Assessment of Water Availability and Scarcity Based on Hydrologic Components in an Irrigated Agricultural Watershed Using SWAT

This study assesses the water availability and the water scarcity based on the hydrologic behavior under different weather conditions and crop coverages in an irrigated agricultural area of Rincon Valley in New Mexico using the SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) model. Two spatial crop coverages included normal (2008) and dry (2011) years with 14 different crop sets for each year. The SWAT was applied to generate the five essential indicators (surface flow, evapotranspiration, soil water, groundwater recharge, and irrigation water) to evaluate the integrated water availability based on hydrologic response units (HRUs) along with the Arrey Canal to supply irrigation water in the crop areas. The water availability index scores (0–1 range with 1 being the most available and 0 the least available) of alfalfa, corn, cotton, and pecans were 0.21, 0.56, 0.91, and 0.20, respectively, in the normal year and 0.16, 0.78, 0.88, and 0.24, respectively, in the dry year. In the dry year, water scarcity values were high in mostly alfalfa areas, whereas cotton areas have mostly no stress with good water availability. The major water users of crops, ranked in order, were alfalfa, pecans, cotton, and corn. During the dry year, water availability showed to be balanced in terms of water supply and demand by controlling crop patterns from reducing alfalfa acreage by 12% and increasing cotton acreage by 13%.     

Nutrient Inputs to the Laurentian Great Lakes by Source and Watershed Estimated Using SPARROW Watershed Models1

Robertson, Dale M. and David A. Saad, 2011. Nutrient Inputs to the Laurentian Great Lakes by Source and Watershed Estimated Using SPARROW Watershed Models. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 47(5):1011‐1033. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2011.00574.x Abstract: Nutrient input to the Laurentian Great Lakes continues to cause problems with eutrophication. To reduce the extent and severity of these problems, target nutrient loads were established and Total Maximum Daily Loads are being developed for many tributaries. Without detailed loading information it is difficult to determine if the targets are being met and how to prioritize rehabilitation efforts. To help address these issues, SPAtially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes (SPARROW) models were developed for estimating loads and sources of phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) from the United States (U.S.) portion of the Great Lakes, Upper Mississippi, Ohio, and Red River Basins. Results indicated that recent U.S. loadings to Lakes Michigan and Ontario are similar to those in the 1980s, whereas loadings to Lakes Superior, Huron, and Erie decreased. Highest loads were from tributaries with the largest watersheds, whereas highest yields were from areas with intense agriculture and large point sources of nutrients. Tributaries were ranked based on their relative loads and yields to each lake. Input from agricultural areas was a significant source of nutrients, contributing ～33‐44% of the P and ～33‐58% of the N, except for areas around Superior with little agriculture. Point sources were also significant, contributing ～14‐44% of the P and 13‐34% of the N. Watersheds around Lake Erie contributed nutrients at the highest rate (similar to intensively farmed areas in the Midwest) because they have the largest nutrient inputs and highest delivery ratio.     

A Watershed Approach to Improve Water Quality: Case Study of Clean Water Services’ Tualatin River Program1

Cochran, Bobby and Charles Logue, 2011. A Watershed Approach to Improve Water Quality: Case Study of Clean Water Services’ Tualatin River Program. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 47(1):29‐38. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2010.00491.x Abstract: Over the last five years, Clean Water Services developed and implemented a program to offset thermal load discharged from its wastewater facilities to the Tualatin River by planting trees to shade streams and augmenting summertime instream flows. The program has overcome challenges facing many of the nation’s water quality trading programs to not only gain consensus on the frameworks needed to authorize trading, but also provide a broad range of ecosystem services. This paper compares the Tualatin case study with some of the commonly cited factors of successful trading programs.     

Adaptive Targeting: Engaging Farmers to Improve Targeting and Adoption of Agricultural Conservation Practices

Targeting of agricultural conservation practices to cost‐effective locations has long been of interest to watershed managers, yet its implementation cannot succeed without meaningful engagement of agricultural producers who are decision makers on the lands they farm. In this study, we engaged 14 west‐central Indiana producers and landowners in an adaptive targeting experiment. Interviews carried out prior to targeting provided rich spatial information on existing conservation practices as well as producers' preferences for future conservation projects. We targeted six of the most accepted conservation practices using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool and spatial optimization using a genetic algorithm approach. Fairly optimal conservation scenarios were possible with even the most limiting constraints of farmer‐accepted practices. We presented in follow‐up interviews a total of 176 conservation practice recommendations on 103 farm fields to 10 farmers whose lands were targeted for conservation. Primary findings indicated producers were interested in the project, were open to hearing recommendations about their lands, and expressed a high likelihood of adopting 35% of targeted recommendations. Farmers generally viewed the interview process and presentation of results quite favorably, and the interviews were found to build trust and make the targeting process more acceptable to them.     

