Water Quality and Watershed Management in a Semiarid Climate: Lake Kinneret Watershed

Uncertainty in water quality model predictions is inevitably high due to natural stochasticity, model uncertainty, and parameter uncertainty. An integrated modelling system (modified-BASINS) under uncertainty is described and demonstrated for use in receiving-water quality prediction and watershed management. A Monte Carlo simulation was used to investigate the effect of various uncertainty types on output prediction. Without pollution control measures in the watershed, the concentrations of total nitrogen (T-N) and total phosphorus (T-P) in the Hwaong Reservoir, considering three uncertainty types, would be less than about 4.4 and 0.23 mg L−1, respectively, in 2012, with 90% confidence. The effects of two watershed management practices, wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) and constructed wetlands (WETLAND), were evaluated. The combined scenario (WWTP + WETLAND) was the most effective at improving reservoir water quality, bringing concentrations of T-N and T-P in the Hwaong Reservoir to less than 3.4 and 0.14 mg L−1, 24 and 41% improvements, respectively, with 90% confidence. Overall, the Monte Carlo simulation in the integrated modelling system was practical for estimating uncertainty and reliable in water quality prediction. The approach described here may allow decisions to be made based on the probability and level of risk, and its application is recommended.

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Water quality monitoring: the basis for watershed management in the Oldman River Basin, Canada

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.2006.308 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 53 (10) ◽

pp. 153-161 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

C.W. Koning ◽

K.A. Saffran ◽

J.L. Little ◽

L. Fent

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Point Source ◽

River Basin ◽

Watershed Management ◽

Health Concern ◽

Quality Data ◽

Oil And Gas Development ◽

Water Quality Data ◽

Oldman River Basin ◽

Oldman River

The Oldman River flows 440 km from its headwaters in south-western Alberta, through mountains, foothills and plains into the South Saskatchewan River. Peak flows occur in May and June. Three major reservoirs, together with more than a dozen other structures, supply water to nine irrigation districts and other water users in the Oldman basin. Human activity in the basin includes forestry, recreation, oil and gas development, and agriculture, including a large number of confined livestock feeding operations. Based on the perception of basin residents that water quality was declining and of human health concern, the Oldman River Basin Water Quality Initiative was formed in 1997 to address the concerns. There was limited factual information, and at the time there was a desire for finger pointing. Results (1998–2002) show that mainstem water quality remains good whereas tributary water quality is more of a challenge. Key variables of concern are nutrients, bacteria and pesticides. Point source discharges are better understood and better regulated, whereas non-point source runoff requires more attention. Recent data on Cryptosporidium and Giardia species are providing benefit for focusing watershed management activities. The water quality data collected is providing a foundation to implement community-supported urban and rural better management practices to improve water quality.

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Study on the Ecological Operation and Watershed Management of Urban Rivers in Northern China

Water ◽

10.3390/w12030914 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 914 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Guangyi Deng ◽

Xiaohan Yao ◽

Haibo Jiang ◽

Yingyue Cao ◽

Yang Wen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Watershed Management ◽

Water Demand ◽

Reservoir Operation ◽

Northern China ◽

Ecological Function ◽

Ecological Environment ◽

Physical Habitat ◽

Urban Rivers ◽

Ecological Water Demand

Small- and medium-sized rivers are facing a serious degradation of ecological function in water resource-scarce regions of Northern China. Reservoir ecological operation can restore the damaged river ecological environment. Research on reservoir ecological operation and watershed management of urban rivers is limited in cold regions of middle and high latitudes. In this paper, the urban section of the Yitong River was selected as the research object in Changchun, Northern China. The total ecological water demand and reservoir operation water (79.35 × 106 m3 and 15.52 × 106 m3, respectively) were calculated by the ecological water demand method, and a reservoir operation scheme was established to restore the ecological function of the urban section of the river. To examine the scientific basis and rationality of the operation scheme, the water quality of the river and physical habitat after carrying out the scheme were simulated by the MIKE 11 one-dimensional hydrodynamic-water quality model and the Physical Habitat Simulation Model (PHABSIM). The results indicate that the implementation of the operation scheme can improve the ecological environment of the urban section of the Yitong River. A reform scheme was proposed for the management of the Yitong River Basin based on the problems in the process of carrying out the operation schemes, including clarifying department responsibility, improving laws and regulations, strengthening service management, and enhancing public participation.

