Monitoring and assessment of a river restoration project in central New York

A widespread lack of post‐project appraisals (PPAs) not only hinders progress in the field of river restoration but also limits the application of adaptive management – a powerful heuristic tool particularly well suited to dynamic fluvial environments. In an effort to contribute to the limited body of scientific literature pertaining to PPAs, we evaluated a stream restoration project completed in the fall of 2005 in central New York. Using a variety of evaluation approaches, we documented both successes (e.g. enhanced in‐stream habitat) and short‐comings (e.g. channel avulsions). Overall, we concluded that the project was marginally successful in achieving its stated goals and that future prospects remain uncertain based on current trajectory. Lessons learned from this monitoring study include: (i) protect vulnerable banks and floodplains until vegetation is established, e.g. via integrated bio‐ and geo‐technical methods, (ii) perform scour depth analyses and excavate scour pools associated with hydraulic structures to design depth to prevent clogging of the channel during post‐construction floods, (iii) orient bank vanes such that cross‐stream flows are not deflected towards the bank, (iv) cross‐validate restoration designs via multiple methods, including process‐based sediment transport relations, especially in unstable gravel‐bed rivers, (v) anticipate and fund for fixing natural channel design (NCD) projects for 3–5 years after completion to account for uncertainties and (vi) identify measurable, goal‐specific success criteria that account for watershed scale stressors and site constraints prior to construction to facilitate successful project design and ensure effective outcomes appraisal. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Assessing macroinvertebrate community response to restoration of Big Spring Run: Expanded analysis of before‐after‐control‐impact sampling designs

Stream restoration projects utilize a variety of approaches to improve conditions for aquatic organisms or enhance ecosystem function. Alterations to abiotic conditions to enhance certain ecosystems services may not lead to concurrent changes in the benthic macroinvertebrate community indicative of improved stream health. Big Spring Run was the location of a novel restoration project to recreate an anabranching “wet meadow” habitat typical of precolonization conditions without the primary goal of restoring a macroinvertebrate community characteristic of single‐channel lotic systems. We examined the effect of the restoration on the macroinvertebrate community using a multivariate analysis of assemblage composition, a before‐after‐control‐impact (BACI) approach, and an assessment of potential aerial migrants. We also examined subsets of the data using a BACI approach that represented restricted sampling designs often employed in stream restoration projects. Benthic macroinvertebrates were collected in the Spring twice prior to restoration (2010 and 2011) and 3 years after restoration (2012–2014). Adult stream insects were collected in 2014. Analyses of benthic macroinvertebrates and adult insects using the full dataset suggested that restoration had no effect on the macroinvertebrate community due to poor in‐stream conditions likely from sediment deposition following restoration. Dispersal barriers are likely acting as a secondary constraint on recolonization. Analyses using subsets of the data demonstrated that reference site quality and sampling extent can alter conclusions from a BACI approach. We found that a holistic approach using multiple lines of evidence required a nuanced approach to interpreting the data but was also informative for assessing project success. Robust monitoring protocols are likely the best approach for producing convincing results through a single line of evidence. The additional BACI analyses performed for this study, however, allowed the modest sampling regime employed to generate a broad narrative demonstrating that the macroinvertebrate assemblage did not respond to this type of restoration. Thus, we believe the holistic approach we employed can strengthen assessments of stream restoration projects when resources for monitoring are limited.     

Evaluating stream restoration: A case study from two partially developed 4th order Connecticut,U.S.A. streams and evaluation monitoring strategies

