Runoff simulations using water and energy balance equations in the lower reaches of the Heihe River, northwest China

Drinking water quality was investigated in seven rural villages surrounding Mount Kasigau in southeastern Kenya, where water is piped from unprotected dammed streams and springs in the Kasigau cloud forest down to taps, kiosks, and tanks in the villages. Analyses were conducted for nutrients, trace metals, and pathogen indicators in water from community taps, water stored in homes, and collection points along the pipelines up to catchment dams on the mountain. Water was relatively free from nutrient and trace-metal contamination; however, all samples were contaminated with total coliforms and nearly all were contaminated with Escherichia coli. There was no discernable pattern in the extent of contamination from the catchment dams to the villages. In each of three villages chosen for further study, six residents were selected for a more in-depth investigation. Water quality was generally worse in water stored in those homes compared to water collected at the village taps. The quality of drinking water in homes where treatment was applied was no better than in homes with no water treatment. The Kasigau villages, as many other areas in the developing world, need inexpensive and effective water treatment, as well as an assessment of the effectiveness of sanitary and hygienic practices.     

甘肃西北部黑河流域水资源对下游生态环境变化的影响阈

从流域尺度水资源承载能力及其有限性、可变性和上下游关联性的角度,探讨了黑河流域下游区生态环境变化的影响阈,阐明了不同水文年中游区的安全引水量和不同目标下下游区的生态环境修复对水资源的需求阈.基于多年平均地表径流量37.8×108m3/a的安全引水量为13.97×108m3/a和枯水年份(95%保证率)的安全引水量为10.14×108m3/a,下游区初步改善生态环境的生态需水量为8.01×108m3/a.提出了中游区经济社会可持续发展的水资源保障阈,即未来20年生产生活安全需水量介于22×108～23×108m3/a之间.在此基础上,阐明了在中游区经济社会稳定持续发展目标约束下确保黑河流域下游区生态环境不断改善的流域水资源优化配置模式及对策.     

甘肃西北部黑河流域水资源对下游生态环境变化的影响阈

从流域尺度水资源承载能力及其有限性、可变性和上下游关联性的角度,探讨了黑河流域下游区生态环境变化的影响阈,阐明了不同水文年中游区的安全引水量和不同目标下下游区的生态环境修复对水资源的需求阈。基于多年平均地表径流量37.8×108m3/a的安全引水量为13.97×108m3/a和枯水年份(95%保证率)的安全引水量为10.14×108m3/a,下游区初步改善生态环境的生态需水量为8.01×108m3/a。提出了中游区经济社会可持续发展的水资源保障阈,即未来20年生产生活安全需水量介于22×108～23×108m3/a之间。在此基础上,阐明了在中游区经济社会稳定持续发展目标约束下确保黑河流域下游区生态环境不断改善的流域水资源优化配置模式及对策。     

生态输水条件下塔里木河下游断面尺度地下水流数值模拟

由于中国西北地区地表水资源有限,地下水则成为重要的备用水资源,而地表水和地下水转化过程及其耦合模拟是水资源开发利用和科学评价的基础,因此,为了准确反映塔里木河下游间歇性生态输水后地下水的动态变化,以塔里木河下游英苏断面为例,基于Boussinesq方程建立了改进的地下水动力学(GH-D2)模型,模拟了塔里木河下游绿色走廊典型断面地下水对全时段(2000-2015年)间歇性生态输水的响应过程。结果表明,尽管Boussinesq方程的GH解能较好地模拟地下水位的瞬态变化,但模拟地下水位多年变化的结果并不理想,而改进的GH-D2模型考虑了间歇性生态输水对地下水位变化的滞后效应,对长时间尺度地下水位变化的模拟具有较好的效果。与GH和GH-D1模型相比,GH-D2模型模拟的地下水位值更接近于观测值,这将对塔里木河下游实施科学合理的生态输水计划以及生态恢复和重建策略提供关键的技术支撑。     

