Evolution of environmental impact assessment as applied to watershed modification projects in Canada

This article reviews the application of environmental impact assessment (EIA) procedures and practices to three watershed modification projects situaled in western Canada. These ventures were justified for accelerating regional economic development, and cover the period during which public concerns for protecting the environment rapidly made their way into the national political agenda. An historical account and analysis of the situation, therefore, seems desirable in order to understand the development of EIA processes, practices, and methodologies since the start of construction of the first project in 1961. This study concludes that there has been good progress in predicting and evaluating environmental and related social impacts of watershed modification proposals. However, a number of obstacles need to be overcome before EIA can firmly establish itself as an effective planning tool. These difficulties include jurisdictional confusions and conflicts, division of authority and responsibility in designing and implementing appropriate mitigative and monitoring measures, lack of tested EIA methodologies, and limited availability of qualified human resources. A number of conclusions and suggestions are offered so that future watershed modification proposals may be planned and implemented in a more environmentally sustainable fashion. These include: (1) EIA processes must be completed before irrevocable decisions are made. (2) Any major intrusion into a watershed is likely to impact on some major components of the ecosystem(s). (3) Mitigation costs must form part of the benefit-cost analysis of any project proposal. (4) Interjurisdictional cooperation is imperative where watersheds cross political boundaries. (5) The EIA process is a public process, hence public concerns must be dealt with fairly. (6) The role of science in the EIA process must be at arms length from project proponents and regulators, and allowed to function in the interest of the protection of the environment and public health and safety. The views expressed here are the authors’ own and do not necessarily reflect those of FEARO and/or other government agencies and officials involved in the review of these projects.     

Efficient and resilient governance of social–ecological systems

New institutions are critically needed to improve the resilience of social–ecological systems globally. Watershed management offers an important model due to its ability to govern mixed-ownership landscapes through common property regimes, translating national goals into local action. Here, I assess the efficacy of state watershed management institutions in the Pacific Northwest, based on their ability to support local watershed groups. I use document analysis to describe and compare state institutions in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and California. Results indicate that state institutional efficiency and resilience are the key factors determining watershed group activity and stability. The primary drivers of institutional efficiency and resilience were institutional unification, robust funding portfolios, low agency conflict, and strong support for economic multiplier effects, creative partnerships, and scholarly research. My findings elucidate the critical role of institutional efficiency and resilience in governing dynamic and complex social–ecological systems, enabling the flexibility to address emergent transformations.     

Management-oriented sensitivity analysis for pesticide transport in watershed-scale water quality modeling using SWAT

The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was calibrated for hydrology conditions in an agricultural watershed of Orestimba Creek, California, and applied to simulate fate and transport of two organophosphate pesticides chlorpyrifos and diazinon. The model showed capability in evaluating pesticide fate and transport processes in agricultural fields and instream network. Management-oriented sensitivity analysis was conducted by applied stochastic SWAT simulations for pesticide distribution. Results of sensitivity analysis identified the governing processes in pesticide outputs as surface runoff, soil erosion, and sedimentation in the study area. By incorporating sensitive parameters in pesticide transport simulation, effects of structural best management practices (BMPs) in improving surface water quality were demonstrated by SWAT modeling. This study also recommends conservation practices designed to reduce field yield and in-stream transport capacity of sediment, such as filter strip, grassed waterway, crop residue management, and tailwater pond to be implemented in the Orestimba Creek watershed.     

Optimal Selection of Priority Development Areas Considering Tradeoffs Between Hydrology and Development Configuration

Mixed-integer linear programs are proposed for siting development and conservation areas in watersheds, addressing economic objectives (development perimeter and proximity) and ecological objectives. Links between watershed hydrology and ecology need not be well defined. Parameters for the linear programs are obtained from linearization of the SWAT hydrologic model.     

Watershed development in India. 1. Biophysical and societal impacts

This paper recommends a revision of watershed development policy in India in relation to the planning of development interventions involving agricultural intensification and rainwater harvesting following biophysical and societal impact studies carried out on two watershed development projects in Karnataka. A need for changes in policy has arisen in response to progressive catchments closure at the basin level and declining volumes of water flowing into village level reservoirs (known locally as tanks). Flow reductions have occurred largely as a result of increased agricultural intensification over the past 10–15 years. Field levelling, field bund construction, soil water conservation measures, farm ponds, the increase in areas under horticulture and forestry and the increased abstraction and use of groundwater for irrigation are all contributing factors to reduced flows. Planning methodologies and approaches, which may have been appropriate 20 years ago for planning water harvesting within watershed development projects, are no longer appropriate today. New planning approaches are required which (1) take account of these changed flow conditions and (2) are also able to take account of externalities, which occur when actions of some affect the livelihoods of others who have no control or influence over such activities and which (3) contribute to the maintenance of agreed minimum downstream flows for environmental and other purposes.

