Department of Environmental Engineering, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, 35390, Turkey.
Department of Drilling, Torbali Technical Vocational School of Higher Education, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, 35860, Turkey.
Environ Monit Assess. 2021 Mar 26;193(4):226. doi: 10.1007/s10661-021-09018-w.
Main river systems in large watersheds are mostly destroyed due to intense human activities. These rivers are modified by a number of water infrastructures such as dams, diversion weirs, flood control structures, and sediment traps. Such modifications alter the hydrology, continuity, and habitat quality of river waterbodies and degrade their overall ecological status. This study provides a systematic and quantitative assessment of river hydromorphology with a composite index based on four sets of criteria (i.e., hydrology, channel continuity, habitat quality, and bed modification) to assess the level of human intervention. The developed index is tested and implemented in Gediz River Basin in Western Anatolia (Turkey), which is one of the most important watersheds with regard to human settlements as well as agricultural and industrial production. The results of the developed index have revealed values between 42.36 and 88.14 on a 0-100 scale and a gradual decline in overall river hydromorphological quality along the flow path. The analysis has shown that barrier effects were found to be crucial in reduced river continuity and bed modification for flood control has resulted in degraded instream and riverbank habitat quality. The developed index methodology can serve as a systematic tool for assessing the hydromorphology and its associated influence in the ecological status of rivers. It can further assist the decision-makers in planning and prioritizing river restoration projects.
由于人类活动的强烈影响，大型流域的主要河流系统大多遭到破坏。这些河流被许多水利基础设施改变，如大坝、引水堰、防洪结构和泥沙陷阱。这些改变改变了河流水体的水文学、连续性和生境质量，降低了其整体生态状况。本研究基于四个标准（即水文学、河道连续性、生境质量和河床改造）提供了一种基于综合指数的河流水力学形态的系统和定量评估方法，以评估人类干预的程度。该指数在安纳托利亚西部的格尔迪兹河流域（土耳其）进行了测试和实施，该流域是最重要的流域之一，在人类住区以及农业和工业生产方面都具有重要意义。开发指数的结果显示，在 0-100 的范围内，其值在 42.36 到 88.14 之间，并且沿着水流路径整体河流水力学形态质量逐渐下降。分析表明，障碍效应在降低河道连续性方面起着至关重要的作用，而防洪导致了河流内部和河岸生境质量的退化。开发的指数方法可以作为评估河流水力学形态及其对河流生态状况的影响的系统工具。它可以进一步帮助决策者规划和优先考虑河流恢复项目。
