An analysis of the influence of riparian vegetation on the propagation of flood waves

Abstract

Over the last 200 years the condition of Australia's streams has changed dramatically. The removal of massive volumes of woody debris and the impoverishment of native riparian vegetation has resulted in channels where flow is minimally obstructed. Such hydraulically efficient channels are able to carry larger discharges before flooding commences. For the last two decades the major stream rehabilitation activity in Australia has been to revegetate the riparian zone and to reinstate large woody debris (LWD). However, to date little has been done to understand ramifications of riparian revegetation on flood behaviour. This paper describes a modelling study that seeks to quantify the impact of r..