Response of Fish Habitat Quality to Weir Distribution Change in Mountainous River Based on the Two-Dimensional Habitat Suitability Model

Yue Wang (), Jihong Xia (), Wangwei Cai, Zewen Liu, Jingjiang Li, Jingyun Yin, Jiayi Zu and Chuanbin Dou
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Yue Wang: College of Agricultural Science and Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Jihong Xia: College of Agricultural Science and Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Wangwei Cai: College of Agricultural Science and Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Zewen Liu: College of Agricultural Science and Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Jingjiang Li: College of Agricultural Science and Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Jingyun Yin: College of Agricultural Science and Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Jiayi Zu: College of Agricultural Science and Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Chuanbin Dou: College of Agricultural Science and Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 11, 1-17

Abstract: Weirs are often constructed on mountainous rivers because of their low construction costs and their ability to provide irrigation and facilitate landscaping, yet there is little research on how fish habitat quality in mountainous rivers responds to weir distribution. This study categorized the distribution characteristics of weirs on typical reaches according to their sinuosity and calculated the corresponding habitat suitability index ( HSI ) and weighted usable area ( WUA ) under various discharge conditions using a coupled MIKE21 and habitat suitability model. Then, the relationship between the distribution characteristics of weirs and the quality of fish habitats under different discharge conditions was analyzed. The results show that weirs in mountainous rivers can affect the habitat suitability of the rivers, but this effect is closely related to discharge conditions and layout mainly because the key hydraulic factors that determine habitat quality for different sinuous reaches vary under different discharge conditions. This study found that in high-sinuosity rivers with high discharge conditions, water depth is the key factor determining the quality of fish habitats, so weirs can improve habitat quality by improving the suitability of downstream water depth. However, in other conditions, velocity is the key factor determining habitat quality, in which case weirs cannot improve habitat quality and can even degrade it. Therefore, other methods of improving velocity are needed to enhance habitat quality. The results of this study provide a reference for the protection of fish habitats in mountainous river channels and the determination of suitable locations for weir construction.

Keywords: fish habitat quality; weir; river sinuosity; two-dimensional hydrodynamic model; habitat suitability model (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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