School of Engineering, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada.
Spatial Science Laboratory, Ecosystem Science and Management Department, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77801, USA.
Environ Monit Assess. 2017 Jan;189(2):50. doi: 10.1007/s10661-016-5752-y. Epub 2017 Jan 5.
Tigris and Euphrates river basin (TERB) is one of the largest river basins in the Middle East, and the precipitation (in the form of snowfall) is a major source of streamflow. This study investigates the spatial and temporal variability of precipitation and streamflow in TERB to better understand the hydroclimatic variables and how they varied over time. The precipitation shows a decreasing trend with 1980s being wetter and 2000s being drier. A total of 55 and 40% reduction in high flows in Tigris and Euphrates rivers at T20 and E3 was seen in post-reservoir period. A lag time of 3 to 4 and 5 to 6 months was estimated between peak snowfall and runoff time periods. Decreasing precipitation and streamflow along with several planned dams could hamper the sustainability of several Mesopotamian marshlands that completely depend on the water from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
底格里斯河和幼发拉底河流域（TERB）是中东最大的河流流域之一，降水（以降雪形式）是河流流量的主要来源。本研究调查了 TERB 地区降水和径流量的时空变化，以更好地了解水文气候变量及其随时间的变化情况。降水呈减少趋势，20 世纪 80 年代较湿润，2000 年代较干燥。在水库建成后时期，底格里斯河和幼发拉底河在 T20 和 E3 的高流量分别减少了 55%和 40%。估计峰值降雪和径流时间段之间存在 3 至 4 个月和 5 至 6 个月的滞后时间。降水和径流量的减少以及几个计划中的大坝可能会影响几个完全依赖底格里斯河和幼发拉底河水资源的美索不达米亚沼泽地的可持续性。
