DAURIAN WETLANDS (CHINA, MONGOLIA, RUSSIA) UNDER PRESSURES OF DEVELOPMENT AND CLIMATE VARIATION

Transcription

1 DAURIAN WETLANDS (CHINA, MONGOLIA, RUSSIA) UNDER PRESSURES OF DEVELOPMENT AND CLIMATE VARIATION E.A.Simonov (1) O.A.Goroshko (2) T.E.Tkachuk (2) (1) Coalition Rivers without Boundaries (2) Daursky Biosphere Reserve (DIPA)

2 Hailaer River Khalkh River Argun River Torey Lakes Dalay (Hulun) Lake Kherlen River Transboundary wetlands of Dauria RAMSAR SITES Buir Lake

3 Daurian wetlands provide highest productivity and biodiversity of ecosystems, give habitats for some tens of globally endangered species from IUCN Red List Photo by O.A.Goroshko Gulls, cormorants Swan Goose 6 species of cranes

4 Water level of Torey Lakes in the period (by V.A.Obyazov,1994 with additions by O.A.Goroshko) Once in some years droughts and wet stages alter, great lakes dry and refill with no any efforts of humans Torey lakes on maps based on different years data:

5 Cyclical climate changes drive ecosystem dynamics, structure and productivity Concordance between precipitation and water level 2,0 Annual precipitation dinamics in Onon-Argun inter-river area 1,5 1,0 Σ (K- 1) 0,5 0,0-0, Year Level, m asl Water Level of Barun-Torey Lake, m a.s.l (by V.A.Obyazov, 2011) years

6 Torey Lakes in 2001 and 2009 (Landsat images) Reeds Reeds

7 Dynamics of Torey Lakes

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9 Nesting area of Red-Crowned Crane at Argun River, June 2004 Гнездовой участок японских журавлей на р. Аргуньв июне 2004г. Photo by O.A.Goroshko

10 Nesting area of Red-Crowned Crane at Argun River, June Гнездовой участок японских журавлей на р. Аргунь в июне 2009 г. Photo by O.A.Goroshko

11 Pressure factors and transboundary Water management: Excessive extraction Water transfers Water pollution Embankment construction impacts Water-dependent activities: Wildfires Overfishing Overgrazing Waterfowl hunting Mining impacts Thermal power plant impact Irrigation

12 Major impacts on wetlands (summary) WETLANDS Argun River basin: Dalai Lake National Nature Reserve, Inner Mongolia Ramsar site (China) Upper Argun River floodplain (Sino- Russian border not listed and not protected yet) Lake Buir and its surrounding wetlands Ramsar site, (Mongolia) Uldz River basin: Torey Lakes Ramsar site (Russia) Mongol Daguur (Mongolian Dauria) Ramsar site (Mongolia) THREATS in Argun River basin: Hailaer (Argun) River -Dalai Lake water transfer 1.05 cubic kilometers annually ( in operation since 2009) Water consumption from new reservoirs upstream in Hailaer basin -1.0 cub. km. annually (UNDER CONSTRUCTION) China Gold Co copper mine water pipeline from Dalai Lake ( stopped due to Ramsar convention requirements in 2008) Kherlen-Gobi water transfer scheme Hulunbeier Oil fields (in operation) Coalmines and thermal power stations- thermal pollution and change in hydrology Polluting industry along Hailaer river- (in operation and under construction) Municipal sewage from Hailaer and Manzhouli Irrigation schemes along Hailaer and Khalkh rivers Halaha- Xilingol water transfer (EIA in 2010) Mongolian oil fields THREATS in Uldz-Torey basin: Mining and ore processing operations Excessive livestock in river valley Overgrazing of peat lands in headwaters

13 WATER CONSUMPTION: CRISIS PLANNED IN ADVANCE Northeast CHINA Revitalization of Old industrial Bases Policy: 1) Increase water supply from transboundary watercourses (Khalkh, Argun-Eerguna). 2)Develop water transfer schemes within the Amur-Heilong River Basin and to adjacent basins, where already achieved water deficit is much worse. 3)Increase water consumption in Argun-Erguna River basin by 1000%. Hailaer-Dalai water transfer 1.05 cubic kilometers annually Water consumption from new reservoirs upstream -1.0 cub. km. annually Halaha- Xilingol water transfer Mean annual flow of Argun- Hailaer river only 3.5 cub. km.

14 МОНГОЛИЯ --MONGOLIA Mongolia changing pattern of development growing water demand for industry, irrigation and preventing desertification. Монголия резкая смена «стратегии» развития GOBI Park of Mongolian-Russian Friendship on Kherlen River at Choibalsan Парк российско-монгольской дружбы в Чойбалсане- р.керулен Water demand from mining industries in Gobi Desert and Green Belt of Mongolia antidesertification plan Proposed water transfers from Selenge, Onon, Kherlen, Uldz, Baldj Rivers to Gobi Desert. Achieving self-sufficiency in grain through irrigated agriculture 2010 National Water Programme massive intensification of water use and hydropower construction Развитие горнодобывающего сектора в Гоби необходимость водоснабжения и «улучшения среды» Самообеспечение продовольствием за счет ирригации Планпереброскисеверныхрек -Селенги, Керулена, Ульдзы и др.

15 Mongolian National Water Programme First stage transfer of Kherlen River to Gobi desert В озеро Далай To Dalai Lake Переброска р.керулен -первая фаза проекта Kherlen River-Gobi Desert water transfer

16 Example: Hailaer River Dalai Lake water transfer (built in 2009)

17 Alteration of flooding regime with 1.05 cubic kilometer withdrawal. Upper Argun river Kuti Village. Modelling ordered by Amur Water Authority 2009 Моделирование влияния отбора 1,05 кубокилометра воды Without water withdrawal 300 Hailaer River-Dalai Lake water transfer Выход воды на пойму Level of floodplain м 3 /с After water withdrawal апр 07.май 27.май 16.июн 06.июл 26.июл 15.авг 04.сен 24.сен 14.окт 03.ноя 1.Water level dynamics in 2004 (P=50%)- 50 days of flooding Гидрограф в д.кути в год 50% обеспеченности (2004) 2. Water level after withdrawal no flooding Год 50% обеспеченности -при проектном отборе воды пойма не заполнится водой

18 Birds habitats willows reeds Sedge meadows Calamagrostis meadows Leymus meadows + Halophytic vegetation steppe

19 Birds habitats willows reeds Sedge meadows Calamagrostis meadows Leymus meadows + Halophytic vegetation steppe

20 It is possible to reverse the negative trends by: Establishing a Chinese-Russian-Mongolian intergovernmental task force on economic and ecological adaptation of management policies in Dauria to changing climate conditions; Signing an agreement on environmental flow norms for transboundary rivers of the Argun/Hailaer sub-basin and provisions for sustaining natural dynamics of water allocation to wetlands; Setting up a wetland monitoring system to measure the effects of climate change and human impacts; Enhancing the network of protected wetland areas to provide for migration and breeding of species and to preserve the key hydrological features and all important refuges during a drought period; Implementing an awareness-raising programme on climate adaptation in transboundary Dauria.

21 Thank you for your attention!