塔里木河下游生态输水后地下水变化规律研究

为准确反映塔里木河下游生态输水工程后地下水的动态变化,实现为本地区开展大规模的生态恢复和重建工作提供科学依据,在塔里木河下游沿321km河道上布设了9个监测断面和39口监测井,采用电导法定期监测地下水位近3年。结果显示:输水后地下水位在河道纵向、横向上有各自的变化规律,说明生态输水的效益是逐步显现的。因此,对本地区生态输水的综合评价应该放在几年以后再开展。同时,通过对生态输水后地下水位变化的分析,提出了调整输水规模和方式的建议。     

Occurrence of soluble salts and moisture in the unsaturated zone and groundwater hydrochemistry along the middle and lower reaches of the Heihe River in northwest China

Deforestation, over-development of water resources and population growth have contributed to degeneration of vegetation in the Heihe River Basin in northwest China. Salts and water contents are the most important factors affecting the growth of vegetation in this arid area. This study was conducted to determine soluble salt levels of soils in the unsaturated zone and the hydrochemistry of groundwater at 14 sites in this region. Concentrations of soluble ions in the soils deceased with depth. Soil ion contents increased at depths below the root system of native plants. Sulfate was the dominant anion in both the unsaturated zone and the groundwater. Total dissolved solids (TDS) in groundwater ranged from less than 1 g/L in the middle reaches of the watershed to about 10 g/L in the arid lower reaches. In the middle and upper reaches of the watershed, salinity in soil and groundwater decreased. Groundwater was highly variable in hydrochemistry. The lower reaches was predominated by SO₄–Na•Mg and SO₄–Mg•Na type water, whereas in the middle reaches groundwater is characterized by lower TDS and HCO₃-dominated type water. Evapotranspiration is responsible for occurrence of the soluble salts in the soil profiles. Dissolution is the dominant chemical process in the middle reaches, whereas evapotranspiration prevails in the lower reaches of the Heihe River.     

Hydrogeochemical processes in the groundwater environment of Heihe River Basin,northwest China

The Heihe River Basin is a typical arid inland river basin for examining stress on groundwater resources in northwest China. The basin is composed of large volumes of unconsolidated Quaternary sediments of widely differing grain size, and during the past half century, rapid socio-economic development has created an increased demand for groundwater resources. Understanding the hydrogeochemical processes of groundwater and water quality is important for sustainable development and effective management of groundwater resources in the Heihe River basin. To this end, a total of 30 representative groundwater samples were collected from different wells to monitor the water chemistry of various ions and its quality for irrigation. Chemical analysis shows that water presents a large spatial variability of chemical facies (SO₄ ²⁻–HCO₃⁻, SO₄ ²⁻–Cl⁻, and Cl⁻–SO₄ ²⁻) as groundwater flow from recharge area to discharge area. The ionic ratio indicates positive correlation between the flowing pairs of parameters: Cl⁻ and Na⁺(r = 0.95), SO₄ ²⁻ and Na⁺ (r = 0.84), HCO₃ ⁻ and Mg²⁺(r = 0.86), and SO₄ ²⁻ and Ca²⁺ (r = 0.91). Dissolution of minerals, such as halite, gypsum, dolomite, silicate, and Mirabilite (Na₂SO₄·10H₂O) in the sediments results in the Cl⁻, SO₄ ²⁻, HCO₃ ⁻, Na⁺, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ content in the groundwater. Other reactions, such as evaporation, ion exchange, and deposition also influence the water composition. The suitability of the groundwater for irrigation was assessed based on the US Salinity Laboratory salinity classification and the Wilcox diagram. The results show that most of the groundwater samples are suitable for irrigation uses barring a few locations in the dessert region in the northern sub-basin.     

