scholarly journals Influence of flood regime on riparian vegetation dynamics in rivers with alternate bars

2018 ◽  
Vol 40 ◽  
pp. 02025 ◽  
Author(s):  
Camille Jourdain ◽  
Nicolas Claude ◽  
Germain Antoine ◽  
Pablo Tassi ◽  
Florian Cordier
Keyword(s):  
Vegetation Cover ◽  
Riparian Vegetation ◽  
Steady Increase ◽  
River Channels ◽  
Vegetation Development ◽  
Flood Peak ◽  
Channel Dynamics ◽  
Alternate Bars ◽  
Morphodynamic Modeling ◽  
Vegetation Encroachment

Throughout the 20th century, many rivers worldwide have undergone important riparian vegetation encroachment, which can be problematic in terms of flood risks and biodiversity. Nowadays, controlled floods is often considered as a management option in anthropized rivers, with the aim of limiting vegetation encroachment within river channels, as well as maintaining a diverse habitat by reactivating natural channel dynamics. In this context, this study aims at investigating the influence of different flood regimes on river bar vegetation development and dynamics, focussing on alternate bar systems which are typically found in embanked streams. This question has been addressed through two-dimensional bio-morphodynamic modeling of a simplified gravel bed river reach. Four hydrological scenarios with different flood peak discharges have been run for 50 years. For all scenarios, a steady increase in vegetation cover strongly impacts the evolution of bar morphology, until a relatively stable equilibrium is reached after one to three decades. Numerical results suggest that vegetation development on bars is associated to an increase in bar wavelength and a decrease in bar width. Higher peak flood discharges lead to narrower and longer bars, and a longer adjustment duration. When vegetation cover is fully developed, interannual flood variability seems crucial to maintain bedform and vegetation turnover.

Riparian Vegetation Dynamic and River Stability on Intermittent Rivers: Impact of Water Transfer Project on Tropical Drylands

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Camilla Santos ◽  
Leonardo Dantas Martins ◽  
Kenia Sousa da Cruz ◽  
Jonas Otaviano Praça de Souza
Keyword(s):  
Vegetation Cover ◽  
Riparian Vegetation ◽  
Google Earth ◽  
Water Transfer ◽  
Lateral Stability ◽  
Hydrological Changes ◽  
Vertical Incision ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Geomorphic Units ◽  
The Impact

<p>Rivers on semiarid landscapes typically are characterised by sandy geomorphic units and riverbanks, a natural factor that enhances lateral mobility. Vegetation cover is a crucial factor on lateral instability due to its impact on riverbank and geomorphic units erosion resistance. Nevertheless, riparian vegetation on intermittent and ephemeral channels show growing patterns directly affect by the flow temporality, that controls the water availability. Extended dry intervals hinder the succession ecological on geomorphic units, like bars and islands, and riverbanks and retard the growing process. This work analysed the effects of hydrological changes, caused by one water transfer project, on the bio-geomorphological patterns on riverbanks of a main intermittent river of Brazilian Drylands. Flow data series was used to understand the hydrological pattern changes; Google Earth images and UAV surveys to analyse the vegetation and riverbank behaviour from 2008 to 2020.  Lastly, the identification of riverbank material resistance was based on sedimentology analysis.  The water transfer Project PISF (Projeto de Integração do São Francisco), operating since 2017 March, increase the average flow days from 137,5 to 260/300 days and decreasing the continuous dry period from 200 to 30/45 days. The impact on average annual discharge was slightest, whereas the average water transfer volume was 3m<sup>3</sup>/s. It is essential to highlight the short period of data posterior to the water transfer and the non-regulatiry of water volume transferred; what limits the temporal representativity of the results. There were different types, and level of impacts depending on the river reach characteristics. However, in general, the longer flow permanence increases riparian vegetation density, vertical incision, and lateral stability. Riparian vegetation cover increase, from 20% to 100% on the 9 reaches analysed, across the entire channel, including bedrock reaches, with riverbanks having some rock outcrops percentage. The main changes were on sand bed reaches, that used to have, before 2017, a dynamic braiding pattern, without a clear main incised channel and thalweg shifting. Afterwards, the flow permanence, due to the water transfer project, enabled herbaceous stratus temporal continuity, contributing to surface stability and progressive bushes/trees cover growing. Lastly, the increase in lateral stability, mainly on thalweg position, facilitates the vertical incision on the sand bed reaches, representing 85% of this channel. As a secondary impact, there were necessary, to the road network, built floodway crossings at several points, which changes the channel morphology and the (dis)connectivity process. It can generate distinct channel position and morphology changes causing water and sediment retention upstream and erosion downstream. Lastly, there were slight differences in textural characteristics on riverbanks and geomorphic units, with a rise in fine sediment on the most vegetated areas/units. This analysis reveals that a fast response of riparian vegetation and sand bed reaches morphology, affecting the bio-geomorphological process and all environmental dynamic. It points to fundamental elements which need monitoring after hydrological changes, especially to intermittent and ephemeral rivers.</p>

scholarly journals Associations between fish assemblage and riparian vegetation in the Corumbataí River Basin (SP)