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Development of Agricultural Watershed Management System for Hydrologic and Water Quality Data Management and Analysis

10.13031/2013.19057 ◽

2005 ◽

Author(s):

Hak Kwan Kim ◽

Seung Woo Park ◽

Sang Min Kim ◽

Tae Il Jang

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Data Management ◽

Watershed Management ◽

Management System ◽

Agricultural Watershed ◽

Quality Data ◽

Water Quality Data

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Development and evaluation of ArcGIS based watershed-scale L-THIA ACN-WQ system for watershed management

Water Science & Technology Water Supply ◽

10.2166/ws.2017.176 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 1206-1221

Author(s):

Jichul Ryu ◽

Won Seok Jang ◽

Jonggun Kim ◽

Gwanjae Lee ◽

Kwangsik Yoon ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Watershed Management ◽

Hot Spot ◽

Policy Decision ◽

Curve Number ◽

Assessment Model ◽

Quality Model ◽

Stream Network ◽

Pollutant Loads ◽

Model Input

Abstract The Long-term Hydrologic Impact Assessment Model with Asymptotic Curve Number Regression Equation and Water Quality model (L-THIA ACN-WQ) has been developed to simulate streamflow as well as instream water quality using fewer parameters, compared to other watershed models. However, since model input parameters (i.e. hydraulic response unit (HRU) map, stream network, database (DB), etc.) should be built by user manually, it is difficult to use the model for a nonprofessional or environmental policy decision-maker. In addition, it is difficult to analyze model outputs in time and space because the model does not provide geographic information system (GIS) information for the simulation results. To overcome the limitations, an advanced version of L-THIA ACN-WQ system which is based on ArcGIS interface was developed in this study. To evaluate the applicability of the developed system, it was applied to the Banbyeon A watershed in which total maximum daily load (TMDL) has been implemented. The required model input datasets were automatically collected in the system, and stream flow, T-N and T-P pollutant loads were simulated for the watershed. Furthermore, flow duration curve (FDC) and load duration curve (LDC) were generated to analyze hot spot areas in the system through automatic processes included in the system. The system can establish the model input data easily, automatically provide the graphs of FDC and LDC, and provide hot spot areas which indicate high pollutant loads. Therefore, this system can be useful in establishing various watershed management plans.

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Financing Watershed Services in the Foothills of the Himalayas

Water ◽

10.3390/w10070965 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (7) ◽

pp. 965 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Rajesh Rai ◽

Priya Shyamsundar ◽

Mani Nepal ◽

Laxmi Bhatta

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Watershed Management ◽

Large Scale ◽

Agricultural Practices ◽

Livestock Grazing ◽

Urban Centers ◽

Water Users ◽

Source Water Protection ◽

Domestic Livestock ◽

Watershed Services

Watershed management is critical for the sustainable supply of clean water to urban centers, particularly in areas of developing countries where large-scale infrastructure projects are costly to implement. In this paper, we discuss the potential for financing improvements in watershed services in the foothills of the Himalayas through Payments for Ecosystem Services. Through the use of a choice experiment to disentangle household preferences, we show that downstream water users are interested in improvements in water quality through source water protection. Households in Dharan municipality are willing to finance watershed management to the extent of USD 118,000 per year. These payments can be used to incentivize upstream households to decrease domestic livestock grazing, change agricultural practices and reduce open defecation to improve the drinking water quality and quantity in downstream areas. The estimated cost of these activities is less than $50,000 per year. Through discussions with local stakeholders, we propose a tri-partite institutional structure to facilitate transactions between downstream and upstream communities and to improve watershed services.

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Development and implementation of a watershed management plan for Lac la Biche, Alberta, Canada

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.2006.320 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 53 (10) ◽

pp. 261-267 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

J. White ◽

M. Rawles

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Watershed Management ◽

Oil And Gas ◽

Municipal Government ◽

Surface Water Quality ◽

Management Plan ◽

Local Health Authority ◽

Local Health ◽

Municipal Planning ◽

Ground Truthing

Lakeland County is experiencing increasing developmental pressures arising from the oil and gas boom at nearby Fort McMurray. There is increased industrial traffic passing through the county, and 600 new residential lots are proposed in 2005, almost double from 5 years ago. Deteriorating surface water quality has been a concern in the area due to an increase in development and agriculture, while excessive fish harvesting and winterkills have impacted commercial and recreational fisheries. Today, walleye and pike populations in the lake remain collapsed and restocking efforts have not been successful. Due to the lack of studies done on the watershed, the county is leading a multidisciplinary research study which includes a baseline water quality study, riparian health assessments, land use mapping and ground-truthing and projects with the local health authority. This research has been summarized in a comprehensive state of the watershed report, which will be used to complete a watershed management plan for the Lac la Biche watershed. Recommendations from the state of the watershed report and watershed management plan will also be incorporated into municipal planning documents and recommend changes to the Municipal Government Act itself.

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