甘肃黑河中下游影响绿洲植被发育的某些因素

黑河下游额济纳绿洲区和中下游沿黑河干流河床附近的潜水位埋深较浅,是维系地表植被生长的重要因素。中游高台附近潜水位存在每年双峰值的变化,较之下游额济纳绿洲潜水位每年单峰值的变化更有利于植被的生长。在包气带剖面中,同一时刻水土势、含水量、含盐量随深度的变化趋势基本相同。采样点包气带土壤中易溶离子含量相对较低,全盐量小于5％,中游采样点土壤中以HCO3^-为主,下游以SO4^2-为主,由SO4^2-、Cl^-和Na^＋、Ca^2＋组成的盐类构成了包气带土壤中的主要盐分。土壤中易溶离子含量自地表至潜水面之间随深度总体上呈减小趋势。植被的根系分布对包气带土壤含水量、水土势和易溶离子含量随深度的分布有着重要的影响,在植物根系发育带的土壤中含水量、水土势和易溶离子含量升高。     

The hydrochemical characteristics and evolution of groundwater and surface water in the Heihe River Basin, northwest China

A combination of isotopic and chemical indicators has been used to characterize rainfall, surface water and groundwater in the Heihe River Basin, China. Surface- vs. groundwater chemistry data enabled geographical zones and chemical types to be differentiated. The dissolution of halite, Glauber’s salt, gypsum, dolomite and calcite determine Na⁺, Cl^?, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, $ {\text{SO}}^{{2 - }}_{4} A combination of isotopic and chemical indicators has been used to characterize rainfall, surface water and groundwater in the Heihe River Basin, China. Surface- vs. groundwater chemistry data enabled geographical zones and chemical types to be differentiated. The dissolution of halite, Glauber’s salt, gypsum, dolomite and calcite determine Na⁺, Cl⁻, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, and chemistry, but other processes such as evaporation, ion exchange, and deposition also influence the water composition. The majority of deep confined groundwaters are tritium-free and less mineralized than in the shallow aquifer. Radiocarbon values in the deeper groundwaters range from 18.8 to 38.9 pmc, and 80 pmc probably represents the upper limit of initial ¹⁴C activity; this yields ages of approximately 5,960–11,971 years BP, which is about 3,000 years older than those calculated by models in previous work. The shallow aquifer exhibits fairly high and variable tritium activities (4–75 TU), evidence of recent recharge and low residence time (<60 years), which is in line with estimates from previous work. Isotopic signatures indicate formation of deeper groundwaters in a colder and wetter climate during the late Pleistocene and Holocene. The results suggested that significant changes are urgently needed in water-use strategy to achieve sustainable development.

---

Résumé Une combinaison de plusieurs indicateurs isotopiques et chimiques a été utilisée dans le but de caractériser les précipitations, les eaux de surface et les eaux souterraines dans le Bassin de la Rivière Heihe, en Chine. La confrontation des chimies des eaux souterraines et de surface a permis de différentier plusieurs secteurs géographiques et faciès chimiques. Les compositions chimiques en Na⁺, Cl⁻, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, et sont déterminées par la dissolution de la halite, du sel de Glauber, du gypse, de la dolomite et de la calcite, mais d’autres processus peuvent également avoir une influence, comme l’évaporation, les échanges de bases et la sédimentation. La majorité des eaux souterraines captives profondes ne contiennent pas de tritium, et sont moins minéralisées que dans l’aquifère superficiel. Les valeurs de carbone 14 dans l’aquifère le plus profond sont comprises entre 18.8 et 38.9 pcm, pour une valeur maximum probable d’activité initiale de 80 pcm; les ages estimés correspondants sont compris entre 5,960 et 11,971 ans, soit environ 3,000 ans de plus que ceux calculés auparavant par les modèles. L’aquifère superficiel présente des activités tritium plut?t élevées et variables (4 à 75 UT), démontrant l’existence d’une alimentation récente et d’un temps de résidence faible (<60 ans), ce qui concorde avec les études antérieures. Les signatures isotopiques indiquent une alimentation des eaux souterraines les plus profondes au cours d’épisodes climatiques plus froids et plus humides qu’actuellement, à la fin du Pléistocène et à l’Holocène. Les résultats suggèrent que des changements significatifs dans la planification des usages de l’eau sont nécessaires et urgents dans des perspectives d’exploitation durable.

