Analysis of Hydrological and Hydraulic Approaches in Suitable Environmental Flow Range Estimation of Zayandehroud River

Document Type : Complete scientific research article

Authors

1 Ph.D. Student of Water Engineering, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran

2 Corresponding Author, Associate Prof., Dept. of Water Engineering, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran

3 Postdoctoral Fellow, Dept. of Environmental and Life Sciences, Karlstad University of Sweden

4 Ph.D. Student, Dept. of Water Engineering, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran

Abstract

Background and objectives: Environmental flow allocation of rivers is an overlooked factor in the sustainable water resources management in Iran and an undeniable necessity to preserve the ecosystems in the country's watersheds and also to prevent the destruction of wetlands and rivers leading to lakes. In Iran, there is a need for many researches in order to use new, advanced and accurate methods in order to environmental flow evaluation and determine the validity of its use for rivers inside the country, especially for rivers with high biological value species. The objective of this research is environmental flow evaluation of the Zayandehroud River using the RVA method and compare it with the hydrological methods of Tennant, Arkansas and the hydraulic method of the wetted perimeter in order to determine and suggest the best environmental flow evaluation method in different areas of the Zayandehroud River.
Materials and methods: In the present research, the environmental flow evaluation of Zayandehroud river was done using the RVA method and compared with the methods of Tennant, Arkansas and wetted Perimeter with the curve slope algorithm. The study area between Zayandehroud Dam and Gavkhouni Wetland was determined and divided into 3 parts, which includes 8 hydrometric stations along Zayandehroud River. The flow statistical series used in this research is considered from the beginning of the establishment year of hydrometric stations to the last year when data were available, i.e. 2018, and the mean daily flow values for all existing hydrometric stations in Zayandehroud River were collected from Isfahan Regional Water Department. The flow data in this research was normalized for each station from the year of its establishment to the last year when the flow data was available and included in the calculations.

Results: Based on evaluation of the results, the estimated environmental flow in the hydraulic method is 70%, Arkansas 60%, RVA 49% and Tennant 26% of the mean annual flow. Tennant's method practically considers a small percentage of the river flow for the river environmental flow and it is definitely not enough. The methods of wetted perimeter and Arkansas also theoretically suggest reliable percentages for the river environmental flow, but in terms of implementation and considering the water fair allocation among all stakeholders, these two methods are almost impossible to do. The RVA method provides a better plan and has suggested a relatively more reasonable and feasible flow percentage than other methods, which should be considered by managers and experts for the allocation of environmental flow.
Conclusion: The suggested values of environmental flow with the methods carried out in this research, especially the RVA method, for each area of river, are able to protect the flow natural regime to maintain the river ecological values and provide favorable conditions for aquatic species to live. Therefore, the mentioned methods can be used in the management affairs and executive programs of ecohydraulic engineers and specialists according to their advantages and disadvantages and according to the conditions of each project. Also, the results of this research help to estimate a suitable environmental flow range for the Zayandehroud river and consider it in the river restoration projects.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

