流域风化层雨洪调蓄生态机理

风化层是陆地表面经各种风化作用而形成的疏松堆积层,是雨洪调蓄的天然场所,对流域水资源管理有着重要意义。从复杂开放系统论的观点出发,结合近年来国内外对风化层雨洪调蓄特征的研究,分析了风化层在流域雨洪调蓄中的生态机理。主要研究了风化层的概念、风化层雨洪调蓄的组成与时空结构;解释了风化层集水、蓄水、净水、养水、供水功能等方面的雨洪调蓄功能;分析了风化层与地形地貌、生境、地质、土壤、大气、能量以及人类活动等流域环境要素的生态关系。研究表明:(1)流域风化层具有重要的雨洪调蓄特征,是由其特有的物质组成与时空结构特征决定的,正常发挥风化层的雨洪调蓄功能,流域中的水为健康的"活水",不同流域风化层的物质组成和结构的时空变化极大,其雨洪调蓄功能的发挥机制也极其复杂,采用常规定量研究方法几乎不可能掌握其机理,应采用复杂开放系统理论和方法开展研究;(2)风化层是流域系统的一个子系统,与其它流域环境要素之间是相互联系和相互作用的,过去我们通常采用的"排水范式"解决局部问题以期改善整个流域系统问题的治理思路是行不通的,已不适应今后的风化层雨洪调蓄生态学研究,还极可能衍生新的系统问题;(3)将流域视为一个复杂开放系统,国外流域生态学家提出了生态结构(Ecostructures)的概念,强调流域系统自身生态能力的发挥,将土壤-植被-大气连续体(SVA)研究扩展到风化层-生境-能量连续体(RHE)的生态耦合研究。因此建议,采取"边学边做"(Learning by Doing)的流域适应性管理,应当是今后流域风化层雨洪调蓄管理的重要方向。     

Urban Stormwater Runoff: A New Class of Environmental Flow Problem

Environmental flow assessment frameworks have begun to consider changes to flow regimes resulting from land-use change. Urban stormwater runoff, which degrades streams through altered volume, pattern and quality of flow, presents a problem that challenges dominant approaches to stormwater and water resource management, and to environmental flow assessment. We used evidence of ecological response to different stormwater drainage systems to develop methods for input to environmental flow assessment. We identified the nature of hydrologic change resulting from conventional urban stormwater runoff, and the mechanisms by which such hydrologic change is prevented in streams where ecological condition has been protected. We also quantified the increase in total volume resulting from urban stormwater runoff, by comparing annual streamflow volumes from undeveloped catchments with the volumes that would run off impervious surfaces under the same rainfall regimes. In catchments with as little as 5–10% total imperviousness, conventional stormwater drainage, associated with poor in-stream ecological condition, reduces contributions to baseflows and increases the frequency and magnitude of storm flows, but in similarly impervious catchments in which streams retain good ecological condition, informal drainage to forested hillslopes, without a direct piped discharge to the stream, results in little such hydrologic change. In urbanized catchments, dispersed urban stormwater retention measures can potentially protect urban stream ecosystems by mimicking the hydrologic effects of informal drainage, if sufficient water is harvested and kept out of the stream, and if discharged water is treated to a suitable quality. Urban stormwater is a new class of environmental flow problem: one that requires reduction of a large excess volume of water to maintain riverine ecological integrity. It is the best type of problem, because solving it provides an opportunity to solve other problems such as the provision of water for human use.     

Effects of sand bar openings on some limnological variables in a hypertrophic tropical coastal lagoon of Brazil