2007 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 191-195 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Cetra ◽  
M. Petrere JR.
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Fish Species ◽  
Sugar Cane ◽  
Fish Assemblage ◽  
Vegetation Cover ◽  
Riparian Vegetation ◽  
Riparian Forest ◽  
The State ◽  
Multivariate Techniques

This work intends to examine if there are associations between fish species and the state of conservation of the riparian forest in the Corumbataí River Basin. Four main rivers were chosen for this study with three sites on each. Collections were carried out from March to June and from September to December 2001. Multivariate techniques were applied to determine the correlation between species richness and the order of the rivers, preservation level of the riparian forest, shade level, presence or absence of Eucalyptus, sugar cane and pastures, and surrounding declivity stability of the sites. Species richness was highest at locations with greater vegetation cover and preserved riparian forest.

scholarly journals Influence of Different Satellite Imagery on the Analysis of Riparian Leaf Density in a Mountain Stream

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (20) ◽  
pp. 3376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Romano ◽  
Giovanni Francesco Ricci ◽  
Francesco Gentile
Keyword(s):  
Winter Wheat ◽  
Satellite Imagery ◽  
Vegetation Cover ◽  
Riparian Vegetation ◽  
Deciduous Forests ◽  
Sensor Data ◽  
Mountain Stream ◽  
Landsat 8 ◽  
Area Index ◽  
Sentinel 2

In recent decades, technological advancements in sensors have generated increasing interest in remote sensing data for the study of vegetation features. Image pixel resolution can affect data analysis and results. This study evaluated the potential of three satellite images of differing resolution (Landsat 8, 30 m; Sentinel-2, 10 m; and Pleiades 1A, 2 m) in assessing the Leaf Area Index (LAI) of riparian vegetation in two Mediterranean streams, and in both a winter wheat field and a deciduous forest used to compare the accuracy of the results. In this study, three different retrieval methods—the Caraux-Garson, the Lambert-Beer, and the Campbell and Norman equations—are used to estimate LAI from the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). To validate sensor data, LAI values were measured in the field using the LAI 2200 Plant Canopy Analyzer. The statistical indices showed a better performance for Pleiades 1A and Landsat 8 images, the former particularly in sites characterized by high canopy closure, such as deciduous forests, or in areas with stable riparian vegetation, the latter where stable reaches of riparian vegetation cover are almost absent or very homogenous, as in winter wheat fields. Sentinel-2 images provided more accurate results in terms of the range of LAI values. Considering the different types of satellite imagery, the Lambert-Beer equation generally performed best in estimating LAI from the NDVI, especially in areas that are geomorphologically stable or have a denser vegetation cover, such as deciduous forests.

scholarly journals Importance of considering riparian vegetation requirements for the long-term efficiency of environmental flows in aquatic microhabitats

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (11) ◽  
pp. 5763-5780 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rui Rivaes ◽  
Isabel Boavida ◽  
José M. Santos ◽  
António N. Pinheiro ◽  
Teresa Ferreira
Keyword(s):  
Fish Species ◽  
Riparian Vegetation ◽  
Environmental Flows ◽  
Fish Habitat ◽  
Natural Habitat ◽  
River Channel ◽  
Habitat Availability ◽  
Hydraulic Characteristics ◽  
Vegetation Development

Abstract. Environmental flows remain biased toward the traditional biological group of fish species. Consequently, these flows ignore the inter-annual flow variability that rules species with longer lifecycles and therefore disregard the long-term perspective of the riverine ecosystem. We analyzed the importance of considering riparian requirements for the long-term efficiency of environmental flows. For that analysis, we modeled the riparian vegetation development for a decade facing different environmental flows in two case studies. Next, we assessed the corresponding fish habitat availability of three common fish species in each of the resulting riparian landscape scenarios. Modeling results demonstrated that the environmental flows disregarding riparian vegetation requirements promoted riparian degradation, particularly vegetation encroachment. Such circumstance altered the hydraulic characteristics of the river channel where flow depths and velocities underwent local changes of up to 10 cm and 40 cm s−1, respectively. Accordingly, after a decade of this flow regime, the available habitat area for the considered fish species experienced modifications of up to 110 % when compared to the natural habitat. In turn, environmental flows regarding riparian vegetation requirements were able to maintain riparian vegetation near natural standards, thereby preserving the hydraulic characteristics of the river channel and sustaining the fish habitat close to the natural condition. As a result, fish habitat availability never changed more than 17 % from the natural habitat.