1.Shokoohi, A., & Amini, M. (2013) Introducing a new method to determine rivers’ ecological water requirement in comparison with hydrological and hydraulic methods. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. 11, 747-756.
2.Ayyoubzadeh, S. A., Sedighkia, M., & Hajiesmaeili, M. (2018). Ecohydraulics and simulation of river habitats. Water engineering research institute Tarbiat Modares University. 288p. [In Persian]
3.Mostafavi, S. (2013). Evaluation of environmental flow in river using eco-hydrological methods (Case study: The Barandoozchi river). The thesis for the master of science degree in Water Resources Engineering. Faculty of Agriculture. University of Urmia. 137p. [In Persian]
4.Alizadeh, S. (2017). Evaluation of environmental flows in the Ajichay river using eco-hydrological methods. The thesis for the master of science degree in Hydraulic Structures. Department of Water Engineering. Faculty of Agriculture. University of Urmia. 154p. [In Persian]
5.Sedighkia, M., Ayyoubzadeh, S. A., & Hajiesmaeili, M. (2015). Investigation on the necessities of Instream Flow Needs assessment in the rivers using hydro-ecological methods (Case study: Delichai river in Tehran, Iran). Journal of Ecohydrology. 2 (3), 289-300. [In Persian]
6.Keykhaei, M., Dalalzadeh, A., Pourabadeh, T., & Zadbagher, E. (2016). The effect of releasing the minimum environmental flow of the Zayandehroud river at Pol Khajou station on the river ecosystem in Isfahan city. P 74-83.
10th International River Engineering Conference. Shahid Chamran University. Ahvaz. Iran. [In Persian]
7.Kiani, N., Majdzadeh Tabatabaei, M., Moridi, A., & Mousavi Nedushani, S. (2016). Determining the environmental flow of Zayandehroud river by hydraulic method according to the indicator species. P 107-114. 3rd Conference & Exhibition of Future Environmental Crisis. Tehran. Iran. [In Persian]
8.Hayatgheibi, F., Shahnoushi, N., Ghahreman, B., Samadi Borujeni, H., Ghorbani, M., & Sabouhi Sabouni, M. (2021). Environmental flow assessment of karun river in upstream and downstream of Beheshtabad dam. Journal of Water and Soil. 35 (3), 319-333. [In Persian]
9.Naderi, M. H., Arab, N., Jahandideh, O., Salarijazi, M., & Arab, A. (2021). Estimation of optimal release flow range from jamishan dam considering the optimal instream ecological water demand for conservation the habitat potential of the Dinavar river. Journal of Water and Soil. 35 (2), 203-225. [In Persian]
10.Taheri Gorji, Sh., Moridi, A., & Majdzadeh Tabatabaei, M. R. (2022). Role of flow naturalization in estimating environmental flow by hydraulic and hydrological approaches. Journal of Water and Irrigation Management.12 (3), 615-628. [In Persian]
11.Shokoohi, A., & Hong, Y. (2011). Using hydrologic and hydraulically derived geometric parameters of perennial
rivers to determine minimum water requirements of ecological habitats (case study: Mazandaran Sea Basin, Iran). Hydrological Processes. 25, 3490-3498.
12.Peng, L., & Sun, L. (2016). Minimum instream flow requirement for the water reduction section of diversion-type hydropower station: A case study of the Zagunao river, China. Environmental Earth Science. 75, 2-8.
13.Stewardson, M. J., Webb, J. A., & Horne, A. (2017). Environmental flows and eco-hydrological assessments in rivers. decision making in water resources policy and management: An Australian Perspective. December. 113-132.
14.Chen, A., Wu, M., Shen, D., & Song. Sh. (2022). Developing a decision support evaluation model based on the matter element analysis method to optimize the environmental flows in dammed rivers. Water. 14, 1-17.
15.Stuart, I. G., & Sharpe, C. P. (2022). Ecohydraulic model for designing environmental flows supports recovery of imperilled Murray cod (Maccullochella peelii) in the Lower Darling–Baaka River following catastrophic fish kills. Marine and Freshwater Research. 73, 247-258.
16.Shirani, K., Chitsaz, V., & Modares, R. (2006). Development of river information database in Zayandehroud basin using geographic information systems. P 55-62. 1st Conference on Optimum Utilization of Water Resources. Shahrekourd. Iran. [In Persian]
17.Ahmadi Toudechki, M. (2016). Computation of river minimum flow and estimation of economic losses (Case study: Zayandeh Rood river basin). The thesis for the master of science degree in Water Resources Engineering. Faculty of Agriculture. Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman. 81p. [In Persian]
18.Postel, S. L., Daily, G. C., & Ehrlich, P. R. (1996). Human appropriation of renewable freshwater. Science. 271, 785-788.
19.Moore, M. (2004). Perceptions and interpretations of environmental flows and implications for future water resources management – A Survey Study, Master Thesis, Department of Water and Environmental Studies, Linkoping University, Sweden, 67 p.
20.Tenant, D. L. (1976). Instream flow regimens for fish, wildlife, recreation and related environmental resources. Fisheries. 1, 6-10.
21.Filipek, S. P., Keith, W. E., & Giese, J. (1987). Status of the instream flow issue in Arkansas. Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science. 41 (1), 43-8.
22.Richter, B. D., Baumgartner, J. V., Powell, J., & Braun, D. P. (1996). A method for assessing hydrologic alteration within ecosystems. Conserv. Biol. 10 (4), 1163-1174.
23.Suxia, L., Xingguo, M., Jun, X., Changming, L., Zhonghui, L., Baohui, M., & Lina, J. (2006). Estimating the minimum in-stream flow requirements via wett perimeter method based on curvature and slope techniques. Journal of Geographical Sciences, 16 (2), 242-250.
24.Gipple, C. J., & Stewardson, M. J. (1998). Use of wetted perimeter in defining minimum environmental flows. Regulated Rivers: Research and Management. 14, 53-67.
25.Naderi, M. H., Zakerinia, M., & Salarijazi, M. (2018). Application of the PHABSIM model in Explaining the Ecological Regime of the River in order to Estimate the Environmental Flow and Compare with Hydrological Methods (Case Study: Gharasoo River). Ecohydrology. 5 (3), 941-955. [In Persian]
26.Morid, R., Delavar, M., & Eagderi, S. (2015). Impact assessment of climate on environmental flows by using hydrological indicators – Case stude of Kordan River. Journal of natural environment, natural resources of Iran, 69 (4), 1109-1127. [In Persian]
27.Daiechini, F., Vafakhah, M., & Moosavi, V. (2020). Impacts of the Golestan and Voshmgir Dams on Indicators of Hydrologic Alterations in the Gorganroud River Using Range of Variability Approach. Ecohydrology, 7 (3), 595-607. [In Persian]
28.Khosravi, GH., Sadodin, A., Ownegh, M., Bahremand, A., & Mostafavi, H. (2019). Classification and identification of changes in river flow regime using the Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration (IHA) Case study: (The Khormarud River- Tilabad Watershed- Golestan Province). Ecohydrology. 6 (3), 651-671. [In Persian]
29.Atatie Kachouie, Z. (2018). Calculation and assessment of environmental flow using hydraulic and hydrological methods (Case study: Dez diversion check dam to Karun river). The thesis for the master of science degree in Department of Hydrology and Water Resources, Faculty of Water Sciences Engineering, Shahid Chamran University, Ahvaz, Iran. 102p. [In Persian]
30.Zargari, A. (2021). Estimation of the environmental flow of the Gorganroud river using different hydrological. The thesis for the master of science degree in Water and Soil Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran. 94p. [In Persian]
Journal of Water and Soil Conservation
Volume 31, Issue 4
January 2025
Pages 35-62

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics