Application of floating wetlands for the improvement of degraded urban waters: Findings from three multi-year pilot-scale installations

Rome, McNamara; Happel, Austin; Dahlenburg, Charmaine; Nicodemus, Phil; Schott, Eric J.; Mueller, Stephanie; Lovell, Kathryne; Beighley, R. Edward

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162669

Cited by 5 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 64 publications

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“…Recently, at a restoration site in Chicago, minnow and Common Carp abundances were negatively correlated, which suggested that augmenting small-bodied fish populations can reduce non-native Common Carp populations (Rome et al, 2023) We believe that population differences we observed in the CAWS provide evidence that increasing in-stream habitat by promoting growth of submerged macrophytes, constructing more nat- Gallagher & Wasik, 2018;Gaulke et al, 2015).…”

Section: Recruitment Of Commonmentioning

confidence: 70%

“…Native species have been known to control recruitment of Common Carp in the Mississippi River Basin and could be responsible for declining recruitment we observed in the CAWS (Bajer et al, 2015; Poole & Bajer, 2019; Silbernagel & Sorensen, 2013). Recently, at a restoration site in Chicago, minnow and Common Carp abundances were negatively correlated, which suggested that augmenting small‐bodied fish populations can reduce non‐native Common Carp populations (Rome et al, 2023). However, declines in Common Carp populations precede increases in abundance of native predators (i.e., Bluegill; Gibson‐Reinemer, Chick, et al, 2017a) and call to question predation as the principal cause of Common Carp declines in Mississippi River Basin waterways, including the CAWS.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Natural Resources, n.d.; Friends of the Chicago River, 2012), and installation of nearly 1500 m 2 of floating wetlands planted with native plants in 2022, beginning with 140 m 2 in 2017 (Urban Rivers, personal communication). Initial data from floating wetlands suggested that improvements to the food web led to greater abundance of minnows in years following installations (Rome et al, 2023). Outside of these relatively recent activities, few documented intentional changes have occurred to aquatic habitat within the CAWS, which suggests that water quality was the major environmental change the system experienced.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Increased fishing quality of Chicago's waterways following the Clean Water Act

Happel

Kennedy

2023

Fisheries Management Eco

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As conditions of Chicago's (Illinois, USA) waterways improved following implementation of the Clean Water Act, interest in recreational use of the waterways continued to grow, but the ability of this system to support quality recreational fishing opportunities remained unclear. We analyzed historical electrofishing data (1985–2020) to determine the status and trends in body‐size metrics of fish populations throughout Chicago's waterways. Many species exhibited increases in abundance, size, and diversity of lengths. Despite these increases, the number of quality‐sized or larger fish was sparse. While many species increased in abundance, Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) and Gizzard Shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) declined in abundance during 2001–2020. Improvements to the availability and diversity of key habitats within Chicago's waterways would likely improve target fish demographics further and resultant recreational fishery opportunities.

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Section: Recruitment Of Commonmentioning

confidence: 70%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Increased fishing quality of Chicago's waterways following the Clean Water Act

Happel

Kennedy

2023

Fisheries Management Eco

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“…Floating wetlands, created by planting coconut coir with native wetlands plants and anchoring in place, present one possible means of providing functional habitats in areas where bulkhead cannot be manipulated. Floating wetland installations across the United States, including in the CAWS, have been shown to increase the abundances of multiple segments of aquatic food webs compared to paired controlled sites, suggesting that these artificially created wetlands increase functional habitat in urban waters (Rome et al, 2023).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Natural shorelines support greater diversity and abundances of fishes than armoured shores along Chicago's waterways

Happel,

Lederman,

Snyder

2024

Aquatic Conservation

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Shoreline armouring is one of the most ubiquitous alterations to aquatic systems globally. Armouring and hardening to prevent erosion and maintain land uses reduce or eliminate habitat complexity that softer and more natural, vegetated shorelines offer. The effects that shoreline armouring has had on biodiversity of coastal and estuarine communities are well studied, while studies in freshwater systems remain sparse. Data collected during a large‐scale long‐term fish survey with high spatial resolution from the Invasive Carp Regional Coordinating Committee's Monitoring and Response Work Group were re‐analysed to assess the effects that bulkhead versus natural shorelines have on fish diversity and abundance. Lengths of bulkhead, natural and riprap shoreline were calculated within 300 m of each sampling location, which occur every 100 m throughout the Chicago Area Waterway System. Water depths of each sampling location were also classified into deep (>6 m), mid‐range (4–6 m) or shallow (<4 m) to account for potential variations in gear efficiencies. Fish species richness and abundance increased with increasing proportions of natural shoreline, which can be contrasted with stronger (i.e., steeper slope) decreases as proportions of bulkhead shorelines increased. The results show strong evidence for the negative effects of shoreline armouring of freshwater ecosystems and are consistent with those shown in coastal ecosystems studies. As cities continue to encroach on freshwater systems, greater emphasis on maintaining natural riparian shorelines and ecoengineering hardscapes will increasingly be important for freshwater conservation.

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“…The technology is time-consuming due to the growth of plants on the raft. Studies indicate that phosphorus removal capacity depends on environmental factors and annually ranges from 0.8 to 7 g-P/m 2 raft [45,46].…”

Section: Changes In Water Transparency and Turbiditymentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental Factors Affecting the Efficiency of Water Reservoir Restoration Using Microbiological Biotechnology

Mazur,

Jakubiak,

Santos

2023

Preprint

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Aquatic ecosystems are often subject to degradation due to various environmental stressors. The accumulation of an organic sediment layer causes shallowing, algal blooms, and hypertrophy in water reservoirs. The processes of overgrowth and shallowing lead to a reduction in the ecosystem services provided by the reservoir as well as may potentially cause the disappearance of the water body. To address these challenges and restore the ecological balance of water reservoirs, effective and sustainable revitalisation methods are essential. In recent years, biotechnological approaches, particularly utilizing microbiological interventions, have emerged as promising strategies for water reservoir revitalization. Microorganisms, with their remarkable ability to degrade pollutants and enhance nutrient cycling, offer great potential in remediating environmental issues in a natural and eco-friendly manner. The article presents the results of a study of 34 Polish reservoirs subjected to reclamation with microbial biopreparations from 2014 to 2023. The results of changes in bottom sediment reduction, water transparency, dissolved oxygen concentration, and water turbidity are presented. Reduction of and morphological changes in the fraction of soft organic sediments, an improvement in the oxygen profile of the bottom and surface water layers, and an increase of water transparency were observed after the reclamation with the use of biopreparations.

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Application of floating wetlands for the improvement of degraded urban waters: Findings from three multi-year pilot-scale installations

Cited by 5 publications

References 64 publications

Increased fishing quality of Chicago's waterways following the Clean Water Act

Increased fishing quality of Chicago's waterways following the Clean Water Act

Natural shorelines support greater diversity and abundances of fishes than armoured shores along Chicago's waterways

Environmental Factors Affecting the Efficiency of Water Reservoir Restoration Using Microbiological Biotechnology

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