HR: 1340h
AN: H13E-1363    [Abstracts]
TI: A Method for Applying Fluvial Geomorphology in Support of Catchment-Scale River Restoration Planning
AU: * Sear, D
EM: d.sear@soton.ac.uk
AF: School of Geography, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ United Kingdom
AU: Newson, M
EM: m.d.newson@ncl.ac.uk
AF: School of Geography, University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 7RU United Kingdom
AU: Hill, C
EM: cth@geodata.soton.ac.uk
AF: GeoData Institute, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ United Kingdom
AU: Branson, J
EM: jb@geodata.soton.ac.uk
AF: GeoData Institute, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ United Kingdom
AU: Old, J
EM: jce@geodata.soton.ac.uk
AF: GeoData Institute, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ United Kingdom
AB: Fluvial geomorphology is increasingly used by those responsible for conserving river ecosystems; survey techniques are used to derive conceptual models of the processes and forms that characterise particular systems and locations, with a view to making statements of `condition' or `status' and providing fundamental strategies for rehabilitation/restoration. However, there are important scale-related problems in developing catchments scale restoration plans that inevitably are implemented on a reach- by-reach basis. This paper reports on a watershed scale methodology for setting geomorphological and physical habitat reference conditions based on a science-based conceptual model of cachment:channel function. Using a case study from the River Nar, a gravel-bed groundwater dominated river in the UK with important conservation status, the paper describes the sequences of the methodology; from analysis of available evidence, process of field data capture and development of a conceptual model of catchment-wide fluvial dynamics. Reference conditions were derived from the conceptual model and gathered from the literature for the two main river types found on the river Nar, and compared with the current situation in 76 sub-reaches from source to mouth. Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) was used to score the extent of channel departures from `natural' and to suggest the basis for a progressive restoration strategy for the whole river system. MCA is shown to be a flexible method for setting and communicating decisions that are amenable to stakeholder and public consultation.
DE: 1813 Eco-hydrology
DE: 1819 Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
DE: 1825 Geomorphology: fluvial (1625)
DE: 1834 Human impacts
DE: 1880 Water management (6334)
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005