The ideal meander: Exploring freshwater scientist drawings of river restoration

Wilson, Kristen N.; Baker, Suzanne L.; Kondolf, G. Mathias

doi:10.1086/709012

Cited by 9 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…River restoration, as commonly practiced today, reflects an aesthetic preference for a well-defined single channel that is relatively stable (Kondolf, 2006;Le Lay et al, 2013;Medel et al, 2020;Wilson et al, 2020), with channel conveyance that limits the frequency and duration of floodplain inundation. This results in restored rivers with channel geometries, planforms, and capacities for conveying water, sediment, and organic matter that mimic those characteristic of transport reaches (i.e., reaches that pass excess sediment downstream; Montgomery and Buffington, 1997).…”

Section: Implications For River Restorationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rediscovering, Reevaluating, and Restoring Lost River-Wetland Corridors

et al. 2021

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River-wetland corridors form where a high degree of connectivity between the surface (rheic) and subsurface (hyporheic) components of streamflow creates an interconnected system of channels, wetlands, ponds, and lakes. River-wetland corridors occur where the valley floor is sufficiently wide to accommodate a laterally unconfined river planform that may feature morphologically complex, multi-threaded channels with vegetated bars, islands, and floodplains. River-wetland corridors can develop anywhere there is valley expansion along a drainage network, from the headwaters to estuaries or deltas, and they are found across all latitudes and within all biomes and hydroclimates. River-wetland corridors may be longitudinally continuous but are commonly interspersed with single-thread reaches in narrower portions of the valley. The development and persistence of river-wetland corridors is driven by combinations of geologic, biotic, and geomorphic processes that create a river environment that is diverse, heterogeneous, patchy, and dynamically stable, and within which patterns of flow, sediment features, and habitats shift continually. Hence, we describe these polydimensional river corridors as “kaleidoscope rivers.” Historically, river-wetland corridors were pervasive in wide, alluvial valley reaches, but their presence has been so diminished worldwide (due to a diverse range of anthropogenic activities and impacts) that the general public and even most river managers are unaware of their former pervasiveness. Here, we define river-wetland corridors as a river type; review paleoenvironmental and historical records to establish their past ubiquity; describe the geologic, biotic, and geomorphic processes responsible for their formation and persistence; and provide examples of river-wetland corridor remnants that still survive. We close by highlighting the significance of the diverse river functions supported by river-wetland corridors, the consequences of diminution and neglect of this river type, and the implications for river restoration.

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Section: Implications For River Restorationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rediscovering, Reevaluating, and Restoring Lost River-Wetland Corridors

et al. 2021

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“…One of the challenges to process-based restoration may be that processes supporting desired river-corridor characteristics, including resilience to disturbance or habitat abundance and diversity, may not result in river corridor forms considered desirable by some communities. Several studies suggest that modern cultures in the global North consider a meandering river surrounded by park-like open woodland to be an ideal, esthetically attractive riverscape (Gregory & Davis, 1993;House & Ba, 1991;Kondolf, 2006;Wilson et al, 2020).…”

Section: Addressing Perceptions Of Restoration Activities and Restore...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One of the challenges to process‐based restoration may be that processes supporting desired river‐corridor characteristics, including resilience to disturbance or habitat abundance and diversity, may not result in river corridor forms considered desirable by some communities. Several studies suggest that modern cultures in the global North consider a meandering river surrounded by park‐like open woodland to be an ideal, esthetically attractive riverscape (Gregory & Davis, 1993; House & Ba, 1991; Kondolf, 2006; Wilson et al, 2020). Conversely, features such as abundant large wood in the channel (Chin et al, 2008; Le Lay et al, 2008; Piégay et al, 2005), a braided planform (Le Lay et al, 2013), or the presence of beaver and associated beaver dams, canals, and overbank inundation (Charnley et al, 2020; Pfaeffle et al, 2022; Pilliod et al, 2018) can be negatively perceived.…”