This study describes the spatial and temporal dynamics of several physical, chemical and biological variables in the Grussai lagoon, and their relationship to ephemeral sand bar openings and to a constant in natura waste water input. The spatial variation in pH, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, total alkalinity and nutrients (e.g. soluble reactive silicate, soluble reactive phosphate and ammonium) was associated to the anoxic and nutrient rich groundwater discharge, the development of aquatic macrophytes, the biological activities of phytoplanktonic community and the marine influence. During the period when the sand bar was closed (isolated), the lagoon water was supersaturated with dissolved oxygen and exhibited high values of pH (8–10), total alkalinity (3.000–5.000 μeq l^-1), and chlorophyll a contents (60-300 μg l^-1), and had low values of dissolved nutrients (nearly undetectable). These suggest a biological processes dominance. When the sand bar was opened, there was an enrichment with dissolved inorganic nutrients (e.g. ammonium and soluble reactive phosphorus up to 120 and 5 μM, respectively) and a decrease in pH (below 8), total alkalinity (below 3.000 μeq l^-1) and dissolved oxygen during the initial second to eight days. Subsequently there was a period when the physical and chemical characteristics of seawater prevailed. The lagoon returned chemical to the pre-opening water conditions in a few days (∼ 10–20). This quick return implies highly efficient biological mechanisms. The high levels of chlorophyll a, total nitrogen and phosphorus in the water column indicate a high eutrophication stage in the Grussai lagoon during the sand bar closed periods. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Exploring the potential for a multi-decadal midsummer streamflow reconstruction of the upper Samalá river basin in Guatemala using an Abies guatemalensis tree-ring chronology

The Samalá River in western Guatemala is critical for sustaining diverse agricultural production systems, from staple crop production in the upper basin to sugar cane in the lowlands. The streamflow from the Samalá River also supports hydroelectric power generation within the basin. The watershed is home to more than a hundred settlements including cities, towns, and villages, some of which have experienced extreme hydrological events, including destructive flooding from the river. However, the Samalá River streamflow record, only 38 years in length (1979–2016), is too short to assess the full range of hydrological variability for this economically important region, including Guatemala’s second largest city –Quetzaltenango. This paper presents a tree-ring based reconstruction of mean August streamflow for 125 years (1889–2013). Our results suggest that annual tree-ring width measurements from Abies guatemalensis are correlated with monthly mean streamflow records in the upper Samalá River basin. This association seems to be modulated in part by variability in the ENSO 3.4 region in the Pacific Ocean, suggesting decreased streamflow during the warm events of the sea surface temperature in the Pacific Ocean. The record indicates that single year events of low streamflow dominate the record. Nevertheless, a period of up to 8 consecutive years below-average streamflow is shown in the record between 1905 and 1912. Overall, this extended record of streamflow suggests that tree-ring studies in the area have the potential to provide useful inputs in the future that can be utilized by stakeholders and decision-makers within the Samalá watershed involving the management of discharge for crop irrigation, hydropower production, and disaster mitigation.     

洪灾后的反思：湿地管理和洪水灾害的生态关系浅析

湿地是水陆相互作用形成的独特生态系统类型,广泛分布于世界各地,是自然界最富生物多样性的生态景观和人类最重要的生存环境之一。在世界自然保护联盟（ＩＵＣＮ）、联合国环境规划署（ＵＮＥＰ）、世界自然基金会（ＷＷＦ）编制的世界自然保护大纲中,湿地与森林、海洋...     

The influence of data characteristics on detecting wetland/stream surface-water connections in the Delmarva Peninsula,Maryland and Delaware

The dependence of downstream waters on upstream ecosystems necessitates an improved understanding of watershed-scale hydrological interactions including connections between wetlands and streams. An evaluation of such connections is challenging when, (1) accurate and complete datasets of wetland and stream locations are often not available and (2) natural variability in surface-water extent influences the frequency and duration of wetland/stream connectivity. The Upper Choptank River watershed on the Delmarva Peninsula in eastern Maryland and Delaware is dominated by a high density of small, forested wetlands. In this analysis, wetland/stream surface water connections were quantified using multiple wetland and stream datasets, including headwater streams and depressions mapped from a lidar-derived digital elevation model. Surface-water extent was mapped across the watershed for spring 2015 using Landsat-8, Radarsat-2 and Worldview-3 imagery. The frequency of wetland/stream connections increased as a more complete and accurate stream dataset was used and surface-water extent was included, in particular when the spatial resolution of the imagery was finer (i.e., <10 m). Depending on the datasets used, 12–60% of wetlands by count (21–93% of wetlands by area) experienced surface-water interactions with streams during spring 2015. This translated into a range of 50–94% of the watershed contributing direct surface water runoff to streamflow. This finding suggests that our interpretation of the frequency and duration of wetland/stream connections will be influenced not only by the spatial and temporal characteristics of wetlands, streams and potential flowpaths, but also by the completeness, accuracy and resolution of input datasets.     

