments that feed the lake. Comparisons of runoffs for the two time periods show reductions in mean streamflows of 32.5% at Saboba on the Oti and 23.1% at Nawuni on the White Volta.     

江湖阻隔对涨渡湖区鱼类资源的生态影响

长江中游两岸绝大多数通江湖泊自20世纪50年代以来因水利工程阻隔先后失去与长江的联系而产生一系列的生态问题。我们以涨渡湖为例开展江湖阻隔后对单个湖泊鱼类资源所产生的生态影响进行研究,结果表明：江湖阻隔导致湖泊生产经营方式改变,使得野生渔业产量的比例由1949年的95%,降低到2002年的不足5%;江湖阻隔后湖泊鱼类种类由50年代约80种下降到现在的52种,其中,洄游性和流水型鱼类比重由50%下降至不足30%;迷魂阵渔获物在单位产量、个体大小上极显著(p < 0.01)地高于通江湖泊,但在物种数和多样性指数上则要低得多(p < 0.01)。因此,江湖阻隔对湖泊渔业具明显影响,且正导致野生鱼类资源的进一步衰退。     

三峡工程对洞庭湖水位影响研究

利用河流动力学Ｓａｉｎｔ Ｖｅｎａｎｔ方程组，通过建立描述长江水情的数值模式，进行三峡工程对长江城陵矶站水位影响预测。在预测结果的基础上，根据城陵矶站与洞庭湖各湖区水位代表站的水位相关关系，研究三峡工程对洞庭湖水位的影响。     

1956~2011年鄱阳湖水沙特征及其变化规律分析

近年来,鄱阳湖水沙研究集中在鄱阳湖"五河"各水文站的单站分析上,且水沙数据采用大多仅至21世纪初期,对缺测资料未进行有效插补。将鄱阳湖作为一个研究整体,分析了鄱阳湖水沙特征及其变化规律,以便为鄱阳湖泊形态变化研究以及水、沙资源的合理开发利用提供有利的参考依据。运用水沙相关、上下游泥沙相关法对部分缺测泥沙进行插补,获得1956~2011年的鄱阳湖入、出湖水沙系列数据。利用数理统计法、水沙双累积曲线法、Mann-Kendall法分析鄱阳湖入、出湖径流量与输沙量变化特征,并且探讨了水沙变化的原因。结果表明:(1)入湖径流量和输沙量的年内分配相一致,而长江水沙的倒灌影响了出湖径流量和输沙量的年内分配;(2)鄱阳湖入湖悬移质泥沙从90年代开始下降趋势加剧,而出湖悬移质泥沙1956~2000年整体呈下降趋势,2001~2011年呈现上升趋势;(3)鄱阳湖入、出湖年输沙量出现明显的突变点分别在1998年左右、2003年左右;(4)径流量总体处于相对稳定状态,但近10a来径流量略下降,主要受到降水量变少的影响,入湖输沙量变化受"五河"流域的水库蓄水拦沙、流域水土保持工作加强、人类河床采砂等因素影响;而出湖河段河床深度下切、江湖水面比降加大、人类在鄱阳湖采砂扰动河(湖)床均加大了近10a来出湖悬移质泥沙的输出。     

Preliminary assessment of current radiation doses to the population of Brodokalmak from contamination of the Techa River

Significant quantities of liquid radioactive waste were discharged to the Techa River in the southern Urals region of Russia in the early years of operation of the Mayak PA plant (1948–1951). A collaborative project is underway under contract to the European Commission to consider the radiological impact of radioactive contamination in the Southern Urals. Part of this project involves the calculation of radiation doses currently received by the population of Brodokalmak on the Techa river. The assessment made use of local data on the habits of the population and measurements of radionuclide activity concentrations in food and water. Exposure pathways included in the assessment were ingestion of foods and external exposure to gamma radiation from radionuclides deposited on the banks of the river. A range of doses was calculated for different age groups, firstly, assuming that the restrictions in place are retained and, secondly, assuming that there are no restrictions. These restrictions include bans on drinking river water, fishing and bathing in the river and the prohibition of use of the river and surrounding flood plains by humans and cattle. With restrictions the highest dose estimated was 0.56 mSv y⁻¹ for the most exposed adults and without restrictions this increased to 3.4 mSv y⁻¹.     