Section: Addressing Perceptions Of Restoration Activities and Restore...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Geomorphic context in process‐based river restoration

Wohl,

Rathburn,

Dunn

et al. 2024

River Research & Apps

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Process‐based river restoration seeks to restore processes such as channel‐floodplain connectivity that create and maintain river corridor functions. Process‐based restoration can fail to produce the desired results if geomorphic context is not effectively incorporated into restoration design. Geomorphic context of a river reach refers to the controls on contemporary river form and process. Controls at the catchment‐ to reach‐scale include geologic history, biophysical characteristics, legacies of past human alterations, position within the river network, river corridor geometry, base level stability, disturbance regime, and contemporary human alterations of the river corridor. We conceptualize a river corridor as reflecting the interactions among fluxes of material and the geomorphic context. We discuss how an understanding of geomorphic context can be used to select a restoration approach and provide examples of how restoration can fail to achieve desired outcomes when geomorphic context is not considered. Within the toolbox of methods used to implement process‐based restoration, we differentiate the alteration of inputs to the river corridor and fluxes of material through the corridor from alteration of form and/or connectivity within the river corridor. Historical, biotic, geologic/geomorphic, and reference sites can be used to inform process‐based restoration targets. Restoration is strongly influenced by human perceptions of what is appropriate and achievable at a site and diverse communities influencing restoration at a site may differ in their perceptions. Geomorphically based conceptual guidelines, such as the River Styles Framework, provide an effective platform for incorporating an understanding of geomorphic context into process‐based river restoration.

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“…In confronting the domination of civil engineering in the late 20th century, a route through 'design' was common and rehabilitation of features at a reach scale (e.g. installing riffles- Keller, 1975 and idealistic re-meandering- Wilson et al, 2020) became common. Thus 'faking nature' (Elliot, 1997) occurred with mimic forms, not functional units (see Sear & Newson, 2004).…”

Section: Rehabilitationmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘Fluvial geomorphology and environmental design’: Restitution for damage, rehabilitation, restoration or rewilding?

Newson

2021

Earth Surf Processes Landf

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Gregory's pioneering work on progressive river channel change, driven in England by both natural and anthropogenic forces, helped to guide major concepts and roles for fluvial geomorphology. It opened the door to a steep rise of applied fluvial geomorphology and a bigger role in public policy and river basin management.The channel change paradigm spans the millennia; by the late 20th century, the extent of Anthropocene harm to rivers justified both a radical label as 'damage' and a professional focus to prescribe remedies. Imitating engineering, then dominant in river management, Gregory favoured the term 'design'. The damage principally impacted river habitat and increasing collaboration with freshwater ecologists in the restitution of damage became part of the international move to 'river science'.European legislation strengthened the legal status of physical habitat in overall river quality.In the 21st century fluvial geomorphology has both strengthened and diversified further within 'river science', but also gaining social, behavioural, even political, insights through 'citizen science' and the 'co-design' of river corridor projects with communities. The professional challenges of the climate and biodiversity emergencies return us to Gregory's question, 'how applied should we become?' The increasingly public profiles of, for example, flood risk policy require river scientists to participate in recommending and co-designing options such as rehabilitation, restoration and rewilding. The separate and joint contributions of these options are discussed through the geomorphological prism. Progressive and episodic channel changes will increase as the drivers and remedies interact; we must play a role in scenario setting and adaptive management, promoting workable collaboration between natural and social sciences, especially in the contested field of design.

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The ideal meander: Exploring freshwater scientist drawings of river restoration

Cited by 9 publications

References 26 publications

Rediscovering, Reevaluating, and Restoring Lost River-Wetland Corridors

Rediscovering, Reevaluating, and Restoring Lost River-Wetland Corridors

Geomorphic context in process‐based river restoration

‘Fluvial geomorphology and environmental design’: Restitution for damage, rehabilitation, restoration or rewilding?

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