River Management*

1. River Management* John Braden University of Illinois, USA Visiting, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Lecture 5 Leuven, Belgium March 2004 * From: Sparks, White, et al., Strategic Renewal of Large Floodplain Rivers.University of Illinois w/ support from National Science Foundation.

2.  Strategic Renewal  of Large Floodplain  Rivers  Upper Mississippi R. Drainage Basin Mississippi River Chicago Illinois River La Grange St. Louis Reach Kilometers 0 200 400

3.  Strategic Renewal  of Large Floodplain  Rivers  Floodplain Ecosystem Management The Concept: Work with the natural forces and variability in the ecosystems (e.g., flood pulses) to recover & maintain their biological integrity(Sparks, 1995) Research Project: Study natural and economic consequences.

4.  Strategic Renewal  of Large Floodplain  Rivers  Current & Future Restoration

5.  Strategic Renewal  of Large Floodplain  Rivers  A century of human alteration: • Levee flood protection • Lock and dam navigation system • Diversion of Water into Basin • Pumps draining levee districts • Upland & tributary modifications

6.  Strategic Renewal  of Large Floodplain  Rivers  Commercial Fish Catch (kg/ha/year) Miss. River 65.0 31.5 26.8 Illinois River 192.0 41.0 4.0 10.8 Years 1908 1950s 1970s 1980s

7.  Strategic Renewal  of Large Floodplain  Rivers  Historical Flow of Social Benefits from Illinois River and Its Floodplain (Conceptual)

8.  Strategic Renewal  of Large Floodplain  Rivers  Presence of the Dams a) Pre-dam Profile View b) Post-dam Profile View Floodplain Floodplain Low Water Low Water River Bed River Bed a’) Pre-dam Plan View b’) Post-dam Plan View Floodplain Floodplain Low Water Low Water Floodplain Floodplain

9. Plants Mud Low Water River Bed  Strategic Renewal  of Large Floodplain  Rivers  Impact of Dam Operation a) Profile View w/ Summer Floods b) Plan View w/ Summer Floods Plants Mud Low Water Mud Plants

10. Effect on Floodplain Vegetation  Strategic Renewal  of Large Floodplain  Rivers  A. Moist soil vegetation with low water in summer B. The result of excessive water level fluctuations

11.  Strategic Renewal  of Large Floodplain  Rivers  Levees, Agriculture, & Environment • Levees create and protect prime farmland • Levees have environmental consequences –river sedimentation –upstream flood damage –loss of fish and wildlife • Ecologists have called for removal of the levees • Can environmental restoration occur without local economic disruption?

12.  Strategic Renewal  of Large Floodplain  Rivers  Recent Impetus Against Levees • Major Midwestern floods –Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, 1993 –Illinois River, 1995 • Levees seen as increasing damages • Natural floodplains absorb flood effects • Debate about local economic effects of agriculture Vs. floodplains

13.  Strategic Renewal  of Large Floodplain  Rivers  Levee Agriculture in Illinois • 287,840 hectares –land behind levees classified as agricultural –85% of all levee and drainage district land • 2.6% of Illinois’ agricultural land –5.8% of 13 Illinois River counties –7.9% of 34 counties with agricultural levees

14.  Strategic Renewal  of Large Floodplain  Rivers  Physical Impacts • Increases flood heights and damage up-stream • Concentrates sediment on the remaining unleveed floodplain, including floodplain lakes • Levees on tributaries increase sediment in the river

15.  Strategic Renewal  of Large Floodplain  Rivers  Biological Impacts • Fewer fish and fowl –Reduced light and plant production – Changed river bottom –Filled in nesting areas • Changes in the fish community –Loss of sight feeders, nest builders –Gain of scent feeders, silt scatterers

16.  Strategic Renewal  of Large Floodplain  Rivers  Economic Impacts of Levee Agriculture

17.  Strategic Renewal  of Large Floodplain  Rivers  The Wilder Farm • The Nature Conservancy purchased the 2,550 leveed hectares of the Wilder Farm for $16 million –0.9% of farmland in Fulton & Mason counties –$1.6 million output, 17 employees (estimate per unit area, county output share) • Almost entire Thompson Levee District • Formerly a marsh and backwater lake

18.  Strategic Renewal  of Large Floodplain  Rivers  Economic Impacts of Restoring Floodplain —Wilder Farm * Dual Use

19.  Strategic Renewal  of Large Floodplain  Rivers  Closing Wilder Farm – Total Local Economic Effects • $2.1 million output • $911,000 value added • 25 jobs • $469,000 labor income –$185,000 employees –$284,000 proprietors • $357,000 other property income

20.  Strategic Renewal  of Large Floodplain  Rivers  Restoration without Economic Disruption? • Statewide perspective –Levee agriculture on Illinois River is 3,800 jobs –Phase out is within the capability of the State –Cost-benefit ratio might be positive • Local perspective –Restoration and recreation can replace lost agricultural jobs –Key determinants: Uses and labor intensity of restored areas

21.  Strategic Renewal  of Large Floodplain  Rivers  Restoration: Strategies &Technologies • Breech and abandon levees • Retain levees with gates • Keep summer flood waters out that would interfere with growing season of plants • Allow spring floods in to create fish spawning areas • Requires monitoring and active management

22.  Strategic Renewal  of Large Floodplain  Rivers  Restoration: Strategies &Technologies (cont’d) • Retain levees without gates • Water rises through ground seepage from bluffs and river • Seasonal pumping to simulate summer water elevation (e.g., plant growth to feed ducks) and fish stocking for fisherman and fowl

23.  Strategic Renewal  of Large Floodplain  Rivers  Ultimate Systemic Approach • Managing watershed, tributaries, and dams for ecosystem as well as navigation: –Fewer levees, plus changes in operation of dams –Dynamics of natural system restored –Obstacles: Costs of land acquisition, limitations in knowledge, politics of conflicting goals, competing public agencies, changes in upstream hydrology