The 7th International Forum on Waterfront and Watershed Restoration(2010/9/14)

Study on Environmental flows andits practice in the Yellow River
DeltaXingong Wang
Yellow River Water Resources Protection Institute14/09/2010

Outline1. Background
2. Methodology
3. Research results
4. Practice of EFs
5. Conclusion

http://www.a-rr.net/

The 7th International Forum on Waterfront and Watershed Restoration(2010/9/14)

Neimenggu
Qinghai

Shan
Shandongxi
Shaanxi
Henan
Sichuan

Yellow River in China is flowing through nine provinces,with a total length of 5,464km, basin area 795,000km2,
finally empties itself into the Bohai Ocean.

The main environmental problems
1. More waterwater——Flooding (In the past)
2. Less water
water——Dry up
3. Dirty Water—
Water—Pollution
4. Turbid Water—
Water—High sediment
5. Changed Water (Regime)—(Regime)—Unsuitable
to Aquatic Organism
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The 7th International Forum on Waterfront and Watershed Restoration(2010/9/14)

More Water

Days 250

Less Water

200

150

100

500
1972

1974 1976

1978 1980

1982 1984

1986 1988

1990 1992

1994 1996

1998
Year

From 1972 to 1999, Yellow River dried up downstream for21 years, amounting to 1050 days.
http://www.a-rr.net/

The 7th International Forum on Waterfront and Watershed Restoration(2010/9/14)

Dirty Water
10 8 tons

454043353025202115
10501980s

2007

Wastewater into Yellow River

Changed Water

已建、在建工程规划工程积石峡

三盛公

柴家峡
盐锅峡

乌金峡

苏只
尼娜

海渤湾

黑山峡

天

青铜峡

公伯峡

河口

拉西瓦

碛 口

大 峡

龙羊峡

八盘峡
大河家山

桥

沙坡头

兰州

李家峡

万家寨

龙 口坪

刘家峡
寺沟峡

直岗拉卡
康 扬

古小 峡

贤

甘泽坡
郑州
潼关

西霞院

黄 丰
三门峡

小浪底

桃花峪

The present and planning hydraulic engineering of the YR

http://www.a-rr.net/

The 7th International Forum on Waterfront and Watershed Restoration(2010/9/14)

Yellow River Delta Nature Reserve

Yellow
RiverYR Delta NR

Migration routes
in Eurasia
Yellow River Delta

The nature reserve is an important staging, wintering and breeding site forbirds in north-east Asia and around Pacific migration route.

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The 7th International Forum on Waterfront and Watershed Restoration(2010/9/14)

The newest land of China

Estuary ecosystem deteriorated

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The 7th International Forum on Waterfront and Watershed Restoration(2010/9/14)• MoU China – Netherlands
on Water Management:
focus on Yellow River• YRD Environmental Flow
Study implemented byYRCC, leading a
consortium of Chineseand Netherlands experts• Contract signed between Royal Netherlands
Embassy and YRCC, in the presence of Prince
Willem Alexander of the Netherlands on 17
October 2005 ZhengZhou

Outline1. Background
2. Methodology
3. Research results
4. Practice of EFs
5. Conclusion
http://www.a-rr.net/

The 7th International Forum on Waterfront and Watershed Restoration(2010/9/14)

YRD EFS Study Methodologymanagement
ETc permonthSEBS
evapotranspiration
modellingstrategies
spreadsheet
calculation waterbalance + salinity

water demandof wetlandunits(m3/month)

feedback

MODF LOW: spatial
distribution ofgroundwater levels

Micro-method

SOBEK 1D-2D:
supplies water flow tomeet water demands
spatialdistribution ofinund ation
duration per year

spatialdistribution ofgroundw aterlevels

LEDESS: ecotope
and ha bitat
assessment

Macro-method
spatial distributionof ecotopes;
suitability forindicator species

ecologicalevaluation

Methodology—4 key questions
How many areas to be restored (Integratedmethod)

How much water (EFs) do they needed (ET+physiologic demands )How to evaluate the restoration results(SOBEK+MODFLOW+LEDESS)

How to implement environmental flows(Integrated water resources management and regulation)

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The 7th International Forum on Waterfront and Watershed Restoration(2010/9/14)