Changes in river discharge structure and regime in mining-industrial-urban areas

In mining-industrial-urban areas, the variability of river discharge is regulated, directly or indirectly, by human economic activity. This results from the presence of alien water, which often comes from outside the catchment area, is discharged into the river network. This water includes industrial and municipal wastewater and deep-drainage mine water. Simultaneously, as a result of water intake and water infiltration into dry ground (due to mining), the volume of river discharge decreases. Such changeable conditions of water alimentation and drainage are typical of many regions of Europe. Detailed investigations of the range and directions of changes in river structure and regime were carried out for the area of Upper Silesian Industrial Region (USIR) of Poland. The results were compared with the results of investigations carried out in the Ruhr Basin of Germany and the Donetsk Basin of the Ukraine and Russia. The investigations showed that, in some cases, prolonged, multifunctional economic activity of a man has effectively eliminated of the influence of natural hydrometeorological conditions on river discharge. Wastewater and mine water which has contributed to river flow is only slightly variable in the annual cycle and it causes an increase of water volume and a discharge smoothing. Sewage effluent and mine wastewater also change the structure of river runoff because their contribution to the runoff sometimes exceeds 90% of its volume.     

Modeling thermoelectric power generation in view of climate change

In this study we investigate how thermal power plants with once-through cooling could be affected by future climate change impacts on river water temperatures and stream flow. We introduce a model of a steam turbine power plant with once-through cooling at a river site and simulate how its production could be constrained in scenarios ranging from a one degree to a five degree increase of river temperature and a 10–50% decrease of stream flow. We apply the model to simulate a large nuclear power plant in Central Europe. We calculate annual average load reductions, which can be up to 11.8%, assuming unchanged stream flow, which leads to average annual income losses of up to 80 million €. Considering simultaneous changes in stream flow will exacerbate the problem and may increase average annual costs to 111 million € in a worst-case scenario. The model demonstrates that power generation could be severely constrained by typical climate impacts, such as increasing river temperatures and decreasing stream flow.     

Climatic and human drivers of recent lake-level change in East Juyan Lake,China

Drying of an inland river’s terminal lake in arid regions is an important signal of environmental degradation in downstream regions. A long-term, high-resolution understanding of the lake’s retreat and expansion and the driving mechanisms will inform future adaptive water management strategies, ecosystem restoration, and government decision-making in the context of a growing water scarcity in the inland river basin. The shrubs that grow along the shore of a lake often provide evidence of lake retreat or expansion. The chronological results showed that the earliest germination dates of the lakeshore shrubs, tamarisk, were in 1901, 1943, 1966, 2009, and 1990 from the higher terrace to the lower terrace of East Juyan Lake, a terminal lake of China’s Heihe River. Coupled with river and lake hydrological data, six obvious lake’s fluctuations were identified: shrinkage from 1900 to 1940s and during the early 1990s, expansion and retreat in the late 1950s and early 1970s, continued expansion from 2002 to 2008, and stabilization at a water area of around 40 km² from 2009 to the present. The water elevation in the 1900s was below 905 m a.s.l., resulting in a water area <80 km², but decreased to 40 km² after 1960 and dried up completely by the 1990s. By analysing climatic and hydrological records since 1950, tree-ring climate proxy data, river runoff outside the observation period, and water resource consumption in the middle and lower reaches of the Heihe River, we found that the periodic expansion and retreat of East Juyan Lake was influenced by both climate change and human activities, but especially by human activities. The lake’s recent recovery and stability was achieved by government policy designed to provide environmental flows to the lake.     

