Journal article
Long-term temporal trajectories to enhance restoration efficiency and sustainability on large rivers: an interdisciplinary study
D Eschbach, L Schmitt, G Imfeld, JH May, S Payraudeau, F Preusser, M Trauerstein, G Skupinski
Hydrology and Earth System Sciences | COPERNICUS GESELLSCHAFT MBH | Published : 2018
Abstract
While the history of a fluvial hydrosystem can provide essential knowledge on present functioning, historical context remains rarely considered in river restoration. Here we show the relevance of an interdisciplinary study for improving restoration within the framework of a European LIFE+ project on the French side of the Upper Rhine (Rohrschollen Island). Investigating the planimetric evolution combined with historical high-flow data enabled us to reconstruct pre-disturbance hydromorphological functioning and major changes that occurred on the reach. A deposition frequency assessment combining vertical evolution of the Rhine thalweg, chronology of deposits in the floodplain, and a hydrologi..
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Awarded by European Commission
Funding Acknowledgements
This study has been funded by the European Community (LIFE08 NAT/F/00471), the City of Strasbourg, the University of Strasbourg (IDEX-CNRS 2014 MODELROH project), the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), the ZAEU (Zone Atelier Environnementale Urbaine - LTER), the Water Rhine-Meuse Agency, the DREAL Grand Est, the Region Alsace, the Departement du Bas-Rhin and the company Electricite de France. We acknowledge Arthur Zimmermann for the GIS implementation, Jerome Houssier and Erni Dillmann for use of the historical maps, Martine Trautmann for the grain-size analyses (EOST-UMS 830), Pascal Finaud-Guyot for reviewing the flooding frequency assessment, Claire Rambeau for field assistance, and Ferreol Salomon and Christian Damm for fruitful scientific discussions.