Traditional ecological flow calculations often rely on species-specific habitat preferences, but this approach may adversely affect biodiversity conservation. This study proposes an innovative approach focused on habitat diversity, utilizing the Habitat Diversity Index (HDI) to evaluate ecological flows for benthic macroinvertebrate communities. By integrating fields surveys, hydrodynamic modeling, and biodiversity metrics, the study quantified habitat diversity through 24 distinct habitat types (combinations of water depth: 0-0.8m
flow velocity:0-2m·s