Rapid water quality change in the <scp>E</scp>lwha <scp>R</scp>iver estuary complex during dam removal

Foley, Melissa M.; Duda, Jeffrey J.; Beirne, Matthew M.; Paradis, Rebecca; Ritchie, Andrew C.; Warrick, Jonathan A.

doi:10.1002/lno.10129

Cited by 28 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 52 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…These model results are consistent with the empirical changes in salinity we measured at point locations in the east and west areas of the estuary complex during dam removal (Foley et al. ).…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 91%

“…During dam removal, however, this region became completely fresh (Foley et al. ) and has remained in that state to the present day. Higher salinity habitats migrated seaward from the historic estuary complex to the new delta.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Correspondingly, there are even fewer studies showing how the restoration of hydrologic and sediment processes affects coastal habitats (Bukaveckas and Wood , Young and Ishiga , Foley et al. , Gelfenbaum et al. , Eidam et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We add to a suite of existing studies focused on the physical responses of the estuary and coastal system (Foley et al. , Gelfenbaum et al. , Magirl et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Coastal habitat and biological community response to dam removal on the Elwha River

Foley

Warrick

Ritchie

et al. 2017

Ecological Monographs

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Habitat diversity and heterogeneity play a fundamental role in structuring ecological communities. Dam emplacement and removal can fundamentally alter habitat characteristics, which, in turn, can affect associated biological communities. Beginning in the early 1900s, the Elwha and Glines Canyon dams in Washington, USA, withheld an estimated 30 million Mg of sediment from river, coastal, and nearshore habitats. During the staged removal of these dams, the largest dam removal project in history, over 14 million Mg of sediment were released from the former reservoirs. Our interdisciplinary study in coastal habitats, the first of its kind, shows how the physical changes to the river delta and estuary habitats during dam removal were linked to responses in biological communities. Sediment released during dam removal resulted in over a meter of sedimentation in the estuary and over 400 m of expansion of the river mouth delta landform. These changes increased the amount of supratidal and intertidal habitat, but also reduced the influx of seawater into the pre‐removal estuary complex. The effects of these geomorphic and hydrologic changes cascaded to biological systems, reducing the abundance of macroinvertebrates and fish in the estuary and shifting community composition from brackish to freshwater‐dominated species. Vegetation did not significantly change on the delta, but pioneer vegetation increased during dam removal, coinciding with the addition of newly available habitat. Understanding how coastal habitats respond to large‐scale human stressors, and in some cases the removal of those stressors, is increasingly important as human uses and restoration activities increase in these habitats.

show abstract

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 91%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We add to a suite of existing studies focused on the physical responses of the estuary and coastal system (Foley et al. , Gelfenbaum et al. , Magirl et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Coastal habitat and biological community response to dam removal on the Elwha River

Foley

Warrick

Ritchie

et al. 2017

Ecological Monographs

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Following a multi-year removal process, the two reservoirs behind the dams were drained and restored to a free-flowing river that significantly altered sediment dynamics and released 10.5 million tons of sediment (Randle et al, 2015). Much of this sediment was deposited at the river mouth, increasing (Gelfenbaum et al, 2015) and maintaining (Foley et al, 2015) the size of the river delta and creating nursery grounds for valuable fish and invertebrate species. The removal of both dams also restored connectivity to about 105 km of river habitat for anadromous Pacific salmonids (Oncorhynchus spp.).…”

Section: Dam Construction and Impoundmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fishing for ecosystem services

Pope

Pegg

Cole

et al. 2016

Journal of Environmental Management

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

a b s t r a c tEcosystems are commonly exploited and manipulated to maximize certain human benefits. Such changes can degrade systems, leading to cascading negative effects that may be initially undetected, yet ultimately result in a reduction, or complete loss, of certain valuable ecosystem services. Ecosystembased management is intended to maintain ecosystem quality and minimize the risk of irreversible change to natural assemblages of species and to ecosystem processes while obtaining and maintaining long-term socioeconomic benefits. We discuss policy decisions in fishery management related to commonly manipulated environments with a focus on influences to ecosystem services. By focusing on broader scales, managing for ecosystem services, and taking a more proactive approach, we expect sustainable, quality fisheries that are resilient to future disturbances. To that end, we contend that: (1) management always involves tradeoffs; (2) explicit management of fisheries for ecosystem services could facilitate a transition from reactive to proactive management; and (3) adaptive co-management is a process that could enhance management for ecosystem services. We propose adaptive co-management with an ecosystem service framework where actions are implemented within ecosystem boundaries, rather than political boundaries, through strong interjurisdictional relationships.Published by Elsevier Ltd.

show abstract

Influence of water quality on the macroinvertebrate community in a tropical estuary (Buenaventura Bay)

Duque

Gamboa-García

Molina

et al. 2021

Integr Envir Assess & Manag

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The anthropogenic discharges of inorganic nutrients impact water quality, affecting the macroinvertebrate assemblage and food safety. The main objective of this study was to examine the seawater quality and macroinvertebrate dynamics in muddy habitats of Buenaventura Bay, Colombian Pacific. Macroinvertebrates were captured using artisanal trawl nets during different seasons and along four sampling sites. Multivariate analyses (canonical correspondence analysis and generalized additive model) were used to assess the effects of variations in nitrite, nitrates, phosphate concentrations, and physicochemical variables (salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen [DO], temperature, and total dissolved solids [TDS]) of water on the macroinvertebrate assemblage. Richness was the highest at sites with high salinity and temperature and low concentrations of nitrites and TDS. The densities of the commercial shrimp species Xiphopenaeus riveti and Rimapenaeus byrdi were the highest at sites with higher DO and alkalinity, and lower nitrate concentrations. The swimming crab Callinectes arcuatus was dominant at sites with low water quality. In summary, in the transitional season and at the inner sites of Buenaventura Bay, it was observed the lowest water quality due to high nitrate concentration. High nitrate concentration was highlighted as the main anthropogenic factor that could decrease the capture of target macroinvertebrate species for food and livelihoods of artisanal fishermen and their families. Thus, macroinvertebrate communities may be vulnerable to increased inorganic nutrient inputs, which could affect estuarine water quality and ecosystems services.

show abstract

Rapid water quality change in the Elwha River estuary complex during dam removal

Cited by 28 publications

References 52 publications

Coastal habitat and biological community response to dam removal on the Elwha River

Coastal habitat and biological community response to dam removal on the Elwha River

Fishing for ecosystem services

Influence of water quality on the macroinvertebrate community in a tropical estuary (Buenaventura Bay)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About