The International Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences
European Regional Centre for Ecohydrology
under the auspices of UNESCO
Department of Applied Ecology
University of ŁódźEcohydrology for elimination of water
threats and to amplify opportunities
for sustaianbale development
Maciej Zalewski
International Conference
Ecohydrological Processes and Sustainable Floodplain Management
Opportunities and Concepts for Water Hazard Mitigation, and Ecologicaland Socioeconomic Sustainability in the Face of Global Changes

Tylna 3, 90-364 Lodz, Poland
Tel: (+48) 42 681 70 07
Fax: (+48) 42 681 30 69
www.erce.unesco.lodz.plContent of presentation:
1. Introduction: water, ecosystems and humanity- global perspective
2. Ecohydrology
2
E h d liintegrativetti
problemblsolvingl iscience:i
conceptt anddprinciples
3. Ecohydrologyygy of floodplain:p
new tool for IWRM
4. Ecohydrology of urban areas for reduction of flood, improvementof human helth and quality of life
5. Does large dams if constructed according ecohydrology principles
can be friendly for ecosystems and societies?
6. Mathematical modeling of ecohydrological procesess for
decision support systems
7. Foresigth methodology for engeenering harmony between water
7
resources, ecosysems and societies toward sustainable future.

TYTUL SLAJDUGlobal water resources at the begininggg of XXI Centuryy• Almost 80% of the surface of the Earth modified byy Man,,
so that recent era is called Anthropocene• Freshwater ecosystems situated in the lowest point of thelandscape – exposed to cumulative impact due to varius
forms catchment exploitation• According to Maybeck (2001) rivers are one of the mostmodified aquatic ecostystms

Tylna 3, 90-364 Lodz, Polska
Tel: (+48) 42 681 70 07
Fax: (+48) 42 681 30 69
www.erce.unesco.lodz.pl

Strategy of sustainable water resouces,
ecosystems and societies

Oportunitiespfor sustainable
development

Development and implementationecohydrology for engeenringharmony between environment andsociety+
Amplification oportunities
0

Elimination of threats-

Degradation ofwater resourcesand environment

Reduction of flood droughts
and pollutants emission byengeenering methods

Flood and groundwater level at river valley, key factor forrecovery of aquatic and terrestial biodiversity - Donyana case
November 2000

October 2002

December 2001

November 2003

Eutrophisation -Monitoring of threats

Application of molecular methods forrisk assessment and an early warning
systemmcyA

mcyA

MolecularMll monitoringit i asan early warning systemagainist toxic blue-green algae blooms

Cells after green algae
toxins treatment

Blue-green algae blooms due toreservoir eutrophication

Demaged DNA
in human limphocyts(Zalewski 1999; Mankiewicz et al., 2005)

VisionMany options exist to conserve or enhance specific ecosystemservices in ways that reduce negative trade-offs or that provide
positive synergies with other ecosystem services.
Millenium Ecosystem Assessment

The major body of the Ecohydrology theory“DUAL REGULATION”
Regulationgof biotaby altering hydrology
and regulation of hydrology
by shaping biota

BIOTA
REGULATION„use ecosystem procesess as
management tool”

HYDROLOGY

HARMONIZATION
of ecohydrological measureswith necessary hydrotechnicalinfrastructure
ERCE, Poland

INTEGRATION
of various regulations acting in asynergistic way to stabilize andimprove the quality of water resourcesI – FIRST PRINCIPLE„Quantification of hydrological cycle as a template forbiogeochemical cycle in a catchment scale”

Precipitation

Evapo-transpiration
Infiltration
Total runoff
Retention

Subsurface
runoff
Surface runoff

UndergroundrunoffZalewski 2008

II – SECOND PRINCIPLE„Identification of the potential areas for the enhancementof ecosystem carrying capacity”
RETENTION IN THE CATCHMENT
by enhancement of landscape diversity

TRANSFORMATION
into biomass in land water
ecotones

Hot spots
TRAPPING- in plant biomass (seasonally
removed)- storage in the unavailable
pool in bottom sediments

SEDIMENTATION- pondage- at the floodplain

DENITRIFICATION
in anaerobic conditions ofwetlands

SELFPURIFICATION- mineralisation of organic
matter- reduction of spirallingtransport rate

RECIRCULATION
reduction of resuspension- phosphatase – enzymatic release- zooplankton excretion

HYDROLOGICAL CONTROL
hydrological control of biotic feedback towards water quality
improvement in reservoirs

BIOFILTRATION- reduction of algae biomassby biota

Zalewski 2008

III – THIRD PRINCIPLE„The using of biota to control hydrological processes andvice versa, using hydrology to regulate biota”

H

REGULATION

Woodlands
Dualregulation
B
Bioenergy
generation

ConstructedwetlandMain reservoir

Buffer stripes(ecotones)