Stream rehabilitation and enhancement projects in the Norwalk River (urban‐forest watershed) and Merrick Brook (agriculture‐forest watershed) were evaluated. Instream structure installation, streambank stabilization and meander re‐creation were performed 2–5 years before monitoring. Physical, chemical and biological variables were monitored at control, enhanced (treatment sites originally controls), impaired and rehabilitated (treatment sites originally impaired) sites for three field seasons to evaluate the projects and formulate monitoring strategies. Small improvements in local habitat and macroinvertebrate assemblages were observed at rehabilitated sites on the Norwalk River however control conditions were not attained. Changes to stream health were less evident at the reach scale suggesting that watershed processes that form and maintain habitat were too altered for more widespread recovery. A localized sediment source from a failing streambank was eliminated from Merrick Brook protecting the abundant nearby quality habitat, yet fining occurred at the rehabilitation site due to hydraulic changes leading to localized shifts in macroinvertebrate assemblages. Single‐season sampling created a useful snapshot to compare enhanced and rehabilitated sites to control and impaired sites. We recommend a tiered sampling strategy where effectiveness monitoring may include a detailed effort at many sites over a short time (as performed here), a relatively low level of detail (e.g. a rapid assessment) at an intermediate number of sites over a short time, and a detailed long‐term monitoring at few sites (e.g. before‐after‐control‐impact, BACI). More research is needed to continue the trend of increased project evaluation to advance the science and application of stream restoration. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

LONG‐TERM MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT OF A STREAM RESTORATION PROJECT IN CENTRAL NEW YORK

Monitoring, assessment and reporting of stream restoration projects have historically lagged far behind implementation. However, in recent years, rigorous post‐project assessments (PPAs) of modern stream restoration practices have steadily increased. This has helped to stimulate debate and inquiry regarding the effectiveness of restoration techniques and has provided critical feedback to practitioners and planners useful in restoration design and implementation. Nonetheless, few studies exist that track the performance of modern restoration projects over a protracted period. Instead, most are based on a brief snapshot taken during the initial post‐construction period, which may not always accurately characterize longer‐term project performance. Here, we re‐visit a stream restoration project implemented in 2005 on a third‐order stream in central New York. By repeating several of our quantitative and qualitative evaluation procedures from the original 2007 PPA we demonstrate that (i) despite several recent large flood events and the fact that the current channel geometry differs from the design/as‐built configuration, the project has made substantial progress towards the goals of channel stabilization and habitat enhancement; (ii) this more favourable, mid‐term outcome was not necessarily evident during or well‐predicted by our 2007 PPA; (iii) although continued deformation of in‐stream structures may be a harbinger of future channel instability, riparian vegetation is playing an increasingly important role in maintaining channel stability; and (iv) accurately predicting local scour depths proximal to in‐stream structures, performing a detailed sediment budget analysis, and prescribing adequate bank protection are critical to project success, especially during early stages of a project. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Risk‐based Approach to Designing and Reviewing Pipeline Stream Crossings to Minimize Impacts to Aquatic Habitats and Species

Extensive new pipeline systems proposed to transport natural gas and oil throughout North America will potentially result in thousands of new stream crossings. The watercourses encountered at these crossings will range from small, ephemeral headwater streams to large, perennial mainstem rivers; from dynamic gravel‐bed streams to stable bedrock channels; and from steep, source reaches to low gradient, response reaches. Based on past experience at pipeline crossings, the potential for both short and long‐term negative impacts on aquatic habitat and species is substantial. In assessing potential hazards to aquatic habitat and species, the diverse physiography and ecology of the stream affected, combined with the number and range of new pipelines proposed, pose significant challenges for project developers charged with collecting, stratifying, evaluating, analysing, interpreting, and presenting stream crossing data in formats that are accessible, usable and useful. It is equally challenging for project reviewers to detect, distill and summarize potential project impacts and then identify reasonable options for their avoidance, minimization, and mitigation. To address these concerns, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, in conjunction with Ruby Pipeline, LLC, developed a pipeline crossing framework and risk analysis approach to stratify potential aquatic impacts, based on both stream characteristics and project types. In this approach, pipeline crossings are ranked in terms of relative short and long‐term risk to aquatic habitat and are then analysed, designed, and monitored in ways appropriate to their risk. This approach allows project developers and reviewers to focus resources and monitoring on the crossings that present the highest risks to aquatic habitat and species, while expediting design and construction, and minimizing the monitoring of low‐risk crossings. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.     

