The development of Integrated Stream health assessment in Taizi River, China

--- by applying the land use as main disturbances pilot research

Dr. Xiaodong Qu

流 域 水 生 态 研 究 室

Agenda

1. Background information

2. Steps to assess

3. Significance

Around 413km long

above13,000 km2

Quick development of Urban

Long history industrial and

farmland pollution

Background information-Research area (Taizi River)

North east of China-The fifth biggest watershed in China

Incident human water security and

biodiversity threat

Vörösmarty et al., 2010

Background information-Main threatens

Urbanization

Farmland

TN1

TN2 TN3

TN4

TN5

TN6

TN7

TN8

TS1

TS2

TS3

TS4 TS5

QH

XT1

XT2

XT3

TZ1

TZ2

TZ3 TZ4

TZ5

TZ6

TZ7

TZ8

TZ9

TZ10

TZ11

TZ12

TZ13

TZ14 TZ15

BS1

BS2

BS3

BS4

SD

TZ16

TZ17

TZ18

TZ19

TZ20

TZ21 XH1

XH2

XH3

XH4 XH5

XH6

XH7

LH1

LH2

TH1 TH2

TH3

TH4

TH5

HC1

HC2

HC3

HC4

HC5

NS1

NS2 NS3

YL1 YL2

HW TZ22

TZ23

Xiaoshi

Benxi Dengta

Liaoyang

Liaoyang*

Anshan

Haicheng

GYG-R

SW-R

TH-R

Cluster I

Cluster II

Cluster III

Cluster IV

Ctenogobius brunneus Squalidus chankaensis Hypseleotris swinhonis

Lampetra morii

Background information-Main threatens

Identify the stressors

Suitable methods to assess

Background information-Main purpose

Development

Method Management

Improve & restore

STEPS TO ASSESS-LIAO RIVER

1. Classification of watershed

2. Construction of conceptual model

3. Identification of stressors and indicators

4. Sampling procedures

5. Quantification-stressors & indicators

6. Target and threshold setting

7. Scoring for Assessment and reporting

8. Connecting to the management

Step 1-Classification

DEM, A-T, A-R

(similar stream habitat and orders)

Upper Mountain Stream region (M-S)

Step 2-Conceptual model

Middle Hilly Stream region (H-S)

Step 2-Conceptual model

Step 3- Identifying the stressor and Indicators

Physical/

Oxygen

demands

Basic Chemical Cations/Anions Nutrient Heavy

metals

Water-T/

BOD5,

COD,

pH, DO, EC, SS,

Alkalinity, TDS,

Silicate,

volatile phenols,

Escherichia coli

Potassium ,

Calcium, Sodium,

Magnesium,

Chlorine, Sulphate,

Bicarbonate

TN, TP,

NH3-N,

NO2-N,

NO3-N,

P04-P

Pb, Cd,

Cr, Al,

Zn, Cu,

Hg, As

STEP 4. SAMPLING, MEASURING & CALCULATION

Algae 288 sites A-IBI, SR, diversity index,

Macroinvertebrate 288 sites B-IBI, diversity index, EPT, BMWP

Fish 290 sites F-IBI, Ind., SR, diversity index,

Collection of aquatic organism

Physical-Chemical and nutrient

Step 5. Quantification

100 150 200 250 300 350

10

20

30

40

50

EC

M_

S

Conductivity

(LR) Richness= 3.7027 – 0.0024EC. P < 0.0001. Adjusted R2 = 0.1502.

5 10 15 20

02

04

06

08

0

%Construction in Catchment

Fi_

DUrbanization

Ind

ivid

ua

ls o

f F

ish

(LR) Ind. = 4.4303 – 0.1382*Urban%. P < 0.0001. Adjusted R2 = 0.3169.

SR

of

Ma

cro

inve

rtb

rate

Taizi River Indicators with significant* relationship with stressors

M-S

DO, EC,

NH3-N, TN, TP

M：SR (F)，BMWP，EPT R(F)

F： SR, F-IBI, F-BP index, ;

A: A-IBI, A-BP index

H-S

DO, EC, volatile phenols,

NH3-N, TN, TP

M：SR (F)，BMWP，EPT R(F)

F： SR, F-IBI, F-BP index, ;

A: A-IBI, A-BP index

F-S

DO, EC, volatile phenols,BOD5, CODCr,

NH3-N, TN, TP

M：SR (F)，BMWP，EPT R(F)

F： SR, F-IBI, F-BP index, ;

A: A-IBI, A-BP index

Indicators list

Step 5. Quantification

*(p<0.05)

Indicator values

Fre

quency

Lower

stress

a) b)Considerable

stress

High

stress

Indicator values

Lower

stress

Considerable

stress

High

stress

5th percentile 95th percentilemedian median

Observed values of an indicator may be used to inform

decisions about target and threshold values for aquatic

ecosystem health.

Step 6. Target & threshold

Step 7. Scoring

a) Site index score = 1-(target-obs)/(target-threshold)

For negative trends with the stressor

or

b) Site index score = 1-(obs-target)/(threshold-target)

For positive trends with the stressor

The standardise scores from 0 to 1 was used:

1=health condition equal to or over the target value

0=disaster condition lower than the threshold value

Step 7. Assessment and reports

Step 8. Connection with Management

Challenges:

1) The low monitoring data of the aquatic

organisms

2) Methods to improve the stream health and

restoration

3) Suitable indicators for the local government

What kind of information we can give to

the stream manager?

Challenges:

1) Be aware of the importance of the

biological assessment

2) The join in of the local residents

3) The communication-Liao River Reserve &

Liao River Research Center (CRAES)

What kind of information the stream

manager need?

Step 8. Connection with Management

520 km long

Step 8. Connection with Management

SIGNIFICANCE

Up to now, the river health assessment mainly based on the

water quality monitoring.

As we known, the river health is always more than the health of

water quality based on the all over world research (US-EPA,

Europe-EWF).

A new river health assessment program is under development by

MEP, and would be promoted for whole country (over US$1.5

Billion for the next ten years).

In the future, our research results and methods would be highly

recommended.

This workshop had provided an excellent chance to share the

experience for the river health assessment, and examples for the

national river systems biological monitoring.

Thanks！