ARIDIZATION OF THE CLIMATE OF THE ROSTOV REGION

The combination of natural and anthropogenic factors contributes to the development of aridization process and its consequences in the Rostov region. The article discusses the dynamics of climatic conditions affecting the aridization of the region. Changes of in the global and regional climate contribute to intensification of aridization process. Particular attention is paid to long-term changes in the amount of precipitation at the hydrometeorological stations Taganrog, Rostov-on-Don, Gigant and Remontnoe (by years and seasons), as well as dust storm. The observation data analysis revealed slight increase in the yearly precipitation from the beginning of the twentieth to the beginning of the twenty-first centuries for all meteorological stations under consideration (the most of all in the west of the Rostov region). At the same time, a slight decrease in the yearly precipitation in the last decade is noted, which caused a low-flow period in the Lower Don. Seasonal changes in precipitation regime are pronounced. A decrease in the amount of summer precipitation is noted at all stations (especially in the east of the region). At the same time, an increase in the amount of precipitation is observed in the west of the region in winter. Frequency and duration of dust storm decreases from east to west in the Rostov region. The least amount of the dust storm was noted in Taganrog, and the most of all in Remontnoe. Over the past 20 years, the duration and frequency of dust storm have increased at the meteorological station Gigant and decreased at the meteorological station Remontnoe. The changes are not significant for other meteorological stations. The peak values of the duration of dust storms at the meteorological stations are noted in 1969 (Taganrog), 1984 (Remontnoe), 1995 (Rostov-on-Don), 2014 (Gigant).

Gray Water Measurement and Feasibility of Retrieval Using Innovative Technology and Application in Water Resources Management in Isfahan-Iran

Reuse of wastewater for agriculture and green spaces purposes is significant. A mean yearly precipitation in Esfahan is 150 mm. The drinking waterand agriculture usually used underground resources in the city. Gray waterrecycling is known as a suitable option today. Delivering all the water requirements of a home from refined water rises the cost of water. Whereasthe essential water quality for garden, toilet and irrigation is less than drinking water. Therefore, the aim of this study is to analyze the evaluation of gray water and estimate the amount of recycle gray water which can use for drinking water with innovation method in Esfahan region in Iran. Previous studies did not measure the value of recycling gray water with new methodof waste water treatment that can use for drinking purpose. In this study,gray water in Esfahan city is measured and technical aspects of its recyclingis examined. Because of the lack of referable guidelines and official technical reports, studies from other similar countries applied in this study andon the basis of which the amount of recoverable gray water was calculated.Evaluations indicates that the overall recovery of gray water in Esfahansaves nine million cubic meters of water. The price of the rial of this valueestablished on water is 190 billion Rials. Given the lack of water sourcesin Esfahan, the recycle of gray water seems to be a good option, howevermore research is required to select a recovery strategy.

Hydrological aspects of an industrial landfill

A water balance for a landfill in the South-West of Sweden has been performed. The waterbalance is based on measured values of leachate and calculated values of potentialevaporation using Penman's equation. The calculations include a period of 6 years (1995-200 I). During this period, the yearly precipitation was 6 I 0-1180 mm in the Halmstad area. Itwas concluded that the total storage of leachate in the landfill and in the ponds increased withtime. If increasing tendency will proceed then the amount of leachate generated might behigher during the next years and similar to results found in the literature. There is a need forthe more physical based model, the Hydrologic Evaluation of Landfill Performance (HELP)model, for calculation in order to take into account the top cover soils and vegetationinfluence.

The RheaG Weather Generator Algorithm: Evaluation in Four Contrasting Climates from the Iberian Peninsula

This paper describes the assumptions, equations, and procedures of the RheaG weather generator algorithm (WGA). RheaG was conceived for the generation of robust daily meteorological time series, whether in static or transient climate conditions. Here we analyze its performance in four Iberian locations—Bilbao, Barcelona, Madrid, and Sevilla—with differentiated climate characteristics. To validate the RheaG WGA, we compared observed and generated meteorological time series’ statistical properties of precipitation, maximum temperature, and minimum temperature for all four locations. We also compared observed and simulated rain events spell length probabilities in all four locations. Finally, RheaG includes two weather generation procedures: one in which monthly mean values for meteorological variables are unconstrained and one in which they are constrained according to a predefined baseline climate variability. Here, we compare the two weather generation procedures included in RheaG using the observed data from Barcelona. Our results present a high agreement in the statistical properties and the rain spell length probabilities between observed and generated meteorological time series. Our results show that RheaG accurately reproduces seasonal patterns of the observed meteorological time series for all four locations, and it is even able to differentiate two climatic seasons in Bilbao that are also present in the observed data. We find a trade-off between generation procedures in which the unconstrained procedure better reproduces the variability of monthly and yearly precipitation than the constrained one, but the constrained procedure is able to keep the same climatic signal across meteorological time series. Thus, the first procedure is more accurate, but the latter is able to maintain spatial autocorrelation among generated meteorological time series.