Land reclamations

Small ponds
Sediment
releasesystemBy-pass(fish-ladder)

Small impoundments
Zalewski 2008

Ecohydrology for IWRM
„Dual regulation” as ecological engineering technique¾

To maintain the ecological flow with flood pulses,
which can be done by science, conflict resolution andlaw enforcement;¾

Overloading the freshwater ecosystems by nutrientsand pollutants. Additionally to reduction of emission
from point source pollution and good agricultural
practices, the „dual regulation
regulation” has to be used forenhancement of resilience of ecosystems against
human impact and the conversion of the excess
nutrients and p
pollutants at aquaticqecosystemsyinto
non available pool.

¾

To prevent floods and droughts

Scale:RIVER ZONE

RIVER

C
Community
it structurettrelationl ti tot
Concept: abioticCfactors

VALLEY

CATCHMENT

D
Dynamics
i off energy flows
flNuitrient cycling
Biodiversity

E iEngineering
i harmonyhbybusing ecosystem properties
as management tool
Enhancement of ecosystemabsorbing capacity for Ecohydrology
sustainbility of water
Zalewski et al.
resources(1997)

Role of land-inland
ecotones in landscapeConcepts
Predictiive capacitty& problem
m solving

WATER, ECOSYSTEMSAND SOCIETY

Flood pulses
concept
Nutrient spiralling
concept

Naiman, Decamps &Fournier(1989)

Junk et al. (1989)

Junk et al. (1989)

River continuum
Vannote et al.. (1980)

River zones
H t (1949)
Huet
Illies & Botosaneau(1963)Development

Timea) Understanding of the past (e.g. paleohydrology,
ecological succession patterns)

Fig. Changes in the rates of precipitation (P), runoff (R), and evaporation (E) along a European - Africantransect: 18
18,000000 years BP
BP, 9
9,000
000 years BP
BP, and at present
present. Emax = present day potential evaporation (changed
from Starkel 1988)

b) Integration of specific knowlegde of various disciplines
OPTIMIZATION OF THE BIOLOGICAL STRUCTUREOF THE PILICA RIVER FLOODPLAIN
for the enhancement of self-purification

Velocity
(m/s)

1.409
0.704
Legend:

0.352
0.000

Mown meadows

Scirpetum silvatici

Caricetum gracilis

Riverine bush with
Salix sp.
Mixed wood

Phragmitetum
australis

DistributionDit ib ti off watert velocities
l iti
on the floodplain during
floods and high discharges

Distribution of wetland vegetation
corresponding to the sequence offloodplain inundation(Magnuszewski et al.. 2005; Kiedrzyńska et al., in press)

STUDY AREA
N

Piotrków
Trybunalski
0 1 2 3 4 km

StrawaSulejów
Fot. P. Wysocki

Area I
Experimental
Pilica River floodplain

Czarna Maleniecka

Fot. Mariusz KochArea II
30 km section of the valley
between Przedbórz and Sulejów
PilicaFot. Marek Wysocki

Przedbórz

Fot. Marek Wysocki

Fot. Marek Wysocki
Fot M Kiedzyński

Total phosphorus accumulationin the floodplainpbiomass

Enhancement of absorbing capacityof the floodplain for phosphorus
accumulation

Present – macrophytes accumulation
255 kg P per floodplain

24% of area with willows
332 kg P per floodplain

48% of area with willows
399 kg P per floodplain

Willows

Kiedrzyńska et al. 2008. EcolEng.

Identification of the flooding areas in the valley
and retention of nutrients and suspended sediment load
Models of the flooding forcharacteristic water level

Digital Terrain Model of the Pilica River valley(30 km section between Przedbórz-Sulejów)
Averageg
Water(248 cm)

The Highest
Water(260 cm)

818 3 h818,3
ha1006 6 h
1006,6ha

Flooding areas

818 ha1007 haRetentionRt tisuspended
sediment load

455 tons

560 tons

Retention TP

7 tons8 tonsRetention TN

105 tons

129 tons

System solutions
Improvement of water quality,
human healthand quality of life

sewagereduction of fossil
fuel usedecreases CO2
emission

CO2 assimilation

employment
opportunitiespp

Sewage treatment
plantpbioenergy

constructed wetland- willow plantation

tourism development
stimulates economic growthof the region

water quality
improvement(Zalewski, 2000)

THE CITY OF LODZ, POLAND

LODZ – the City of Water

University of Lodz, European Regional Centre for Ecohydrology u/a UNESCO, Poland

Grotniki Forest
Green Zoneof a Friendly City

LagiewnickiLii ki
ForestCSR
Nowa Gdynia

Buffering
Zone

Julianów
JCSR

ResidentialArea

CSR STARTCentrum „Manufaktura”

Piootrkowska Str.

