Monitoring of Immediate and Long-Term Effects of River Restoration Projects
A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Hydrology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 December 2022) | Viewed by 4645
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
During the twentieth century, numerous watercourses across the world underwent a series of negative changes—resulting mainly from channel regulation. The resulting rapid channel incision was the most visible hydromorphological change to such modified rivers and streams. Moreover, engineering structures fragmenting the watercourses were another critical factor of river ecosystems reflected in the deterioration of the hydromorphological quality as well as impoverishment of benthic macroinvertebrate and fish communities. Adverse changes in the structure and functioning of watercourses caused by human activities were widely documented in numerous studies. A selection of appropriate restoration methods should take into account a number of local conditions and be preceded by an in-depth analysis of the river.
An example of cost-effective, “self-restoring” technique is an erodible corridor, in which free migration of the channel is allowed. In this situation, restoring fluvial processes and undisturbed sediment transport effectively recreate the natural channel course during successive floods. However, many rivers flowing through urbanized areas do not have enough space for free migration. Restoring the natural features of narrow, incised channels can be done with the use of large woody debris, the presence of which stabilizes banks and increases the diversity of channel forms. Mountain streams with a relatively large channel slope are often cut by a set of weirs and check dams, which constitute an impassable barrier for sediment transport and fish migration. In this case, a new and innovative method of building "block ramps" has developed and can be used long-term and safely for local infrastructure. Verification of the achieved goals within these and other methods is possible only through monitoring of the tangible effects achieved within the river.
The objective of this Special Issue is to introduce the reader to the world-wide river restoration techniques used to solve various problems with the vertical/longitudinal continuity of the watercourse and its hydromorphological and ecological state. Research comparing the condition of the studied watercourse before and after restoration measures is particularly welcome, as well as case studies, methodological papers, or reviews related to this topic.
I look forward to receiving your contributions.
Dr. Paweł Mikuś
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- river restoration
- barrier mitigation
- channel processes
- lateral and vertical channel connectivity
- boulder riffles
- dam lowering
- long-term monitoring
