SustainableSustainable WaterWater SystemsSystems EnvironmentalEnvironmental FlowFlow ChallengesChallenges andand IssuesIssues

Presentation Nasser Talebbeydokhti Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering Shiraz University Shiraz Iran [email protected] 09171179407 SustainableSustainable WaterWater SystemSystem AestheticAesthetic && WaterWater ArcheologyArcheology && WaterWater PersianPersian PoetryPoetry && WaterWater ValuesValues

ﺁب زﻧﻴﺪ راﻩ را هﻴﻦ ﮐﻪ ﻧﮕﺎر ﻣﯽ رﺳﺪ ﻣﮋدﻩ دهﻴﺪ ﺑﺎغ را ﺑﻮﯼ ﺑﻬﺎر ﻣﯽ رﺳﺪ راﻩ دهﻴﺪ ﻳﺎر را ﺁن ﻣﻪ دﻩ ﭼﻬﺎر را ﮐﺰ رخ ﻧﻮرﺑﺨﺶ او ﻧﻮر ﻧﺜﺎر ﻣﯽ رﺳﺪ ﭼﺎﮎ ﺷﺪﺳﺖ ﺁﺳﻤﺎن ﻏﻠﻐﻠﻪ اﻳﺴﺖ در ﺟﻬﺎن ﻋﻨﺒﺮ و ﻣﺸﮏ ﻣﯽ دﻣﺪ ﺳﻨﺠﻖ ﻳﺎر ﻣﯽ رﺳﺪ روﻧﻖ ﺑﺎغ ﻣﯽ رﺳﺪ ﭼﺸﻢ و ﭼﺮاغ ﻣﯽ رﺳﺪ ﻏﻢ ﺑﻪ ﮐﻨﺎرﻩ ﻣﯽ رود ﻣﻪ ﺑﻪ ﮐﻨﺎر ﻣﯽ رﺳﺪ ﺗﻴﺮ رواﻧﻪ ﻣﯽرود ﺳﻮﯼ ﻧﺸﺎﻧﻪ ﻣﯽ رود ﻣﺎ ﭼﻪ ﻧﺸﺴﺘﻪ اﻳﻢ ﭘﺲ ﺷﻪ ز ﺷﮑﺎر ﻣﯽ رﺳﺪ ﺑﺎغ ﺳﻼم ﻣﯽ ﮐﻨﺪ ﺳﺮو ﻗﻴﺎم ﻣﯽ ﮐﻨﺪ ﺳﺒﺰﻩ ﭘﻴﺎدﻩ ﻣﯽ رود ﻏﻨﭽﻪ ﺳﻮار ﻣﯽ رﺳﺪ ﺧﻠﻮﺗﻴﺎن ﺁﺳﻤﺎن ﺗﺎ ﭼﻪ ﺷﺮاب ﻣﯽ ﺧﻮرﻧﺪ روح ﺧﺮاب و ﻣﺴﺖ ﺷﺪ ﻋﻘﻞ ﺧﻤﺎر ﻣﯽ رﺳﺪ ﭼﻮن ﺑﺮﺳﯽ ﺑﻪ ﮐﻮﯼ ﻣﺎ ﺧﺎﻣﺸﯽ اﺳﺖ ﺧﻮﯼ ﻣﺎ زان ﮐﻪ ز ﮔﻔﺖ و ﮔﻮﯼ ﻣﺎ ﮔﺮد و ﻏﺒﺎر ﻣﯽ PersianPersian PoetryPoetry && WaterWater forfor LifeLife

ﻣﻦ در اﻳﻦ ﺗﺎرﻳﻜﻲ رﻳﺸﻪ هﺎ را دﻳﺪم و ﺑﺮاي ﺑﺘﻪ ﻧﻮرس ﻣﺮگ ، ﺁب را ﻣﻌﻨﻲ آﺮدم WhyWhy NeedNeed EnvironmentalEnvironmental Flow?Flow? NoticeableNoticeable examplesexamples

• The dead Sea and its Basin are suffering degradation process induced mainly by anthropogenic unsustainable development actions • Last 30 years, level of lake dropped 20 m , surface area has shrunk by 30 % • Reason: major water diversion projects of Jordan and Side Wadis • Reduced input from pre-1985 annual average of 1570 MCM to less than 560 MCM per year of bad quality water • Drop of lake level, 32 sinkholes opened up, lowering, 60 m in last 20 years, ground water quality, 90% of industrial and domestic wastewater are dumping their discharge • Salt concentration prior to 1958 averaged 500 mg/l, in April 1959 reaches 2050 and in June 1960, 2473 mg/l • Needs 1250 MCM/year to be in safe side • 700 species are endangered in the world UsualUsual waterwater usesuses InstreamInstreamI && OffstreamOffstream UsesUses

