This document discusses using existing hydrology and water quality data in river health assessments. It notes that existing data is low-cost and provides historical context. The document outlines how to incorporate existing data sites into new monitoring programs and convert hydrology and water quality data into indicator scores, such as by calculating the percentage of time flow or water quality targets are met.

1. 在河流健康评估中使用现有数据
澳大利亚 Chris Gippel 博士
项目完工研讨会
Ministry of Water Resources
2012 February 23

2. River health assessment
Data gathering programs already exist
Key drivers Key responses
•Hydrology •Biological •Social
•Water quality – Fish – Production of goods
– Macroinvertebrates – Recreation
•Physical form
– Algae – Drinking water
•Riparian vegetation
– etc.
Indicators help inform Indicators reflect management performance
managers how to act
All indicator groups are useful

3. Benefits / limitations of using existing data
Benefits Limitations
Low cost Site location is pre-determined
System will continue to provide data Few sites in each catchment
Quality control and staff training Most sites are on main stems and
systems established large tributaries
Data collected frequently Data have to be obtained from the
program owner
Historical data available For water quality, data might not
contain the desired parameters

4. How to incorporate existing data
Hydrology and water quality station
River health monitoring site

5. Using the historical records
quality
Water
Years Begin river
Hydrology
health program
Years
Biology
Years

6. Using the historical records
quality
Water
Years Begin river
Began e-flow
Hydrology
health program
Years
Biology
Years

7. Converting hydrology data to indicator
scores
No e-flows study E-flows study done
• Assume monthly data • Assume daily data available
available • E-flows recommended
• Assume data available before components define the
regulation - “reference” “reference” hydrology
hydrology • Measure the compliance of
• Calculate ecologically the flow with the e-flows
meaningful indicators components
• Score from 0 - 1 • Score from 0 - 1

8. Flow Health – monthly data
Seasonality altered (SFS) 50th percentile in
ref erence period
Low f low season volume High f low season volume 25th percentile in
greatly reduced (LFV) greatly reduced (HFV) ref erence period Taizihe – Liaoyang
Year 1999/2000
800 High disturbance
700 Highest monthly f low Persistently 太子河 - 辽阳 , 人类干扰很
moderately reduced
大
0 )
high (PHF)
3 1 6
600 f rom ref erence (HMF) Persistently low (PLF)
and persistently
500
very low (PVL)
400
Lowest monthly f low
300 greatly reduced
f rom ref erence (LMF)
200
m
M
w
h
n
o
y
(
f
t
l
100
0
Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct

9. Flow Health – monthly data
Seasonality intact (SFS) 50th percentile in
ref erence period
Low f low season volume High f low season 25th percentile in
slightly reduced (LFV) volume OK (HFV) ref erence period
Guijiang – Guilin
Year 2007/2008
1200 Low disturbance
1000
Highest monthly 桂江 - 桂林，干扰
较小
0 )
f low OK (HMF)
3 1 6
Persistently very
800 low OK (PVL) Persistently
high OK (PHF)
600 Persistently low
reduced (PLF)
Lowest monthly
400 f low OK (LMF)
m
M
w
h
n
o
y
200
(
f
t
l
0
Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug

10. Score relative to reference
Deviation from reference range of variation
Large Small Small
V large Moderate V small Very small
Frequency of observations
in reference period
Score = 1
Score = 0 Reference range
of variation
Minimum 25th 75th Maximum
percentile percentile
Low flow season hydrological attribute value
Frequency of observations
in reference period
Minimum 25th 75th Maximum
percentile percentile
High flow season hydrological attribute value

11. Converting water quality data to indicator
scores
Percent of time target met Weighted grade method
• Set a target grade (I – V) • Weight each water quality
• Calculate grade for each grade (I = 1.0….V = 0.0)
month • Calculate grade for each
• Calculate percent of months month
reaching target grade • Calculate percent of months
• Percent of time at target = reaching each grade
score from 0 - 1 • For each grade, calculate
percent of time X weighting
• Add the weighted scores =
score from 0 - 1

12. Summary
• Existing water quality and hydrology data help to tell the history of
river health
• Using existing data is inexpensive
• Existing data can be combined with data from a site monitoring
program
• The indicator score calculations are very easy