The downstream ecological consequences of two controlled "free flow" flushing operations designed to remove sediments accumulated in an alpine reservoir are described. The main objectives of the study were (a) to verify to what extent the suspended solid concentration (SSC) in the receiving water course can be controlled by flushing operations, (b) to determine the biological consequences of flushing operations, and (c) to produce technical guidelines for the future planning and monitoring of these activities. We found that the flushing of large volumes of accumulated sediment had clear effects on the stream ecosystem due to the unpredictability of short duration SSC peaks (70-80 g L(-1)) and the high average SSC (4-5 g L(-1)) within flushing periods. The main impacts were decreased fish densities (up to 73%) and biomass (up to 66%). A greater mortality recorded for juveniles will likely result in long-term impairment of the age-structures of future fish populations. The zoobenthic assemblages, despite exhibiting a drastic reduction in abundance following the first floods, showed substantial recovery within 3 months of the beginning of flushing operations. Regular sediment removal by yearly flushing is recommended in order to avoid SSC peaks and to facilitate the control of scouring effects caused by the water used to wash out sediments. We also recommend maximum allowable SSCs of 10 g L(-1) (daily average) and 5 g L(-1) (overall average) for flushing operations carried out in similar environmental contexts

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Sediment flushing may be effective in mitigating loss of reservoir storage due to siltation, but flushing must be controlled to limit the impact on the downstream environment. A reliable prediction of the environmental effects of sediment flushing is hindered by the limited scientific information currently available. Consequently, there may be some controversy as regards to management decisions, planning the work, and monitoring strategies. This paper summarizes the main results of a monitoring campaign on the stream below a small alpine hydropower reservoir subjected to annual flushing between 2006 and 2009. The removed sediment was essentially silt, and the suspended solid concentration (SSC) of the discharged water was controlled to alleviate downstream impact. Control was achieved through hydraulic regulation and mechanical digging, alternating daytime sediment evacuation, and nocturnal clear water release. The four operations lasted about two weeks each and had an average SSC of about 4 g L(-1). Maximum values of SSC were generally kept below 10 g L(-1). Downstream impact was quantified through sampling of fish fauna (brown trout) and macroinvertebrate in the final reach of the effluent stream. The benthic community was severely impaired by the flushing operations, but recovered to pre-flushing values in a few months. As expected, the impact on brown trout was heavier on juveniles. While data biasing due to fish removal and re-stocking cannot be ruled out, the fish community seems to have reached a state of equilibrium characterized by a lower density than was measured before the flushing operations.

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Sediment flushing may be effective to tackle the loss of reservoir storage as a result of siltation. When operationally possible, the impact of this practice on the downstream aquatic environment can be mitigated by limiting the sediment concentration of the discharged waters (controlled sediment flushing). However, this topic is poorly documented, and concerns arise when limits are discussed. We present the results of a 3-year field investigation concerning the controlled sediment flushing of a small reservoir on the Adda River, the main tributary of Lake Como-Italy. Two limits for suspended solid concentration (SSC) were adopted: 1.5 g L À1 , as average value throughout the whole working day, and 3.0 g L À1 , as alert threshold to adjust the ongoing activity. These constraints were essentially fulfilled in the course of the documented operations. The first year sediment flushing was more significant than the following year: 25 000 tons of fines below 2 mm in diameter were flushed in six non-consecutive days in summer 2010, while, one year earlier, 75 000 tons were flushed in 16 non-consecutive days. In the third year of investigation (2011), no sediment evacuation took place. The benthic macroinvertebrate and the fish communities were surveyed a short distance below the reservoir, that is, in the potentially more affected river reach. Clear pieces of evidence of environmental quality degradation were not detected; the adopted strategies can therefore be considered to be appropriate when planning sediment flushing management in comparable contexts.

Sediment flushing can tackle reservoirs siltation and improve sediment flux through dammed rivers. However, the increase of the sediment loading below the dam can trigger a suite of undesired ecological effects in the downstream river reaches. To limit these drawbacks, sediment flushing can be controlled, by jointly regulating the sediment concentration of the evacuated water and the streamflow in the downstream channel. In this paper, we report on ten controlled sediment flushing operations (CSFOs), carried out between 2006 and 2012 in the central Italian Alps, at four hydropower reservoirs. These CSFOs displayed specific common traits: (i) Limits were set by the local environmental authorities concerning the allowable suspended sediment concentration. (ii) Reservoirs were fully drawn-down, earth-moving equipment was used to dislodge sediment, and the downstream water discharge was increased, compared to baseflow, by operating upstream intakes. (iii) Abiotic and biotic measurements in selected downstream reaches (before, during, and after the CSFOs) represented an integral part of the operations. In contrast, significant differences characterize the hydropower facilities (elevation and storage of reservoirs, in particular) as well as the basic CSFOs parameters (i.e., season, duration, mass and grain-size of the evacuated sediment, suspended sediment concentration). The macroinvertebrate assemblages resulted noticeably impacted by the CSFOs. In the short term, a significant density drop was observed, slightly influenced by the extent of the perturbation. In contrast, the latter appeared to control the assemblages contraction in terms of richness, according to the different sensitivity to sediment stress of the different taxa. The time employed to recover pre-CSFO standard ranged from few months to just under one year, and the related patterns would seem mostly correlated to the flushing season and to further site specificities. The density of trout populations was impacted as well, thus suggesting the adoption of mitigating strategies as removal by electrofishing before, and repopulation after the CSFO.

Sediment flushing is currently performed to recover the storage capacity of small-sized to medium-sized reservoirs. However, its environmental impacts are not yet adequately quantified. This work aimed to evaluate the effects of a 3-day sediment flushing from a small reservoir in the Italian Alps on downstream freshwater fauna. Biomonitoring was carried out in two streams. In the impounded stream, benthic macroinvertebrates were surveyed immediately below the flushed reservoir. In the receiving stream, where diluting flows were released to reduce the sediment concentration and deposition, fish and macroinvertebrates were monitored at two sites, one above and one below the stream junction. Above the stream junction, the only disturbance was the increase in streamflow, while the reach below the stream junction was perturbed by the increase in both streamflow and sediment load. At the site closer to the flushed reservoir, the benthic community was almost completely impaired after the operations, and its recovery was still incomplete after 1 year. In the receiving stream, the average sediment concentration of approximately 6 g l(-1) and deposition of 30 kg m(-2) were estimated at the site subjected to the sediment increase. A density reduction of 80% and a change in composition affected the macroinvertebrate assemblage, which recovered in approximately 9 months. At the same site, the fish survey showed that brown trout juveniles were affected by the sediment load from the flushing operations. Only minor effects were detected on macroinvertebrates and fish subjected only to the increase in streamflow, i.e. above the stream junction