• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.51 no.8
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• pp.677-686
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• 2018

There remain numerous ungauged watersheds in Korea owing to limited spatial and temporal streamflow data with which to estimate hydrological model parameters. To deal with this problem, various regionalization approaches have been proposed over the last several decades. However, the results of the regionalization models differ according to climatic conditions and regional physical characteristics, and the results of the regionalization models in previous studies are generally inconclusive. Thus, to improve the performance of the regionalization methods, this study attaches hydrological model parameters obtained using a spatial proximity model to the explanatory variables of a regional regression model and defines it as a hybrid regionalization model (hybrid model). The performance results of the hybrid model are compared with those of existing methods for 37 test watersheds in South Korea. The GR4J model parameters in the gauged watersheds are estimated using a shuffled complex evolution algorithm. The variation inflation factor is used to consider the multicollinearity of watershed characteristics, and then stepwise regression is performed to select the optimum explanatory variables for the regression model. Analysis of the results reveals that the highest modeling accuracy is achieved using the hybrid model on RMSE overall the test watersheds. Consequently, it can be concluded that the hybrid model can be used as an alternative approach for modeling ungauged watersheds.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.213-220
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• 2014

Recently, river maintenance is change due to concern for the environment increases. Thus, the river restoration and river environment is best part of river maintenance. In case of Korea, existing river is improvement straightly for flood control and transportation. When the stream channel is straightly, maintain stability is important. Thus, construction of levees along the river. The various river structures for the purpose of flood control and transportation are inhibit factors of longitudinal and lateral connectivity. Connectivity is defined as the maintenance of lateral, longitudinal, and vertical pathways for biological, hydrological, and physical processes. Long-term point of view, increased connectivity is very important for a healthy ecosystem composition. As the first step of river restoration, this study described theory and concept of river continuum and the numerical model was applied to a real topography to simulate the flow analysis with or without segregated and blocked space in the Mankyung river. The results of this study can be utilized to develop the watershed connectivity assessments methods in order to the river restoration.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.832-841
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• 2013

In recent years, eutrophication in the Paldang Lake has become one of the major environmental problems in Korea as it may threaten drinking water safety and human health. Thus it is important to understand the phenomena and predict the time and magnitude of algal blooms for applying adequate algal reduction measures. This study performed seasonal water quality assessment and chlorophyll-a prediction using Bayseian simple/multiple linear regression analysis. Bayseian regression analysis could be a useful tool to overcome limitations of conventional regression analysis. Also it can consider uncertainty in prediction by using posterior distribution. Generally, chlorophyll-a of a P2(Paldang Dam 2) site showed high concentration in spring and it was similar to that of P4(Paldang Dam 4) site. For the development of Bayseian model, we performed seasonal correlation. As a result, chlorophyll-a of a P2 site had a high correlation with P5(Paldang Dam 5) site in spring (r = 0.786, p<0.05) and with P4 in winter (r = 0.843, p<0.05). Based on the DIC (Deviance Information Criterion) value, critical explanatory variables of the best fitting Bayesian linear regression model were selected as a $PO_4-P$ (P2), Chlorophyll-a (P5) in spring, $NH_3-N$ (P2), Chlorophyll-a (P4), $NH_3-N$ (P4) in summer, DTP (P2), outflow (P2), TP (P3), TP (P4) fall, COD (P2), Chl-a (P4) and COD (P4) in winter. The results of chlorophyll-a prediction showed relatively high $R^2$ and low RMSE values in summer and winter.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.258-269
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to establish a system to evaluate the ecological soundness of the Geum river basin. The study target area is 14 sub-watersheds of the Geum river basin. For the selection of indicators to ensure transparency and consistency of the evaluation indicators, the ecological soundness indicators were secured by using the indicator adjustment method derived in consideration of the intrinsic weight change characteristics between indicators. The index with the greatest impact on the final composite index was identified as the index of the aquatic ecology among the water quantity, water quality, aquatic ecology, and habitat-riparian environment dimensions. As a result of analyzing the ecological health index of the river, the watershed upstream of the dam (based on the Daecheong -dam) was evaluated to be in relatively good condition until 2014 compared to the base year(2008), and the watershed downstream of the dam was evaluated to be in a poor condition. The annual trend of changes in the ecological soundness index on an annual basis is as follows. In the case of Yongdamdam, Yongdamdamdownstream, Bocheong-chun, Daechungdam, Daechungdamdownstream, and Nonsancheon, although there are differences by time period, the soundness index is in declining. On the other hand, Mujunamdaecheon, Yeongdongcheon, and Gapcheon were evaluated to have improved soundness, while Chogang, Daechungdamupstream, Mihocheon, Gongjugeumgang, and Geumgangestuary were evaluated to deteriorate again after soundness was improved.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.291-304
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• 2023

