In result of climatic changes water resources in Kura River basin may reduces for about 15-20% by the end of this
century. In this work are identified different adaptation measures to reduce existing and expected by climate
change sceneries water deficit.
As is shown at the table if undertake this measures there wouldn’t be water deficit
today and in the future in
accordance with climate change models.
References
1. Verdiyev R. H., Mansimov M. R., Mamedov D.M. “Modeling of hydrological ranges with considering annual
river runoff distribution”. Stochastic models of hydrological processes and their applications to problems of
environmental preservation ”Moscow, Russia, November 23-27, 1998 p. 166-168.
2. F. Imanov, R. Verdiyev “ Estimation of changes of natural and ecological run-off of Kur river for different
climate change models”. Ecological problems of Caspian sea and ecological education in Caspian countries 18-
20 November 1998, Baku-Azerbaijan , p. 62.
3. R. Verdiyev Water resources assessment for the river Kura in conditions of climate change. World
Meteorological Organization Bulletin, Geneve-1999, p. 327-328
4. Verdiyev Rafig, Mansimov Mirzakhan, Imanov Farda. The rоle of meteorology in economy of the Azerbaijan
Republic. Thesis of presentation. IV European Conference on Application of Meteorology. Sweden. 13-17 ,
September, 1999., p 56-63.
5. Rafig Verdiyev Water resources of Eastern Caucasus rivers under climate change, Baku 2002, 200
unit,214p.
93
Hydrological classification system according to EU WFD
Rafig Verdiyev, PHD, SRHMI , Azerbaijan
Keywords: environmental flow, ecosystem, water quality, ecological status, water discharge
Introduction
Identification of ecological status of river waters is considered very important factor and currently, in
this sphere in all European Union countries is applied an approach
required in Water Framework
Directive (acting as a unique document). According to that approach, when determining the ecological
status of water bodies, relevant requirements are also set for physical-chemical and hydro
morphological supporting elements in parallel with biological quality elements. For instance, if
biological quality elements and physical-chemical water indicators have high status, in order ecological
status of water body to be high (or close to natural conditions). it is required that hydro morphological
quality indicators to be high as well, Otherwise, water status will be decided to be good, not high. And in
further stages, it is considered that if based on initial two elements (biological and physical-
chemical)water quality is good, then there is no need for checking hydro morphological quality/7/.
Based on all those aforementioned items, one can say that hydro morphological quality elements being
the part of environmental quality indicators also should meet relevant requirements same as
biological
and physical-chemical quality indicators used in classification system that is envisaged in Water
Framework Directive/8/.
In hydrological classification system based on on changes of water quantity in riverbed compared to
previous period,
water bodies can be classified into various hydrological categories.
For each
hydrological class category biological indicators can be identified and if in the future change of
hydrological status occurs in result of water abstraction then based on related change of corresponding
biological elements related ecological classification can be conducted.
Methodology
In this proposed methodical approach hydrological classification system is developed to support the
classification of ecological status of water bodies according to Water Framework Directive.
According to approach required in Water Framework Directive, when determining environmental
status
of water bodies, relevant requirements are also set for physical-chemical and hydro
morphological quality indicators of water in parallel with biological quality elements (Figure 1).
In the proposed classification system the diapason between the least for the entire observation period
values of the minimal(often corresponding to period when river is fed by ground waters only) and
maximal(corresponding in many cases to period when river is fed by both ground and surface waters)
daily water discharges (Q
min,min
÷ Q
max,min
) and also water discharges lower than Q
min,min
and those
higher
than Q
max,min
are divided into different categories. It is supposed that low values of water discharges
may correspond to and provide of lower living environment for lower ecological status and higher water
discharges in oposite may provide the higher living environment for water organism amd concequently
higher ecological status of river water body.
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All water discharges equal and higher than Q
max,min
will provide enough condition for high ecosystem
status(as provided by them condition for living organisms will not differ from
the widest living
environment with high biological quality observed in natural period), therefore corresponding water
discharges can also be considered to belong to HİGH hydrological quality class. In this case Q
max,min
will
be a border between the HIGH and GOOD ecological status classes and in turn serve as a
“High
Ecosystem Flow”. All water discharges which are below Q
max,min
in result
of water abstraction will
correspond to lower classes.
Half of Q
min,min
and Q
max,min
as an average value (Q
mean
) is proposed to be
“Mean Ecosystem Flow”.
Water discharges lower than Q
max,min
and equal and higher than Q
mean
can be considered to belong to
“GOOD” hydrological class(as provided by them condition for living organisms will only slightly differ
from
the widest living environment with high biological quality observed in natural period) and water
discharges which in result of water abstraction are below Q
mean
and equal and higher than Q
min,min
can be considered to belong to “MODERATE” hydrological class(as they will provide for living organisms
the moderate living environment from biological quality point of view). In this case Q
mean
will be a
border between GOOD and MODERATE statuses. In its turn Q
min,min
is proposed to be
“Low Ecosystem
Flow” All water discharges which in result of water abstraction are below it will
belong to lower
hydrological status classes.
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