•• --MunicipalMunicipal useuse •• --AgriculturalAgricultural useuse •• --IndustrialIndustrial useuse •• --HusbandryHusbandry (animal)(animal) useuse •• --HydropowerHydropower •• --FlowFlow AugmentationAugmentation duringduring lowlow flowflow periodsperiods •• --RecreationRecreation && waterwater sportsport •• --Habitat,Habitat, ,Ecosystem, andand EnvironmentEnvironment InstreamInstream FlowFlow UsesUses

•• NavigationNavigation && TransportationTransportation •• ProductionProduction ofof hydroelectrichydroelectric •• WasteWaste disposaldisposal •• MaintainingMaintaining fishfish && wildlifewildlife habitathabitat •• RiverRiver CorridorCorridor •• RecreationRecreation InstreamInstream ValuesValues

•• FisheryFishery •• RecreationRecreation •• HabitatHabitat •• CulturalCultural •• aestheticaesthetic ObjectivesObjectives andand GoalsGoals

•• Considering interests of neglected parties, especially nature itself and demands of local communities •• Preserving native species of flora & fauna •• Protect features of scientific and or cultural interests •• Protect natural flow variability, NFV is one of the most important components of any healthy stream and instream policy •• Variability and predictability of flow and of ecosystem characteristics such as resilience and resistance is very important.

EarthEarth SummitSummit InIn 19921992––EarthEarth summitsummit inin RioRio dede JaneiroJaneiro-- thethe conceptconcept ofof BasicBasic WaterWater NeedsNeeds reaffirmedreaffirmed andand expandexpand toto includeinclude ecologicalecological waterwater needs:needs:

InIn developingdeveloping andand usingusing waterwater resources,resources, prioritypriority hashas toto bebe givengiven toto thethe satisfactionsatisfaction ofof basicbasic needsneeds andand thethe safeguardingsafeguarding ofof .ecosystems. WaterWater AllocationAllocation WithWith increasingincreasing competitioncompetition forfor thethe worldworld’’ss freshwaterfreshwater resourcesresources therethere isis growinggrowing demanddemand forfor toolstools andand methodologiesmethodologies thatthat cancan helphelp managersmanagers andand policypolicy makersmakers makemake betterbetter decisionsdecisions concerningconcerning howhow waterwater shouldshould bebe allocatedallocated betweenbetween competingcompeting demands.demands. ForFor manymany urban,urban, industrialindustrial andand agriculturalagricultural usesuses thesethese toolstools areare relativelyrelatively robustrobust andand increasinglyincreasingly sophisticated.sophisticated. NaturalNatural AquaticAquatic EcosystemsEcosystems

ButBut toolstools forfor assessingassessing thethe waterwater requirementsrequirements ofof naturalnatural aquaticaquatic ecosystemsecosystems areare relativelyrelatively newnew and,and, inin particularparticular forfor aridarid andand semisemi--aridarid regionsregions andand largelarge tropicaltropical ,rivers, areare stillstill inin thethe developmentdevelopment stage.stage. InstreamInstream flowflow

•• EnvironmentalEnvironmental flowflow •• MinimumMinimum flowflow requirementrequirement •• NaturalNatural flowflow variabilityvariability •• FlatliningFlatlining •• MinimumMinimum flowflow andand levelslevels •• HabitatHabitat conservationconservation •• SustainableSustainable ecosystemecosystem •• waterwater forfor neglectedneglected partiesparties •• ManagedManaged FloodFlood WhatWhat ISIS EnvironmentalEnvironmental Flow?Flow? AnAn environmentalenvironmental flowflow isis thethe waterwater regimeregime providedprovided withinwithin aa river,river, wetlandwetland oror coastalcoastal zonezone toto maintainmaintain ecosystemsecosystems andand theirtheir benefitsbenefits wherewhere therethere areare competingcompeting waterwater usesuses andand wherewhere flowsflows areare regulated.regulated.

ToTo maintainmaintain specifiedspecified valuedvalued featuresfeatures ofof thethe riverriver ecosystemsecosystems

TheThe goalgoal ofof environmentalenvironmental flowsflows isis toto provideprovide aa flowflow regimeregime thatthat isis adequateadequate inin termsterms ofof quantity,quantity, qualityquality andand timingtiming forfor sustainingsustaining thethe healthhealth ofof thethe riversrivers andand itsits corridorcorridor andand otherother aquaticaquatic ecosystemsecosystems RiverRiver EcosystemEcosystem

•• AllAll componentscomponents ofof landscapelandscape linkedlinked toto riverriver && riverriver lifelife forms,forms, •• ItIt include:include: sourcesource area,area, channelchannel fromfrom sourcesource toto sea,sea, riparianriparian areas,areas, waterwater inin thethe channelchannel && itsits physicalphysical andand chemicalchemical natures,natures, associatedassociated groundwatergroundwater inin channelchannel andand bankbank areas,areas, ,wetlands, ,floodplains, ,estuary, andand nearnear shoreshore environmentenvironment DefinitionDefinition