基于韧性理念的中国城市雨洪管理研究热点与趋势

在中国洪涝灾害频发的背景下,海绵城市等雨洪管理实践有助于灾害的缓解,提高城市应对雨洪的“韧性”。韧性城市作为应对灾害风险的城市规划理念,已被应用于一些国家的雨洪风险管理中。本文基于韧性理念,运用科学计量分析工具CiteSpace梳理中国雨洪研究现状,从生态、工程、社会雨洪韧性3方面分析了雨洪管理热点与相关技术,发现在跨领域的雨洪系统管理、区域到街区间不同空间尺度用地调蓄管理方面存在不足,提出未来应构建以“生态-工程-社会”为核心,涵盖“区域-城市-街区”尺度,多技术集成为支撑的自适应韧性雨洪管理体系。     

基于扩展的Budyko模型定量评估平江流域森林恢复和气候变异对季节性径流的影响

流域季节性径流变化反映了年内水资源的动态特征。在以森林为主的流域中,森林变化和气候变异被普遍认为是影响流域水文过程的两大驱动因素。因此在全球气候变化背景下,研究流域森林恢复和气候变异对流域季节性径流的影响,可为协调区域碳-水关系和制订可持续的森林经营管理策略提供参考。选择鄱阳湖流域上游的平江流域为研究对象,根据流域历史森林覆盖率变化情况,将研究期划分为参考期（1961-1985）和森林恢复期（1986-2006）,采用Mann-Kendall趋势分析研究流域长时期水文气象数据是否存在显著变化趋势。同时引入月干旱指数（潜在蒸散发和有效降雨的比率）,将一年定义为能量限制季（1-6月）和水分限制季（7-12月）,结合扩展的Budyko模型定量分析平江流域森林恢复和气候变异对季节性径流的相对贡献。在本研究流域整个研究期内（1961-2006）,通过Mann-Kendall趋势分析发现,研究流域水分限制季径流呈现显著增加趋势,而能量限制季水文和气候变量变化趋势均不显著。其次,相较于参考期,流域森林恢复使能量限制季径流降低了11.71 mm/a （24.40%）,使水分限制季径流增加了12.27 mm/a （17.23%）。同时,气候变异导致能量限制季径流减少了36.28 mm/a （75.60%）,而使水分限制季径流增加了58.94 mm/a （82.77%）。上述研究结果表明,森林恢复对径流影响具有累积效应。森林恢复对季节性径流具有积极的调节作用,同时季节性径流对森林恢复的响应存在时间差,而且森林恢复对径流的影响在能量限制季和水分限制季具有相互抵消的作用,气候变异与森林恢复的影响效应类似。此外,本研究也证实,平江流域季节性径流变化主要是受气候变化主导,但森林恢复对季节性径流的贡献也不容忽视。     

晋西黄土高原丘陵沟壑区清水河流域径流对土地利用与气候变化的响应

水资源短缺是黄土高原面临的最为关键的一个生态环境问题。研究黄土高原地区河川径流演变对土地利用与气候变化的响应是开展适应性流域管理的基础。该文以黄河流域中游山西省吉县境内的清水河流域(面积436 km²)为研究对象, 采用非参数统计秩检验法(Mann-Kendall)、滑动t检验和跃变参数分析法, 对该流域1959-2005年的年径流量、降水量和潜在蒸发散量进行了趋势分析和突变点验证; 用遥感数据判读和解译的结果分析了该流域不同时期土地利用变化; 在此基础上根据水量平衡原理, 分析了土地利用变化和气候变化对流域径流变化的贡献, 并采用FDC曲线法分析了二者对高、中、低流量变化的影响。研究结果表明: 该流域年径流量在1959-2005年的47年间呈显著下降趋势, 突变点出现在1980年, 但该流域降水量没有出现明显的趋势性变化, 而以Hamon公式计算的流域年潜在蒸发散则呈显著上升趋势, 其突变点出现在1997年。该流域气候变化和土地利用变化对年径流减少的贡献率分别为46.79%和53.21%。综合以上结果可以看出, 潜在蒸发散增加和乔木林地面积增加是导致该流域径流减少的重要原因。     

Genetic analysis of potential postglacial watershed crossings in Central Europe by the bullhead (Cottus gobio L.)

