Alteration of Catchments and Rivers, and the Effect on Floods: An Overview of Processes and Restoration Actions

Water, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 17(8), P. 1177 - 1177

Published: April 15, 2025

Flooding is a prevalent and growing problem involving significant economic losses worldwide. Traditional flood mitigation measures are based on the use of levees, dams, dredging, river channelization, which can distort perception risk, leading to false sense security that induce an increase in occupation flood-prone areas. An undisturbed watershed its fluvial system provide regulating services contribute mitigation. However, anthropogenic activities degrade diminish such services, impacting magnitude floods by changing runoff patterns, erosion, sedimentation, channel conveyance capacity, floodplain connectivity. Restoration natural management (NFM) seek recover improve their regulation services. The bibliographic review performed here aimed assess degradation watersheds, allowed us identify alterations streamflow. Also, studies NMF restoration actions oriented or enhance flow capacity catchments systems. A current challenge accumulate more empirical evidence for effectiveness solutions. Currently, results large have been obtained mainly application hydrologic hydraulic models. adequacy different NFM with physiographic climatological settings needs be addressed.

Language: Английский

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Unravelling the functional and phylogenetic dimensions of novel ecosystem assemblages

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 379(1902)

Published: April 7, 2024

Human activities are causing taxonomic rearrangements across ecosystems that often result in the emergence of novel communities (assemblies with no historical representative). It is commonly assumed these changes makeup also inevitably lead to other aspects biodiversity, namely functional and phylogenetic diversity. However, this assumption not always valid, as composition resulting from shifts depend on level redundancy evaluated community. Therefore, we need improved theoretical frameworks predict when can expect coordinated or decoupled responses among three facets biodiversity. To advance understanding, discuss conceptual methodological issues complicate establishing a link between driven by human associated changes. Here, show crucial consider expected reshaped owing drivers biodiversity loss forecast impacts assemblages ecosystem functions services they provide humanity. This article part theme issue ‘Ecological novelty planetary stewardship: dynamics transforming biosphere’.

Language: Английский

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Assessing the role of actors in river restoration: A network perspective

PLoS ONE, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 19(4), P. e0297745 - e0297745

Published: April 16, 2024

The aim of this study was to identify and characterize the actors involved in river restoration Romania by untangling complex networks that they are part of. Actors were considered nodes a social network, tied common action or project. characterized through centrality metrics network. network has low density high average path length diameter for such spare which suggests knowledge transfer collaboration difficult. In context highly centralized water governance system Romania, National Authority Water exerts power influence as well. It numerous partners, both disconnected well connected therefore, it tends be everybody, gets diffuses knowledge. Yet, other willing get Romania. NGOs research organizations have central position play various roles (e.g., unconcerned influencers, gate-keepers, pulse-takers). As recommendation governing we urge creation national programme focused on restoration, where call projects would coordinated open its territorial subordinates agreement with stakeholders from sectors domains.

Language: Английский

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Full floodplain connectivity: Realising opportunities for ‘Stage 0’ river restoration

River Research and Applications, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: April 16, 2024

Abstract Continued declines in freshwater biodiversity and the challenges of climate change are creating greater interest river restoration projects. Increasing recognition interaction between biological, geomorphological hydrological processes has led to development ‘Stage 0’ restoration. Stage 0 reaches typically multi‐thread anabranching systems connected floodplain its ecosystems. It is suggested that defining characteristic conditions connectivity (longitudinal, lateral vertical) at base flows. The methods or mechanisms can re‐create such described, namely valley floor reset, beaver activity, dam analogues use large wood channel floodplain. scope for wider adoption then discussed recommendations expanding this approach across temperate regions with a long history modification higher population densities presented.

Language: Английский

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Urbanized stream restoration as designed adaptation: Planning using synthetic digital rivers and form variation assessment

River Research and Applications, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Aug. 19, 2024

Abstract Restoring urbanized streams is challenging because of the absence natural reference reaches and major changes in discharge sediment supply as a consequence catchment urbanization. In many cases risk to urban infrastructure leads form‐based restoration with less opportunity for process‐based approaches. Restoration involves designed adaptation new state, rather than true restoration, but more‐natural designs are still feasible based principles fluvial geomorphology. An important element this planform design which part channel that often simplified which, turn, simplifies in‐stream morphology habitats. More variable develops irregular planforms also more common nature. Tools methods designing complex associated bed have developed, further innovation needed meet interdisciplinary objectives planning phase design. Here, we present flexible approach assessing surface‐form complexity in‐channel move geomorphically‐based riverscape accommodate within overall framework increase amenity. Our uses River Builder software deriving 3D rivers on hydro‐morphodynamics applies Geomorphic Form Variation (GFV) measure geomorphic collaborative stream planning. Assessment inputs showed strong control morphology, GFV form increases higher width variability, bank roughness, meander bend frequencies curvatures.

