Developing a software package for global desktop assessment of environmental flows

Smakhtin, Vladimir; Eriyagama, Nishadi

doi:10.1016/j.envsoft.2008.04.002

Cited by 97 publications

(69 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…In particular it needs to be assured that high-flow pulses do not expose people to flood risk and damage. In general, all wetlands could benefit from improved flood management plans taking non-structural measures into account (Sparks, 1995). For example, restoring river floodplains and dead stream branches minimizes flood damages and reduces flood-control storages in reservoirs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, there is an urgent need to complement more accurate but time-consuming case studies with global water assessments that cover largescale developments (Poff and Matthews, 2013). Accordingly, different authors have assessed ecologically relevant flow regime alterations on larger scales in recent years (e.g., Smakhtin et al, 2004;Smakhtin and Eriyagama, 2008;Döll et al, 2009;Döll and Zhang, 2010;Vörösmarty et al, 2010;Schneider et al, 2013;Laize et al, 2014;Pastor et al, 2014;Grill et al, 2015).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Hydrological threats to riparian wetlands of international importance – a global quantitative and qualitative analysis

Schneider

Flörke

Stefano

et al. 2017

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

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Abstract. Riparian wetlands have been disappearing at an accelerating rate. Their ecological integrity as well as their vital ecosystem services for humankind depend on regular patterns of inundation and drying provided by natural flow regimes. However, river hydrology has been altered worldwide. Dams cause less variable flow regimes and water abstractions decrease the amount of flow so that ecologically important flood pulses are often reduced. Given growing population pressure and projected climate change, immediate action is required. However, the implementation of counteractive measures is often a complex task. This study develops a screening tool for assessing hydrological threats to riparian wetlands on global scales. The approach is exemplified on 93 Ramsar sites, many of which are located in transboundary basins. First, the WaterGAP3 hydrological modeling framework is used to quantitatively compare current and future modified flow regimes to reference flow conditions. In our simulations current water resource management seriously impairs riparian wetland inundation at 29 % of the analyzed sites. A further 8 % experience significantly reduced flood pulses. In the future, eastern Europe, western Asia, as well as central South America could be hotspots of further flow modifications due to climate change. Second, a qualitative analysis of the 93 sites determined potential impact on overbank flows resulting from planned or proposed dam construction projects. They take place in one-third of the upstream areas and are likely to impair especially wetlands located in South America, Asia, and the Balkan Peninsula. Third, based on the existing legal/institutional framework and water resource availability upstream, further qualitative analysis evaluated the capacity to preserve overbank flows given future streamflow changes due to dam construction and climate change. Results indicate hotspots of vulnerability exist, especially in northern Africa and the Persian Gulf.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Hydrological threats to riparian wetlands of international importance – a global quantitative and qualitative analysis

Schneider

Flörke

Stefano

et al. 2017

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

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“…The flow to sink has been assigned a zero value because all surface flow is assumed to be depleted by evaporation and it thus included already in the ULU class. Reserved flow, which is the required flow to maintain a specific constant river flow, was fixed in accordance with the general guidelines for environmental flow requirements (Smakhtin and Eriyagama, 2008). Environmental flows were estimated to be 622 × 10 6 m 3 yr −1 , being the river flow required to meet the evaporation from natural lakes.…”

Section: Baseline Hydrology and Water Accountingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial evapotranspiration, rainfall and land use data in water accounting – Part 2: Reliability of water acounting results for policy decisions in the Awash Basin

Karimi

Bastiaanssen

Sood

et al. 2015

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

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Abstract. Water Accounting Plus (WA+) is a framework that summarizes complex hydrological processes and water management issues in river basins. The framework is designed to use satellite-based measurements of land and water variables and processes as input data. A general concern associated with the use of satellite measurements is their accuracy. This study focuses on the impact of the error in remote sensing measurements on water accounting and information provided to policy makers. The Awash Basin in the central Rift Valley in Ethiopia is used as a case study to explore the reliability of WA+ outputs, in the light of input data errors. The Monte Carlo technique was used for stochastic simulation of WA+ outputs over a period of 3 yr. The results show that the stochastic mean of the majority of WA+ parameters and performance indicators are within 5 % deviation from the original WA+ values based on one single calculation. Stochastic computation is proposed as a standard procedure for WA+ water accounting because it provides the uncertainty bandwidth for every WA+ output, which is essential information for sound decision-making processes. The majority of WA+ parameters and performance indicators have a coefficient of variation (CV) of less than 20 %, which implies that they are reliable and provide consistent information on the functioning of the basin. The results of the Awash Basin also indicate that the utilized flow and basin closure fraction (the degree to which available water in a basin is utilized) have a high margin of error and thus a low reliability. As such, the usefulness of them in formulating important policy decisions for the Awash Basin is limited. Other river basins will usually have a more accurate assessment of the discharge in the river mouth.

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“…A preliminary assessment of the environmental impacts of flow modification has been conducted for the Mekong (MRCS/IBFM 2006), but few studies have been carried out elsewhere in the GMS. However, methods have been developed for assessing and managing environmental flows where detailed hydroecological data are not available (Smakhtin et al 2007;Smakhtin and Eriyagama 2008;Abbasov and Smakhtin 2009;Poff et al 2009) and can provide the basis for adaptive management programs until more comprehensive studies are available. There is an urgent need to incorporate these approaches into water resources planning before extensive developments are undertaken, to prevent degradation of fisheries and other environmental services observed in other parts of the world (World Commission on Dams 2000b).…”

Section: Management Of Aquatic Ecosystems and Environmental Flowsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate change, water and agriculture in the Greater Mekong subregion

Johnston¹,

Lacombe²,

Hoanh³

et al. 2010

IWMI Research Report

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Research ReportsThe publications in this series cover a wide range of subjects-from computer modeling to experience with water user associations-and vary in content from directly applicable research to more basic studies, on which applied work ultimately depends. Some research reports are narrowly focused, analytical and detailed empirical studies; others are wide-ranging and synthetic overviews of generic problems.Although most of the reports are published by IWMI staff and their collaborators, we welcome contributions from others. Each report is reviewed internally by IWMI staff, and by external reviewers. The reports are published and distributed both in hard copy and electronically (www.iwmi.org) and where possible all data and analyses will be available as separate downloadable files. Reports may be copied freely and cited with due acknowledgment. About IWMIIWMI's mission is to improve the management of land and water resources for food, livelihoods and the environment. In serving this mission, IWMI concentrates on the integration of policies, technologies and management systems to achieve workable solutions to real problems-practical, relevant results in the field of irrigation and water and land resources.

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Developing a software package for global desktop assessment of environmental flows

Cited by 97 publications

References 7 publications

Hydrological threats to riparian wetlands of international importance – a global quantitative and qualitative analysis

Hydrological threats to riparian wetlands of international importance – a global quantitative and qualitative analysis

Spatial evapotranspiration, rainfall and land use data in water accounting – Part 2: Reliability of water acounting results for policy decisions in the Awash Basin

Climate change, water and agriculture in the Greater Mekong subregion

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