• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.548-561
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• 2018

The objectives of this study were to construct a three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamic and water quality model (EFDC) for the river reach between the Daecheong dam and the Sejong weir, which are directly affected by Gap and Miho streams located in the middle of the Geum River, and to evaluate the trophic status and water quality improvement effect according to the flow control and pollutant load reduction scenarios. The EFDC model was calibrated with the field data including waterlevel, temperature and water quality collected from September, 2012 to April, 2013. The model showed a good agreement with the field data and adequately replicated the spatial and temporal variations of water surface elevation, temperature and water quality. Especially, it was confirmed that spatial distributions of nutrients and algae biomass have wide variation of transverse direction. Also, from the analysis of algal growth limiting factor, it was found that phosphorous loadings from Gap and Miho streams to Sejong weir induce eutrophication and algal bloom. The scenario of pollutant load reduction from Gap and Miho streams showed a significant effect on the improvement of water quality; 4.7~18.2% for Chl-a, 5.4~21.9% for TP at Cheongwon-1 site, and 4.2~ 17.3% for Chl-a and 4.7~19.4% for TP at Yeongi site. In addition, the eutrophication index value, identifying the tropic status of the river, was improved. Meanwhile, flow control of Daecheong Dam and Sejong weir showed little effect on the improvement of water quality; 1.5~2.4% for Chl-a, 2.5~ 3.8% for TP at Cheongwon-1 site, and 1.2~2.1% for Chl-a and 0.9~1.5% for TP at Yeongi site. Therefore, improvement of the water quality in Gap and Miho streams is essential and a prerequirement to meet the target water quality level of the study area.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.311-322
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• 2008

The objectives of the study were to analyze chemical water quality and physical habitat characteristics in the urban streams (Miho and Gap streams) along with evaluations of fish community structures and ecosystem health, throughout fish composition and guild analyses during 2006$\sim$2007. Concentrations of BOD and COD averaged 3.5 and 5.7 mg L$^{-1}$, in the urban streams, while TN and TP averaged 5.1 mg L$^{-1}$ and 274 ${\mu}g$ L$^{-1}$, indicating an eutrophic state. Especially, organic pollution and eutrophication were most intense in the downstream reach of both streams. Total number of fish was 34 species in the both streams, and the most abundant species was Zacco platypus (32$\sim$42% of the total). In both streams, the relative abundance of sensitive species was low (23%) and tolerant and omnivores were high (45%, 52%), indicating an typical tolerance and trophic guilds of urban streams in Korea. According to multi-metric models of Stream Ecosystem Health Assessments (SEHA), model values were 19 and 24 in Miho Stream and Gap Stream, respectively. Habitat analysis showed that QHEI (Qulatitative Habitat Evaluation Index) values were 123 and 135 in the two streams, respectively. The minimum values in the SEHA and QHEI were observed in the both downstreams, and this was mainly attributed to chemical pollutions, as shown in the water quality parameters. The model values of SEHA were strongly correlated with conductivity (r=-0.530, p=0.016), BOD (r=-0.578, p< 0.01), COD (r=-0.603, p< 0.01), and nutrients (TN, TP: r>0.40, p<0.05). This model applied in this study seems to be a useful tool, which could reflect the chemical water quality in the urban streams. Overall, this study suggests that consistent ecological monitoring is required in the urban streams for the conservations along with ecological restorations in the degradated downstrems.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.378-391
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• 2012

The objective of this study was to determine temporal patterns and longitudinal gradients of water chemistry at eight artificial reservoirs and ten streams within the Han-River watershed along the main axis of the headwaters to the downstreams during 2009~2010. Also, we evaluated chemical relations and their variations among major trophic variables such as total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and chlorophyll-a (CHL-a) and determined intense summer monsoon and annual precipitation effects on algal growth using empirical regression model. Stream water quality of TN, TP, and other parameters degradated toward the downstreams, and especially was largely impacted by point-sources of wastewater disposal plants near Jungrang Stream. In contrast, summer river runoff and rainwater improved the stream water quality of TP, TN, and ionic contents, measured as conductivity (EC) in the downstream reach. Empirical linear regression models of log-transformed CHL-a against log-transformed TN, TP, and TN : TP mass ratios in five reservoirs indicated that the variation of TP accounted 33.8% ($R^2$=0.338, p<0.001, slope=0.710) in the variation of CHL and the variation of TN accounted only 21.4% ($R^2$=0.214, p<0.001) in the CHL-a. Overall, our study suggests that, primary productions, estimated as CHL-a, were more determined by ambient phosphorus loading rather than nitrogen in the lentic systems of artificial reservoirs, and the stream water quality as lotic ecosystems were more influenced by a point-source locations of tributary streams and intense seasonal rainfall rather than a presence of artificial dam reservoirs along the main axis of the watershed.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.393-401
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• 2013