Campus of University of Lodz
and Medical University

Trianglegof dynamic
development
Cultural and Exhibitionof the city

Centre Lodz Fabryczna

Special Economic Zone of Lodz
Campus of theTechnical Universityof Lodz

Campus of the Polish
Academy of Sciences

CSR - Centrum of Sport and Recreation
JCRS – Horseriding Centrers

Opracowanie: M. Urbaniak

Wydział Gospodarki KomunalnejUrządą Miasta Łodzi

A = 0,44
0 44 hac) Considering the society’s priorities vs. ecosystem carrying
capacity
Conversion of sludge in to bioenergy at willow
plantation at buffer zone of sewage treatment plant

Plantation

Comparative experiments on different
species and varieties of willow
I: Salix viminalis clones;
II: Tordis (Salix schwerini x S. viminalis) x S. viminalis;
III: Salix viminalis gigantea;
IV: Salix viminalis (clone 192)

The algorythm of the mathematical model for optimisation
the sludge use at bioenergy plantation

pH glebygestosc obsady
ilosc sadzonek na ha

pH glebya biomasa~
gestosc obsady a biomasa~

Biomasaprzezy walnosc
a sila ssaca gleby
sila ssaca
gleby pF~

czy nnik 2

procentowa ilosc zaatakowany ch
sadzonek przez szkodniki

czy nnik 1~
przy zy walnosc a poziom wod
gruntowy ch w ciagu 4 lat

f otosy nteza

biomasa azwierzy na~

wilgotnosc
gleby %

ilosc sadzonek zaatakowany chprzez szkodniki na ha~wzrost biomasy a P
przez 4 lata~

akty wnosc zwierzy ny
a jej ilosc

gestosc obsady
ilosc sadzonek na hautrata biomasy wierzby na skutek
zachwaszczenia w ciagu 4 lat~
wspolczy nnik wilgotnosci~

srednia miesieczna
temperatura dla Lodzi oC

wilgotnosc
gleby %~

wzrost biomasy a K
przez 4 lata~
biomasazjedzona przez zwierzy ne
w kolejny ch latachwzrost biomasy a N
przez 4 lata

ilosczwierzy ny

wilgotnosc
a temperatura~~
srednie miesieczne
poziom wod
opady dla Lodzi
gruntowy ch cm~
poziom wody~a opadysrednia miesieczna
temperatura dla Lodzi oC

1: srednie miesieczne opady dla Lodzi

1: srednia miesieczna temperatura dla Lodzi oC

0

1

1

utrata biomasa wierzbyy na skutek
zachwaszczenia w 1roku %~srednie miesieczne
biomasa chwastow w
opady dla Lodzi pierwszy m roku t s m na ha

1:

25

1:

10

1:

1

1:

~

~
~
srednia miesieczna
temperatura dla Lodzi oC

1: poziom wod gruntowy ch cm

1:

procent utraty
biomasy przez 1 rok

utrata biomasy wierzby na skutek
zachwaszczenia w 2 roku %wilgotnosc
ga opadyp y~procent utraty biomasy
przez drugi rok

60

biomasa chwastow
w drugim roku t s m na ha

1

-150

1:

1

1

1

22.00
Months

33.00

40
1

1

0.00

11.00

1
1

1:
Page 1

-300

1:
0.00

11.00

22.00
Months
Untitled

33.00
13:19

44.00
24 maj 2007

Page 1

-5

1
1:

0.00

11.00

22.00
Months
Untitled

33.00
13:15

44.00
24 maj 2007

Page 1

20

Untitled

13:13

44.00
24 maj 2007

Ecohydrological approach for sutainabilityof Nieszawa dam construction (Vistula River)• Reduction ofblue green algae
blue-green
blooms in Baltic main
tourist zone :6 mln tourists = 6 bln $Toxic algal blooms• Elimination of
Nieszawa dam

Drought area

the danger of flood
up to 1 bln $• Use ofwater for agriculture
0.3 bln$• Hydro energy(100 mln $ annually) =zero CO2 emission• Elevation of groundwater level forbiodiversity maintenancein the area ofhydrological droughtImplementation of ecohydology for harmonisation of new dam
reservoir on Vistula river with Water Framwork Directive of UE