Natural colonizations across watersheds have been frequently proposed to explain the present distributions of many freshwater fish species. However, detailed studies of such potential watershed crossings are still missing. Here, we investigated potential postglacial watershed crossings of the widely distributed European bullhead (Cottus gobio L.) in two different areas along the Rhine–Rhône watershed using detailed genetic analysis. The main advantage of studying bullheads vs. other freshwater fish species is that their distribution has been lightly influenced by human activities and as such, interpretations of colonization history are not confounded by artificial transplantations. The genetic analyses of eight microsatellite loci revealed strong genetic similarities between populations of both sides of the Rhine–Rhône watershed in the Lake Geneva area, giving strong evidence for a natural watershed crossing of bullheads from the upper Rhine drainage into the Rhône drainage in the Lake Geneva area likely facilitated by the retreat of the glaciers after the last glacial maximum some 20 000 years ago. Populations from the Lake Geneva basin were genetically more similar to populations from across the watershed in the upper Rhine drainage than to populations further downstream in the lower Rhône. In contrast, populations from Belfort, an area, which was not covered by ice during the last glacial maximum, showed strong genetic differentiation between populations of the upper Rhine and Rhône drainages. Based on our results on the bullhead, we propose that glacial retreat may have eased the dispersal of numerous European freshwater fish species across several geological boundaries.     

The role of vegetation in regulating stormwater runoff from green roofs in a winter rainfall climate

Extensive green roofs composed of a thin layer of growing medium topped with vegetation can significantly reduce both the timing and magnitude of stormwater runoff relative to a typical impervious roof. However, regional climatic conditions such as seasonality in rainfall and potential evapotranspiration could strongly alter the stormwater performance of green roofs. In this study we evaluate the stormwater performance of green roofs in the predominately winter rainfall climate of the U.S. Pacific Northwest. We also test whether the amount of irrigation used to maintain green roof vegetation in a seasonally dry climate such as the Pacific Northwest influences stormwater performance. We monitored stormwater performance over one year for sets of experimental roofs constructed using three designs: a conventional impervious design, a medium-only design, and a typical extensive green roof design that included vegetation. During the winter rainy season vegetation had no significant influence on stormwater retention; medium-only and vegetated roofs reduced stormwater runoff nearly identically relative to the impervious roofs. In contrast, during summer vegetated roofs retained significantly more rainfall than medium-only roofs, although this effect depended strongly on the size of the rain event. In addition, total relative retention for both roof types was significantly higher during summer than during winter. Irrigation significantly reduced summer retention capacity of both medium-only and planted roofs, but only during the largest dry season rain event. These results suggest that cool wet season climates such as the Pacific Northwest are challenging ones for green roof stormwater performance. In order to optimize stormwater benefits of green roofs, designers should create explicitly regional designs that include plant selections better matched to the specific environmental and management constraints.     

DEM栅格分辨率和子流域划分对杏子河流域水文模拟的影响

以黄土丘陵沟壑区杏子河流域为研究区,采用数字滤波法分割了杏子河招安水文站1958—1974年的基流量,评价了SWAT模型在该流域水文模拟的适用性,并分析了DEM栅格分辨率和子流域划分对SWAT水文模拟的影响。结果表明,SWAT模型适用于该流域年河川径流、地表径流、基流及产沙量的模拟。当DEM栅格分辨率在20—150 m之间时,SWAT能有效地模拟年河川径流、地表径流、基流及产沙量,各水文要素模拟结果的R2和NSE分别在0.93和0.51以上,RSR在0.43以下;而当栅格分辨率大于150 m时,各水文要素的模拟效果存在差异。子流域划分对流域产流模拟影响较小,而对产沙模拟影响较大。当子流域提取阈值在12—100 km2之间时,不同的子流域划分对产沙量几乎没有影响,若超出该阈值范围,模型会低估产沙量。因此,可针对不同的水文要素选择合适的DEM和子流域提取阈值,以提高模拟精度和运行效率。     

Effects of time and watershed characteristics on the concentration of Cryptosporidium oocysts in river water.

