Author(s): Young-Jun Kim; Dong-Hyeon Kim; Seo-Yeon Park; Joo-Heon Lee
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: Habitat connectivity; Hydraulic–hydrologic modelling; Index-based method
Abstract: This study developed an integrated framework that combines index-based assessment with Eco-hydraulic modelling to quantitatively evaluate habitat connectivity in the Jicheon Stream, a tributary of the Geum River containing 40 weirs. Daily discharge data from 2000 to 2024 were used to estimate the optimal flow for Cobitis choii, which was then applied to HEC-RAS, HEC-GeoRAS, and HEC-GeoEFM to simulate habitat conditions under weir-retention and weir-removal scenarios. Connectivity was assessed using six indices: RFI, CRFI, DCI, PCI, CAFI, and IIC. The analysis showed that in upstream reaches with small weirs, habitat connectivity tended to improve under weir-retention conditions, whereas in mid- and downstream reaches with large weirs, connectivity increased primarily under weir-removal scenarios. The proposed framework demonstrated strong agreement between index-based and model-based evaluations, confirming its applicability as a comprehensive tool for prioritizing weir removal and supporting future river restoration decision-making.
Year: 2026