Permanent bypass channel
DZ
IER
ŻĄ
C

k m 704

New-design
Nieszawa Barrage
km 703,75

ZKA

k m 703E
W x
k m ło is tc
67 ław4,85
k m 675

CO
MP
LE
X

BOB ROWNIKI COMPLEX

HO
LM
A

X

k m 692

ÓŻ HOLM

Enhanced sedimentation areas
PLEX
COM
WEK
CŁ A
W ŁO

k m 690
k m 689

k m 691

KAW KA
KAW KAI HOLMk m 688

k m 687
k m 684

k m 686

II HOLM
KOR ABNKAW KAk m 678

k m 679

IKI HOLMS

k m 685

COMPLEXCOMPLEXK

BÓG POM

k m 680
k m 683

E

OMP
LE

k m 693

LNY
L DO
ET A
SZP
k m 681
H OLM

W

STA
RY C

CH

k m 694Ak m 695

k m 676

k m 677SU

k m 696

Biodiversity refuge

k m 682C

k m 697

B ÓG
P OM
ÓŻ

Castle in BobrownikiŁk m 698

KORABNIKI COMPLEXO

k m 699Ł

k m 700

idge

k m 701

br

N

IE
SZ
AW
A

k m 702W

k m 705
m 706

Bioenergy plantation

LORIS VISION
Regional Technological ForesightTechnological Foresight is the system approach forevaluation of new trends on the basis of knowledge
and technologies from the point of wiev economy,
quality of life and sustainable development.
Technological Foresight has 3 main goals:
1.

FORECAST OF FUTURE – enable of undertaking theadaptative attempts, preparation for unpredictable
events, reduction of negative consequences of
events that can not be changed

2.

MANAGEMENT OF FUTURE – means the proactive(management of probable crisis) and positive(mangement by goals)

3.

CREATION OF FUTURE – means mainly
proactive creation of needed vision of future

Tylna 3, 90-364 Lodz, Polska
Tel: (+48) 42 681 70 07
Fax: (+48) 42 681 30 69
www.erce.unesco.lodz.pltheIdentification of the future scenarios for Łódż region by using„foresight” methodology

H10. Informatic systems

H9. Urbanized areas ecology

KNOWLEGDE
H1 Biotechnology
H1.
Bi t h lini agricullture
i llt

H29. Green arcchitecture

H27. Movies for ecology

H6. Genetic engineering forbiodiversity preservation

H14. Transdysciplinary education
H15. New education model
H28. Ecological services
H4. Micropollutants monitoring
H5. Monitoring of ecosystem functioning
H8. Biosensors and bioindicator systems

H22. Ecosystem biotechnology

H12. Bioremediation
H7. Phytotechnology forsoil reecultivation

H23. Tree industry

HUMAN HEALTH
H11. Water reservoir
H3. Waste development&
H17. Turism and recreation
H21. Recacling
QUALITY OF LIFE
H18. Ecologica food
H18
H25. High tech in food production
H26. High tech in agriculture production
H24. Feed production

H13. Biotechnology in thefuel production
H16. Bioenergy and biofuel

BIOTECHNOLOGY

H19. Biorafineries
H2. Bioprocesses
H20. Biomaterials

Ecohydrology for sustainable water, biodiversity
ecosystem services & preventing of floods and droughts

PROBLEM
Fl d droughts,
Floods,d
ht watert quality
lit
and sustainablity of ecosystem services

ECOHYDROLOGY
Integrative analysis of

DYNAMICS OF HYDROLOGICAL AND
BIOLOGICAL PROCESSESVISION

Millenium Development Goals

Identification of

REGULATORY FEEDBACSPOLICYbetween hydrology and biota for potential applicationin water managementeg.
g Water Framework Directive

INTEGRATION AND
HARMONISATIONASESSMENT- EcologicalE l i l statust t- Hydrology- Hydrochemistry- Biomonitoring
Considering remote sensing dataof catchment and specificof its antropogenic modifications
from the point of view of integrity

all range of regulatory feedbacks (E-H) andhydrotechnical facilities in basin scale for restorationandd enhancementht off carrying
i capacity
it considering
id isocio-economic and climatic scenarios

ADAPTATIVE IMPLEMENTATION

Th use off ecosystemThetproperties
ti as an complementarylttool to hydrotechnical solutions:- Consultation with authorithies, stakeholders- Adaptative assessment and management

GOAL(Zalewski 2004)

MDG of UN
UN,, Good ecological status

What Ecohydrology propose in respect to above
challenge

For ECOLOGY:
enhancement of ecosystem carrying
capacity understand as improvement ofwater quality, biodiversity and ecosystemservices
For SOCIETY:llow-cost
t highhi h technologies
t h l iforfsustainable water and ecosystems;
For WATER SCIENCE:
use of ecosystem properties as amanagement tool;Implementation

For implementation of new approach and solutions
for sustainable floodplain management, three steps,
have to be done:• The decision makers and society environmental
consciousness has to be expanded by education–(e.g., ecological engineering, ecohydrology)• Foresight methodology has to be applied for developmentof scenarios toward sustainable future•

Legall fframework
L
k has
h
to
t be
b adopted
d t d tot theth recentt progress inienvironmental sciences