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Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering

ISSN 2095-2201

ISSN 2095-221X(Online)

CN 10-1013/X

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2018 Impact Factor: 3.883

Front Envir Sci Eng    2013, Vol. 7 Issue (6) : 875-885    https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-013-0568-2
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Changes in major factors affecting the ecosystem health of the Weihe River in Shaanxi Province, China
Qi LI, Jinxi SONG(), Anlei WEI, Bo ZHANG
Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an 710127, China
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Abstract

Maintenance of the ecosystem health of a river is of great importance for local sustainable development. On the basis of both qualitative and quantitative analysis of the influence of natural variations and human activities on the ecosystem function of the Weihe River, the changes in major factors affecting its ecosystem health are determined, which include: 1) Deficiency of environment flow: since the 1960s, the incoming stream flow shows an obvious decreasing tendency. Even in the low flow period, 80% of the water in the stream is impounded by dams for agriculture irrigation in the Baoji district. As a result, the water flow maintained in the stream for environmental use is very limited. 2) Deterioration of water quality: the concentrations of typical pollutants like Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and NH3-N are higher than their maximum values of the Chinese environmental quality standard. Very few fish species can survive in the River. 3) Deformation of water channels: the continuous channel sedimentation has resulted in the decrease in stream gradient, shrinkage of riverbed and the decline in the capability for flood discharge. 4) Loss of riparian vegetation: most riparian land has been occupied by urban construction activities, which have caused the loss of riparian vegetation and biodiversity and further weakened flood control and water purification functions.

Keywords influencing factors      ecosystem health      ecological and environmental functions      the Weihe River      Shaanxi Province     
Corresponding Author(s): SONG Jinxi,Email:jinxisong@nwu.edu.cn   
Issue Date: 01 December 2013
 Cite this article:   
Anlei WEI,Bo ZHANG,Qi LI, et al. Changes in major factors affecting the ecosystem health of the Weihe River in Shaanxi Province, China[J]. Front Envir Sci Eng, 2013, 7(6): 875-885.
 URL:  
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fese/EN/10.1007/s11783-013-0568-2
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fese/EN/Y2013/V7/I6/875
Fig.1  Study area showing gauging station
Fig.2  Tendency of runoff from the five gauging stations in the Weihe River: (a) Linjiacun; (b) Weijiabao; (c) Xianyang; (d) Lintong; (e) Huaxian
gauging station1960-19691970-19791980-19891990-19992000-2009
runoff/(108 m3)runoff/(108 m3)variation percentage/%runoff/(108 m3)variation percentage/%runoff/(108 m3)variation percentage/%runoff/(108 m3)variation percentage/%
Linjiacun31.2422.13-29.1522.70-27.3312.90-58.7010.22-67.29
Weijiabao48.0129.20-39.1932.93-31.4116.54-65.5613.77-71.31
Xianyang61.9636.67-40.8245.46-26.6222.48-63.7223.38-62.27
Lintong98.0560.06-38.7576.48-22.0044.69-54.4247.91-51.13
Huaxian96.2059.41-38.2479.13-17.7444.08-54.1846.39-51.78
Tab.1  Percentage of annual runoff for each gauging station during different periods
gauging stationtρthreshold valuevariation tendency
Linjiacun5.980.672.01decreased significantly
Weijiabao5.460.642.01decreased significantly
Xianyang5.050.612.01decreased significantly
Lintong4.100.532.01decreased significantly
Huaxian3.930.512.01decreased significantly
Tab.2  Trend test of annual runoff variation for each gauging station during the period 1961-2005
yearUPτvar(τ)trend
1961-2005-1.75404-0.180.01decreasing
2001-20051.4780.600.17increasing
Tab.3  Mann-Kendall test on monotonic trend for annual precipitation time series in the Weihe River basin
factordry seasonwet seasondry seasonwet seasondry season
precipitation1961-19701971-19791980-19881989-19961997-2005
runoff1961-19711972-19791980-19911992-19971998-2005
Tab.4  Variation periods for annual precipitation and annual runoff
monthimpounding water/(106 m3)runoff/(106 m3)ratio of impounding water to runoff
Jan38.044.70.85
Feb34.540.70.85
Mar38.860.60.64
Apr34.063.60.53
May31.088.20.35
Jun46.299.30.47
Jul55.3166.80.33
Aug81.6181.50.45
Sep65.9165.20.40
Oct71.0184.30.39
Nov47.276.70.62
Dec40.148.50.83
Tab.5  Comparison of impounding water by dams and the runoff in Baoji area
Fig.3  Trend in annual precipitation in the Weihe River basin of Shaanxi Province
Fig.4  Annual mean concentrations of COD and NH-N for each monitoring section from upstream to downstream. Numbers of horizontal axis expressing monitoring section are as follows: 1- Linjiacun, 2-Wolong temple bridge, 3-Guozhen Bridge, 4-Changxing Bridge, 5-Nanying, 6-Xianyang Iron bridge, 7-Tianjiangrendu, 8-Gengzhen Bridge, 9-Xinfeng Bridge, 9-Shawangdu, 10-Tree Park, 11-Tongguan Bridge
Fig.5  Annual mean concentration of COD and NH-N during the period 2000-2009
Fig.6  Variation of comprehensive index of water pollution during the period 1990-2009
sewage discharged characteristicsBaojiYanglingXianyangXi’anWeinantotal
sewage discharged amount/(108 m3)0.940.050.084.461.036.56
COD/(104 t)1.992.522.909.352.5219.28
NH3-N/(104 t)0.210.010.220.830.171.44
sewage discharge port10131111713245
Tab.6  Sewage discharge port distribution and discharged amount in 2007
Fig.7  Cumulative volume of deposited sediment in the channel of the lower Weihe River
Fig.8  Correlation between stream gradient and cumulative volume of deposited sediment for the reach from Xianyang to Huaxian during the period 1961-2001
periodforest/%vegetation/%water/%urban construction/%cultivation/%
1980-19900.936.620.247.76-4.31
1990-2000-0.44-7.22-29.539.554.56
2000-20051.100.311.291.74-0.97
2005-20073.74-1.55-1.795.49-1.69
Tab.7  magnitude of changes with Land use in the Weihe River basin of Guanzhong region/%
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