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Rivers for Life Managing Water for People and Nature

Rivers for Life Managing Water for People and Nature. Brian Richter Director, Sustainable Waters Program. Global Water Consumption. Sustainable Water Management. Managing human uses of water such that enough water of sufficient quality is available for use by future generations.

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Rivers for Life Managing Water for People and Nature

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  1. Rivers for LifeManaging Water for People and Nature Brian Richter Director, Sustainable Waters Program

  2. Global Water Consumption

  3. Sustainable Water Management Managing human uses of water such that enough water of sufficient quality is available for use by future generations

  4. Ecosystem Services

  5. Traditional Approach to Water Management E = ecosystem support H = human use

  6. A Sustainable Approach to Water Management E = ecosystem support H = human use

  7. Water Availability in Texas

  8. The Ecological Condition Gradient Natural structure & function of biotic community maintained 1 Minimal changes in structure & function 2 Evident changes in structure and minimal changes in function 3 Ecological Condition Moderate changes in structure & minimal changes in function 4 Major changes in structure & moderate changes in function 5 6 Severe changes in structure & function Increasing Effect of Human Activity

  9. Adaptive Flow Restoration E = ecosystem support H = human use

  10. Key Wet Year Avg Year Dry Year Environmental Flow Building Blocks Savannah River, below Thurmond Dam (River-Floodplain) • 50,000-70,000 cfs; 2 weeks, avg every 2 yrs • Maintain channel habitats • Create floodplain topographic relief • Provide fish access to the floodplain • control invasive species • Maintain wetlands and fill oxbows and sloughs • Enhance nutrient cycling & improve water clarity • Disperse tree seeds Floods >30,000 cfs;5 pulses, >2 days with 2 events of 2 week duration (March and early April) • 20,000-40,000 cfs; 2-3 days, 1/month • Provide predator-free habitat for birds • Disperse tree seeds • Transport fish larvae • Flush woody debris from floodplain to channel • Floodplain access for fish • Fish passage past NSBLD High Flow Pulses • <13,000 cfs; 3 successive years, every 10-20 years • Floodplain tree recruitment • 8,000-12,000 cfs; • Exchange water with oxbows Low Flows • >8,000 cfs • Larval drift for pelagic spawners • <5,000 cfs • Adequate floodplain drainage • Create shallow water habitat for small-bodied fish • 3,000 cfs; 3 successive years every 10-20 years • Floodplain tree recruitment JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

  11. Benefits of Building Block Approach • Stakeholders and water managers understand what can be regained from each piece of flow restoration • Fosters public dialogue about river values and how far to go up the restoration curve • Engenders political support for protection or restoration • Stimulates creativity in searching for water management solutions

  12. Limits of Hydrologic Alteration (LOHA) Method

  13. “It is one thing to find fault with an existing system. It is another thing altogether, a more difficult task, to replace it with another approach that is better.”--- Nelson Mandela, 16 November 2000, speaking of water resource management

  14. For more information: www.freshwaters.org or brichter@tnc.org

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