Environmental changes after ecological water conveyance in the lower reaches of Heihe River, northwest China

This paper analyzed the dynamic change of the groundwater level by 6 years' monitoring in field monitoring and the change of vegetation by the field survey and satellite remote sensing after watering in the lower reaches of Heihe River. The findings indicated: (1) the groundwater level elevation and the plant growth are closely related to the volume and the duration of watering. In general, groundwater level elevates dramatically and plants are growing much more vigorously after watering; (2) Watering incidence on groundwater keeps extending with the watering times increasing; (3) Plants grew rapidly in 100400 m away from the water channel after watering. Watering incidence on vegetation reached 1,000 m; (4) In terms of the function and structure of ecosystem after watering in the lower reaches of Heihe River, the ecological water conveyance does not still reach the goal of ecological restoration at a large spatial scale at present. In addition, in order to solve fundamentally the problem of ecological environment worsens in the lower reaches of Heihe River, some suggestions and countermeasures are put forward.