The Role of Phytoplankton from the Ob River in Biological Productivity of the Ob–Yenisei Shoal

The program of investigations on the taxonomic composition and spatial distribution of planktonic microalgae in the Gulf of Ob and the southern Kara Sea in different seasons was carried out. Throughout the observation period, from July to October, high values of phytoplankton biomass were recorded in the Gulf of Ob and adjacent areas of the Ob–Yenisei shoal. This is evidence for a higher productivity of waters off the Ob estuary, compared to other coastal areas of the Kara Sea. The main factor responsible for this phenomenon is permanent (during the warm season) transport of living and dead organic matter by river runoff to the shelf.     

Spatial distribution of uranium and thorium in the surface soil around proposed uranium mining site at Lambapur and its vertical profile in the Nagarjuna Sagar Dam

The understanding and evaluation of the possible interactions of various naturally occurring radionuclides in the world's third largest man-made dam, Nagarjuna Sagar located in Andhra Pradesh, India and built on river Krishna assumed significance with the finding of uranium deposits in locations near the dam. For the present work, surface soil samples from the mineralized area of Lambapur, Mallapuram, Peddagattu and sediment core samples from the Nagarjuna Sagar dam were analyzed for naturally occurring radionuclides namely uranium and thorium using gamma spectrometric technique. Also toxic elements lead and chromium were analysed by the Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer (EDXRF) technique. Surface soil samples show a variation from 25 to 291 Bq/kg (2.02–23.5 mg/kg) for ²³⁸U and 32–311 Bq/kg (7.9–76.9 mg/kg) for ²³²Th. U/Th concentration ratio in surface soil samples ranged from 0.19 to 0.31 and was found comparable with the nation wise average of 0.26. The study of sediment core samples reflected higher U/Th concentration ratio of 0.30–0.33 in the bottom section of the core as compared to 0.22–0.25 in the upper section. The concentration ratio in the upper section of the core was similar to the ratio 0.23 found in the western Deccan Basalt region through which the river originates. A higher concentration of lead and chromium was observed in the upper section of the core compared to bottom section indicating the impact of river input on the geochemical character of dam sediment.     

The influence of climate change on the dates of bird arrival to the Ilmen State Reserve (Southern Urals)

The results of long-term observations (1983–2013) on the dates of arrival of migratory birds to the Ilmen State Reserve are presented. Based on their analysis, it is conclude that (1) there is no significant positive trend of spring temperatures in the territory of the reserve, and (2) an earlier arrival of the majority of bird species is not observed, unlike in Europe. The arrival has shifted to earlier dates in the Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs), White Wagtail (Motacilla alba), and Black Kite (Milvus migrans). On the other hand, the arrival of the Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis) is observed later than usual. Multiple regression analysis has shown that the arrival dates of most species that nest in the reserve are determined by the temperature regime of spring months in their nesting area.     

Distribution of White Whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in the White Sea and the Southeastern Region of the Barents Sea during the Ice Season

The habitats, relative occurrence, and distribution of the white whale in the White Sea and the southeastern Barents sea in every month of the ice season have been studied using the results of an aerial ice survey along standard routes from 1970–1991. In these seas, white whales have been found in each month of the ice season, with single animals, groups, schools or gams, herds, and large congregations of several hundred animals accounting for 10, 22.8, 47.2, 12.9, and 7% of all aggregations of white whales observed, respectively. The relative occurrence of white whales in the White Sea is higher in March and May (32.5 and 30%, respectively) and lower in February, January, and November (15, 10, and 7.5%, respectively); in December and April, the whales are observed very seldom (2.5% in both months). In the southeastern Barents Sea, the relative occurrence of white whales is highest in May (53.3%) and considerably lower in December and February (16.7 and 10%); only a few animals are found during the remaining ice season. Regarding different habitats, the relative occurrences of white whales in open water, in water openings in the ice, near the edge of pack ice, and in ice packs with different degrees of closeness are 21.5, 11.4, 45.7, and 21.4%, respectively.     