•• TheThe essentialessential conceptconcept ofof flowsflows inin aa riverriver thatthat areare necessarynecessary forfor thethe specificspecific purposepurpose ofof sustainingsustaining riverriver ecosystemsecosystems andand thethe variedvaried goodsgoods andand servicesservices providedprovided byby them.them. EnvironmentalEnvironmental FlowFlow DefinitionDefinition

•• WaterWater leftleft inin oror releasedreleased intointo aa riverriver system,system, oftenoften forfor managingmanaging somesome aspectaspect ofof itsits conditionsconditions – Endangered species protection – Healthy ecosystem – Sediment transport – Commercial fisheries yield – Freshwater inflows to bays and – Waste assimilation DefinitionDefinition

•• MinimumMinimum flowflow isis defineddefined asas thethe “…“…limitlimit atat whichwhich furtherfurther withdrawalswithdrawals wouldwould bebe significantlysignificantly harmfulharmful toto thethe waterwater resourcesresources oror ecologyecology ofof thethe areaarea •• TheThe minimumminimum levellevel isis defineddefined asas thethe”…”… limitlimit atat whichwhich furtherfurther withdrawalswithdrawals wouldwould bebe significantlysignificantly harmfulharmful toto thethe wildlifewildlife ofof thethe areaarea DefinitionDefinition

•• TheThe minimumminimum flowflow isis normallynormally specifiedspecified asas anan instantaneousinstantaneous flowflow ratherrather thanthan aa dailydaily average,average, meaningmeaning thatthat thethe flowflow shouldshould nevernever dropdrop belowbelow thethe minimumminimum atat anyany timetime •• InstreamInstream flowflow recommendationrecommendation maymay alsoalso includeinclude artificialartificial floodsfloods oror flushingflushing flow,flow, whichwhich areare e.g.,e.g., designeddesigned toto removeremove finefine materialmaterial fromfrom thethe streamstream bed.bed. TwoTwo Questions?Questions?

•• CanCan thethe EFREFR conceptconcept safeguardsafeguard essentialessential downstreamdownstream functionsfunctions andand values?values? •• HowHow cancan thethe integrationintegration ofof riverine,riverine, coastalcoastal processesprocesses andand managementmanagement bebe optimized?optimized? EnvironmentalEnvironmental FlowFlow MethodologyMethodology

There is no single best method, approach or framework to determine the environmental flow. Each method, approach or framework will thus be suitable only for a set of particular circumstances. There are a number of existing methods for determining an environmental flow : ¾¾hydrologicalhydrological (Historical(Historical Discharge)Discharge) ¾¾hydraulichydraulic ratingrating ¾¾habitathabitat simulationsimulation ¾¾holisticholistic methodologiesmethodologies ¾¾CombinedCombined methodsmethods ¾¾FunctionFunction ApproachApproach IntegrationIntegration

•• WaterWater qualityquality aspectsaspects •• SocialSocial && economiceconomic riverriver functionfunction •• MorphologicalMorphological changeschanges inin thethe riverriver •• RiverRiver flowflow impactsimpacts onon deltas,deltas, coastal,coastal, estuarine,estuarine, andand marinemarine environment.environment. •• ComplexityComplexity ofof integrationintegration generategenerate largelarge databasedatabase andand unsuitableunsuitable forfor decisiondecision makersmakers IssuesIssues && challengeschallenges

•• Definition & goals controversies •• Institutional ( funding, staffing, training, inter-agency roles, management direction, policy direction) •• Legal •• Public involvement •• Science ( integration( hydrology, hydraulics, biology, geomorphology, water quality, connectivity); validation; compliance; economics & social values); training) •• General (urgency, increasing conflicts, growth & other population trends, unanticipated challenges, water transfer & market) IssuesIssues && challengechallenge DefinitionDefinition && GoalGoal

•• DefinitionDefinition controversiescontroversies •• ContinuousContinuous terminologyterminology changeschanges leadingleading toto confusionconfusion andand lossloss ofof faithfaith inin thethe procedureprocedure •• InconsistentInconsistent visionvision andand approachesapproaches •• ClearClear && specificspecific goalsgoals •• LackLack ofof BalancingBalancing certaintycertainty andand flexibilityflexibility inin headwaterheadwater toto seasea withwith complexcomplex arrayarray ofof objectivesobjectives IssuesIssues && challengeschallenges Institutional,Institutional, Legal,Legal, && PublicPublic InvolvementInvolvement

