Beyond just floodwater

Best, James L.; Ashmore, Peter; Darby, Stephen E.

doi:10.1038/s41893-022-00929-1

Cited by 16 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…5). Avulsion-induced flooding does not always follow unprecedented rain 1 , making traditional warning signs unreliable 28 . To effectively prepare for avulsion-related hazards, flood models must account for sediment-induced changes that cause rivers to reroute.…”

Section: Implications For Hazard Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rules of River Avulsion Change Downstream

Gearon,

Martin,

DeLisle

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Avulsing rivers carve new pathways on the floodplain, and the associated flooding can profoundly impact society 1-4. River avulsions are thought to occur when the water column becomes perched above the floodplain5, or when the slope down the channel's flanks provides a steeper descent than the current path 6,7. However, neither idea has been suitably field-tested. Here we quantify the topography around avulsing rivers and reveal that these mechanisms work together. Near coasts, rivers avulse when the slope away from the channel is steeper, not because they are perched. The opposite is true near mountain fronts; on alluvial fans, alternative paths are all similarly steep, so rivers avulse when they are perched over the surrounding landscape. We reconcile these findings and present a novel theoretical framework that can predict which rivers are vulnerable to avulsion, and where avulsing rivers will go after they start. By clarifying the rules of river avulsion, it is evident that avulsion risks are underestimated in many coastal environments8 and that probabilistic predictions of avulsion pathfinding can efficiently project hazard with minimal information. Applying these principles for risk assessment may have outsized benefit in the world’s poorest nations, which we find are disproportionately impacted by avulsions.

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Section: Implications For Hazard Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rules of River Avulsion Change Downstream

Gearon,

Martin,

DeLisle

et al. 2024

Preprint

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“…Water quality challenges, which now include those posed by emerging contaminants (e.g., per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFASs, and endocrine disrupting chemicals, and micro plastics), diffuse pollution, or the spread of non‐native species, are faced globally, even in the highest elevation watersheds (Quincey et al, 2022). Floods and droughts are causing increased impacts globally, affecting hundreds of millions of people each year, and leading to global annual financial losses exceeding US $65 billion and loss of human lives (Best et al, 2022; He & James, 2021; Hering & Ingold, 2012; Howell, 2013; Kreibich et al, 2022; WWAP, 2020). Why have water problems not yet been resolved?…”

Section: Figurementioning

confidence: 99%

Watershed science: Coupling hydrological science and water resources management

Harden

Holden

et al. 2023

Hydrological Processes

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While there have been advancements in hydrological science and water resources management, the world continues to face a water‐supply crisis. In light of studies that report the missing links to be (i) effective collaborations between researchers and practitioners and (ii) interdisciplinary working, we promote the benefits of Watershed Science to address these gaps. Watershed Science incorporates basin hydrology, determines water resource thresholds, promotes water governance that forms partnerships between institutions, and enacts participatory decision making in water resources management. However, such partnerships must recognize the differential power and interests of different actors to ensure that outcomes are not skewed in favour of particular interests. It adds value to existing water management programs and has great potential for bringing disciplines and decision making together to address the global water crisis.

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“…Climate change and reservoir retentions jointly influence river sediment regime, which affects river morphology and substrate composition, thereby impacting on fish habitat (J. Li et al., 2021). Future studies concerning the effects of climate change on fish should take into account changes in watershed soil erosion, sediment flux and nutrient loss, which play an increasingly important role in river ecosystems, when assessing the impacts of dams on fish (Best et al., 2022; J. Li et al., 2021). Due to the lack of integrated data concerning climate change, dam regulation and the evolution of fish communities, the interactive multi‐stressor impacts of climate change and river damming on fish demand further investigation.…”

Section: Future Perspectivesmentioning

confidence: 99%

River Damming Impacts on Fish Habitat and Associated Conservation Measures

Chen,

Li,

Lin

et al. 2023

Reviews of Geophysics

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River damming has brought great benefits to flood mitigation, energy and food production, and will continue to play a significant role in global energy supply, particularly in Asia, Africa, and South America. However, dams have extensively altered global river dynamics, including riverine connectivity, hydrological, thermal, sediment and solute regimes, and the channel morphology. These alterations have detrimental effects on the quality and quantity of fish habitat and associated impacts on aquatic life. Indeed, dams have been implicated in the decline of numerous fishes, emphasizing the need for effective conservation measures. Here, we present a global synthesis of critical issues concerning the impacts of river damming on physical fish habitats, with a particular focus on key fish species across continents. We also consider current fish conservation measures and their applicability in different contexts. Finally, we identify future research needs. The information presented herein will help support sustainable dam operation under the constraints of future climate change and human needs.

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Beyond just floodwater

Cited by 16 publications

References 24 publications

Rules of River Avulsion Change Downstream

Rules of River Avulsion Change Downstream

Watershed science: Coupling hydrological science and water resources management

River Damming Impacts on Fish Habitat and Associated Conservation Measures

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