Influence of Scale on SWAT Model Calibration for Streamflow in a River Basin in the Humid Tropics

The Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was applied to the 2,530 km² Chaliyar river basin in Kerala, India to investigate the influence of scale on the model parameters. The study was carried out in this river basin at two scales. Parameters such as land use, soil type, topography and management practices are similar at these scales. The model was initially calibrated for streamflow and then validated. Critical parameters were the curve number (CN2), soil evaporation compensation factor (ESCO), available water holding capacity (SOL_AWC), average slope length (SLSUBBSN), and base flow alpha factor (ALPHA_BF). Using the optimized value of various parameters, stream flow was estimated from parts of the basin at two different scales—an area of 2,361.58 km² and an area of 1,013.15 km². The streamflow estimates at both these scales were statistically analysed by computing the coefficient of determination (R ²) and the Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (E_NS). Results indicate that the SWAT model could simulate streamflow at both scales reasonably well with very little difference between the observed and computed values. However, the results also indicate that there may be greater uncertainty in SWAT streamflow estimates as the size of the watershed increases.     

WATER TEMPERATURE PATTERNS BELOW LARGE GROUNDWATER SPRINGS: MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS FOR COHO SALMON IN THE SHASTA RIVER,CALIFORNIA

Elevated stream temperature is a primary factor limiting the coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) population in California's Shasta River Basin. Understanding the mechanisms driving spatial and temporal trends in water temperature throughout the Shasta River is critical to prioritising river restoration efforts aimed at protecting this threatened species. During the summer, the majority of streamflow in the Shasta River comes from large‐volume, cold‐water springs at the head of the tributary Big Springs Creek. In this study, we evaluated the initial character of this spring water, as well as the downstream fate and transport of these groundwater inflows during July and August 2008. Our results indicated that Big Springs Creek paradoxically provided both cool and warm waters to the Shasta River. During this period, cool groundwater inflows heated rapidly in the downstream direction in response to thermal loads from incoming solar radiation. During the night time, groundwater inflows did not appreciably heat in transit through Big Springs Creek. These diurnally varying water temperature conditions were inherited by the Shasta River, producing longitudinal temperature patterns that were out of phase with ambient meteorological conditions up to 23 km downstream. Findings from this study suggest that large, constant temperature spring sources and spring‐fed rivers impart unique stream temperature patterns on downstream river reaches that can determine reach‐scale habitat suitability for cold‐water fishes such as coho salmon. Recognising and quantifying the spatiotemporal patterns of water temperature downstream from large spring inflows can help identify and prioritize river restoration actions in locations where temperature patterns will allow rearing of cold‐water fishes. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Size‐Mediated Effects of Water‐Flow Velocity on Riverine Fish Species

We applied species sensitivity distributions (SSDs), commonly used in chemical risk assessment, to quantify the impact of water‐flow velocity on the presence of fish species in a river. SSDs for water‐flow velocity were derived from observational field data (maximal velocity at which species occur, V_max) and laboratory measurements (critical swimming velocity, V_crit). By calculating the potentially affected fraction of the fish species of the river Rhine, effects of water‐flow velocity on different life stages and guilds were estimated. V_max values for adults were significantly higher than those for juveniles and larvae. At water‐flow velocity of 60 cm s⁻¹, half of the adults were affected, while half of the non‐adult life stages were affected at velocities of 25 to 29 cm s⁻¹. There was a positive correlation between body size and fish tolerance to water‐flow. As expected, rheophilic species tolerated higher water‐flow velocities than eurytopic and limnophilic species. Maximal velocities measured in littoral zones of the Rhine were, on average, 10 cm s⁻¹, corresponding to an affected fraction of 2%. An increase in water‐flow velocity up to 120 cm s⁻¹ as a result of passing vessels caused an increase in affected species to 75%. For a successful ecological river management, the SSD method can be used to quantify the trait‐mediated effects of water‐flow alterations on occurring species enabling to compare and rank the effects of chemical and physical stress. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