不确定性流域污染负荷优化分配模型及其应用

流域优化决策模型以最优化建模方法指导流域管理决策过程,然而流域系统的不确定性会导致决策存在一定风险.本研究通过建立区间参数机会约束线性规划(ICILP)模型来处理流域决策过程中的不确定性,并将该模型运用于太滆运河流域优化决策中,探讨在不同违反概率下系统最优解.结果表明,随着允许入湖量约束违反概率增加,系统对污染物削减量和削减成本有所降低.由于受到经济成本和削减量约束,系统优先减小环境代价较大、削减效率较低的工程项目规模.但受到最低处理率约束,违反概率增加到一定水平时各工程项目趋于定值.虽然较高的违反概率使系统成本降低,但也会导致削减效率降低,不利于流域保护.因此,在实际管理中应根据管理需求选择合适的削减方案以达到保护流域水质的目标.     

三峡水库蓄水前后长江干流主要污染物浓度变化趋势分析研究

利用三峡库区长江干流1998年-2010年水质监测数据,以1998年-2003年代表蓄水前,2004年-2010年代表蓄水后,对比分析蓄水前后主要污染物浓度变化情况,用Spearman秩相关系数法判断其变化趋势的显著性。分析可知,蓄水后氨氮、化学需氧量、总磷指标的平均浓度要低于蓄水前,氨氮、化学需氧量浓度变化幅度大于蓄水前,总磷浓度变化幅度小于蓄水前;Spearman秩相关系数计算结果表明,三峡水库常年回水区内的断面,污染物浓度多数呈下降趋势,但只有晒网坝和培石断面的氨氮指标浓度下降趋势具有显著意义。     

中国流域生态补偿标准核算方法进展研究

流域生态补偿关系到区域协调和可持续发展,补偿标准核算方法的确定是建立流域生态补偿机制的重点。对中国流域生态补偿标准核算方法的研究进展进行系统整理,总结了目前较为常用的五种核算方法,即生态系统服务功能价值法、生态保护总成本法、水质水量保护目标核算法、水资源价值法和支付意愿法,对比分析各自的优点与不足,并对近来出现的水足迹等新方法进行阐述。未来研究中,应实现核算方法结合、补偿标准的动态评估及提高核算体系的可操作性等。     

黑河流域磷迁移转化过程连续模拟研究

以西安市的主要供水水源黑河流域为例,在Matlab软件辅助下,使用蓄满产流模型、逆高斯分布汇流模型、水沙关系模型以及澳大利亚学者Viney所提出的营养物迁移转化模型对黑河流域1981～1990年磷的迁移转化过程进行了连续模拟,模拟了磷的输出情况,预测了黑河流域磷污染负荷量.结果表明:模拟结果符合磷素流失的一般规律,年径流量大的年份,从流域输出的磷素也较多,反之,则较小;对磷的连续模拟结果与实测插补延长后总磷年负荷量的相对误差基本上在±30%以内,结果较合理,由此表明该法可用于黑河流域磷素迁移转化的连续模拟.同时,本文模型只是流域非点源污染连续模拟的初步尝试,尚需进行进一步检验、改进和完善.     

湖北四湖流域的洪涝灾害与景观生态建设

对湖北四湖流域洪涝灾害的灾变趋势进行了分析，讨论了流域的景观生态特征及其对洪涝灾害的影响，提出了若干景观生态建设的对策。     

Chinese Policies and Practices regarding Payments for Ecological Services in Watersheds

Watersheds provide a variety of ecological services including soil and water conservation, carbon sequestration and biodiversity protection. However, activities in a fast-growing economy significantly impact the supply and demand of these watershed services. To mitigate these impacts, the concept of payment for environmental and ecosystem services from watersheds has emerged in global academic and policy circles. The governments and academic communities in China have increasingly described payments for ecological services from watersheds with the concept of watershed eco-compensation as it is urgent to protect watershed ecosystems. Watershed eco-compensation has proved to be one of the most economically effective means of solving environmental problems of watersheds to be adopted by the Chinese government. This paper presents an objective analysis of the Chinese market for watershed ecosystem services, including supply and demand for the services. It also summarizes Chinese policies on watershed eco-compensation, including relevant laws and regulations and fiscal policies. In addition, it presents a review of Chinese practices in watershed eco-compensation, including the analysis of an ecological construction project in Western China, inter-provincial watershed eco-compensation practices and plans, and payment for ecological services at the provincial and small watershed levels. Finally, it summarizes the key components of the process of payment in Chinese watershed eco-compensation. This discussion forms the basis of concluding suggestions for ecosystem services compensation and ecological protection in the large scale river basin.