Water samples were collected from four locations on two rivers in Washington State and analyzed by membrane filtration-immunofluorescence assay to establish Cryptosporidium oocyst concentrations. Sampling locations were selected to evaluate effects of watershed character, from pristine mountain to downstream agricultural, on oocyst concentrations. Samples were collected at six biweekly intervals from late June to early September, with two additional sets of five samples taken on separate days (one set taken at bihourly intervals and one set taken simultaneously). Cryptosporidium oocysts were found in 34 of 35 samples at concentrations ranging from about 0.2 to 65 oocysts per liter. Oocyst concentrations were highest early in the sampling period, when they were influenced by postrainfall runoff, and decreased through the summer months. Oocyst concentrations found in ten samples collected on two days (5 samples per day) showed no short-term variations. Oocyst concentrations and oocyst production per square mile (ca. 2.6 km2) of watershed found in water draining a controlled public water supply watershed were the lowest observed. The concentrations and production rates for drainage from an adjacent, comparable, but uncontrolled watershed were nearly 10 times higher. The concentration and production rates of the downstream area influenced by dairy farming were nearly 10 times higher than rates at the upstream stations. The data showed clearly that oocyst concentrations were consistently observed above the detection limit of the analytical method, about 0.1 oocysts per liter; that oocyst concentrations were continuous as opposed to intermittent; and that watershed character and management affected surface water oocyst concentrations significantly.     

气候变化对淮河流域中上游汛期极端流量影响的SWAT模拟

致洪暴雨主要是3天以上连续强降水,是淮河流域洪涝的直接原因。构建淮河流域中上游SWAT模型,用RegCM3在SRES A2排放情景下的模拟结果(2071-2100年)驱动SWAT模型,研究气候变化对淮河流域中上游汛期极端流量的影响。结果表明:(1)在SRES A2排放情景下,淮河流域中上游未来(2071-2100年)气温升高,降水量增加,降水的空间差异增大;颖河流域中游年降水量有较大幅度的减少,呈现暖干化的趋势;汛期极端过程降水增加,汛期最大9 d降水量平均增幅都在10%以上。(2)在SRES A2排放情景下的气候变化将导致淮河流域中上游汛期极端流量大幅度增加,干流5个水文站汛期最大9 d平均流量的增幅都在20%以上。(3)淮河流域中上游极端流量的概率分布更加集中,更大的极端流量出现的频率更高,研究流域下游更容易出现较大的极端流量。(4)研究流域下游极端流量概率对极端流量变化更敏感,下游也面临着更大的洪涝风险。     

The impact of bird herbivory on macrophytes and the resilience of the clear-water state in shallow lakes: a model study

Land-use change associated with human development can alter aquatic habitat and imperil aquatic species. Fish are challenged when urban streams are altered, for example for stormwater conveyance, but little is known about how such activities influence the space use of individual fish. Electronic tagging and experimental displacement of fish can be used to explore site fidelity and homing behaviour of fish and can therefore be useful for testing hypotheses about space use and habitat selection. In this study, we used experimental displacement to determine how longnose dace (LND, Rhinichthys cataractae) utilize reaches within a watershed that have varying degrees of degradation. LND were tagged using passive integrated transponders (PIT tags), transported upstream, and released either into the natural stream reach, impaired stormwater drain reach, or at their confluence. Fixed PIT antennas were used to monitor movement of the PIT-tagged fish among the three reaches for a period of 3 weeks. LND exhibited dramatic and rapid selection against the stormwater drain. No LND moved into the drain and 97% of fish transported to the drain left within 24 h. LND were actively avoiding the stormwater drain, emphasizing the need for enhancement work to improve the biological connectivity of the system.     