LINKING RIVER MANAGEMENT TO SPECIES CONSERVATION USING DYNAMIC LANDSCAPE‐SCALE MODELS

Efforts to conserve stream and river biota could benefit from tools that allow managers to evaluate landscape‐scale changes in species distributions in response to water management decisions. We present a framework and methods for integrating hydrology, geographic context and metapopulation processes to simulate effects of changes in streamflow on fish occupancy dynamics across a landscape of interconnected stream segments. We illustrate this approach using a 482 km² catchment in the southeastern US supporting 50 or more stream fish species. A spatially distributed, deterministic and physically based hydrologic model is used to simulate daily streamflow for sub‐basins composing the catchment. We use geographic data to characterize stream segments with respect to channel size, confinement, position and connectedness within the stream network. Simulated streamflow dynamics are then applied to model fish metapopulation dynamics in stream segments, using hypothesized effects of streamflow magnitude and variability on population processes, conditioned by channel characteristics. The resulting time series simulate spatially explicit, annual changes in species occurrences or assemblage metrics (e.g. species richness) across the catchment as outcomes of management scenarios. Sensitivity analyses using alternative, plausible links between streamflow components and metapopulation processes, or allowing for alternative modes of fish dispersal, demonstrate large effects of ecological uncertainty on model outcomes and highlight needed research and monitoring. Nonetheless, with uncertainties explicitly acknowledged, dynamic, landscape‐scale simulations may prove useful for quantitatively comparing river management alternatives with respect to species conservation. Published 2012. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.     

SIZE‐FRACTIONATED PHYTOPLANKTON GROWTH AND MICROZOOPLANKTON GRAZING RATES IN THE UPPER ST. LAWRENCE RIVER

Chlorophyll‐a‐specific growth and grazing rates of phytoplankton in three size fractions (0.2 to 2 µm, 2 to 20 µm, and 20 to 153 µm) were determined using dilution assays (n = 38) that were conducted from May to December 2009 in the St. Lawrence River (discharge approx. 7135 m³ s^?1) from its headwaters at Lake Ontario to 180 km downstream. There was no discernible difference in phytoplankton growth or grazing rates as a function of river reach sampled. At water temperatures below 20°C specific rates of growth and grazing were closely matched (0.43 day^?1), suggesting tight coupling of phytoplankton grazing in the water column. However, specific phytoplankton growth rates exceeded specific grazing rates by 0.29 day^?1 when river water temperature exceeded 20°C. Nevertheless, the greater specific growth rate did not manifest in greater phytoplankton biomass with transit downstream suggesting the importance of grazer organisms on benthic surfaces that graze phytoplankton in this reach of a large river. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatio‐temporal variability in underwater light climate in a turbid river‐floodplain system: Driving factors and estimation using Secchi disc

The underwater light climate has important effects on primary producers. The aim of this research was to evaluate its variability in a turbid river‐floodplain system. Photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) was measured in the Middle Paraná River during different hydrological phases to (a) analyse the photosynthetically active radiation attenuation coefficient (k) and euphotic depth (Z_eu) as well as their associations with optically active components and (b) develop and evaluate indices and regression models based on Secchi disc (SD) measurements to estimate k and Z_eu. Values of k were higher in the fluvial system than in the floodplain and during low‐water stage than high‐water stage. Particulate components controlled the light climate variability. Chromophoric dissolved organic matter and chlorophyll‐a had significant effects during floods. The estimation of k and Z_eu was sensitive to temporal but not to spatial variations. The highest prediction accuracy was observed when using specific non‐linear regressions for each hydrological phase, especially for Z_eu estimation (low stage: k = 1.76 × SD^?0.80, Z_eu = 2.62 × 1/SD^?0.80; high stage: k = 2.04 × SD^?0.53, Z_eu = 2.26 × 1/SD^?0.53). The indices k × SD and Z_eu/SD were significantly different from those proposed for clear water environments. It is concluded that temporal variations should be considered when estimating k and Z_eu in turbid river‐floodplain systems because of the temporal heterogeneity in optically active components. Considering that ecological implication of the light climate depends on Z_eu:depth ratio, we propose to estimate Z_eu instead of k. Finally, indices proposed for clear water environments are not recommended to be applied to turbid environments.     

