Ecohydrological Approach to Ecosystem Restoration

1. Ecohydrological Approach to Ecosystem Restoration Prof. Dr. Paul J. DuBowy Ecohydrology Associates, LLC Lovell, Wyoming 82431 USA ecohydrology.associates@gmail.com

5. Basic → Applied

7. Ecohydrology as the Ecosystem Driver Restoration Concepts Measuring Success Outline

8. Ecohydrology is a scientific concept applied to environmental problem-solving. Ecohydrology provides the tools to deal with aquatic ecosystems degradation. Ecohydrology is based on a holistic approach to aquatic ecosystems that integrates hydrology and biology for finding the most adequate solutions for the benefit of society and ecosystems. What is Ecohydrology?

9. Ecohydrology

10. Using ecosystem properties as a management tool enhances carrying capacity of ecosystems against human impact. This approach is supported by a profound knowledge of ecosystems functioning, as a basis for coupling the interplay between hydrologic and ecological factors, in order to increase ecosystems robustness and resilience to anthropogenic impacts. Ecohydrology 2

11. Three Principles Hydrology and Hydraulics Fluvial Geomorphology Biogeochemistry Example Applications Flood Control, Navigation and Dredging Nutrients and Treatment Wetlands Ecosystem Management and Restoration Ecohydrology Fundamentals

12. Hydrology vertical river stage/lake level lateral areal extent/inundation Hydraulics longitudinal flow/velocity Hydrology and Hydraulics

13. Hydraulics • Manning’s Equation:v = kn/nR2/3 S1/2 • v= cross-sectional average velocity (ft/s, m/s) • kn= 1.486 (English units) and kn = 1.0 (SI units) • n= coefficient of roughness • R= hydraulic radius (ft, m) = A/P • A = cross sectional area of flow (ft2, m2) • P = wetted perimeter (ft, m) • S= slope(ft/ft, m/m)

14. Why important? how water moves through an aquatic system influences the physical, chemical and biological properties of aquatic systems Abundance Duration Flow paths Flux Seasonal distribution Hydrology and Hydraulics

15. Hydrology is the Driver the rest is just details

16. Climate precipitation (rainfall/snowfall) evapotranspiration long-term hydroperiod (periodic wet-dry cycles) Geomorphology landform (floodplain, depression, etc.) slope (angle) Soil stratigraphy/permeability Regional connectivity (surface, subsurface) Vegetation/wildlife/humans Factors Affecting Hydrology (change)

17. Precipitation (net; Pn) Evapotranspiration (ET) Surface flow (Si,So ) Groundwater (Gi, Go) Tides/Seiche (T) Inputs and Outputs

18. V/t = Pn + Si + Gi – ET – So – Go T PnV; SiV; GiV; TiV ETV; SoV; GoV; ToV Residence Time t = V/Q [t-1 = Q/V] Overall Hydrologic Budget

20. Model Hydrology Pn ET dV/dt Si So T Gi Go

21. Estuarine Hydrology Pn ET dV/dt Si So T Gi Go

22. High Tide Low Tide

23. Organic Flats Hydrology Pn ET dV/dt Si So Gi Go

24. Quaking Bog (Alaska)

25. Everglades – “River of Grass”

26. Tropical Peatlands

27. Bogs, Everglades, Tropical Peatlands Precipitation driven Flat topography→Slow outflow of surface water Organic matter accumulation (peat) Raised elevation of wetland Low pH (acidic) Nutrients bound to sediments→Nutrient-poor ecosystems Insectivorous plants Organic Flats

28. Lacustrine Hydrology Pn ET dV/dt Si So Gi Go

29. Closed Basin Systems

30. Lago Titicaca Pn47% ET91% dV/dt Si 53% So 9% Go? Gi<1%

31. Lake Levels Cross et al. 2001

32. Climate Change–Titicaca Pn ET↑ dV/dt Si So ↓ Go? Gi<1%

33. Model Titicaca Level Decreases in Cross et al. 2001

35. Riverine Hydrology Pn ET dV/dt Si So Gi Go

38. Climate Change 2011 2012

39. Fluvial Geomorphology Erosion Long-term storage Sediment transfer Upland Upland valley Floodplain valley Large river Erosion Erosion/deposition (aggradation/degradation) Deposition from Church 2002

40. Hydraulic Processes • It is in low-gradiant reaches where we observe dynamic processes such as island and sandbar development and side channel and chute creation due to the continual removal and settling of alluvial material. • Islands, sandbars and paleochannels are not static – alluvium is continually reworked by hydraulic processes and moved downstream, leading to temporal patterns of channel morphology.

41. Balance of Dynamic Forces Rosgen Rosgen (Sediment Load) × (Sediment Size) ∝ (Stream Slope) × (Stream Discharge)

43. Oxidation (aerobic)  Reduction (anoxic) Organic N  NH3 NH4+(ammonification) NO3- NO2- NH4+(nitrification) NO3- N2O N2(denitrification) Organic P  SOP  PO4-3 HPO4-2 H2PO4- insoluble inorganic P (complexes with Ca, Fe, Al; adsorption on clay/organic particles) CO3-2 HCO3- CO2 C(H2O)  CH4(carbonate-bicarbonate system) (methanogenesis) SO4-2 S-2 ( H2S) (sulfate-sulfide system) Biogeochemistry

44. Excess Nutrients

45. Hydrology is the Driver

46. Treatment Wetlands

47. Fundamentals of Restoration “Ecologists have learned much about ecosystem structure and function by dissecting communities and examining their parts and processes. The true test of our understanding of how ecosystems work, however, is our ability to recreate them.”J. J. Ewel, 1987

48. Put it back to the way it was in the Good Old Days original “mint” condition Restoration Put it back as much as possible substitute/compromise where necessary Rehabilitation Correct the problem “custom” restoration Reclamation/Remediation What is Restoration? SMALL SCALE LARGE

49. Science Art Black Magic Luck Restoration Factors

50. Original Ecosystem Ecosystem Restoration Degraded Ecosystem Environmental Alteration Ecosystem Function Ecosystem Structure