WFD Ecological Quality Indicators Are Poorly Correlated with Water Levels in River Catchments in Tuscany (Italy)

The Water Framework Directive (WFD) requires European countries to achieve a good ecological status of surface water bodies and demands that River District Authorities define ecological flows consistently. Nevertheless, the relationship between ecological and hydrological indicators is not fully understood and not straightforward to apply because ecological and hydrological indicators are monitored by different institutions, with different timings and purposes. This work examines the correlation between a set of ecological indicators monitored by environmental agencies (STAR-ICMi, LIMeco, IBMR, and TDI) and water levels with assigned durations monitored by the hydrologic service in Tuscany (central Italy). Reference water levels are derived from stage-duration curves obtained by the statistical analysis of daily levels in the same year of ecological sampling. The two datasets are paired through a geospatial association for the same river reach and the correlation is measured through Pearson’s r. The results show poor correlation (r between −0.33 and −0.42) between ecological indicators and hydrologic variables, confirming the findings observed in other Italian catchments with different hydrologic regimes, climate, and anthropogenic pressures. Nevertheless, the negative correlations show a decreasing water quality with water depths, i.e., in the lower part of the catchments more affected by anthropogenic pressures. These findings suggests that the determination of ecological flows with a purely hydrological approach is not sufficient for achieving WFD objectives in the study area.

Ecological Flow to Protect Aquatic Resources on the Cebadas River, Chambo River Basin

The assessment of ecological flow is a great challenge, which has important implications in the protection of aquatic ecosystems and socio-economic development of an area. The Tennant-Montana method provides the ability to determine ecological flows considering the relationship between aquatic habitat conditions and the average annual flow of a channel. This research presents an estimat∫e of the ecological flow at 10, 30 and 60% of the average flow and trends of the Cebadas River located in the central Andes of Ecuador through a hydrological approach during the period 1966 to 2015. The results allowed to determine an average annual flow rate of 20,768 m3/s and identify a period of avenues (May-September) and a period of dry (October-April). Long-term trend analysis using linear regression and Spearman Rho's test determined that the flow rate has remain Zvirtually unchanged for 50 years and for decade periods. The selected ecological flow was 30% of the seasonal average with values of 6.22 m3/s and 8.32 m3/s for the dry and avenue period respectively. The hydrological variability of the Cebadas River was considered because it is a restrictive factor for the development of the different aquatic species. Flow rates at 30% flow could ensure adequate development and conservation of the aquatic habitats of the Barley River while ensuring a sufficient supply of water for food security. Keywords: Cebadas River, ecological flow, trends, tennant. Resumen La evaluación del caudal ecológico es un gran desafío, que tiene importantes implicaciones en la protección de ecosistemas acuáticos y desarrollo socioeconómico de una zona. El método de Tennant-Montana provee la capacidad de determinar caudales ecológicos considerando la relación entre las condiciones del hábitat acuático y el flujo anual medio de un cauce. Esta investigación presenta una estimación del caudal ecológico al 10, 30 y 60% del caudal medio y tendencias del río Cebadas ubicado en los Andes centrales del Ecuador mediante un enfoque hidrológico durante el periodo de 1966 al 2015. Los resultados permitieron determinar un caudal promedio anual de 20.768 m3/s e identificar un periodo de avenidas (mayo- septiembre) y otro de estiaje (octubre-abril). El análisis de tendencias a largo plazo mediante la regresión lineal y el test de Spearman Rho determinaron que el caudal se ha mantenido prácticamente sin cambios durante 50 años y para los períodos decadales. El caudal ecológico seleccionado fue al 30% de la media estacional con valores de 6.22 m3/s y 8.32 m3/s para el periodo de estiaje y avenida respectivamente. Se consideró la variabilidad hidrológica del río Cebadas porque constituye un factor restrictivo para el desarrollo de las diferentes especies acuáticas. Los caudales al 30% de flujo podrían asegurar un desarrollo y conservación adecuada de los hábitats acuáticos del río Cebada y al mismo tiempo garantiza un suministro suficiente de agua para la seguridad alimentaria. Palabras claves: río Cebadas, régimen fluvial, tendencias, tennant.