Effects of time and watershed characteristics on the concentration of Cryptosporidium oocysts in river water.

Water samples were collected from four locations on two rivers in Washington State and analyzed by membrane filtration-immunofluorescence assay to establish Cryptosporidium oocyst concentrations. Sampling locations were selected to evaluate effects of watershed character, from pristine mountain to downstream agricultural, on oocyst concentrations. Samples were collected at six biweekly intervals from late June to early September, with two additional sets of five samples taken on separate days (one set taken at bihourly intervals and one set taken simultaneously). Cryptosporidium oocysts were found in 34 of 35 samples at concentrations ranging from about 0.2 to 65 oocysts per liter. Oocyst concentrations were highest early in the sampling period, when they were influenced by postrainfall runoff, and decreased through the summer months. Oocyst concentrations found in ten samples collected on two days (5 samples per day) showed no short-term variations. Oocyst concentrations and oocyst production per square mile (ca. 2.6 km2) of watershed found in water draining a controlled public water supply watershed were the lowest observed. The concentrations and production rates for drainage from an adjacent, comparable, but uncontrolled watershed were nearly 10 times higher. The concentration and production rates of the downstream area influenced by dairy farming were nearly 10 times higher than rates at the upstream stations. The data showed clearly that oocyst concentrations were consistently observed above the detection limit of the analytical method, about 0.1 oocysts per liter; that oocyst concentrations were continuous as opposed to intermittent; and that watershed character and management affected surface water oocyst concentrations significantly.     

Artificial ponds: a substitute for natural Beaver ponds in a Central European Highland (Eifel,Germany)?

Stormwater ponds are increasingly common aquatic habitats whose biotic communities are largely unexplored. As anthropogenic development continues to alter the landscape, watershed land use is gaining recognition for its potential to predict species compositions in aquatic systems. This study reports species composition of five aquatic hemipteran families (Notonectidae, Corixidae, Belostomatidae, Nepidae, Pleidae) in 28 permanent, artificial stormwater ponds in watersheds with different land covers and associated contaminant input. We hypothesized that land cover variables would be significant drivers of aquatic hemipteran community structure in ponds, and that ponds with a high percentage of agricultural and lawn cover in the watershed would be characterized by the absence of species intolerant of the chemical, physical, and ultimately biotic changes associated with these watersheds. Non-metric multi-dimensional scaling (NMS) was used to identify dominant gradients of species composition and environmental variables. Pond morphology variables, watershed lawn, watershed agriculture, and predatory fish abundance were each found to have statistically significant correlations with hemipteran community structure. The abundance of Notonecta undulata, the species responsible for creating the largest (ranked) distance in species structure among ponds, was positively correlated with shallow, fishless ponds and independent of land use variables. The abundances of four species of corixids were negatively correlated with watershed agriculture, and hemipteran richness was positively correlated with watershed lawn and negatively correlated with pond surface area. Heirarchical cluster analysis revealed non-random hemipteran species assemblages in which congeneric corixid species tended to co-occur, contradicting traditional niche theory. Since artificial stormwater ponds are chemically different from natural-pond habitat and rapidly increasing in number, knowledge of which insect species are capable of thriving in this environment and their relationship to land use in the watershed is of both environmental and evolutionary interest. Handling editor: D. Dudgeon     

How Much Is Enough? Minimal Responses of Water Quality and Stream Biota to Partial Retrofit Stormwater Management in a Suburban Neighborhood