Restoration area: 236km2 –Integrated method
Objective: Fresh water reed wetlands (1992 level)

Scenario A, B, C …

Scenarios Design
Scenario

Current0

Scenario A

Scenario B

Scenario C

Restoration area

3333ha23600ha23600ha23600haDischarge month

3-10

3-10

3-10

3-10

Water quantity(108m3)

02.78

3.49

4.17

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The 7th International Forum on Waterfront and Watershed Restoration(2010/9/14)

Assessment standard—Landscape EcologicalDecision & Evaluation Support System (LEDESS)
Freshwater wetland area
Indicator species numbers
Swan

Sauder’s gull

Red Crown craneOutline1. Background
2. Methodology
3. Research Results
4. Practice of EFs
5. Conclusion
http://www.a-rr.net/

The 7th International Forum on Waterfront and Watershed Restoration(2010/9/14)

Hydrological results of water supplying

2.78×108 m3

No water supplying

4.17×108 m3

3.49×108 m3

Wetland Restoration landscape modeling results

25000
Current
Scenario D
Scenario E
Scenario FArea（ha）

20000
15000
10000
5000
0
Reed
meadow

Reedmarsh

Total
reed

Pond

Tamarisk Seablite

Salinahttp://www.a-rr.net/

The 7th International Forum on Waterfront and Watershed Restoration(2010/9/14)

The number changing of indicator species
Red Crown Crane
12000
Good Habitat(ha)10000

Optimal Habitat(ha)

8000
6000
4000
2000
0
Scenario 0

Scenario A

Scenario B

Scenario C

The number changing of indicator species
Sauder’s gull
50000
Good Habitat(ha)Optimal Habitat(ha)

40000

30000
20000
10000
0
Scenario 0

Scenario A

Scenario B

Scenario C

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The 7th International Forum on Waterfront and Watershed Restoration(2010/9/14)

The number changing of indicator species
Swan
10000

Good Habitat(ha)Optimal Habitat(ha)

8000

6000

4000

2000

0Scenario 0Scenario AScenario B

Scenario CAll scenarios can notably increase reed area throughreplenishment fresh water to the wetland., the landscapepattern changed a lot. Former reed meadow wetland
evolved to reed marshes after 5 years, which areextensively distributed in the demonstration area. As forYRD, large area ponds formed by scenario B and C haveimportant ecological values in sustaining wetland waterbalance. Besides, ponds are optimal habitats for mostswimming fowl like Red Crown Crane, Sauders’ gull andswans. But it is not the more water quantities wedischarged, the better outcomes we can get for reed
wetlands restoration.

http://www.a-rr.net/

The 7th International Forum on Waterfront and Watershed Restoration(2010/9/14)

Stakeholders’ meeting

2008, Dong ying, Shangdong, China

Outline1. Background
2. Methodology
3. Research Results
4. Practice of EFs
5. Conclusion
http://www.a-rr.net/

The 7th International Forum on Waterfront and Watershed Restoration(2010/9/14)

Integrated management and regulation of water
resources- Guarantee enough water to flow into Delta

Remote monitoring system ofsluice gate

Recharging water to important wetlands

Restored wetlands

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The 7th International Forum on Waterfront and Watershed Restoration(2010/9/14)

Create man-made flooding to flush sediment -more than 0.6
billion tons of sediment that were accumulated reservoir and riverbed downstream
were flushed into the sea, improved degraded river ecosystem, etc.

Keep landscape integrity and avoidfragmentation

http://www.a-rr.net/

The 7th International Forum on Waterfront and Watershed Restoration(2010/9/14)

Outline1. Background
2. Methodology
3. Research Results
4. Practice of EFs
5. Conclusions

Big rivers’ restoration should be consider at abasin’s and macroscopic perception.
Landscape ecology approaches are good ways
to solve complex problems in ecosystemmanagement.
Environmental flows, as one of essential
elements of sustainable water resourcesmanagement, is playing an important role on
keeping rivers’ healthy life.
Optimizing big Reservoirs’ operating mode andimplement ecological regulation is a basic method
to restore the Yellow River ecosystem.

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The 7th International Forum on Waterfront and Watershed Restoration(2010/9/14)

Thank you foryour attention

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