Experiences and lessons learned from interventions in the Lake Victoria Basin: The Lake Victoria Environmental Management Project

The Lake Victoria basin has experienced a myriad of environmental changes leading to its degradation, and necessitating various interventions to be implemented. The purpose of this study was to review early development initiatives, past and ongoing interventions in order to document experiences and lessons learned from them. The methods used in this study include review of published articles, project reports, and personal opinions of experts and project implementers in the lake basin. There are numerous threats to the lake basin, the major ones being poor land use and agricultural practices, catchment deforestation, destruction of wetlands, pollution loading, fishing malpractices and invasion by exotic aquatic weeds. These threats have resulted in rampant land and wetland degradation, leading to poor water quality and consequent water loss, a decline in the diversity of the commercial fisheries, and the lake’s biodiversity in general, unsustainable use of natural resources, increased poor human health and food insecurity, with high levels of poverty among the riparian communities. Initiatives for socio‐economic development within the lake basin began as early as the turn of the 20th century, while intervention studies started as early as the 1920s. Current lake management intervention projects, such as the Lake Victoria Environmental Management Project (LVEMP), undertaken by the riparian states of the East African Community, have invested heavily in the lake basin, with the goal of addressing the above‐noted threats to the lake. Some pilot projects undertaken through the LVEMP include: (i) water quality and quantity monitoring; (ii) industrial and municipal management; (iii) fisheries studies; (iv) water hyacinth control; (v) wetlands; (vi) land use; (vii) catchment afforestation; and (viii) micro‐projects to alleviate poverty, to cite a few examples. Phase 1 of the LVEMP was a major effort in the history of the lake basin; hence, its critical examination. To this end, this study highlights, in chronological order, the experiences, achievements, challenges and lessons learned with regard to Phase 1 of the LVEMP.     

A Synthesis of Stream Restoration Efforts in Florida (USA)

Studies summarizing stream restoration projects in the US are outdated and omit the majority of restoration projects in Florida. To address this gap, we compiled stream restoration data from diverse sources to create a Florida Stream Restoration Database (FSRD, available at http://www.watershedecology.org/databases.html ) containing information on project type, location, completion date, and costs. The FSRD contains 178 projects categorized by restoration type, including riparian management (23%), stream reclamation (19%), flow modification (13%), bank stabilization (12%), channel reconfiguration (11%), in‐stream habitat improvements (11%), floodplain reconnection (6%), invasive species removal (4%), and dam removal (1%). Projects were spatially clustered into three geographic regions, providing insight on the diversity of initiatives, needs, and funding sources of land management agencies and private landowners that motivated restoration efforts. Projects in the Florida panhandle emphasized in‐stream habitat restoration, while peninsular projects were dominated by flow modification, and projects in the west central region focused on stream reclamation to mitigate surface mining practices and water quality and habitat improvements in tidal streams. Results suggest that Florida is spending much more on stream restoration than previously documented. Between 1979 and 2015, the mean and median stream restoration project costs in Florida were $15.4 million and $180 000, respectively, indicating a strongly skewed distribution because of the large Kissimmee River restoration project in central Florida. This work highlights the need for, and utility of, statewide and national restoration databases to improve restoration tracking. This need will become increasingly critical as more stringent water quality and habitat mitigation rules are implemented across the country. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

水电工程水土保持方案"以新带老"问题探讨

近年来,在水土保持方案报告书审批中开始体现"以新带老"的要求,很多抽水蓄能电站利用原有水利水电工程进行建设,水土保持方案审批中就要求解决原有项目的水土流失问题.从防治责任范围及防治分区、水土流失预测、水土流失防治目标、水土保持措施及投资、水土保持损益分析等5方面分析了原有项目的水土流失问题在新项目水土保持方案中的解决办法.并以一个具体项目为例,探讨抽水蓄能电站水土保持方案中"以新带老"情况的解决办法.     