---

Resumen Se ha utilizado una combinación de indicadores isotópicos y químicos para caracterizar la precipitación, el agua superficial y el agua subterránea en la Cuenca del Río Heihe, China. Los datos químicos de aguas superficiales frente a las subterráneas no permiten diferenciar zonas geográficas y tipos químicos. La disolución de halita, sal de Glauber, yeso, dolomita y calcita determina la química de Na⁺, Cl⁻, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, y , pero otros procesos, como evaporación, intercambio de iones y precipitación influyen también en la composición del agua. La mayoría de las aguas subterráneas profundas confinadas no tienen Tritio y están menos mineralizados que el acuífero superficial. Los valores de radiocarbono en las aguas subterráneas más profundas oscilan entre 18.8 y 38.9 pmc, y el valor de 80 pmc representa probablemente el límite superior de la actividad inicial de ¹⁴C; proporcionando edades de aproximadamente 5,960–11,971 a?os BP, que son unos 3,000 a?os más antiguas de las calculadas mediante modelización en trabajos previos. El acuífero superficial tiene actividades de tritio bastante más altas y variables (4–75 UT), evidenciando una recarga reciente y unos tiempos de residencia bajos (<60 a?os), lo cual está en la línea de lo estimado en trabajos previos. Los datos isotópicos apuntan a la formación de aguas subterráneas más profundas en un clima más frío y húmedo durante el Pleistoceno superior y el Holoceno. Los resultados sugieren que se necesita hacer cambios significativos en la estrategia de uso del agua para alcanzar un desarrollo sostenible.

     

Soil CO2 efflux along an elevation gradient in Qinghai spruce forests in the upper reaches of the Heihe River,northwest China

This study was conducted in six plots along an elevation gradient in the Qinghai spruce (Picea crassifolia Kom.) forest ecosystem of the Qilian Mountains, northwest China. Soil CO₂ efflux over bare soil (R _s) and moss covered soil (R _s+m) were investigated from June to September in 2010 and 2011 by means of an automated soil CO₂ flux system (LI-8100). The results showed that R _s ranged from 1.51 to 3.96 (mean 2.64 ± 0.72) μmol m^?2 s^?1 for 2010, and from 1.41 to 4.09 (mean 2.55 ± 0.70) μmol m^?2 s^?1 for 2011. The daily change trend of R _s resembled that of air temperature (T _a), and there was a hysteresis between R _s and soil temperature (T _s). The seasonal variations of R _s at lowlands (i.e., Plot 1, Plot 2 and Plot 3) were driven by soil moisture and temperature (T _a and T _s), while that at highlands (i.e., Plot 4, Plot 5 and Plot 6) were obviously affected by temperature. There were higher values at Plot 2 and Plot 6, which were caused by the interaction between soil moisture and temperature. In addition, soil CO₂ efflux over moss covered soil (R _s+m) was 8.83 % less than that over bare soil (R _s), indicating that moss was another factor affecting R _s. It was concluded that R _s had temporal and spatial variations and was mainly controlled by temperature and soil moisture; the main determinants differed at different elevations; moss could reduce R _s.     

甘肃黑河中下游影响绿洲植被发育的某些因素

黑河下游额济纳绿洲区和中下游沿黑河干流河床附近的潜水位埋深较浅,是维系地表植被生长的重要因素。中游高台附近潜水位存在每年双峰值的变化,较之下游额济纳绿洲潜水位每年单峰值的变化更有利于植被的生长。在包气带剖面中,同一时刻水土势、含水量、含盐量随深度的变化趋势基本相同。采样点包气带土壤中易溶离子含量相对较低,全盐量小于5%,中游采样点土壤中以HCO3-为主,下游以SO42-为主,由SO42-、Cl-和Na+、Ca2+组成的盐类构成了包气带土壤中的主要盐分。土壤中易溶离子含量自地表至潜水面之间随深度总体上呈减小趋势。植被的根系分布对包气带土壤含水量、水土势和易溶离子含量随深度的分布有着重要的影响,在植物根系发育带的土壤中含水量、水土势和易溶离子含量升高。     

Impacts of river recharge on groundwater level and hydrochemistry in the lower reaches of Heihe River Watershed, northwestern China

