Status of and Perspectives on River Restoration in Europe: 310,000 Euros per Hectare of Restored River

Szałkiewicz, Ewelina; Jusik, Szymon; Grygoruk, Mateusz

doi:10.3390/su10010129

Cited by 57 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…In the past 10 years, there has been a strong call from the scientific community to embrace the restoration of diversity and prioritize river process in restoration to improve project effectiveness (e.g., Beechie et al, , ; Bernhardt & Palmer, , ; Booth, Scholz, Beechie, & Ralph, ; Kondolf, ; Roni et al, ; Wohl et al, ; Wohl et al, ). Process‐based restoration efforts to restore physical connectivity among channel, floodplain, and hyporheic zone and restore the natural diversity and variability in flow and sediment regimes are being shown to be more effective in restoring ecological function (Szalkiewicz et al, ; Wohl et al, ), as predicted by Cluer and Thorne ().…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Over the past five decades, there has been a concerted and prominent effort applied toward restoring degraded river systems throughout the USA (Bernhardt et al, ; Bernhardt & Palmer, ; Katz, Barnas, Hicks, Cowen, & Jenkinson, ; Wohl et al, ; Wohl, Lane, & Wilcox, ), Europe (Brookes, ; Clifford, ; Szalkiewicz, Jusik, & Grygoruk, ; Zockler, Wenger, & Madgwick, ), and Australia (Brierley & Fryirs, ; Brooks & Lake, ). Rivers exhibit variability in form and process as a result of their history and imposed disturbances and are quite diverse and dynamic.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2016; Kondolf, 1998;Roni et al, 2002;Wohl et al, 2005;Wohl et al, 2015). Process-based restoration efforts to restore physical connectivity among channel, floodplain, and hyporheic zone and restore the natural diversity and variability in flow and sediment regimes are being shown to be more effective in restoring ecological function (Szalkiewicz et al, 2018;Wohl et al, 2015), as predicted by Cluer and Thorne (2013).…”

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confidence: 99%

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A process‐based approach to restoring depositional river valleys to Stage 0, an anastomosing channel network

Powers

Helstab

Niezgoda

2018

River Research & Apps

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Stream restoration approaches most often quantify habitat degradation, and therefore recovery objectives, on aquatic habitat metrics based on a narrow range of species needs (e.g., salmon and trout), as well as channel evolution models and channel design tools biased toward single‐threaded, and “sediment‐balanced” channel patterns. Although this strategy enhances perceived habitat needs, it often fails to properly identify the underlying geomorphological and ecological processes limiting species recovery and ecosystem restoration. In this paper, a unique process‐based approach to restoration that strives to restore degraded stream, river, or meadow systems to the premanipulated condition is presented. The proposed relatively simple Geomorphic Grade Line (GGL) design method is based on Geographic Information System (GIS) and field‐based analyses and the development of design maps using relative elevation models that expose the relic predisturbance valley surface. Several case studies are presented to both describe the development of the GGL method and to illustrate how the GGL method of evaluating valley surfaces has been applied to Stage 0 restoration design. The paper also summarizes the wide applicability of the GGL method, the advantages and limitations of the method, and key considerations for future designers of Stage 0 systems anywhere in the world. By presenting this ongoing Stage 0 restoration work, the authors hope to inspire other practitioners to embrace the restoration of dynamism and diversity through restoring the processes that create multifaceted river systems that provide long‐term resiliency, meta‐stability, larger and more complex and diverse habitats, and optimal ecosystem benefits.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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A process‐based approach to restoring depositional river valleys to Stage 0, an anastomosing channel network

Powers

Helstab

Niezgoda

2018

River Research & Apps

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“…Conservation and restoration of these species demands considerable investment of public funds into river restoration (Szalkiewicz et al 2018) like fish-friendly management of hydropower production (Nieminen et al 2016). Such investments can only be justified if the public receives significant economic benefits from rivers with a good ecological status and from the presence of selected fish species.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Managing river fish biodiversity generates substantial economic benefits in four European countries

