Managing for Sustainability: The Development of Environmental Flows Implementation in China
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. History
2.1. Emergence
2.2. Development
2.3. Expansion
2.4. Consolidation and Challenges
3. Management System
3.1. Responsible Institutions
3.2. Legal Instruments
4. Scientific Basis and Validation
4.1. Common Methods
4.2. Validation Practices
4.3. Pilot of the Three Gorges Reservoir
5. Conclusions
Supplementary Materials
Author Contributions
Funding
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
- Matthews, J.H.; Forslund, A.; McClain, M.E.; Tharme, R.E. More than the fish: Environmental flows for good policy and governance, poverty alleviation and climate adaptation. Aquat. Procedia 2014, 2, 16–23. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Peñas, F.J.; Juanes, J.A.; Galván, C.; Medina, R.; Castanedo, S.; Álvarez, C.; Bárcena, J.F. Estimating minimum environmental flow requirements for well-mixed estuaries in Spain. Estuar. Coast. Shelf Sci. 2013, 134, 138–149. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Davies, P.M.; Naiman, R.J.; Warfe, D.M.; Pettit, N.E.; Arthington, A.H.; Bunn, S.E. Flow–ecology relationships: Closing the loop on effective environmental flows. Mar. Freshw. Res. 2014, 65, 133–141. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Acreman, M.C.; Overton, I.C.; King, J.; Wood, P.J.; Cowx, I.G.; Dunbar, M.J.; Kendy, E.; Young, W.J. The changing role of ecohydrological science in guiding environmental flows. Hydrol. Sci. J. 2014, 59, 433–450. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Vivian, L.M.; Marshall, D.J.; Godfree, R.C. Response of an invasive native wetland plant to environmental flows: Implications for managing regulated floodplain ecosystems. J. Environ. Manag. 2014, 132, 268–277. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Summers, M.F.; Holman, I.P.; Grabowski, R.C. Adaptive management of river flows in Europe: A transferable framework for implementation. J. Hydrol. 2015, 531, 696–705. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Erfani, T.; Binions, O.; Harou, J.J. Protecting environmental flows through enhanced water licensing and water markets. Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 2015, 19, 675–689. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Kelly, O.M.; Colin, B.T.; Jeffrey, C.; Cole, H.S.; Galbraith, C.J.; Blakeslee, L.H.; Christopher, L.H. An integrated riverine environmental flow decision support system (REFDSS) to evaluate the ecological effects of alternative flow scenarios on river ecosystems. Fundam. Appl. Limnol. 2015, 186, 171–192. [Google Scholar]
- Pahl-Wostl, C.; Arthington, A.; Bogardi, J.; Bunn, S.E.; Hoff, H.; Lebel, L.; Nikitina, E.; Palmer, M.; Poff, L.N.; Richards, K.; et al. Environmental flows and water governance: Managing sustainable water uses. Curr. Opin. Environ. Sustain. 2013, 5, 341–351. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Wohl, E. Environmental flows: Saving rivers in the third millennium. Biol. Conserv. 2013, 166, 33. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Poff, N.L. Beyond the natural flow regime? Broadening the hydro-ecological foundation to meet environmental flows challenges in a non-stationary world. Freshw. Biol. 2017, 1–11. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Arthington, A.H.; Bhaduri, A.; Bunn, S.E.; Jackson, S.E.; Tharme, R.E.; Tickner, D.; Young, B.; Acreman, M.; Baker, N.; Capon, S.; et al. The Brisbane Declaration and Global Action Agenda on Environmental Flows (2018). Front. Environ. Sci. 2018, 6, 1–15. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Ang, C.; Miao, W.; Kaiqi, C.; Zhiyu, S.; Chen, S.; Pengyuan, W. Main issues in environmental protection research and practice of water conservancy and hydropower projects in China. Water Sci. Eng. 2017, 4, 312–323. [Google Scholar]
- Miao, W.; Ang, C. Practice on ecological flow and adaptive management of hydropower engineering projects in China from 2001 to 2015. Water Policy 2017, 2, 336–354. [Google Scholar]
- Ang, C.; Xin, S.; Wengen, L.; Kaiqi, C. Review study on instream ecological base flow in China. J. China Inst. Water Resour. Hydropower Res. 2016, 6, 401–411. [Google Scholar]