Water quality response to a pulsed‐flow event on the Mokelumne river,California

Controlled water releases from reservoirs (i.e. artificial floods) are used as a management technique to remove fine sediments and detrital materials from spawning gravels, mobilize gravel bars and clear encroaching brush from stream banks. The effects of a managed release event on water quality were investigated on the lower Mokelumne River in the western Sierra Nevada, California. The managed release was characterized by an increase in flow over a 4‐day period (from 11 to 57 m³ s⁻¹). Automatic pump samplers were used to collect samples for water quality from 0.7, 16.4, 37.4 and 54.4 km below Camanche Dam. These sampling sites provided water quality data for three distinct stream reaches: a gravel and sand‐textured substrate reach (0.7–16.4 km), a reach characterized by lentic conditions associated with a small reservoir (16.4–37.4 km), and fine sand and silt‐textured substrate reach (37.4–54.4 km). Water samples were analysed for total suspended solids (TSS), total nitrogen, ammonium (NH₄‐N), nitrate (NO₃‐N), total phosphorus, soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), foecal coliforms and E. coli. Chemographs for all constituents exhibited spikes in concentration with each increase in streamflow for the rising limb. Fluxes of TSS, total P and total N released from the 0.7 to 16.4 km reach were 322, 0.32 and 0.70 Mg, respectively. The small reservoir acted as a sink for particulate materials retaining about 50% of TSS, 48% of total P and 43% of total N. However, the reservoir acted as a source of dissolved nutrients (NO₃‐N = 0.28 Mg and SRP = 0.055 Mg). The stream reach below the reservoir (37.4 to 54.4 km) was a source of particulate materials, dissolved nutrients and bacteria, possibly due to agricultural and urban inputs. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Community‐Level,Mesoscale Analysis of Fish Assemblage Structure in Shoreline Habitats of a Large River Using Multivariate Regression Trees

The mesoscale (10⁰–10² m) of river habitats has been identified as the scale that simultaneously offers insights into ecological structure and falls within the practical bounds of river management. Mesoscale habitat (mesohabitat) classifications for relatively large rivers, however, are underdeveloped compared with those produced for smaller streams. Approaches to habitat modelling have traditionally focused on individual species or proceeded on a species‐by‐species basis. This is particularly problematic in larger rivers where the effects of biological interactions are more complex and intense. Community‐level approaches can rapidly model many species simultaneously, thereby integrating the effects of biological interactions while providing information on the relative importance of environmental variables in structuring the community. One such community‐level approach, multivariate regression trees, was applied in order to determine the relative influences of abiotic factors on fish assemblages within shoreline mesohabitats of San Pedro River, Chile, and to define reference communities prior to the planned construction of a hydroelectric power plant. Flow depth, bank materials and the availability of riparian and instream cover, including woody debris, were the main variables driving differences between the assemblages. Species strongly indicative of distinctive mesohabitat types included the endemic Galaxias platei. Among other outcomes, the results provide information on the impact of non‐native salmonids on river‐dwelling Galaxias platei, suggesting a degree of habitat segregation between these taxa based on flow depth. The results support the use of the mesohabitat concept in large, relatively pristine river systems, and they represent a basis for assessing the impact of any future hydroelectric power plant construction and operation. By combing community classifications with simple sets of environmental rules, the multivariate regression trees produced can be used to predict the community structure of any mesohabitat along the reach. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

HIGH RATES OF PRIMARY PRODUCTIVITY IN A SEMI‐ARID TAILWATER: IMPLICATIONS FOR SELF‐REGULATED PRODUCTION

Reservoir‐river systems in desert environments may provide the optimal combination of environmental conditions (e.g. light, nutrients, temperature, and flow) that maximizes primary production in downstream reaches. Stream metabolism was measured using an open‐system approach each month during spring‐summer in a semi‐arid tailwater (South Fork Humboldt River) in the central Great Basin, USA. Spatial and temporal differences in metabolic rates were evident despite tailwater reaches sustaining comparable standing stocks of periphyton (>10 µg chla cm^?2) during this growing season. Primary productivity was highest (15 to 36 g O₂ m^?2 day^?1) in July, supporting previous studies that have described arid regulated/unregulated streams as ultra‐productive. Substrate availability when combined with self‐shading and hypoxic conditions created a system that was likely near the maximal productivity that stream systems can achieve because of the self‐regulating attributes that thick periphyton mats impose upon themselves as they reach high biomass and maximal production rates. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hydrological Effects on Relationships Between δ15N of River Nitrate and Land Use in a Rural River Basin,Western Japan