Water resources have been overexploited for agricultural irrigation and industrial production in the upper and middle reaches of the Heihe River, northwestern China. Due to inadequate water resources management, the runoff entering into the lower reaches has been continuously reduced in recent years. The Heihe River is the primary recharge source for the groundwater of the lower reaches, so the decrease in runoff has caused the groundwater level to decline. As a result, a series of ecological and environmental problems has now appeared in the lower reaches, including river-flow interruptions, drying up of associated lakes, degeneration of vegetative cover and so on. In view of these issues, the National Water Diversion Project was put into practice in July 2000. It has significantly increased the quantity and frequency of flows entering into the lower reaches of the Heihe River, and has recharged the groundwater and improved the water quality to some degree along the length of the river. The water deliveries have had obvious influences on the groundwater in the lower reaches. The groundwater level increase and groundwater quality improvement have been of great benefit in restoring the ecological environment that was destroyed in past years.     

Land-use change and its ecological responses: a pilot study of typical agro-pastoral region in the Heihe River,northwest China

Although rapid land-use change has taken place in many arid and semi-arid regions of northwestern China, relatively less attention has been paid to studying the characteristics of land use change, as well as the ecological responses of land use change in these regions, especially in fragile agro-pastoral regions. This paper analyzes the land use change and its ecological responses during 1985–2005 based on the landscape metrics change and transition matrix of land use types by the combined use of satellite remote sensing and geographical information systems in Shandan County, a typical agro-pastoral region in the middle and upper reaches of Heihe River, northwest China. The results indicate significant changes in land use have occurred and the landscape has become more continuous, clumped and more homogeneous within the examined area. Land use change was mainly characterized by remarkable expansion of barred land and water area, slight increase of cropland and urbanized land, and evident shrinkage of grassland and woodland. The study also demonstrates that the land cover suffered severe degeneration and the ecological environment tended to deteriorate over the study period, mainly as follows: grassland degradation, land desertification and ecosystem services decline.     

西北黑河下游额济纳盆地地下水系统研究(上)

本文从额济纳盆地含水系统结构及埋藏分布、地下水补给与排泄、地下水流场、水化学特征、水环境同位素等方面的综合分析入手,将全盆地划分为潜水和承压水2大子系统,并进一步区分出5个亚系统及次亚地下水流系统.     

Response of groundwater chemistry to water deliveries in the lower reaches of Tarim River,Northwest China

In this paper, we analysed the monitored data from nine groundwater-monitoring transects in the lower reaches of Tarim River during the five times of stream water deliveries to the river transect where the stream flow ceased. The results showed that the groundwater depth in the lower reaches of Tarim River rose from −9.30 m before the conveyances to −8.17 and −6.50 m after the first and second conveyances, −5.81 and −6.00 m after the third and fourth the conveyance, and −4.73 m after the fifth. The horizontal extent of groundwater recharge was gradually enlarged along both sides of the channel of conveyance, i.e., from 250 m in width after the first conveyance to 1,050 m away from the channel after the fourth delivery. With the rising groundwater level, the concentrations of major anions Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻ and cations Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, as well as total dissolved solids (TDS) in groundwater underwent a significant change. The spatial variations in groundwater chemistry indicated that the groundwater chemistry at the transect near Daxihaizi Reservoir changed earlier than that farther from it. In the same transect, the chemical variations were earlier in the monitoring well close to watercourse than that farther away from the stream. In general, the concentration of the major ions and TDS at each monitoring well increased remarkably when the water delivery started, and decreased with the continued water delivery, and then increased once again at the end of the study period. Hence, the whole study period may be divided into three stages: the initial stage, the intermediate stage and the later stage. According to the three stages of groundwater chemistry reaction to water delivery and the relationships between groundwater chemical properties and groundwater depths, we educe that under the situation of water delivery, the optimum groundwater depth in the lower reaches of the Tarim River should be −5 m.     

