Evaluation of the Methodology to Assess the Influence of Hydraulic Characteristics on Habitat Quality

Štefunková, Zuzana; Macura, Viliam; Škrinár, Andrej; Majorošová, Martina; Doláková, Gréta; Halaj, Peter; Petrová, Timea

doi:10.3390/w12041131

Cited by 6 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…River regulation also changes the velocity field of the stream, which has a minor effect on habitat quality during periods of minimum flow. This was also confirmed by the results of our previous research, where the optimal ratio of the influence of velocity and depth, expressed in the form of HSCs, was 2:8 [43].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Relationship between Morphological Characteristics and Quality of Aquatic Habitat in Mountain Streams of Slovakia

Štefunková

Macura

Škrinár

et al. 2021

Water

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This study evaluated the relationship between abiotic flow characteristics and habitat quality. Habitat quality was assessed using the Instream Flow Incremental Methodology (IFIM), which uses bioindication. Brown trout was selected as a bioindicator because of its sensitivity to morphological changes and its occurrence in sufficient reference reaches. The correlation between the morphological characteristics of the stream and the area-weighted suitability (AWS), which represents habitat quality, was evaluated. Fifty-nine reference reaches of fifty-two mountain and piedmont streams in Slovakia were analysed. The correlation analysis demonstrated the strongest relationship between the AWS and the stream depth and width. The relationship between the water surface area and the AWS indicated that, for mountain streams, there is a significantly increasing trend of the AWS value with increasing surface area. Considering piedmont streams, the AWS variation with a change in the water-surface area was minimal. These results can form the basis for deriving regression equations to determine habitat quality. Such a procedure can significantly simplify the evaluation of the quality of aquatic habitat, making it much more accessible for design practice.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Relationship between Morphological Characteristics and Quality of Aquatic Habitat in Mountain Streams of Slovakia

Štefunková

Macura

Škrinár

et al. 2021

Water

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“…Figure 2 shows a flow chart of the proposed methodology for determining ecological flows. In this figure, HIS is the habitat suitability index, WUA is the weighted usable area index [31][32][33][34][35], SWDI is the Shannon-Wiener diversity index [36][37][38], and PI is the Pielou index [36][37][38][39].…”

Section: The Proposed Methodologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Re-Thinking Ecological Flow in Romania: A Sustainable Approach to Water Management for a Healthier Environment

Ilinca

Anghel

2023

Sustainability

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Water resources and aquatic ecosystems are facing significant threats due to unsustainable water management practices. To address this challenge in Romania, a sustainable approach to water management is necessary, re-thinking ecological flow. This article proposes a re-thinking of the current approach to ecological flow in Romania by advocating for a more holistic and integrated approach considering environmental factors. The objective of the article was to present a methodology for the establishment of ecological flow that took into account the natural variability of flows. Four ecological flow values related to flood, high-water, medium-water, and low-water hydrological regimes were defined. To establish them, the duration curve of average daily flows was used in conjunction with hydromorphological and biological indicators. The proposed methodology was applied and compared to the existing methodology for the Uz river developed with hydropower use. The methodology represents a transition from the anthropocentric perspective to the sustainability perspective. The proposed methodology is easy to apply, with rigorously defined hydrological, hydraulic, and biological criteria. This research was conducted within the Hydrotechnical Faculty to refine the Romanian legislation regarding the improvement of the ecological status of all rivers.

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“…The construction and operation of hydropower stations lead to an increasingly shrinking habitat for fish, causing fragmentation and weakening of the continuity and integrity of the environment [21]. Although previous studies have explored the impact of hydropower operation on fish habitats, most of these studies focused on the assessment of the quantity of fish habitats, namely WUA [36,37]. Our study aims to comprehensively reflect the changes in fish habitats before and after hydropower operation, providing targeted information for researchers and managers.…”

Section: Impacts Of Habitat Changes On Fish After Hydropower Operationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of Fish Habitats and Suitable Ecological Flow under Hydropower Operation

Yan,

Qin,

Zhang

et al. 2024

Water

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Hydropower operations significantly alter the natural hydrological conditions of rivers, exerting adverse effects on riverine ecosystems. Accurate identification of fish habitats under hydropower operation and maintaining suitable ecological flow are crucial for riverine ecological conservation and water resource management. Coreius guichenoti was selected as the target species and the Yibin reach of the downstream Jinsha River was selected as the studied river reach. Subsequently, Weighted Usable Area (WUA) and Habitat Connectivity Index (HCI) were employed to comparatively analyze the habitat quantity and quality before and after the construction and operation of the Xiangjiaba hydropower station, namely the natural period (1991–2005), construction period (2006–2014), and operation period (2015–2020). Finally, correlations between WUA, HCI, and flow were established to determine the optimal ecological flow corresponding to optimal fish habitats. The results indicate that the average WUA and HCI during the construction period are similar to the natural period. In comparison to the natural period, the average WUA decreases by 9.2%, and the average HCI decreases by 0.05 during the operation period. It is determined that the habitat conditions are optimal when the flow is between 3000 and 5000 m3/s. After further refining the flow scenarios, the suitable ecological flow is determined to be 3500 m3/s. This study can provide a scientific basis for the water resources management in the Jinsha River and contribute to the field of riverine ecological conservation and restoration.

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Evaluation of the Methodology to Assess the Influence of Hydraulic Characteristics on Habitat Quality

Cited by 6 publications

References 33 publications

Relationship between Morphological Characteristics and Quality of Aquatic Habitat in Mountain Streams of Slovakia

Relationship between Morphological Characteristics and Quality of Aquatic Habitat in Mountain Streams of Slovakia

Re-Thinking Ecological Flow in Romania: A Sustainable Approach to Water Management for a Healthier Environment

Assessment of Fish Habitats and Suitable Ecological Flow under Hydropower Operation

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