- Ma, L.; Zhang, X.; Wang, H.; Qi, C. Characteristics and Practices of Ecological Flow in Rivers with Flow Reductions Due to Water Storage and Hydropower Projects in China. Water 2018, 10, 1091. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Wang, H.; Wang, H.; Hao, Z.; Wang, X.; Liu, M.; Wang, Y. Multi-Objective Assessment of the Ecological Flow Requirement in the Upper Yangtze National Nature Reserve in China Using PHABSIM. Water 2018, 10, 326. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Bhaduri, A.; Bogardi, J.; Leentvaar, J.; Marx, S. The Global Water System in the Anthropocene: Challenges for Science and Governance; Springer: Delft, The Netherlands, 2014; pp. 1–14. [Google Scholar]
- Ang, C.; Miao, W.; Chen, S.; Xingnan, Z.; Pengyuan, W. Review of method for calculation of river ecological base-flow and study on its assessment framework. Water Resour. Hydropower Eng. 2017, 2, 97–105. [Google Scholar]
- Ang, C.; Chen, S.; Miao, W.; Pengyuan, W. Recommendation on ecological water demand management in China. Sci. Technol. Rev. 2016, 22, 11. [Google Scholar]
- Xiao, L.; Zhao, R. China’s new era of ecological civilization. Science 2017, 358, 1002–1008. [Google Scholar]
- Tharme, R.E. A global perspective on environmental flow assessment: Emerging trends in the development and application of environmental flow methodologies for rivers. River Res. Appl. 2003, 19, 397–441. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Pastor, A.V.; Ludwig, F.; Biemans, H.; Hoff, H.; Kabat, P. Accounting for environmental flow requirements in global water assessments. Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 2014, 18, 5041–5059. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Chen, A.; Sui, X.; Wang, D.; Liao, W.; Ge, H.; Tao, J. Landscape and avifauna changes as an indicator of Yellow River Delta Wetland restoration. Ecol. Eng. 2016, 86, 162–173. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Wang, J.; Dong, Z.; Liao, W.; Li, C.; Feng, S.; Luo, H.; Peng, Q. An environmental flow assessment method based on the relationships between flow and ecological response: A case study of the Three Gorges Reservoir and its downstream reach. Sci. China Technol. Sci. 2013, 56, 1471–1484. [Google Scholar]
- Harwood, A.; Johnson, S.; Richter, B.; Locke, A.; Yu, X.; Tickner, D. Listen to the River: Lessons from a Global Review of Environmental Flow Success Stories; WWF-UK: Surrey, UK, 2017; Available online: https://www.wwf.org.uk/what-we-do/projects/environmental-flows (accessed on 18 September 2017).
- Shouren, Z. Reflections on the Three Gorges Project since its operation. Engineering 2016, 2, 389–397. [Google Scholar]
Ministry | Responsibilities | Plan Period | Design Period | Construction Period | Operation Period |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
MEP | E-flows release determination in Plan-EIA and EIA of water relevant projects, and water pollution prevention. E-flows release supervision in operation period | Plan-EIA | EIA | Three simultaneities | Post-project EIA |
MWR | E-flows release pre-assessment before Plan-EIA and EIA of water conservancy projects, along with e-flows recovery in river ecosystem protection and restoration | Watershed planning | Assessment of water-draw and utilization | Environmental protection measures design and construction | Green small hydropower stations |
NEA | E-flows release pre-assessment before Plan-EIA and EIA of hydropower projects | River hydropower development plan and approval | Hydropower projects approval | Engineering construction supervision | Sustainable hydropower assessment |
Institution | Year | Instruments | Document Number |
---|---|---|---|
The State Council | 2006 | Regulations on Water Regulation of the Yellow River | Order No.472 |
The State Council | 2015 | Notice of the State Council on Issuing the Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Water Pollution | GF (2015) No.17 |
NPCSC | 2016 | Water Law of the People’s Republic of China (2016 Amendment) | Order No.48 of the President |
NDRC | 2007 | Specification for environmental protection design of water conservancy and hydropower project | DL/T 5402 |
NEA | 2010 | Specification on compiling hydropower planning of river | DL/T 5042 |
NEA | 2015 | Code for post assessment of environmental impacts of river hydropower development | NB/T 35059 |
SEPA 1 &MWR | 2003 | Code for environmental impact assessment of water conservancy and hydropower projects | HJ/T 88 |
SEPA | 2006 | Technical guide for environmental impact assessment of river ecological flow, cold water, and fish passage facilities for water conservation construction projects (trial) | EIA Letter (2006) No.4 |
MEP | 2012 | Notice on Further Enhancing Environmental Protection of Hydropower Construction | MEP General Office Document (2012) No.4 |
