Global-scale analysis of river flow alterations due to water withdrawals and reservoirs
Global-scale information on natural river flows and anthropogenic river flow alterations is required to identify areas where aqueous ecosystems are expected to be strongly degraded. Such information can support the identification of environmental flow guidelines and a sustainable water management th...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:92ce432c0a9c4cb19f3c4bdc96975b0b 2023-05-15T13:56:15+02:00 Global-scale analysis of river flow alterations due to water withdrawals and reservoirs P. Döll K. Fiedler J. Zhang 2009-12-01T00:00:00Z https://doaj.org/article/92ce432c0a9c4cb19f3c4bdc96975b0b EN eng Copernicus Publications http://www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci.net/13/2413/2009/hess-13-2413-2009.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1027-5606 https://doaj.org/toc/1607-7938 1027-5606 1607-7938 https://doaj.org/article/92ce432c0a9c4cb19f3c4bdc96975b0b Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, Vol 13, Iss 12, Pp 2413-2432 (2009) Technology T Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering TD1-1066 Geography. Anthropology. Recreation G Environmental sciences GE1-350 article 2009 ftdoajarticles 2022-12-31T08:11:07Z Global-scale information on natural river flows and anthropogenic river flow alterations is required to identify areas where aqueous ecosystems are expected to be strongly degraded. Such information can support the identification of environmental flow guidelines and a sustainable water management that balances the water demands of humans and ecosystems. This study presents the first global assessment of the anthropogenic alteration of river flow regimes, in particular of flow variability, by water withdrawals and dams/reservoirs. Six ecologically relevant flow indicators were quantified using an improved version of the global water model WaterGAP. WaterGAP simulated, with a spatial resolution of 0.5 degree, river discharge as affected by human water withdrawals and dams around the year 2000, as well as naturalized discharge without this type of human interference. Compared to naturalized conditions, long-term average global discharge into oceans and internal sinks has decreased by 2.7% due to water withdrawals, and by 0.8% due to dams. Mainly due to irrigation, long-term average river discharge and statistical low flow Q 90 (monthly river discharge that is exceeded in 9 out of 10 months) have decreased by more than 10% on one sixth and one quarter of the global land area (excluding Antarctica and Greenland), respectively. Q 90 has increased significantly on only 5% of the land area, downstream of reservoirs. Due to both water withdrawals and reservoirs, seasonal flow amplitude has decreased significantly on one sixth of the land area, while interannual variability has increased on one quarter of the land area mainly due to irrigation. It has decreased on only 8% of the land area, in areas downstream of reservoirs where consumptive water use is low. The impact of reservoirs is likely underestimated by our study as small reservoirs are not taken into account. Areas most affected by anthropogenic river flow alterations are the Western and Central USA, Mexico, the western coast of South America, the Mediterranean ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctica Greenland Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Greenland |
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Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
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topic |
Technology T Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering TD1-1066 Geography. Anthropology. Recreation G Environmental sciences GE1-350 |
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Technology T Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering TD1-1066 Geography. Anthropology. Recreation G Environmental sciences GE1-350 P. Döll K. Fiedler J. Zhang Global-scale analysis of river flow alterations due to water withdrawals and reservoirs |
topic_facet |
Technology T Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering TD1-1066 Geography. Anthropology. Recreation G Environmental sciences GE1-350 |
description |
Global-scale information on natural river flows and anthropogenic river flow alterations is required to identify areas where aqueous ecosystems are expected to be strongly degraded. Such information can support the identification of environmental flow guidelines and a sustainable water management that balances the water demands of humans and ecosystems. This study presents the first global assessment of the anthropogenic alteration of river flow regimes, in particular of flow variability, by water withdrawals and dams/reservoirs. Six ecologically relevant flow indicators were quantified using an improved version of the global water model WaterGAP. WaterGAP simulated, with a spatial resolution of 0.5 degree, river discharge as affected by human water withdrawals and dams around the year 2000, as well as naturalized discharge without this type of human interference. Compared to naturalized conditions, long-term average global discharge into oceans and internal sinks has decreased by 2.7% due to water withdrawals, and by 0.8% due to dams. Mainly due to irrigation, long-term average river discharge and statistical low flow Q 90 (monthly river discharge that is exceeded in 9 out of 10 months) have decreased by more than 10% on one sixth and one quarter of the global land area (excluding Antarctica and Greenland), respectively. Q 90 has increased significantly on only 5% of the land area, downstream of reservoirs. Due to both water withdrawals and reservoirs, seasonal flow amplitude has decreased significantly on one sixth of the land area, while interannual variability has increased on one quarter of the land area mainly due to irrigation. It has decreased on only 8% of the land area, in areas downstream of reservoirs where consumptive water use is low. The impact of reservoirs is likely underestimated by our study as small reservoirs are not taken into account. Areas most affected by anthropogenic river flow alterations are the Western and Central USA, Mexico, the western coast of South America, the Mediterranean ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
P. Döll K. Fiedler J. Zhang |
author_facet |
P. Döll K. Fiedler J. Zhang |
author_sort |
P. Döll |
title |
Global-scale analysis of river flow alterations due to water withdrawals and reservoirs |
title_short |
Global-scale analysis of river flow alterations due to water withdrawals and reservoirs |
title_full |
Global-scale analysis of river flow alterations due to water withdrawals and reservoirs |
title_fullStr |
Global-scale analysis of river flow alterations due to water withdrawals and reservoirs |
title_full_unstemmed |
Global-scale analysis of river flow alterations due to water withdrawals and reservoirs |
title_sort |
global-scale analysis of river flow alterations due to water withdrawals and reservoirs |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2009 |
url |
https://doaj.org/article/92ce432c0a9c4cb19f3c4bdc96975b0b |
geographic |
Greenland |
geographic_facet |
Greenland |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctica Greenland |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctica Greenland |
op_source |
Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, Vol 13, Iss 12, Pp 2413-2432 (2009) |
op_relation |
http://www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci.net/13/2413/2009/hess-13-2413-2009.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1027-5606 https://doaj.org/toc/1607-7938 1027-5606 1607-7938 https://doaj.org/article/92ce432c0a9c4cb19f3c4bdc96975b0b |
_version_ |
1766263615140134912 |