The objectives of this study were to analyze structures of fish community and the ecological health using a multi-metric fish model, the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) in the Backje Weir of Geum River during two periods namely before-the-fishkill ($B_f$) and after-the-fishkill ($A_f$). The total number of fish species observed were 32 and among them 10 species (35%) were Korean endemic species. The exotic species observed were 3 which decreased by 0.4% after-the-fishkill ($A_f$). The dominant species were Opsariichthys uncirostris amurensis (13%) at the Bf period and Squalidus japonicus coreanus (17%) at the Af period in the Backje Weir. At after the fishkill ($A_{f-I}$) total biomass was about 10 times lower than the biomass before-the-fishkill ($B_f$). The biomass of Carassius auratus decreased 98% after-the-fishkill and as time passed by the biomass recovered to nearly 100%. Similar decrease in the biomass occurred in the population of Opsariichthys uncirostris amurensis, while Rhinogobius brunneus population increased. According to the structure analysis of fish community, species richness index, evenness index and species diversity index were high but after-the fishkill, the values of indices decreased. Tolerant species (64%) dominated the fish community, and the sensitive species (2%) were rare, indicating the degradation of the ecosystem. According to analysis of the multi-metric model (IBI), the mean model value of the fish community in Backje Weir was estimated as 17.5 indicating a "fair condition".

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.184-192
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• 2007

This study was to evaluate ecological health of Sumjin River during April${\sim}$June 2006. The ecological health assessments was based on the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI), Qualitative Babitat Evaluation Index (QHEI), and water chemistry. For the study, the models of IBI and QHEI were modified as 10 and 11 metric attributes, respectively. We also analyzed spatial patterns of chemical water quality over the period of $2002{\sim}2005$, using the water chemistry dataset, obtained from the Ministry of Environment, Korea. In Sumjin River, values of IBI averaged 33 (n= 12), which is judged as a "Fair${\sim}$Good" condition after the criteria of Barbour at al. (1999). There was a distinct spatial variation. Mean IBI score at Site 5 was estimated as 40, indicating a "Good" condition whereas, the mean at Site 3 was 23, indicating a "Poor${\sim}$Fair" condition. Habitat analysis showed that QHEI values in the river averaged 109 (n=6), indicating a "Marginal" condition after the criteria of Harbour et al. (1999). Values of BOD and COD averaged 1.3 mg $L^{-1}$ (scope: $0.9{\sim}1.8$ mg $L^{-1}$) and 3.3 mg $L^{-1}$ (scope: $2.8{\sim}4.0$ mg $L^{-1}$), respectively during the study. It was evident that chemical pollutions by organic matter were minor in the river. Total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) averaged 2.5 mg $L^{-1}$ and 0.067 mg $L^{-1}$, respectively, and the nutrients did not show large longitudinal gradients between the upper and lower reach. Overall, dataset of IBI, QHEI, and water chemistry suggest that river health has been well maintained, compared to other major watersheds in Korea and should be protected from habitat disturbance and chemical pollutions.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.348-359
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• 2008

The objectives of the study were to elucidate functional modifications in relation to hydrological, physico-chemical and ecological aspects in Daechung Reservoir by the upper dam constructions of Youngdam Reservoir and analyze temporal and spatial dynamic patterns using trophic parameters of TN, TP, chlorophyll (CHL), and Secchi depth (SD). Hydrological data such as inflow, precipitation, and water levels before (BDC, 1995$\sim$2000) and after (ADC, 2001$\sim$2006) the dam construction showed that precipitation had greater correlations with inflow volume in the BDC (r=0.964, p=0.002) than in the ADC (r=0.857, p=0.029). This outcome indicates that the upper dam construction influenced the inflow and water level of Daechung Reservoir. One of the greatest changes after the dam construction was decreases of nutrient contents (TN, TP) and increases of algal biomass (as CHL) as the water residence time increases. Values of CHL had greater relations with TP in the ADC (r=0.412, p<0.001) than the BDC (r=0.249, p<0.001), indicating that CHL had greater response at a given phosphorus in the ADC. Thus, algal yield at a given TP (CHL : TP ratios) increased in the ADC, resulting in a greater CHL-TP relations. Long-term interannual TP, TN, SD, and CHL showed greater variations in the riverine zone (RZ) than any other transition (TZ) and lacustrine zones (LZ). This phenomenon was mainly attributed to rapid hydrological response in the riverine zone (RZ) to flow reductions (short water residence time) from the upper dam, resulting in ambient contents of nutrients and light regime along with functional relations of CHL-TP.