MEP &NEA | 2014 | Notice on Deepening Implementation of Ecological Environmental Protection for Hydropower Development | MEP Document (2014) No.65 |
MWR | 2005 | Environmental impact assessment code hydroelectric station project for rural area | SL 315 |
MWR | 2006 | Code of practice for computation on permissible pollution bearing capacity of water bodies | SL 348 |
MWR | 2006 | Regulation for Environmental Impact Assessment of River Basin Planning | SL 45 |
MWR | 2008 | Technical specification for the analysis of supply and demand balance of water resources | SL 429 |
MWR | 2009 | Specification on compiling hydropower development planning of medium and small rivers | SL 221 |
MWR | 2010 | Guidelines for assessment of rivers and lakes eco-water demands | SL/Z 479 |
MWR | 2011 | Regulation for environment protection design of water resources and hydropower projects | SL 492 |
MWR | 2011 | Guidelines for assessment of water-draw and utilization in construction projects of water resources and hydropower | SL 525 |
MWR | 2013 | Specification for compiling preliminary design report of water resources and hydropower projects | SL 619 |
MWR | 2013 | The guidelines for water resources assessment of construction projects | SL 322 |
MWR | 2013 | Code of practice for water resources protection planning | SL 613 |
MWR | 2014 | Specification for calculation of environmental flow in rivers and lakes | SL/Z 712 |
MWR | 2015 | Code for river basin planning | SL 201 |
MWR | 2015 | Guidelines for aquatic ecological protection and restoration planning | SL 709 |
MWR | 2015 | Guidelines for post environmental impact assessment of water project | SL/Z 705 |
MWR | 2017 | Standard for evaluation of green small hydropower stations | SL 752 |
Project Name | Project Type | Operation Year | E-flows |
---|---|---|---|
Duobu | Hydropower | 2012 | No peak load regulation from November to the next September. E-flows release equals reservoir inflow, while inflow is less than 80 m3/s. |
Xiasajiang I | Hydropower | 2014 | >28 m3/s in April to July. 22 m3/s from August to the next March. E-flows release equals reservoir inflow while inflow is less than e-flows. |
Yebatan | Hydropower | 2016 | >132 m3/s in normal period. >272 m3/s in March and April. >405 m3/s in August and September. In fish spawning period (March, April, August and September), generate 10 days ecological operation and release e-flows as reservoir inflow without inner day peak regulation. |
Ma’erdang | Hydropower | 2016 | >145 m3/s from January to March, and July to November. Maintaining natural flow from April to June (spawning period of Gymnocypris eckloni Herzensten, Gymnodiptychus pachycheilus, Triplophysa pappenheimi), without inner day peak regulation. >74 m3/s in December (normal water use period). |
Batang | Hydropower | 2017 | >138 m3/s in normal period. >277 m3/s from March to April, and >413 m3/s from August to September, with at least 1-time ecological operation (lasting 10 days longer) every month. |
Pingtan and Minjiang Estuary | Water Resources Allocation Project | 2016 | >13.8 m3/s from October to the next March. >23.2 m3/s from April to September. |
Huangshui North Canal Phase II | Irrigation project | 2016 | >4.0 m3/s from November to the next April. >1.69 m3/s from May to October. |
A’gang | Reservoir Project | 2016 | >2.08 m3/s from November to the next May. >6.23 m3/s from June to October. |
Nalinggele | Water control project | 2017 | >5.48 m3/s in normal period. >11.82 m3/s from May to September. Generate 1-time flood peak in June and September. |
Chao’er River to Xiliaohe River Water Transfer Project | Water transfer project | 2017 | Wendegen Reservoir: 14.27–22.65 m3/s. Chaole Reservoir: 15.46–24.54 m3/s (April to September), >5.2 m3/s (October to the next March). Release reservoir inflow while inflow is less than e-flows, the minimum flow is 1.28 m3/s. |
© 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Share and Cite
Chen, A.; Wu, M. Managing for Sustainability: The Development of Environmental Flows Implementation in China. Water 2019, 11, 433. https://doi.org/10.3390/w11030433
Chen A, Wu M. Managing for Sustainability: The Development of Environmental Flows Implementation in China. Water. 2019; 11(3):433. https://doi.org/10.3390/w11030433
Chicago/Turabian StyleChen, Ang, and Miao Wu. 2019. "Managing for Sustainability: The Development of Environmental Flows Implementation in China" Water 11, no. 3: 433. https://doi.org/10.3390/w11030433