Assessment of a Multifunctional River Using Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation Model in Xiaoqing River, Eastern China

Yongfei Fu, Yuyu Liu (), Shiguo Xu and Zhenghe Xu
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Yongfei Fu: School of Water Conservancy and Environment, University of Jinan, Jinan 250024, China
Yuyu Liu: School of Water Conservancy and Environment, University of Jinan, Jinan 250024, China
Shiguo Xu: School of Hydraulic Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
Zhenghe Xu: School of Water Conservancy and Environment, University of Jinan, Jinan 250024, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 19, 1-18

Abstract: Rivers are beneficial to humans due to their multiple functions. However, human meddling substantially degrades the functions of rivers and constitutes a threat to river health. Therefore, it is vital to assess and maintain river function. This study used the Xiaoqing River in Shandong Province, China, as a case study and established a multilayered multifunctional river evaluation indicator system consisting of environmental function, ecological function, social function, and economic function. The weights of indicators were calculated using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and the entropy method. Furthermore, a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model based on the Cauchy distribution function was developed to assess the operation status of each function in each river segment. The results of the indicator and criterion layers in different river sections varied. The multifunctionality of the river decreased from upstream to downstream. The Jinan section was the most multifunctional, followed by the Binzhou, Zibo, and Dongying sections, and finally the Weifang section. Through additional analysis, this study determined the constraint indicators and functions of each river section. Overall, the results reveal that the idea of a “multifunctional river” can advance the theoretical understanding of a river’s function, and the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model is demonstrated to provide fresh perspectives for evaluating river function.

Keywords: multifunctional river; indicator system; fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method; Xiaoqing River (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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