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) have become an increasing concern in terms of human health risks as well as aesthetic impairment due to their toxicity. The reduction of water pollutants, especially nutrients from non-point sources in a reservoir watershed, is fundamental for HABs prevention. We investigated the pollutant removal efficiencies of a constructed wetland to evaluate its feasibility as a method for controlling non-point sources located in the Annaecheon stream within the Daecheong Reservoir watershed. The overall removal efficiencies of pollutants were as follows: BOD 14.3%, COD 17.9%, SS 50.0%, T-N 19.0%, and T-P 35.4%. These results indicate that constructed wetlands are effective in controlling pollutants from non-point sources. The seasonal variation in removal efficiency depended on the specific pollutants. The removal efficiencies of BOD, COD, and T-N were stable throughout the year, except during winter, which might have been influenced by lower microorganism activity. In contrast, T-P showed a consistent removal efficiency even during the winter season, suggesting that the wetland can reduce external phosphorus loading to the reservoir. Regarding the effects of pollutant loadings on removal efficiency, the effluent concentrations of all pollutants were significantly decreased compared to those in the influent in case of middle and high loadings. This demonstrates that constructed wetlands can handle high pollutant loads, including the initial runoff during rainfall, to prevent reservoir eutrophication. Despite the various strengths of wetland water purification, there are limitations as passive treatment. Therefore, more case studies should be conducted to suggest optimum operational conditions for constructed wetlands, taking into consideration reservoir-specific characteristics.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.280-289
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• 2009

The fish communities and physical habitat conditions of fifteen tributaries of Lake Paldang in spring and autumn, 2008 were surveyed to evaluate the ecological health of the streams. The total 2,746 individuals were collected belonging to 11 families 31 genera 40 species. Two new species (Cottus koreanus, Gnathopogon strigaus) that have never been reported as yet in Lake Paldang watershed were found for the first time. The most dominant species in the tributaries was Acheilognathus yamatsutae (19.9%) which is Korean endemic species. Ecological health evaluation of fifteen tributaries using index of biological integrity (IBI) model for fish community and qualitative habitat evaluation index (QHEI) was performed. According th the IBI analysis, four streams (Siwoo-Stream, Jojong-Stream, Moonho-Stream and Mugab-Stream) were evaluated as "good" condition (B grade), Woosan-Stream were "poor" condition (D grade) and others were "fair" condition (C grade). Qualitative habitat evaluation index values of the four streams were the grade "II" indicating "good" condition and those of eleven streams were the grade "III", indicating 'fair' condition. On the whole, dataset of IBI and QHEI showed that ecological health of Jojong-Stream has been well maintained compared to other tributaries of Lake Paldang.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.86-95
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• 2018

The objective of this study was to describe the development and testing of an initial ecological health assessment model, based on the index of biological integrity (IBI) using fish assemblages, before establishing the final and currently used model for ecological health assessment, conservation and management of freshwater fish in Korea. The initial fish IBI model was developed during 2004~2006 and included 10 metrics, and in 2007 the final IBI 8-metric model was established for application to streams and rivers in four major Korean watersheds. In this paper, we describe how we developed fish sampling methods, determined metric attributes and categorized tolerance guilds and trophic guilds during the development of the multi-metric model. Two of the initial metrics were removed and the initial evaluation categories were reduced from six to four (excellent, good, fair, poor) before establishing the final national fish model. In the development phase, IBI values were compared with chemical parameters (BOD and COD as indicators of organic matter pollution) and physical habitat parameters to identify differences in IBI model values between chemical and physical habitat conditions. These processes undertaken during the development of the IBI model may be helpful in understanding the modifications made and contribute to creating efficient conservation and management strategies for stream environments to be used by limnologists and fish ecologists as well as stream/watershed managers.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.279-287
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• 2010

