Evaluating indicators of hydrologic alteration to demonstrate the impact of open-pit lignite mining on the flow regimes of small and medium-sized rivers
Our study provides a retrospective evaluation of the perturbances of the opencast mining on the small river. Based on a standard 'before-after-control-impact' approach, we assess the impact of disturbances on aquatic ecosystems. For this purpose, we used IHA (Index of Hydrological Alterati...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Ecological Indicators |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X23014371 |
| _version_ | 1797422629659869184 |
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| author | Michał Habel Bogumił Nowak Paweł Szadek |
| author_facet | Michał Habel Bogumił Nowak Paweł Szadek |
| author_sort | Michał Habel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Our study provides a retrospective evaluation of the perturbances of the opencast mining on the small river. Based on a standard 'before-after-control-impact' approach, we assess the impact of disturbances on aquatic ecosystems. For this purpose, we used IHA (Index of Hydrological Alteration) statistics to fully quantify the impact of open-pit mine on flow regimes of small-to-medium-size rivers. The analysis results in flow data captured in the 33 parameters of the range variability approach (RVA) and five ecological flow components (EFC). This approach helped us comprehensively evaluate the alteration in the flow regime in areas of open-pit mining on the example of the Noteć River, a typical lowland river. We conclude that the level integrated hydrologic alterations to this river under the influence of the groundwater depression cone and water from the mine dewatering are high, as assessed by the RVA and EFC methods. Specifically, this work uses the IHA framework to verify the necessity of including a specific group of indicators. Our analysis shows that for the post-impact period on the investigated river, the functioning of the river ecosystem was degraded. One of the EFC components completely disappeared at both water gauge stations. There were also profound hydrologic alterations, such as increased frequency or duration of “extreme low flows” at one station; at the second station, “high flow pulses” occurred more frequently. More than 65 % of the altered parameters in five IHA groups were modified drastically. In the river section affected by the groundwater depression cone, both the minimum and maximum flows decreased by 20 % to 55 %. In the section where water from the mine dewatering is fed in, the minimum flows changed by + 170 to + 230 %. The use of the IHA tool provides an opportunity for environmental flow restoration of water conditions in degraded post-mining areas. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T07:35:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-48dc4d7e7fd9437493e1c7d4d563056e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1470-160X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T07:35:06Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecological Indicators |
| spelling | doaj.art-48dc4d7e7fd9437493e1c7d4d563056e2023-12-03T05:40:15ZengElsevierEcological Indicators1470-160X2023-12-01157111295Evaluating indicators of hydrologic alteration to demonstrate the impact of open-pit lignite mining on the flow regimes of small and medium-sized riversMichał Habel0Bogumił Nowak1Paweł Szadek2Faculty of Geographical Sciences, Kazimierz Wielki University, Plac Kościeleckich 8, 85-064 Bydgoszcz, Poland; Corresponding author.National Water Holding Polish Waters, Regional Water Management Board in Poznań, Chlebowa 4/8, 61-003 Poznań, Poland; Institute of Meteorology and Water Management – National Research Institute, Podleśna 61, 01-673 Warszawa, PolandZE PAK S.A., Kazimierska 45, 62-510 Konin, PolandOur study provides a retrospective evaluation of the perturbances of the opencast mining on the small river. Based on a standard 'before-after-control-impact' approach, we assess the impact of disturbances on aquatic ecosystems. For this purpose, we used IHA (Index of Hydrological Alteration) statistics to fully quantify the impact of open-pit mine on flow regimes of small-to-medium-size rivers. The analysis results in flow data captured in the 33 parameters of the range variability approach (RVA) and five ecological flow components (EFC). This approach helped us comprehensively evaluate the alteration in the flow regime in areas of open-pit mining on the example of the Noteć River, a typical lowland river. We conclude that the level integrated hydrologic alterations to this river under the influence of the groundwater depression cone and water from the mine dewatering are high, as assessed by the RVA and EFC methods. Specifically, this work uses the IHA framework to verify the necessity of including a specific group of indicators. Our analysis shows that for the post-impact period on the investigated river, the functioning of the river ecosystem was degraded. One of the EFC components completely disappeared at both water gauge stations. There were also profound hydrologic alterations, such as increased frequency or duration of “extreme low flows” at one station; at the second station, “high flow pulses” occurred more frequently. More than 65 % of the altered parameters in five IHA groups were modified drastically. In the river section affected by the groundwater depression cone, both the minimum and maximum flows decreased by 20 % to 55 %. In the section where water from the mine dewatering is fed in, the minimum flows changed by + 170 to + 230 %. The use of the IHA tool provides an opportunity for environmental flow restoration of water conditions in degraded post-mining areas.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X23014371River flow regimeOpen-pit mineIndicators of hydrologic alterationEcological flow componentsRange variability approachRiver ecosystem |
| spellingShingle | Michał Habel Bogumił Nowak Paweł Szadek Evaluating indicators of hydrologic alteration to demonstrate the impact of open-pit lignite mining on the flow regimes of small and medium-sized rivers Ecological Indicators River flow regime Open-pit mine Indicators of hydrologic alteration Ecological flow components Range variability approach River ecosystem |
| title | Evaluating indicators of hydrologic alteration to demonstrate the impact of open-pit lignite mining on the flow regimes of small and medium-sized rivers |
| title_full | Evaluating indicators of hydrologic alteration to demonstrate the impact of open-pit lignite mining on the flow regimes of small and medium-sized rivers |
| title_fullStr | Evaluating indicators of hydrologic alteration to demonstrate the impact of open-pit lignite mining on the flow regimes of small and medium-sized rivers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluating indicators of hydrologic alteration to demonstrate the impact of open-pit lignite mining on the flow regimes of small and medium-sized rivers |
| title_short | Evaluating indicators of hydrologic alteration to demonstrate the impact of open-pit lignite mining on the flow regimes of small and medium-sized rivers |
| title_sort | evaluating indicators of hydrologic alteration to demonstrate the impact of open pit lignite mining on the flow regimes of small and medium sized rivers |
| topic | River flow regime Open-pit mine Indicators of hydrologic alteration Ecological flow components Range variability approach River ecosystem |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X23014371 |
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