西北黑河下游额济纳盆地地下水系统研究(下)

4　水化学特征根据实测的水化学资料 ,得出盆地内地下水的水化学类型、矿化度具有以下明显的水平分带性 :(1)从盆地南部地湾东梁—北部的额济纳县城—东西居延海 ,地下水的水化学类型由ＳＯ4 ·ＨＣＯ3 Ｎａ·Ｍｇ型渐变为ＳＯ4 ·Ｃｌ Ｎａ型和Ｃｌ Ｎａ型 ,地下水的矿化度由小于 1 0ｇ ｌ的淡水渐变成 1 5ｇ ｌ左右的微咸水和大于3 0ｇ ｌ的咸水。(2 )从盆地南部地湾东梁—古日乃—进素土海子 ,地下水的水化学类型由ＳＯ4 ·ＨＣＯ3 Ｎａ·Ｍｇ型渐变为ＳＯ4 ·Ｃｌ Ｎａ型、Ｃｌ·ＳＯ4 Ｎａ型和Ｃｌ Ｎａ型 ,对应的矿化度由小于 1 0…     

Response of riparian vegetation to water-table changes in the lower reaches of Tarim River, Xinjiang Uygur, China

The lower reaches of Tarim River in the Xinjiang Uygur region of western China had been dried out for more than 30 years before water began to be diverted from Konqi (Peacock) River via a 927-km-long channel in year 2000, aimed at improving the riparian ecological systems. Since then, eight intermittent water deliveries have been carried out. To evaluate the response of riparian vegetation to these operations, the groundwater regime and vegetation changes have been monitored along the 350-km-long stem of the river using a network of 40 dug wells at nine transects across the river and 30 vegetation plots at key sites. Results show that the water table rose remarkably, i.e. from a depth of 9.87 m before the water delivery to 3.16 m after the third water delivery. The lateral distance of affected water table extended to 1,050 m from the riverbank after the fourth water delivery. The riparian vegetation has changed in composition, type, distribution, and growing behavior. This shows that the water deliveries have had significant effects on restoration of riparian ecosystems.     

黑河下游水环境变化对生态环境的影响

黑河下游地区深处内陆腹地,气候极度干旱,冬春季节多大风,生态环境恶劣,黑河进入下游地区的水量是维系区内生态的主要水源。20世纪80年代以来,由于中游地区过量开采,流入下游的水量大幅减少,导致东、西居延海相继干涸,绿洲草场大面积沙化,沙尘暴肆虐,生态环境恶化。2002年以后,由于执行国务院有关黑河分水方案,东、西居延海相继恢复湖面,绿洲区生机盎然,生态环境得到恢复。黑河下游地区地下水储存量达到3000×108m3以上,水质较好。黑河沿途渗漏是地下水的主要补给来源,不同河段渗漏的水量通过古河道网络迳流、排泄,维系着额济纳绿洲和古日乃荒漠绿洲植被生态。目前,正在修建旨在防止河床渗漏的甘蒙引水渠,遗弃原有河道,将会切断地下水的补给,导致依靠地下水滋养的古日乃荒漠绿洲植被消失,形成新的规模巨大的沙尘暴源区。     

Characteristics analysis and model prediction of sea-salt water intrusion in lower reaches of the Weihe River,Shandong Province,China

Marine sedimentary strata are widely distributed in the coastal zone of the study area, and are rich in brine resources. The exploitation of underground water resources often first caused the intrusion of salt water in the marine strata. Based on the analysis of sea-salt water intrusion feature, the sea-salt water intrusion is divided into four stages: The occurrence and development stage(1976–1985), the rapid development stage(1986–1990), the slow development stage(1990–2000) and the stable development stage(2000–2015). Based on the comparative analysis of the relationship between seawater intrusion and influencing factors, this paper presents that the groundwater exploitation and the brine resources mining are the main control factors of sea-salt water intrusion. On this basis, we have established a numerical model of the sea-salt water intrusion. Using this model, we predicted the development trend of the sea-salt water intrusion. The results show that if the current development of groundwater and brine is maintained, the sea-salt water intrusion will gradually withdraw; once development of brine stops, sea-salt water will invade again. This provides the scientific basis for the rational exploitation of groundwater and the prevention of sea-salt water intrusion.