Borders and the Design of the Civic

The word border may be the most constraining on human thought and action in history. Whether borders on territory, borders from ideologies, from politics, or anything else; they all condition action and thinking. I want to focus on the many borders that humans erect, walls that we construct, and how they block flows and processes that constitute life and well-being. If this were a conference on sustainability or ecology, I would go on about how human borders, especially administrative and infrastructural ones, block ecological flows and processes and thus harm biological life, including humans. Most ancient traditions of wellness and health, including Ayurvedic, Tantric, Chinese, Greek, and Persian, stressed the free flow of energy. Blockage of flows in the body were sources of illness and disease. Borders of all kinds are infused into virtually every thing that humans create, from organizations and institutions to customs and traditions. Yet the most constraining borders of all are the borders on our own thinking. After addressing several essential characteristics of borders, a number of policies and actions are suggested for dealing with political conflicts and humanitarian crises related to borders.

Beyond Nationality: Opportunities for Trans-Boundary Wildlife Conservation

Unlike humans, political and physical boundaries do not limit animals that are long ranging. However, due to political, economic and social conflicts between countries, it is the wildlife that takes a hit. This has been recognized by many countries and effective measures of trans-boundary conservation have successfully been implemented. This has not only paved the way for the conservation of species that range in multiple countries but has also enhanced cooperation between countries on several fronts. In this article, we highlight the need for similar trans-boundary measures between India and Pakistan and focus on a few species which can act as potential flagship species in this regard. In the background of global commitments by India and nations for conserving the freedom of movement, and for securing the services offered by these ecological flows to the people of both nations, we propose a scientific discussion for establishing trans-boundary peace parks.

Determinación de caudales ecológicos en el río Cutuchi, Ecuador

La legislación del Ecuador obliga a mantener un caudal ecológico para preservar los ecosistemas y la biodiversidad. Sin embargo, son pocos los ríos en el país en los que se ha establecido el flujo mínimo. El objetivo de esta investigación fue determinar el caudal ecológico en el río Cutuchi, estación hidrológica Cutuchi A.J. Yanayacu (H792), mediante los métodos: Caudal de permanencia, Suizo, Tennant, Rafael Heras y Referencial. Adicionalmente, se comparó con el caudal ecológico al 10% del caudal medio mensual multianual establecido en la transitoria sexta de la ley ecuatoriana. También se analizó las tendencias del caudal y la precipitación en la cuenca alta del río Patate. Los resultados evidencian un caudal promedio anual de 9,64 m3/s para el río Cutuchi, con dos regímenes hidrológicos (avenidas y estiaje) que respondes a la distribución de las precipitaciones. La comparación de medias según la prueba de Tukey al 5%, determinó a los métodos Referenciales seguidos de Tennant, como adecuados para la sobrevivencia de la vida acuática en el río. De igual manera, los caudales estimados fueron superiores al caudal mínimo observado para el periodo 1990-2014. El análisis de tendencia mediante la prueba estadística de Mann-Kendall evidenció que el caudal anual y estacional presentaron cambios o tendencias significativas (p<0,01). Sin embargo, la precipitación no mostró cambios de aumento o disminución durante los 20 años (p<0,05=. Palabras claves: Río Cutuchi, Caudales ecológicos, método Referencial, Tennant. Abstract =Ecuador's legislation requires maintaining an ecological flow to preserve ecosystems and biodiversity. However, few rivers in the country where the minimum flow has been established. The objective of this research was to determine the ecological flow in the Cutuchi River, Cutuchi A.J. Yanayacu hydrological station (H792), using the methods: Permanence Flow, Swiss, Tennant, Rafael Heras and Referential. In addition, it was compared with the ecological flow to 10% of the average monthly multi-year flow established in the transitional sixth of Ecuadorian law. Flow and precipitation trends in the upper Patate River basin were also analyzed. The results show an average annual flow of 9.64 m3/s for the Cutuchi River, with two hydrological regimes (avenues and styling) that respond to the distribution of precipitation. The comparison of means according to the Tukey test at 5%, determined the Referential methods followed by Tennant, as suitable for the survival of aquatic life in the river. Similarly, the estimated flow rates were higher than the minimum flow observed for the period 1990-2014. Trend analysis using Mann-Kendall's statistical test showed that annual and seasonal flow showed significant changes or trends (p<0.01). However, precipitation showed no changes in increase or decrease during the 20 years (p<0.05=. Keywords: Cutuchi River, Ecological flows, Reference method, Tennant.