This study aimed to examine how the relationship between δ¹⁵N of nitrate (δ¹⁵N_NO3) in rivers and land use within a river basin changes with varying hydrological conditions. This information would aid in identifying the dominant source contributing to increased nitrate concentrations in rural rivers. For this, δ¹⁵N_NO3 in river water was investigated monthly in the five subbasins of the Hii River basin (area: 911 km²), western Japan, for 1 year and 3 months. There were significant correlations (p < 0.05) between δ¹⁵N_NO3 and the land‐use ratio (i.e. ratios of forested, agricultural and residential areas in a subbasin) for the majority of the observation days, indicating that δ¹⁵N_NO3 reflected land use within the basin. δ¹⁵N_NO3 ranged from +1.4‰ to +8.5‰ and was lower in a subbasin with a higher forested area ratio. We found that the absolute value of the regression slope of the relationship between δ¹⁵N_NO3 and the land‐use ratio decreased with increasing river discharge. This finding demonstrates that differences in δ¹⁵N_NO3 among subbasins with different land‐use compositions became smaller under higher flow conditions. Because δ¹⁵N_NO3 decreased with increasing river discharge, the small absolute value of the regression slope under high flow conditions indicates that forested areas could be the dominant source of river nitrate during high flows in all subbasins investigated regardless of land‐use composition. The results suggest that forested areas make a large contribution to the increase in nitrate concentration in downstream rivers during high flows, because the nitrate concentration increased with increasing river discharge. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sediment in Mosul Dam reservoir using the HEC‐RAS model

Mosul Dam, located on the Tigris River north of Iraq, is experiencing sedimentation problems, especially near the Al‐Jazeera pumping station that supplies the irrigation water for the Al‐Jazeera project. The sources of the sediment accumulated within the reservoir are from the Tigris River, as well as ten side valleys on both sides of the reservoir. The sediment inflow rate into the reservoir and the released values are considered on the basis of the operation schedule of the dam for the considered period from 1986 to 2011. The sediment loads were estimated on the basis of available measurements and estimated literature values. The HEC‐RAS 4.1 model was used for flows and sediments in the main river and reservoir. The model was calibrated for flow simulations (coefficient of determination r² = 0.87) and sediment routing based on bed level, (with resultant r² = 0.98 and Mean Absolute Deviation of 0.95). The Ackers–White equation was used in the HEC‐RAS model for sediment routing because of the wide range of sediment sizes in the study case. The resultant total accumulated sediment load volume was 1.13 km³, a value that is very close to the measured values (1.143 km³) obtained from a previous bathymetric survey. Furthermore, the model indicated most of the sediment (80.7%) was deposited during the first five of the dam operation.     

POTENTIAL FOR VEGETATION‐BASED RIVER MANAGEMENT IN DRYLAND,SALINE CATCHMENTS

The approaches used to manage rivers have been developed and adapted to many different problems and settings. Because of their relatively low cost, vegetation‐based approaches implemented at the reach, landholder and catchment scales have become the foundation for river management in most landscapes. In many dryland agricultural catchments, secondary (anthropogenic) salinity caused by clearing native vegetation has resulted in rising saline groundwater, streamflow salinity values that exceed seawater and severe the degradation of riparian vegetation communities. The potential effectiveness of vegetation‐based strategies in these landscapes remains largely unknown, yet these strategies are still widely pursued. This study initially investigated the patterns of vegetation recovery and recolonization following a large flood in a saline river that disturbed the system. A conceptual model was developed to describe spatial patterns of where different vegetation types had regrown and recovered in relation to controls exerted by streamflow salinity, surface texture characteristics, topography and reach morphology. Using this model, vegetation‐based river management options for different reaches were developed, and their potential effectiveness in stabilizing reaches was investigated using a 1‐D hydraulic modelling approach. This study finds that in a dryland catchment with high stream salinity (20 000–93 000 mg L^?1), there is still a strong potential for successful vegetation‐based management, but only in selected reaches. Results showed that changes in stream power and channel velocity were not associated with the areas of most severe vegetation degradation. Rather, there is a complex interplay between channel morphology, channel slope and places of potential vegetation growth within a reach. This paper outlines an approach to evaluate the potential success of vegetation‐based river management in saline landscapes. It identifies the need to prioritize investment based on the following: an understanding of factors controlling revegetation potential, the likely impact of revegetation in mitigating adverse channel changes and the proximity of reaches to high‐value infrastructure and biodiversity assets. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Influence of Hydrological Connectivity on Plankton Communities in Natural and Reconstructed Side‐Arms of a Large New Zealand River