Long-term contaminant migration and impacts from uranium mill tailings

As part of the BIOMOVS II study, a Working Group was established with the primary aim of comparing computer models used to assess the long-term impacts of contaminants released from uranium mill tailings piles, involving multiple pathways, multiple contaminants and multiple environmental receptors. The application of models to two scenarios (V1 and V2) allowed participants to gain an improved understanding of important processes and to compare the representation of these processes in the models. Partly as a result of this, new models were developed and the functionality of existing models was enhanced. Model results for the scenarios were compared quantitatively and agreed well (often within a factor of three) for the more tightly specified V2 scenario. In so far as the scenarios represent generic sites, the following generic conclusions can be drawn.

• &#x02022;A range of pathways and contaminants affect the total dose/intake and so no single pathway or contaminant is dominant for all scenarios to the exclusion of all other pathways or contaminants.
• &#x02022;Peak impacts on individuals may not arise for many hundreds of years.
• &#x02022;Simplification of the ²³⁸U decay chain, by assuming ²¹⁰Pb and ²¹⁰Po are in secular equilibrium in the biosphere with the long-lived parent, ²²⁶Ra, is inappropriate.
• &#x02022;Whilst models are available for assessing potential radiological and non-radiological health impacts, comparison of health impacts is limited by the absence of comprehensive data for health impacts of stable elements.

     

Agroecological Implications of the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) in Madagascar

A system of plant, soil, water and nutrient management for irrigated rice developed in Madagascar has been yielding 5, 10, even 15tha^–1 on farmers' fields where previous yields averaged around 2tha^–1. This is achieved using whatever variety of rice the farmer is already using and without having to utilize chemical fertilizer or other purchased inputs. This system, known as SRI, shows that alternative management practices, creating optimal growing conditions for plants, can bring out previously untapped genetic potential. It also shows that the practices farmers have used for centuries may not always be the best in agronomic terms.     

Cadmium Concentration in Vegetables Grown on Urban Soils Irrigated with Untreated Municipal Sewage

Cadmium (Cd) is considered as a potential toxin that is principally dispersed in natural and agricultural environments through anthropogenic sources. Untreated municipal sewage, often a potential source of Cd, is generally used to irrigate urban agricultural soils in many developing countries. A study was carried out to determine Cd concentration in untreated municipal sewage and sewage-irrigated soils and vegetables. The metal ion concentration in municipal sewage was found 3-fold (0.03mgL^–1) its permissible concentration in irrigation water (0.01mgL^–1). Ammonium bicarbonate–diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid NH₄HCO₃–DTPA) extractable Cd concentration in top 0.15m soil ranged between 0.25 and 0.34mgkg^–1. Soil Cd concentration was significantly correlated with soil clay content, pH, electrical conductivity, and cation exchange capacity. Cadmium availability index (CDI) decreased with an increase in soil depth. The metal ion was found in leaf (0.17–0.24mgkg^–1 fresh weight) and fruit (0.07–0.18mgkg^–1 fresh weight) portions of all the sampled vegetables: bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.), cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L.), eggplant (Solanum melongena L.), fenugreek (Trigonella foenumgraecum L.), okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench], onion (Allium cepa L.), pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L.), and spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.). Leafy tissue accumulated Cd about twice that of the fruit portion. Our results suggest that prolonged ingestion of sewage-irrigated leafy vegetables can develop such Cd levels in human body that may cause a number of illnesses.     

Association of organic matter, iron and inorganic phosphorus in lake waters

Gel permeation chromatography was used to fractionate ³²PO₄³⁻ labelled components by molecular size in filtered, destabilized lake foam, concentrated lake water, and lake sediment extracts. Evidence is presented for the abiotic formation of organic matter iron inorganic P complexes in lake foam, water and sediments. ³²PO₄^staggered was found to excahnge with low molecular weight, dissolved P fraction, probably an organic matter -Fe- inorganic P complex, but not with a high molecular weight, non-inorganic dissolved reactive P pool, hypothesized to be similar to the dimer. Our experiments suggest that inorganic P binding by high molecular weight organic matter may play a significant role in the P cycle. If the bound P is unavailable to algae and bacteria, the complexes could explain Rigler's (1968) hypothesis that the molybdenum blue technique may overestimate the free orthophosphate concentration by 10–100 times.     