Caudales ecológicos y otros conflictos ambientales en la reciente jurisprudencia derivada de la planificación hidrológica en España

LABURPENA: Espainiako Gobernuak 2016-2021 aldirako onartu dituen plan hidrologikoetatik eratorritako jurisprudentzia aztertzen du lan honek. Demanda gehienak ezetsi egin dira, hiru kasutan izan ezik: Tajo ibairako ingurumen-helbururik eta emari ekologikorik eza; Guadalquivir ibaiaren dragatzea, eta Andaluziako arroen planak. Dokumentuak argudio oso desberdinak antolatzen ditu, hala nola jarduneko gobernuaren ahalmena, izapide eta txostenik ez egitea, aditu-frogaren balioa, eta, logikoa denez, funtsezko gaiak. Jurisprudentzia hori ezagutzea eta kritikatzea funtsezkoa da etorkizuneko plangintza hidrologikoa hobetzeko. ABSTRACT: This paper analyzes the case law resulting from hydrological plans adopted by the Government of Spain for the period 2016-2021. Most of the lawsuits have been dismissed, except in three cases: the lack of environmental objectives and ecological flows for the Tagus river; the dredging of the Guadalquivir river and the plans for the Andalusian basins. The document schematizes arguments of a very different nature, such as the powers of the interim government, the omission of procedures and reports, the value attributed to expert evidence as well as logically the substantive issues. The knowledge and criticism of this jurisprudence seems essential to enhance the future hydrological planning. RESUMEN: Este trabajo analiza la jurisprudencia derivada de los planes hidrológicos aprobados por el Gobierno de España para el período 2016-2021. La mayoría de las demandas han sido desestimadas, excepto en tres casos: la falta de objetivos ambientales y caudales ecológicos para el río Tajo; el dragado del río Guadalquivir y los planes de las cuencas andaluzas. El documento ordena argumentos de muy diferente naturaleza, como la potestad del gobierno en funciones, la omisión de trámites e informes, el valor de la prueba pericial, amén lógicamente de los temas sustantivos. El conocimiento y crítica de esta jurisprudencia es esencial para mejorar la planificación hidrológica futura.

Optimizing Spatial Distribution of Urban Green Spaces by Balancing Supply and Demand for Ecosystem Services

The capacity and ecological flows of ecosystem services as well as the demand for them are key areas of urban and rural ecological planning that have been studied using the spatial-explicit model as a decision support tool. This study develops a framework for mapping the relationships among the capacity of and demand for ecosystem services, ecological flows, and planning management. This is done by estimating the ecosystem services based on the space for recreation and environmental conditions and assessing planning for green spaces using the spatial-explicit model. The results show that the carrying capacity of green recreational space was high in the northwest, southwest, and southeast parts of the city of Hefei in China, where this space was highly sustainable in the northwest and southwest. The data also show that the carrying capacity for air purification was higher in the northwest, southwest, and southeast suburbs of Hefei, while areas with high demand for air purification were mainly located in the northeast. The spatial variation in the flows of supply and demand for ecosystem services remained high and unbalanced in the northeast and southwest of Hefei. The excessive use of ecosystem services was concentrated in the urban center while their use in suburban areas was sustainable. The results show that the gap between the supply and demand of space for recreation increased with distance while that between the supply and demand of air purification decreased with increasing distance. The results of assessment based on spatial visualization show that green space was abundant in areas with low demand for it, while those with high demand for it tended to have limited green space in Hefei. This analysis shows that indices for the demand for green spaces in the context of ecosystem services can be improved via public participation, interactions between different scales of ecosystem services for green space, and use of decision support in urban and rural planning systems. These areas will form important directions for future research.

Drought and Ecological Flows in the Lower Guadiana River Basin (Southwest Iberian Peninsula)

Drought temporal characterization is a fundamental instrument in water resource management and planning of basins with dry-summer Mediterranean climate and with a significant seasonal and interannual variability of precipitation regime. This is the case for the Lower Guadiana Basin, where the river is the border between Spain and Portugal (Algarve-Baixo Alentejo-Andalucía Euroregion). For this transboundary basin, a description and evaluation of hydrological drought events was made using the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) with monthly precipitation time series of Spanish and Portuguese climatic stations in the study area. The results showed the occurrence of global cycles of about 25–30 years with predominance of moderate and severe drought events. It was observed that the current requirements of ecological flows in strategic water bodies were not satisfied in some months of October to April of years characterized by severe drought events occurring in the period from 1946 to 2015. Therefore, the characterization of the ecological status of the temporary streams that were predominant in this basin should be a priority in the next hydrologic plans in order to identify the relationships between actual flow regimes and habitat attributes, thereby improving environmental flows assessments, which will enable integrated water resource management.