Developing a software package for global desktop assessment of environmental flows

The paper describes a method and software package for desktop assessment of environmental flows - a hydrological regime designed to maintain a river in some agreed ecological condition. The method uses monthly flow data and is built around a flow duration curve, which ensures that elements of natura...

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Autores principales: Smakhtin, Vladimir U., Eriyagama, Nishadi
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: 2008
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/40783
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author Smakhtin, Vladimir U.
Eriyagama, Nishadi
author_browse Eriyagama, Nishadi
Smakhtin, Vladimir U.
author_facet Smakhtin, Vladimir U.
Eriyagama, Nishadi
author_sort Smakhtin, Vladimir U.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description The paper describes a method and software package for desktop assessment of environmental flows - a hydrological regime designed to maintain a river in some agreed ecological condition. The method uses monthly flow data and is built around a flow duration curve, which ensures that elements of natural flow variability are preserved in the estimated environmental flow time series. The curve is calculated for several categories of aquatic ecosystem protection - from 'largely natural' to 'severely modified'. The corresponding environmental flows progressively reduce with the decreasing level of ecosystem protection. A non-linear data transformation procedure subsequently converts the calculated environmental flow duration curve into a continuous time series of environmental flows. The software has facilities to zoom on a river basin, calculate a variety of hydrological characteristics, define or select any category of ecosystem protection, calculate the associated environmental flow duration curves and time series and display both. The analyses can be carried out either using default (simulated) global flow data, with a spatial resolution of 0.5 degree, or a user- defined file. The package is seen as a training tool for water practitioners, policymakers and students, and as a tool for rapid preliminary environmental flow assessment.
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spelling CGSpace407832025-03-11T09:50:20Z Developing a software package for global desktop assessment of environmental flows Smakhtin, Vladimir U. Eriyagama, Nishadi river basins ecology ecosystems time series simulation computer software hydrology environmental protection The paper describes a method and software package for desktop assessment of environmental flows - a hydrological regime designed to maintain a river in some agreed ecological condition. The method uses monthly flow data and is built around a flow duration curve, which ensures that elements of natural flow variability are preserved in the estimated environmental flow time series. The curve is calculated for several categories of aquatic ecosystem protection - from 'largely natural' to 'severely modified'. The corresponding environmental flows progressively reduce with the decreasing level of ecosystem protection. A non-linear data transformation procedure subsequently converts the calculated environmental flow duration curve into a continuous time series of environmental flows. The software has facilities to zoom on a river basin, calculate a variety of hydrological characteristics, define or select any category of ecosystem protection, calculate the associated environmental flow duration curves and time series and display both. The analyses can be carried out either using default (simulated) global flow data, with a spatial resolution of 0.5 degree, or a user- defined file. The package is seen as a training tool for water practitioners, policymakers and students, and as a tool for rapid preliminary environmental flow assessment. 2008 2014-06-13T14:48:25Z 2014-06-13T14:48:25Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/40783 en Limited Access Smakhtin, Vladimir U.; Eriyagama, Nishadi. 2008. Developing a software package for global desktop assessment of environmental flows. Environmental Modelling and Software, 23:1396-1406.
spellingShingle river basins
ecology
ecosystems
time series
simulation
computer software
hydrology
environmental protection
Smakhtin, Vladimir U.
Eriyagama, Nishadi
Developing a software package for global desktop assessment of environmental flows
title Developing a software package for global desktop assessment of environmental flows
title_full Developing a software package for global desktop assessment of environmental flows
title_fullStr Developing a software package for global desktop assessment of environmental flows
title_full_unstemmed Developing a software package for global desktop assessment of environmental flows
title_short Developing a software package for global desktop assessment of environmental flows
title_sort developing a software package for global desktop assessment of environmental flows
topic river basins
ecology
ecosystems
time series
simulation
computer software
hydrology
environmental protection
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/40783
work_keys_str_mv AT smakhtinvladimiru developingasoftwarepackageforglobaldesktopassessmentofenvironmentalflows
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