FLOW RESTORATION DATABASE This database describes efforts to restore river flow conditions to benefit river ecosystem health. These efforts include modifying dam operations, removing dams, managing ground water pumping, and other strategies to restore river flows. Case studies, reports and other citations from around the world are summarized. Presently, the database lists 855 rivers in 53 countries. If you know of another project or citation that should be included, please send the appropriate information to [email protected], and we will add it to this database. Copyright 2005 The Nature Conservancy Sustainable Waters Program RIVER TYPE OF RESTORED FLOW ECOLOGICAL PROJECT MONITORING REFERENCE FLOW COMPONENTS PURPOSES STATUS INDICATORS Angola____________________________________________________________________________________________ Okavango River Other Improve ecological flows For the river and Delta Planned/ To be determined Natural Heritage Institute. 2003. Okavango health Proposed River Basin. Internet: www.n-i-h.org _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Armenia___________________________________________________________________________________________ Lake Sevan Other Increase inflow To raise lake level & Planned/ Fish, wetlands, birds, water quality, World Bank. 2001. Armenia: Towards Integrated restore ecosystem Proposed vegetation, salinity Water Resources Management. World Bank Technical Paper. November 2001. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Australia_______________________________________________________________________________________________________ New South Barwon-Darling Dam Minimum seasonal flows, For basic river health & Implemented Fish, water quality, habitat Chessman, B & H. Jones. 2001. Integrated Wales re-operation high flows fish migration monitoring of environmental flows:design report. New South Wales Dept. of Land & Water Conservation. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Bega-Bemboka Other Natural low flows, high flows, To protect & restore river Planned/ Aquatic invertebrates, water quality, NCCNSW Water & Fisheries. 1999. NCC River mimic natural variability system health Proposed fisheries response to Draft Bega/Bemboka River Flow Plan 1999. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Bellinger River Reduction of Restoration of natural dry times, To restore & protect the Implemented Water quality, groundwater, wetlands, Dept. of Environmental Conservation. 2004. water usage & low flows, freshets & high flows & ecosystem habitat, fish, vegetation, salinity, estuary Bellinger River: Interim river flow Objectives Dam re-op natural variability condition explained. Government of New South Wales. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Black Creek Other Mimic natural drying, maintain To protect the aquatic Implemented Water quality New South Wales EPA. 2002. Hunter River variability, reduce unnatural high ecosystem Water Quality and River Flow Interim Environ- flows mental Objectives. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Clarence River Dam More natural flow regime To protect & enhance Planned/ Eastern cod, sediment, habitat, native Natural Heritage Trust. 2004. Eastern Cod Catchment re-operation habitat Proposed & introduced fish populations Recovery Plan. NSW Fisheries Threatened Species Recovery Planning Program. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Cotter River Dam Low flows & monthly spikes To benefit the river Implemented Habitat, fish populations, algae, Dyer, F. 2004. Can Environmental Flows re-operation ecosystem macroinvertebrates Compensate for Upstream Dams? SIL News. Vol. 4, January 2004. pg. 5 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Coxs River Dam Various experimental base flow To benefit aquatic life Implemented Water quality, stream bed composition, Young, WJ et al. 2000. Assessment of river re-operation releases & one flush release macroinvertebrates, fish, amphibians, condition under the current flow regime and riparian vegetation proposed flow regimes in the lower Coxs River. New South Wales. CSIRO Land and Water. Consultancy Report. 2 Copyright 2003 The Nature Conservancy RIVER TYPE OF RESTORED FLOW ECOLOGICAL PROJECT MONITORING REFERENCE FLOW COMPONENTS PURPOSES STATUS INDICATORS _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ New South Wales Coxs River Dam Channel maintenance flows, To benefit aquatic life Planned/ Water quality, stream bed composition, Young, WJ et al. 2000. Assessment of river (cont) re-operation increased base flows, seasonal Proposed macroinvertebrates, fish, amphibians, condition under the current flow regime and flows, minimum low flows riparian vegetation, sediment transport, proposed flow regimes in the lower Coxs riverine habitats River. New South Wales. CSIRO Land and Water. Consultancy Report. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Darling River Dam re-operation Base flow established For ecosystem restoration Implemented Not Indicated Tarlock, A. Dan. Australia Moves Toward & Water usage Basin-wide Environmental Flows. reduction Rivers, 7(2) pages 138-140, 2000. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Gwydir River Dam Extended high flows; higher To mimic natural flow Implemented 12 species of water birds; fish Blanch, S. 1999. Environmental Flows: re-operation minimum flows variability; to benefit population; water temperature present and future. Presented at the nesting water birds; to Australian Natl. Committee on Large benefit migrating fish Dams 1999 Conference. Internet: Inland Rivers Network: www.nccnsw.org.au _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Hawkesbury- Dam Experimental high pulses, To determine environmental Implemented Habitat, macroinvertebrates, salinity, Australian Museum Business Services. 2000. Nepean River re-operation duration & seasonal releases release flow data water quality, sediment transport, Final Report: Experimental Environmental Flow wetland connectivity, riparian vegetation Strategy. Sydney Catchment Authority Contract 14849 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Hawkesbury- Dam More natural & variable flow To increase habitat diversity Planned/ Habitat, macroinvertebrates, salinity, Australian Museum Business Services. 2000. Nepean River re-operation releases, higher flows & flood Proposed water quality, sediment transport, Final Report: Experimental Environmental Flow events wetland connectivity, riparian vegetation Strategy. Sydney Catchment Authority Contract 14849 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Hunter River Dam High flow events, minimum For basic river health, Implemented Fish population, water quality, salinity Chessman, B & H. Jones. 2001. Integrated re-operation seasonal flows water quality & estuarine monitoring of environmental flows:design report. health New South Wales Dept. of Land & Water Conservation. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ King Parrot Creek Reduction of Maintain regimes, higher To benefit ecological Implemented Social research on attitudes Finger, L & S Flett. 2004. Towards achieving Water usage flows during irrigation season health of watershed environmental flows in unregulated catchments: & promote biodiversity research by the Dept. of Primary Industries" Targeted Water project in the Goulburn Broken Catchment. In: River & Catchment Health: Presenting current research in the Goulburn Broken Catchment. Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3