Decentralized stormwater management approaches (e.g., biofiltration swales, pervious pavement, green roofs, rain gardens) that capture, detain, infiltrate, and filter runoff are now commonly used to minimize the impacts of stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces on aquatic ecosystems. However, there is little research on the effectiveness of retrofit, parcel-scale stormwater management practices for improving downstream aquatic ecosystem health. A reverse auction was used to encourage homeowners to mitigate stormwater on their property within the suburban, 1.8 km² Shepherd Creek catchment in Cincinnati, Ohio (USA). In 2007–2008, 165 rain barrels and 81 rain gardens were installed on 30% of the properties in four experimental (treatment) subcatchments, and two additional subcatchments were maintained as controls. At the base of the subcatchments, we sampled monthly baseflow water quality, and seasonal (5×/year) physical habitat, periphyton assemblages, and macroinvertebrate assemblages in the streams for the three years before and after treatment implementation. Given the minor reductions in directly connected impervious area from the rain barrel installations (11.6% to 10.4% in the most impaired subcatchment) and high total impervious levels (13.1% to 19.9% in experimental subcatchments), we expected minor or no responses of water quality and biota to stormwater management. There were trends of increased conductivity, iron, and sulfate for control sites, but no such contemporaneous trends for experimental sites. The minor effects of treatment on streamflow volume and water quality did not translate into changes in biotic health, and the few periphyton and macroinvertebrate responses could be explained by factors not associated with the treatment (e.g., vegetation clearing, drought conditions). Improvement of overall stream health is unlikely without additional treatment of major impervious surfaces (including roads, apartment buildings, and parking lots). Further research is needed to define the minimum effect threshold and restoration trajectories for retrofitting catchments to improve the health of stream ecosystems.     

Meta‐Analysis of Lost Ecosystem Attributes in Urban Streams and the Effectiveness of Out‐of‐Channel Management Practices

Urban development is a leading cause of stream impairment that reduces biodiversity and negatively affects ecosystem processes and habitat. Out‐of‐stream restoration practices, such as stormwater ponds, created wetlands, and restored riparian vegetation, are increasingly implemented as management strategies to mitigate impacts. However, uncertainty exists regarding how effectively they improve downstream ecosystems because monitoring is uncommon and results are typically reported on a case‐by‐case basis. We conducted a meta‐analysis of literature and used response ratios to quantify how downstream ecosystems change in response to watershed development and to out‐of‐stream restoration. Biodiversity in unrestored urban streams was 47% less than that in reference streams, and ecological communities, habitat, and rates of nutrient cycling were negatively affected as well. Mean measures of ecosystem attributes in restored streams were significantly greater than, and 156% of, those in unrestored urban streams. Measures of biodiversity in restored streams were 132% of those in unrestored urban streams, and indices of biotic condition, community structure, and nutrient cycling significantly improved. However, ecosystem attributes and biodiversity at restored sites were significantly less than, and only 60% and 45% of, those in reference streams, respectively. Out‐of‐stream management practices improved ecological conditions in urban streams but still failed to restore reference stream conditions. Despite statistically significant improvements, assessing restoration success remains difficult due to few comparisons to reference sites or to clearly defined targets. These findings can inform future monitoring, management, and development strategies and highlight the need for preventative actions in a watershed context.     

The simplified methods of evaluating detention storage volume for small catchment

Massive land development reduces the plant-cover area and increases the impervious area of watershed, which induces downstream flooding. A detention pond stores runoff from watershed and releases the stored runoff slowly to reduce the flood threat in the downstream area. While the runoff hydrograph is irregular, several researches verify that the runoff hydrograph can be represented by simple geometrical-shaped (such as triangular or trapezoidal) hydrographs. This study collects and develops simplified detention volume design models. The study also develops a suitable hydrological condition and the calculation method of detention volume for various models. A real world case is used to demonstrate the calculation procedure used in the detention pond design. The case shows that the combination of triangular inflow and triangular outflow produces a maximum detention volume, which implies a large reduction of peak flow needs greater detention volume. The combination of trapezoidal inflow and triangular outflow produces a second large detention volume. It implies a long duration of inflow hydrograph (IH) needs greater detention volume. A combination of triangular inflow and trapezoidal outflow results in a minimum detention volume, which indicates that either the storm water drains completely before the permissible outflow occurs, or storm water is kept from entering the detention pond before the inflow rate reaches the permissible outflow. In either case, the detention pond has more space to accommodate the flood inflow so as to reduce the rate of peak outflow.