Redressing the balance: quantifying net intercatchment groundwater flows

Intercatchment groundwater flows (IGF), defined as groundwater flows across topographic divides, can occur as regional groundwater flows that bypass headwater streams and only drain into the channel further downstream or directly to the sea. However, groundwater flows can also be diverted to adjacent river basins due to geological features (e.g., faults, dipping beds and highly permeable conduits). Even though intercatchment groundwater flows can be a significant part of the water balance, they are often not considered in hydrological studies. Yet, assuming this process to be negligible may introduce misrepresentation of the natural system in hydrological models, for example in regions with complex geological features. The presence of limestone formations in France and Belgium potentially further exacerbates the importance of intercatchment groundwater flows, and thus motivates to question the validity of neglecting intercatchment groundwater flows in the Meuse basin. To isolate and quantify the potential relevance of net intercatchment groundwater flows in this study, we propose a three step approach that relies on the comparison and analysis of (1) observed water balance data within the Budyko framework, (2) results from a suite of different conceptual hydrological models and (3) remote sensing based estimates of actual evaporation. The data of 58 catchments in the Meuse basin provides evidence of the likely presence of significant net intercatchment groundwater flows occurring mainly in small headwater catchments underlain by fractured aquifers. The data suggests that the relative importance of net intercatchment groundwater flows reduces at the scale of the Meuse basin, as regional groundwater flows are mostly expected to be self-contained in large basins. The analysis further suggests that net intercatchment groundwater flow processes vary over the year and that at the scale of the headwaters, net intercatchment groundwater flows can make up a relatively large proportion of the water balance (on average 10 % of mean yearly precipitation) and should be accounted for to prevent overestimating actual evaporation rates.

Precipitation Characteristics and Trend in the Hsiao-Ching River Basin of Jinan City during the Past 50 Years

Monthly precipitation data from Huangtai Bridge Station were used to study seasonal and annual precipitation characteristics and trend. The covered time-period is from 1956 to 2007. Different methods including linear regression, 5-year moving average, anomalies in decadal scale and the Mann-Kendall test were applied in the study. Nearly two-thirds of the total rainfall amount is concentrated in summer, with autumn and spring months to follow, and only about 3% in winter. An increasing trend in spring months is found. It starts in 1978, becomes significant after 2002, and probably continues into the future. A decreasing trend is recorded in winter and begins in 1980. No significant trend is found in summer, autumn and yearly precipitation. The same fluctuations are observed between summer and annual precipitation indicating the dominant influence of the summer season.

Comparative analysis of the relations of climatic characteristics to the quantitative morphometric parameters and the position in the landscape structure

The comparative analysis is given of the strength and credibility of the modeling of the average monthly temperatures and monthly and yearly precipitation values spatial distribution by multiple regression model utilizing morphometric data, in contrast with the ANOVA model utilizing qualitative data on the position of the meteorological stations in the landscape morphological structure. Key words: climatic field, geospatial modeling, multiple regression, ANOVA, ANCOVA.

Cultivation of Chinese Silvergrass (Miscanthus Sinensis Anderss.) On the East Slovak Lowland as a Potential Source of Raw Material for Energy Purposes

A field trial with Miscanthus sinensis Anderss. was performed in Vysoká nad Uhom (average yearly temperature: 9.0°C, yearly precipitation: 584 mm) on Haplic fluvisol (WRB 2006) during 2006-2009. The average dry matter (DM) yield of the above- ground phytomass was 25.63 t/ha/year (excluding establish- ment year when yield was 4.81 t/ha) and had an increasing trend according to production years (14.13, 26.14 and 36.63 t/ha). We achieved in developing a trial stand in the third year of production when the field coverage of 10 thousand rhizomes being planted per hectare was over 80%; however, it can be used as a denser spacing for the earlier performance of stand with full production capability, which means plantation of 12-13 thousand plants per hectare. The average lower heating value of the organic sample of phytomass, as received (LHV) was 15.56 MJ/kg, and according to the trial years were 15.09; 15.80; 15.70; and 15.80 MJ/kg. The amount of total energy value of the produced phytomass per unit area (energy yield) was 1,284.989 GJ/ha, and 72.583, 223.254, 410.398, 578.754 GJ/ha, respectively, in the trial years. The energy yield was exclusively affected (r = 0.999), and the caloric value (LHV) was affected by phytomass yield (r = 0.739). Obtained emission characteristics and the concentration of selected volatiles, and remaining ash, ash content 3.46%, total water 10.65%, carbon 42.49%, hydrogen 5.20%, total sulphur 0.12%, nitrogen 0.55%, silicone 1.17% and chlorine 0.16% have supported the environmentally friendly introduction of Chinese silvergrass, as the energy crop is desirable for the targeted agroecological conditions of Slovakia.

Correlation of precipitation distribution and quality sweet cherry production

Sweet and sour cherry need 550–600 mm yearly precipitation. The critical period is 1–1.5 month after flowering, it is normally between 15.April – 15. June in Hungary. The rain induced fruit cracking is also a critical and costly problem for cherry growers. Fruits grown under arid conditions are less resistant against rainfall during harvest and up to 50–60% crack damage may occur. A computer program was developed to calculate the precipitation related production risks of sweet cherry. Focus of the research was Zala county. Spatial distribution of precipitation was compared in two directions (East and North of Zala county) based on the data of meteorological stations. The first results indicate that the developed method estimates the risks quite well, compared to the farm experiment results. The developed computer program can be parameterised according to the user’s requirements, this allows to take into account the real variety structure of a given orchard.