Assessment of human-induced impacts on hydrological regime of Gomti river basin, India

2015 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 631-649 ◽  
Author(s):  
Venkatesh Dutta ◽  
Ravindra Kumar ◽  
Urvashi Sharma
Keyword(s):  
River Basin ◽  
Satellite Data ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Steady Increase ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
River Channels ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Gomti River ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Management And Development

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the potential impact of human-induced intervention on hydrological regimes of Gomti river, one of the important tributaries of the Ganga Alluvial Plain in India aiming at an overall assessment of the status quo. Design/methodology/approach – The research methodology includes following four components: study of basin morphology, sub-surface geology and sediments profile of Gomti river; a comparison of LANDSAT satellite data of 1978 and IRS-1C/LISS-III satellite data of 2008 to study the changes occurring in the built-up area, forest and water bodies of the basin; study of flow patterns in different stretches of river Gomti from 1978 to 2012; and water quality assessment at different sites from origin of the river to its confluence in the Ganges. Findings – The paper shows that over the years, the water source in the tributaries feeding the river Gomti has shrunk, reducing the flow in the river. A steady increase in developed land area due to rapid urban sprawl has occurred in recent decades, due to which forest cover and wetlands are decreasing, the river and floodplains are getting fragmented, the hydromorphology changed considerably and several tributaries are getting dried as a result of indiscriminate exploitation of groundwater. There is no flow in the initial 57 km stretch of the river with wide encroachment in active floodplains. Groundwater over-extraction to meet the demands of increasing population and intensive agriculture has led to reduction in base-flows and in some reaches even negative. Extensive land-use changes in the Gomti river basin (GRB) severely impact the river and floodplain connectivity, the impacts are already evident as several tributaries are getting dried during the non-monsoon months. Research limitations/implications – The information provided by the paper for GRB is significant for the understanding of the basin and to formulate integrated management and development plan of the basin. Significant changes have taken place in the GRB over the recent past and are still continuing. Because of the chosen river basin and the site-specific research approach, the research results may lack generalization. However, it provides a general framework of analysis which could be applied to other regions. Practical implications – River channels with their floodplains and adjoining ecosystems have to be addressed as interconnected ecological entity in a holistic way. This requires comprehensive observations of the river systems and catchment characteristics using long-term data. The paper could be used as the starting point in the development of management and development strategies for the basin. Originality/value – River and its floodplain offer multiple ecosystem services and deserve an integrated approach for their conservation and restoration. Conservation and protection of ecologically intact river-floodplain systems is extremely important and urgently needs integrated planning and management. This paper has adopted a integrated approach to study the integrity of river ecosystems and the potential pressures on them.

scholarly journals IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF A LAGRE FLOOD ON RIPARIAN VEGETATION IN KINUGAWA RIVER CHANNELS BY USING UAV MEASUREMENT

2017 ◽  
Vol 73 (4) ◽  
pp. I_1069-I_1074
Author(s):  
Hayata IIMURA ◽  
Hitoshi MIYAMOTO ◽  
Toshiya INOUE ◽  
Yuka CHIGASAKI ◽  
Kenichiro HAMAGUCHI
Keyword(s):  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Riparian Vegetation ◽  
River Channels

scholarly journals THE INFLUENCE OF CHECK DAMS ON FLUVIAL PROCESSES AND RIPARIAN VEGETATION IN MOUNTAIN REACHES OF TORRENTS

2010 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuseppe Bombino ◽  
Vincenzo Tamburino ◽  
Demetrio Antonio Zema ◽  
Santo Marcello Zimbone
Keyword(s):  
Riparian Vegetation ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Multivariate Statistical ◽  
Vegetation Development ◽  
Multivariate Statistic ◽  
Check Dams ◽  
Multivariate Statistic Analysis ◽  
Multivariate Statistical Approach ◽  
Specific Discharge ◽  
Active Channel

The complex hydrogeomorphological processes within the active channel of rivers strongly influence riparian vegetation development and organization, particularly in mountain streams where such processes can be remarkably impacted by engineering control works. In four mountain reaches of Calabrian fiumaras we analyze, through previously arranged methods (integrated by a multivariate statistic analysis), the relationships among hydrogeomorphological river characteristics and structure and the development of riparian vegetation within the active channel in transects located in proximity of check dams and in less disturbed sites. The results of this study demonstrate clear and relevant contrasts, due to the presence of check dams, in the physical and vegetation properties of upstream, downstream and intermediate sites around check dams. The multivariate statistical approach through the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) highlighted evident relationships in all transects between groups of physical and vegetation properties. The regression analysis performed between the vegetation properties and the width:depth ratio or the specific discharge showed very different relationships between groups of transects, due to evident changes in channel morphology and in flow regime locally induced by check dams. Overall we have shown that check dams have far reaching effects in the extent and development of riparian vegetation of mountain torrent reaches, which extend far beyond physical adjustments to changed morphological, hydraulic and sedimentary conditions.

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