金沙江流域水土流失现状与河道泥沙分析

对金沙江流域水土流失、河道泥沙及主要影响因素系统作了分析,认为地质、地貌及气候因子是影响水土流失的主要因素,人为活动加剧水土流失的发生发展。河道泥沙主要来自金沙江下游,特别是下游干流河谷区间,流域的地面侵蚀与河道泥沙的空间关系不密切,影响输沙量的主要因素为年径流量和清水区年径流量,以及滑坡、泥石流等重力侵蚀,尽管水土流失治理对于流域的河道泥沙减沙效应显著,但短期内对流域干支流输沙量影响甚微。今后一段时间内金沙江流域河道泥沙不会有显著的变化     

土地利用和生态系统服务功能变化研究——以三峡库区大宁河流域为例

将土地利用类型分类为耕地、有林地(森林地)、灌木林地、草地、迹地、水体、建设用地和未利用地8类.以遥感数据为数据源,通过自动分类和人工解译相结合的方法获取了以上土地利用类型,并对三峡库区大宁河流域的土地利用变化过程和驱动力做了分析.以Costanza等人的全球生态系统服务价值的估测结果为基础,对各种地类生态服务功能价值重新赋值,进而估算近30年大宁河流域的生态服务价值,分析了其变化过程.结果表明:近30年,大宁河流域土地利用总的变化趋势是林、灌、草地经历了不断破坏和缓慢恢复的过程,耕地面积经历了先增后减,建设用地不断扩展.经济发展、人口增长和国家政策是土地利用变化的主要原因.生态系统服务功能经历了一个先损害后恢复的过程,表现为生态服务价值从1973年到1995年不断减少,而1995年到2002年连续增加.     

基于参与式社区评估法的泾河流域景观管理问题分析

参与式社区评估法既兼顾了景观管理中的地理变量,同时还将社会经济因素纳入了考虑范畴,是深入进行问题分析客观有效的方法之一。本文采用参与式社区评估法,运用问题矩阵和问题树分析,对泾河流域景观管理中存在的问题和利益相关者的认知进行了分析。研究发现,绝大多数利益相关者认为土壤侵蚀已成为第一严重的问题,其次是土地生产力低下、自然灾害、植被破坏等。尽管当地公众已经认识到了土壤侵蚀的严重危害,但在安排土地利用方式时,却很少考虑土壤侵蚀带来的危害,仍然从事着自给自足的粮食生产活动。     

石盘丘小流域不同土地利用方式下土壤氮磷流失形态及通量

为了解三峡库区小流域不同土地利用方式下土壤氮、磷流失特征,为农业非点源污染防控提供科学依据;采用田间试验的方法,研究了三峡库区石盘丘小流域水田、旱坡地、林地、柑橘园和菜地这5种土地利用方式下地表径流不同形态氮、磷流失浓度与通量的特征.结果表明：全氮流失通量的顺序为水田[17.73 kg·（hm²·a）^-1] > 柑橘园[4.86 kg·（hm²·a）^-1] > 旱坡地[4.33 kg·（hm²·a）^-1] > 菜地[4.00 kg·（hm²·a）^-1] > 林地[2.41 kg·（hm²·a）^-1];全磷流失通量的顺序为菜地[4.97 kg·（hm²·a）^-1] > 柑橘园[1.87 kg·（hm²·a）^-1] > 水田[0.93 kg·（hm²·a）^-1] > 林地[0.27 kg·（hm²·a）^-1] > 旱坡地[0.19 kg·（hm²·a）^-1];5种土地利用方式下氮、磷流失主要集中在降雨频繁的4~5月,占全年氮、磷流失总负荷的53.80%~96.52%和56.03%~87.78%;氮流失主要以硝态氮（16.16%~52.70%）的形态流失,全氮流失通量与径流量呈现出显著正相关关系（R²=0.9826）;在菜地中颗粒磷是磷流失的主要形态（83.30%）,但在其他土地利用方式中表现不显著.不同土地利用方式下不同形态氮、磷流失存在显著差异,其中菜地应针对强降雨情况下颗粒磷流失的问题采取措施,水田应避免在降雨集中时期施肥;科学施肥和合理地土地利用方式配置是治理小流域农业非点源污染的重要途径.