Riepe

Meyerhoff

Fujitani

et al. 2018

Preprint

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31Ecosystems and biodiversity produce benefits to society, but many of them are hard to quantify. For example, it 32 is unclear whether European societies gain benefits from experiencing rivers that host high native biodiversity. 33Without such knowledge, monetary investments into ecologically oriented river management plans are difficult 34 to justify. The objective of this study was to reveal how the public in four European countries values ecological 35 characteristics of domestic rivers and the outcomes of hypothetical river basin management plans designed to 36 improve river ecosystems, particularly fish biodiversity. We conducted a choice experiment among the 37 populations in Norway, Sweden, Germany and France. We found similar preference structures in all countries 38 with high marginal willingness-to-pay for improvements of abiotic river attributes (increased accessiblity of the 39 river banks, improved bathing water quality, decreased river fragmentation). Citizens also benefited from certain 40 fish species occurring in a river with native salmonid species being more valued than nonnatives, particularly in 41 Norway, and from the degree of a river's native biodiversity. Welfare measures calculated for selected river basin 42 management plans (policy scenarios) revealed societal benefits that were primarily derived from ecological river 43 management whereas a scenario focusing on hydroelectricity production generated the lowest utility. We 44 conclude that ecological river management may produce high nonmarket economic benefits in all study 45 countries, particularly through the management of abiotic river attributes and the restoration of declining or 46 extinct fish species. Our results help to inform decisions on restoration efforts by showcasing the benefits that 47 these measures have for the public. 48 49 Keywords 50 choice experiment, economic values, river basin management plan, river fish conservation, native biodiversity, 51 hydropower dams 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 65 range of anthropogenic pressures (e.g.

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“…As a result, river habitats have been heavily disturbed, altering aquatic and riverine communities and biodiversity [3,4].Over the past several decades, an increasing number of river restorations has been undertaken, notably in Europe, where this rise in restoration programmes has been fostered by the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) [5]. The main objective of such restoration actions is to improve the functional processes of rivers and thus recover ecosystem services [6][7][8][9][10]. For some other authors, river restoration actions can be implemented for one or more of the seven following categories: continuity restoration, pollution control, recovery of sediment dynamics, land-use management, adaptation to climate change, implementation of ecological discharges, and habitat restoration [11].Numerous restorations targeted the recovering habitats of some native fish species due to their emblematic value and habitat requirements.…”

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confidence: 99%

Effects of Transverse Groynes on Meso-Habitat Suitability for Native Fish Species on a Regulated By-Passed Large River

Chardon¹,

Schmitt²,

Piégay³

et al. 2020

Preprint

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River regulations ultimately degrade fluvial forms and morphodynamics and simplify riparian and aquatic habitats. For several decades, river restoration actions have been performed to recover geomorphic processes and diversify these habitats to enhance both river biodiversity and ecosystem services. The objective of this study is to provide quantitative feedback on the experimental restoration of a large regulated and by-passed river (the Upper Rhine downstream of the Kembs Dam, France/Germany). This restoration consisted of the construction of two transverse groynes and the removal of bank protection. A monitoring framework composed of topo-bathymetric surveys as well as flow velocity and grain size measurements was established to assess the channel morphodynamic responses and evaluate their effects on habitat suitability for five native fish species using habitat models. A riverscape approach was used to evaluate the landscape changes in terms of both the configuration and the composition, which cannot be considered with classic approaches (e.g., WUA). Our results show that the two transverse groynes and, to a lesser extent, bank erosion, which was locally enhanced by the two groynes, increased habitat diversity due to the creation of new macroforms (e.g., pools and mid-bars) and fining of the bed grain size. Using a riverscape approach, our findings highlight that the restoration improved lentic fish habitats (eel and juvenile nase species) due to slowing of the local current and the deposition of fine sediments downstream of both groynes. As a consequence, the restoration improved the habitat suitability of the studied reach for more fish species compared with the pre-restoration conditions. This study also demonstrates that the salmon habitats downstream of the restored reach were improved due to fining of the bed grain size. This finding highlights that for restorations aimed at fish habitats, the grain size conditions must be taken into consideration along with the flow conditions. Furthermore, the implementation of groynes, while not a panacea, can be a strategy for improving fish habitats on highly regulated rivers, but only when more functional and natural options are impossible due to major constraints.

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Status of and Perspectives on River Restoration in Europe: 310,000 Euros per Hectare of Restored River

Cited by 57 publications

References 44 publications

A process‐based approach to restoring depositional river valleys to Stage 0, an anastomosing channel network

A process‐based approach to restoring depositional river valleys to Stage 0, an anastomosing channel network

Managing river fish biodiversity generates substantial economic benefits in four European countries

Effects of Transverse Groynes on Meso-Habitat Suitability for Native Fish Species on a Regulated By-Passed Large River

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