•• LackLack ofof strategicstrategic environmentalenvironmental assessmentassessment inin policy,policy, planplan andand programsprograms inin integratedintegrated waterwater resourcesresources managementmanagement inin nationalnational levellevel •• LackLack ofof policypolicy makersmakers beliefbelief inin EFREFR •• ImplementationImplementation issueissue •• LegislationLegislation && EFREFR andand itsits effectivenesseffectiveness •• LackLack ofof effectiveeffective stakeholdersstakeholders involvementinvolvement && informationinformation sharingsharing IssuesIssues && challengeschallenges ScienceScience

•• LackLack ofof adequateadequate expertiseexpertise andand technicaltechnical supportsupport backedbacked byby legal,legal, institutionalinstitutional arrangementarrangement andand politicalpolitical thrustthrust thatthat isis neededneeded forfor strategicstrategic developmentdevelopment toto raiseraise thethe awarenessawareness andand buildbuild knowledgeknowledge andand understandingunderstanding ofof environmentalenvironmental flowsflows •• ConsideringConsidering recreationrecreation isis aa newnew drivedrive IssuesIssues && challengeschallenges ScienceScience •• LackLack ofof knowledgeknowledge ofof morphologicalmorphological changeschanges inin thethe riverriver andand lacklack ofof historicalhistorical datadata forfor geomorphicgeomorphic studies)studies) •• AnAn entireentire continuumcontinuum ofof riverriver typestypes withwith differentdifferent behaviorsbehaviors •• LateralLateral connectivityconnectivity betweenbetween riversrivers andand floodplainsfloodplains needsneeds moremore emphasisemphasis onon thethe technicaltechnical overviewoverview •• ImpactImpact ofof futurefuture changeschanges onon physicalphysical processesprocesses •• GroundwaterGroundwater && surfacesurface waterwater interactioninteraction IssuesIssues && challengeschallenges ScienceScience

•• RiverRiver flowflow impactsimpacts onon deltas,deltas, coastal,coastal, estuarine,estuarine, andand marinemarine environment.environment. •• ComplexityComplexity ofof integrationintegration generategenerate largelarge databasedatabase andand unsuitableunsuitable forfor decisiondecision makersmakers IssuesIssues && challengeschallenges ScienceScience

•• NoNo currentlycurrently availableavailable modelmodel cancan simulatesimulate allall instreaminstream flowflow functionsfunctions •• useuse ofof aa ProperProper modelmodel inin aridarid andand semisemi--aridarid regionsregions •• SensitivitySensitivity ofof habitathabitat modelsmodels toto hydrologicalhydrological modelsmodels •• LackLack ofof aa mechanismmechanism toto combinecombine hydrology,hydrology, waterwater quality,quality, hydrodynamichydrodynamic modelsmodels acrossacross spatialspatial scalesscales IssuesIssues && challengeschallenges ScienceScience •• SelectingSelecting suitablesuitable andand measurablemeasurable ecologicalecological indicatorsindicators (( responsiveresponsive toto flow,flow, forfor monitoringmonitoring && validation,validation, adaptiveadaptive management,management, achievingachieving soundsound ecologicalecological environment)environment) •• InsufficientInsufficient monitoringmonitoring && verificationverification && testingtesting ofof methodsmethods •• PeerPeer reviewreview IssuesIssues && challengeschallenges GeneralGeneral

•• ConflictsConflicts amongamong instreaminstream andand offstreamoffstream usesuses •• ClimateClimate changechange impactsimpacts •• DroughtsDroughts effectseffects •• NutrientNutrient loads,loads, toxictoxic chemicals,chemicals, andand emergingemerging contaminantscontaminants (( waterwater qualityquality isis sitesite specificspecific && dynamic)dynamic) •• SedimentationSedimentation effectseffects •• SalinitySalinity effectseffects •• WaterWater stressesstresses basinsbasins IssuesIssues && challengeschallenges GeneralGeneral

•• Single vs. multiple dams effects •• Socioeconomic concerns for culturally vulnerable indigenous groups •• Inter-basin water transfer •• International watersheds or river basins •• Urgency •• increasing conflicts ( water use & associated conflicts, water marketing) •• growth & other population trends •• unanticipated challenges •• water transfer & market WhatWhat toto dodo

•• Public awareness •• Instream flow is essential for ecosystem livelihood •• Proper legislations •• Considering environmental flow in dam reservoir and aquifers •• Implement strategic environmental assessment of river systems in national levels •• Comprehensive auditing of EIA •• River carrying capacity studies and research •• Considering water for historical, archeological, cultural and religious sites WhatWhat toto dodo

•• EducateEducate decisiondecision makersmakers •• PublicPublic educationeducation •• FarmerFarmer educationeducation •• ResearchResearch onon optimumoptimum andand suitablesuitable methodmethod •• AtlasAtlas ofof environmentalenvironmental flowflow forfor riverriver systemssystems