Runoff variation affected by precipitation change and human activity in Hailiutu River basin,China

For recent years, runoff generation and hydrological processes in Hailiutu River basin have been greatly changed by climate change and human activity, especially water and soil conservation construction. In this study, the trends in precipitation, evapotranspiration (ET) and river runoff as well as the effects of precipitation change and human activity on runoff variation have been studied. The results showed that during 1960–2000, annual precipitation and river runoff, monthly precipitation and ET in September and October as well as monthly runoff in all months showed a significant decrease. In addition, peak flow and base flow had a large decrease. Under the joint influence of precipitation change and human activity, the mean annual runoff decreased by 35 million m³ from the baseline period (1960–1985) to the change period (1986–2000), which accounted for 60.9% and 39.1% of the total runoff decrease, respectively. Precipitation change played a primary role in the decrease of annual runoff whereas human activity, particularly water and soil conservation construction, also had remarkable impacts on runoff variation.     

东线南水北调工程对长江口咸水入侵影响及对策

南水北调工程是长江流域继三峡工程后的又一重大工程，工程建成后对长江河口的环境与生态有何影响以及影响程度如何是众所关注的一个重要问题。南水北调是大规模的跨流域调水，有东，中，西线三种方案，它建成后必将对长江口的自然环境产生影响，这种影响可能涉及径流，泥沙，咸水入侵，岸滩冲淤，航道，水产，渔业和生态环境等诸多方面。根据有关初步设计资料及长江河口的流量和盐度等实测资料，用统计的方法对东线南水北调调水500，700和1000m^3/s后对长江口咸水入侵的影响进行了初步预测。为了减少其不利影响，还提出了采取加快实施北支整治工程，尽快建造新的避咸蓄淡水库，确定调水的控制流量和三峡工程提前蓄水等措施，供南水北调工程决策和设计部门参考。若参采取这些措施，南水北调对咸水入侵造成的负面影响是可以缓解或抵消的。     

Runoff variation affected by precipitation change and human activity in Hailiutu River basin,China

For recent years,runoff generation and hydrological processes in Hailiutu River basin have been greatly changed by climate change and human activity,especially water and soil conservation construction.In this study,the trends in precipitation,evapotranspiration(ET)and river runoff as well as the effects of precipitation change and human activity on runoff variation have been studied.The results showed that during 1960-2000,annual precipitation and river runoff,monthly precipitation and ET in September and October as well as monthly runoff in all months showed a significant decrease.In addition,peak flow and base flow had a large decrease.Under the joint influence of precipitation change and human activity,the mean annual runoff decreased by 35 million m3 from the baseline period(1960-1985)to the change period(1986-2000),which accounted for 60.9%and 39.1%of the total runoff decrease,respectively.Precipitation change played a primary role in the decrease of annual runoff whereas human activity,particularly water and soil conservation construction,also had remarkable impacts on runoff variation.     

Contemporary changes in open water surface area of Lake Inle, Myanmar

From 1935 to 2000, the net open water area of Inle Lake in Central Shan State, Myanmar decreased from 69.10 to 46.69 km², a loss of 32.4% during this 65-year period. Local beliefs are that losses in lake area have been even greater within the last 100–200 years. Various activities, including timber removal, shifting agriculture in the uplands by various ethnic groups, and unsustainable cultivation practices on the low- and mid-level hillslopes around the lake, have been blamed for both historical and ongoing sedimentation. We take issue with attributing loss of lake area to these activities, and propose instead that ongoing “in-lake” and “near-lake” agricultural practices are the main sources of contemporary sediment and loss of open water area. About 93% (i.e., 20.84 km²) of the recent loss in open water area of the lake is due to the development of floating garden agriculture, largely along the west side of the lake. Direct environmental impacts associated with this practice and with other agriculture activities within the wetlands and margins of the lake include sedimentation, eutrophication, and pollution. Whilst the sustainability of hillslope agriculture and past forestry practices can indeed be questioned, a more urgent need is to address these "in-lake" and "near-lake" practices.