Environmental Geology

, 58:1387 | Cite as

Environmental changes after ecological water conveyance in the lower reaches of Heihe River, northwest China

Original Article
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Abstract

This paper analyzed the dynamic change of the groundwater level by 6 years’ monitoring in field monitoring and the change of vegetation by the field survey and satellite remote sensing after watering in the lower reaches of Heihe River. The findings indicated: (1) the groundwater level elevation and the plant growth are closely related to the volume and the duration of watering. In general, groundwater level elevates dramatically and plants are growing much more vigorously after watering; (2) Watering incidence on groundwater keeps extending with the watering times increasing; (3) Plants grew rapidly in 100–400 m away from the water channel after watering. Watering incidence on vegetation reached 1,000 m; (4) In terms of the function and structure of ecosystem after watering in the lower reaches of Heihe River, the ecological water conveyance does not still reach the goal of ecological restoration at a large spatial scale at present. In addition, in order to solve fundamentally the problem of ecological environment worsens in the lower reaches of Heihe River, some suggestions and countermeasures are put forward.

Keywords

Ecological water conveyances project (EWCP) Groundwater level Vegetation Heihe River Northwest China 
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Notes

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (40725001; 40671010). The author wishes to thank the anonymous reviewers for their reading of the manuscript, and for their suggestions and critical comments.

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 2008

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research InstituteChinese Academy of SciencesLanzhouChina
  2. 2.Institute of Resources and EnvironmentHenan Polytechnic UniversityJiaozuoChina

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