Language: Английский

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Reimagining infrastructure for a biodiverse future

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 120(46)

Published: Nov. 6, 2023

Civil infrastructure will be essential to face the interlinked existential threats of climate change and rising resource demands while ensuring a livable Anthropocene for all. However, conventional planning largely neglects contributions maintenance Earth’s ecological life support systems, which provide irreplaceable services supporting human well-being. The stability performance these depend on biodiversity, but practices, narrowly focused controlling natural capital, have inadvertently degraded biodiversity perpetuating social inequities. Here, we envision new paradigm wherein ecosystem are central objective civil engineering. In particular, reimagine practice such that 1) integrity species conservation explicit objectives from outset project planning; 2) practices integrate into diverse portfolios along spectrum nature-based solutions habitats; 3) functions reinforce enhance lifespan assets; 4) engineering promotes environmental justice by counteracting legacies inequity in development nature conservation. This vision calls fundamental rethinking standards, mission agencies broadening scope science. We critically examine legal professional precedents this shift, as well moral economic imperatives manifesting equitable mainstreams nature’s benefits people. Finally, set an applied research agenda highlight financial, professional, policy pathways achieving it.

Language: Английский

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A Resist‐Accept‐Direct (RAD) future for Salmon in Maine and California: Salmon at the southern edge

Fisheries Management and Ecology, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 29(4), P. 456 - 474

Published: June 23, 2022

Abstract North American salmon once ranged from ocean waters near the Arctic Circle southward to southern New England on Atlantic and Mexico Pacific. The colonial industrial transformation of rivers oceans have led extirpation or endangered status many populations. Today, chronic anthropogenic stressors interact with climate change, which means that effective conservation must address changes in transformed ecosystems. Conservation goals are designed recover both species their habitats. While seemingly congruent, habitat fish management different timetables due speed climate, habitat, biological processes relative regulatory processes, restoration, project implementation. Resist‐Accept‐Direct (RAD) framework facilitated exploration ideas actions restore suitable conditions for listed under Endangered Species Act at edge. Creative big solutions needed RAD provided a way examine options sustain an era change.

Language: Английский

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The role of hydrosocial heritages produced by hydrosocial territories in understanding environmental conflicts: The case of Sélune dam removals (France)

Environment and Planning E Nature and Space, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 7(2), P. 928 - 949

Published: June 6, 2023

Dam removal has become one of the most widespread tools for river restoration; however, these projects can be conflictual. Our aim in this paper is to question disconnection between ecological project and territorial evaluate its role emergence conflicts. Conceptually, we draw on a hydrosocial territory perspective link sociopolitical economic context production new materiality sustained by power relationships. We focus two large dams Sélune River Normandy, France, which fueled conflict that lasted decade. By combining multiple data sources (semi-directive interviews, group, archives), highlight five successive overlapping phases since dams’ construction at beginning 20 th century. Each periods are characterized (dis)empowerment certain stakeholders, evolution material environment, fluctuation scales. The case highlights importance including long-term historical perspectives concept territory, i.e. thinking about heritages. Hydrosocial heritages constitute way approach non-human actors taking contemporary relationships humans non-humans into account. It also helps situate dynamics deeper process, revealing how past shape situations.

Language: Английский

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Enhancing the natural absorbing capacity of rivers to restore their resilience

BioScience, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 74(11), P. 782 - 796

Published: Sept. 19, 2024

Abstract Resilience, which can also be described as absorbing capacity, describes the amount of change that a system undergo in response to disturbance and maintain characteristic, self-sustaining regime functions, processes, or sets feedback loops. Rivers exhibit varying levels resilience, but net effect industrialized anthropogenic alteration has been suppress river resilience. As changing climate alters inputs rivers human modification morphology connectivity rivers, restoration increasingly considers how enhance Characteristics underpin capacity include natural regimes, connectivity, physical ecological integrity, heterogeneity. River management emphasizing channel stabilization homogenization reduced capacity. We propose paths restoring defining relevant measures understanding scales sociopolitical elements restoration. provide conceptual framing for choosing could used assess

Language: Английский

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Fluvial pools as reach-scale thermal regulators

The Science of The Total Environment, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 958, P. 177890 - 177890

Published: Dec. 12, 2024

Language: Английский

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