This study was to evaluate ecological conditions of Hyeongsan River watershed from April to September 2009. The ecological health assessments was based on Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI), water chemistry during 2000~2009, and the fish multi-metric model, Index of Biological Integrity (IBI). For the study, the models of IBI and QHEI were modified as 8 and 11 metric attributes, respectively. Values of IBI averaged 25.4 (n=6), which is judged as a "fair" condition (C) after the criteria of Barbour et al. (1999). The distinct spatial variation was found in the IBI. Physical habitat health, based on the values of QHEI, varied from 76 in the downriver (H6) to 150.5 in the headwater (H1) and was evidently more disturbed in the downriver reach. Values of BOD and COD averaged 2.4 $mgL^{-1}$ (range: 0.3~13.8 $mgL^{-1}$) and 4.3 $mgL^{-1}$ (scope: 0.6~12.8 $mgL^{-1}$), respectively during the study period. Total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) averaged 3.0 $mgL^{-1}$ and 103.5 ${\mu}gL^{-1}$, respectively, indicating a severe eutrophication, and the nutrients increased more in the downriver than the headwater. Overall, physical, chemical and IBI parameters showed a typical downriver degradation along main axis of the river from the headwater-to-the downriver. This was mainly attributed to livestock waste and residential influences along with industrial discharge from the urban region.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.495-502
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• 2007

Species biotic index (SBI), based on a fish assemblage, was applied to a stream assessment using long-term ecological fish data set (1996 to 2001) in Boryong dam area, which is located in the mainstream of Ungchun Stream of Chungnam province, Korea. According to the methods of Hilsenhoff (1988), the scores of tolerance guild assigned 10 classes to each species by its habitat and feeding guild, but modified current 7 criteria to 5 scoring standards due to unclear borderline among species. Relative abundance in the species number of upper stream guilds was only 7% of the total, whereas the abundance in the species number of middle to downstream upper stream guilds was 64%. Mean SBI, based on dataset in Site 1 during 1995-2001 averaged 5.10, which was judged as a "good" condition by the rank criteria of SBI. Before the dam construction, mean SBI in the Site 1 was 4.61, indicating a "good" condition, but after the dam construction, mean SBI was 5.60, indicating a "fair" condition. Trajectory analysis in the Site 1 showed significantly (One-way ANOVA, $F_{6,21}=3.26$, p=0.02) different among years, reflecting the changes of fish composition and population density by the dam construction, whereas Site 2 showed no significant changes ($F_{6,21}=1.00$, P =0.45) difference among years. Mean SBI prior to the dam construction in the Site 3 was 4.52 but after the construction, the value was 6.30, indicating a distinct difference between the pre- and post-dam construction. Trajectory analysis at the Site 3 supported this fact: Values of SBI showed significantly ($F_{6,21}$=14.37, p<0.01) different. Mean SBI was 4.67 in the Site 4, indicating a "good" condition in the health and the health rank was same as the sampling sites 1, 2, and 4. Trajectory in the Site 4 showed no significant ($F_{6,21}=2.35$, p=0.07) difference among the years. Overall, our trajectory analysis indicated that three of four sampling sites (sites 1, 3, 4) showed significant decreases (n=7, p<0.05) and that the proportions of sensitive species declined evidently in the sites 1 and 2 and the tolerant species increased in the dam sites. Our outcomes may be used as a key data for diagnosis of the long-term ecological impact in the future in the watershed.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.19-28
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• 1995

A rainfall runoff model described in this paper which is based on Basin- wide Ecological Model(BAWEM) calculates the fate of afro-chemicals in a watershed located of golf links. The rainfall runoff coefficients of afro-chemicals, which are the dominant parameters to predict the movement of agro-chemicals from soil and turfgrass to downstream water, are estimated. Also, the model is used to estimate the level of health risks the residents around golf links are exposed to. The fidelity of rainfall runoff model of afro-chemicals was validated by the observed data obtained during rainy period. The calculated results from this model were found to be in the same order of that of the observed. The rainfall runoff coefficients of four agro-chemicals used in golf links were 5.4$\times$$10^{-3}$, 1.9$\times$$10^{-3}$, 3.0$\times$$10^{-4}$ and 4.4$\times$$10^{-3}$ for flutolanil, isoprothiolane, chlorpyrifos and simazine, respectively The health risk level to the residents around golf links is evaluated to be rather low:the ratio of estimated dose through drinking water to the 10% of ADI(Acceptable Daily Intake) value or VSD for 10-a life time risk varied in the range of 0.005~0.04 and 0.003~0.11, respectively, for both the annual mean and maximum monthly mean cases.