引水工程运行管理决策支持系统设计与实现

引水工程是我国水资源战略调配的重要举措,在我国水资源调配已经或将发挥重要作用,引水工程的信息化建设将促进和提高引水工程运行管理水平。在分析引水工程特点及其运行管理需求的基础上,应用先进的信息采集、通信网络、空间和计算机控制处理技术,对引水工程运行调度管理决策支持系统进行分析设计,以吉林省引嫩入白引水工程为例,进行应用实践。通过应用表明,该系统运行稳定,界面友好,提升了引水工程水利信息化水平,充分发挥了引水工程的效益。     

基于结构方程模糊评估模型的水利工程项目施工阶段风险研究

针对水利工程建设项目的风险评估问题,考虑了指标间的相互影响的复杂性,采用结构方程模糊评估模型对水利工程项目风险进行了评定,并将模型应用到M水库工程施工阶段。结果表明:该工程施工阶段的风险评估等级为低等,该模型结果和层次分析模糊综合评价结果一致,并与实际工程相符。此外,该模型易于确定指标权重,且计算的风险层指标间的协方差作用系数,可用于量化指标间的相互影响程度,从而提高水利工程项目管理水平。综上可知将结构方程模糊评估模型应用于水利工程项目施工阶段风险研究具有一定潜力,值得进一步研究。     

虚拟仿真技术在水利工程运行管理中的应用研究

虚拟仿真技术已广泛应用于水利工程的勘测、规划、设计、施工等领域,针对流域内水利工程联合调度、长距离输水工程运行管理、单个水利工程运行维护与管理、水利工程运行机理研究等,综合探讨了虚拟仿真技术在水利工程运行管理中的应用.     

水电项目前期勘察设计阶段风险体系构建与评价方法研究

从水电勘测设计企业承揽和执行项目的角度出发,结合新的市场形势下水电项目前期勘察设计阶段的特点,采用专家咨询法构建风险体系,提出基于熵权法的水电项目前期勘察设计阶段风险评价方法,并作出应用举例。熵权法通过对风险因素相对重要性矩阵确定专家权重,确定各风险指标的风险重要性等级并排序,得到排序靠前的风险因素即是对项目影响较大的风险因素,从而指导水电勘测设计企业对项目的决策和执行,提高风险管控的能力。     

基于RBF网络的水电BOT项目投资风险评估

为提高水电BOT项目投资风险评估水平,针对其投资风险影响因素的非线性、模糊性及不确定性等特点,构建水电BOT项目投资风险识别矩阵,应用径向基函数神经网络建立水电BOT项目的投资风险评估RBF模型;运用Matlab建构风险评估模拟程序并预测出项目的投资风险等级,为风险管理提供定量计算方法。算例仿真结果得出该项目的综合风险评估值为0.581 6,与实际情况相符,表明该模型在评估水电BOT项目投资风险上具有可行性。     

Habitat Restoration in the Context of Watershed Prioritization: The Ecological Performance of Urban Stream Restoration Projects in Portland,Oregon

In Portland (Oregon, USA), restoration actions have been undertaken at the watershed scale (e.g. revegetation and stormwater management) to improve water quality and, where water quality and quantity are adequate at the reach scale, to increase habitat heterogeneity. Habitat enhancement in urban streams can be important for threatened species, but challenging, because of altered catchment hydrology and urban encroachment on floodplains and channel banks. To evaluate reach‐scale restoration projects in the Tryon Creek watershed, we sampled benthic macroinvertebrates and conducted habitat quality surveys pre‐project and over 4 years post‐project. Species sensitive to pollution and diversity of trophic groups increased after restoration. Taxonomic diversity increased after restoration but was still low compared with reference streams. We found no significant changes in trait proportions and functional diversity. Functional diversity, proportion of shredders and semivoltine invertebrates were significantly higher in reference streams than in the restored stream reaches. We hypothesized that inputs of coarse particulate organic matter and land use at watershed scale may explain the differences in biodiversity between restored and reference stream reaches. Habitat variables did not change from pre‐project to post‐project, so they could not explain community changes. This may have been partly attributable to insensitivity of the visual estimate methods used but likely also reflects the importance of watershed variables on aquatic biota—suggesting watershed actions may be more effective for the ecological recovery of streams. For future projects, we recommend multihabitat benthic sampling supported by studies of channel geomorphology to better understand stream response to restoration actions. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Institutional Capacity Building within the Water Resources Sector of Developing Countries

