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Arid Land Geography ›› 2021, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (3): 651-658.doi: 10.12118/j.issn.1000–6060.2021.03.07

• Ecology and Environment of Tarim River Basin • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effects of ecological water conveyance on groundwater depth in the lower reaches of Tarim River

CHEN Yongjin1(),Aikeremu Abula2,ZHANG Tianju3,4(),CHEN Yapeng3,ZHU Chenggang3,CHENG Yong2,LIU Lu3,4,LI Xiaoyang3,4,ZHANG Qifei3,4   

  1. 1. School of Environment and Planning, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng 252059, Shandong, China
    2. Xinjiang Tarim River Basin Authority, Korla 841000, Xinjiang, China
    3. State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, Xinjiang, China
    4. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
  • Received:2021-02-07 Revised:2021-04-21 Online:2021-05-25 Published:2021-06-01
  • Contact: Tianju ZHANG E-mail:chenyongjin@lcu.edu.cn;2382675001@qq.com

Abstract:

Groundwater is a key factor for maintaining the survival and growth of desert riparian vegetation, which is essential for the restoration of degraded vegetation. In this study, based on the measured data of groundwater depth in the process of ecological water conveyance in the lower reaches of Tarim River in Xinjiang, China, the temporal and spatial changes of groundwater as well as its response to ecological water conveyance from 2000 to 2020 are analyzed. The monitoring results showed that groundwater depth on both sides of the lower reaches of Tarim River rose significantly under the condition of ecological water conveyance. (1) In the longitudinal direction, from Yingsu in the upstream section and Kaldayi in the middle section to Yiganyuma in the downstream section, at 100 m away from the river, the groundwater depth rises from 7.76 m, 9.31 m, 7.82 m to 3.70 m, 4.48 m and 2.69 m after water conveyance, respectively; at 300 m away from the river, the groundwater depth rises from 8.09 m, 9.15 m, 8.25 m to 4.53 m, 5.00 m and 3.29 m after water conveyance, respectively; at 500 m away from the river, the groundwater depth rises from 8.21 m, 9.45 m, 9.08 m to 6.61 m, 5.46 m and 3.82 m after water conveyance, respectively. (2) In the vertical direction of the river, according to the monitoring data of underground wells, the influence range of ecological water conveyance on the groundwater depth of the upper, middle, and lower reaches of Tarim River reached 1050 m and water level rising of 2.69 m, 1.38 m and 1.59 m, respectively. (3) In the early stage of ecological water conveyance (2000—2009), the groundwater depth in the upper and middle reaches of the river rose rapidly. After 2009, the groundwater depth in the lower reaches of the river was significantly higher than that in Yingsu (0.88-4.65 m) and Kaldayi (0.53-4.07 m). Moreover, the groundwater depth fluctuation of 70.5% monitoring wells tended to be stable. It shows that intermittent ecological water conveyance is helpful in raising the groundwater depth, which is the main source of groundwater recharge and has a certain role in maintaining the dynamic balance of higher groundwater levels.

Key words: ecological water conveyance, groundwater depth, section, Tarim River