Abstract

Part 1 of this paper analyzes the concepts of institutional capacity building and of integrated water resources management, on the basis of recent publications. The authors, building on the work of others, combine this into a conceptual framework for institutional capacity building in the water resources sector. A matrix approach is developed that allows the analysis of project activities, projects and possibly even complete sector programs. At the same time various aspects of process orientation of projects and programs are distinguished and described. The result is a set of analysis tools specifically oriented towards the evaluation of institutional capacity building projects and programs in the water resources sector. Part 2 presents a number of case studies and shows the application of the set of analysis tools. The same set of tools can also be used for the design of such projects or programs, but this is not covered in the present papers.     

CAXA在水利水电工程设计中的应用

简要介绍了CAXA电子图板特点及其在水利水电工程中的应用,着重阐述了CAXA在图解法求解水力学复杂方程、快速绘制WES曲线、利用数据文件绘制样条曲线等方面的应用。说明了CAXA用于水利水电工程设计能起到事半功倍的效果。     

江西省水利工程建设稽察工作概述

水利项目稽察作为水利工程建设与管理的重要手段,在水利事业发展中发挥着独特作用.水利稽察围绕中心,服务大局,充分发挥"检查、反馈、整改、提高"的功能,已经成为水利建设管理中不可或缺的重要环节,成为水利监督工作的重要组成部分,成为水利建设工程安全、资金安全、干部安全和生产安全的有力保障,成为水利事业跨越发展的坚强支撑.本文根据江西省水利稽察工作中发现的工程问题,提出应在实际工作中注意的质量问题,以期为今后水利工程建设及管理的健康发展提供参考.     

浅谈GIS技术在农业综合开发项目的应用

地理信息系统(GIS)及其应用技术近年来发展迅速。作为一种空间信息分析技术,它在农业的应用中发挥着技术辅助的作用。GIS技术可以有效地管理具有空间属性的各种农业资源环境信息,对其管理和实践模式进行快速和重复的分析测试,便于农业开发项目选址、决策、进行科学和政策的标准评价,还能方便地对多时期的项目环境状况及生产活动变化进行动态监测和分析比较,明显地提高农业开发项目的经济效益,避免项目重复申报、面积不足等短视行为;进而趋利避害,维持高效可持续发展。     

长江流域大型水利工程与鱼类资源救护

为解决长江流域的洪涝灾害和开发利用水资源，在长江的干支流已建成一些水利工程，还有许多工程包括三峡水利枢纽正在建设或规划之中。研究认为,这些工程在为长江流域带来巨大的经济和社会效益的同时，也会对长江流域的水环境尤其是鱼类资源产生很大影响。简述了长江流域各类大型水利工程对长江鱼类资源的影响，分析长江流域鱼类资源变化与流域梯级开发的关系及鱼类资源救护措施。     

基于风险矩阵的多要素水资源承载力综合评价方法

为合理综合量-质-域-流四要素评价区域水资源承载力,提出了基于量-质-域-流四要素和风险矩阵的水资源承载力评价模型(QQSS-RM)。首先,构建量-质-域-流四要素子系统下48个初步评价指标,用专家咨询信息和遗传层次分析法(AGA-AHP)计算四要素子系统中各评价指标的权重,通过筛选和分析采用8个综合评价指标构建区域水资源承载力评价指标体系;其次,参考相关文献和专家意见得到8个综合评价指标的4个评价等级标准;最后,构建基于量-质-域-流四要素和风险矩阵的水资源承载力评价模型。将QQSS-RM用于西辽河流域3个水资源三级区的水资源承载力评价,结果表明:西拉木伦河及老哈河、乌力吉木伦河和西辽河下游区间3个水资源三级区的水资源承载力评价等级分别为超载、临界超载和超载,评价结果显示西辽河流域的水资源承载状况较差。该评价结果与西辽河流域的水资源承载状况基本保持一致,表明QQSS-RM应用于区域水资源承载力评价有较好的推广价值。