We sampled natural and reconstructed side‐arms during different stages of hydrological connectivity with a large floodplain river in northern New Zealand, to determine whether re‐establishment of connectivity would be an effective strategy for restoring plankton communities in former side‐arms. Connectivity between side‐arms and the river was moderated by water level and influenced flow rates and closure of inlets and outlets. Physicochemical conditions were more strongly related to the connectivity phase than to habitat type (river, natural or reconstructed side‐arm), except during low connectivity when natural side‐arms in particular were characterised by higher ammonium (NH₄‐N) and total phosphorus (P) concentrations, as well as specific conductivity. Dissolved reactive phosphorus (PO₄‐P), water temperature, conductivity and dissolved oxygen were identified as explanatory variables of phytoplankton and zooplankton community composition, which along with total nitrogen (phytoplankton) or total suspended solids (zooplankton) explained 44–52% of variation. Phytoplankton community composition and the abundance of several dominant or discriminatory taxa were affected by connectivity but not habitat type, whereas habitat and connectivity both had significant effects on zooplankton communities and abundances of the cladoceran Bosmina meridionalis. Significant interactions between connectivity and paired habitat types occurred for abundances of the diatom Asterionella, the cryptophyte Cryptomonas, the rotifer Synchaeta oblonga and cyclopoid copepods, reflecting differential responses to connectivity among habitats by these taxa. Overall, these results underscore the importance of hydrological connectivity between side‐arms and rivers in moderating plankton community composition, and highlight unpredictable trajectories of community development and alternative transient states that can occur soon after side‐arm reconnection. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Stratification,diel and seasonal energy transfers in Malilangwe Reservoir in the south‐eastern lowveld of Zimbabwe

This study provides a 9‐month record of Malilangwe Reservoir stratification and diel and seasonal energy transfers between February and October 2011. The reservoir was not strongly stratified during the hot‐wet season (February and March), exhibiting low dissolved oxygen concentrations of <2 mg DO L^?1 in the bottom layers (<6 m depth). During the cool‐dry season, when both the air temperature and solar radiation input decreased, the water temperatures in the epilimnion and across the thermocline decreased, and the water column was very weakly stratified. In this state, the reservoir could easily be mixed, even by light winds, resulting in overturning, thereby giving the bottom water an opportunity to become aerated, as observed during the cool‐dry season. The stability was greatest when the water level was high (during midday), while it was considerably lower during the predawn hours. The calculated annual Birgean heat budget for the reservoir was 110 MJ m^?2 year^?1 for February to October 2011. The diurnal Birgean heat budget was consistently associated with heat loss over a 24 hour period in all seasons, mostly between 0400 and 1000 h. Spearman's correlation suggests that the DO was significantly correlated with stability for the three study months (February r = 0.69, P < 0.05; June r = ?0.76, P < 0.001; October r = 0.96, P < 0.001). The results of this study suggests that warming temperatures (warmer months or seasons) will result in high Birgean heat budgets, which could potentially trigger some important changes in plankton population dynamics in small reservoir, with severe water quality implications. The nutrient concentrations varied throughout the seasons.     

Establishing Environmental Water Requirements for the Murray–Darling Basin,Australia's Largest Developed River System

There is a global need for management of river flows to be informed by science to protect and restore biodiversity and ecological function while maintaining water supply for human needs. However, a lack of data at large scales presents a substantial challenge to developing a scientifically robust approach to flow management that can be applied at a basin and valley scale. In most large systems, only a small number of aquatic ecosystems have been well enough studied to reliably describe their environmental water requirements. The umbrella environmental asset (UEA) approach uses environmental water requirements developed for information‐rich areas to represent the water requirements of a broader river reach or valley. We illustrate this approach in the Murray–Darling Basin (MDB) in eastern Australia, which was recently subject to a substantial revision of water management arrangements. The MDB is more than 1 million km² with 18 main river valleys and many thousands of aquatic ecosystems. Detailed eco‐hydrologic assessments of environmental water requirements that focused on the overbank, bankfull and fresh components of the flow regime were undertaken at a total of 24 UEA sites across the MDB. Flow needs (e.g. flow magnitude, duration, frequency and timing) were established for each UEA to meet the needs of key ecosystem components (e.g. vegetation, birds and fish). Those flow needs were then combined with other analyses to determine sustainable diversion limits across the basin. The UEA approach to identifying environmental water requirements is a robust, science‐based and fit‐for‐purpose approach to determining water requirements for large river basins in the absence of complete ecological knowledge. © 2015 The Authors. River Research and Applications published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Partitioning of macroinvertebrate communities in a large New Zealand river highlights the role of multiple shore‐zone habitat types

Bank stabilization is increasing along large rivers as urban areas expand, and the need to protect infrastructure increases in the face of changing climate and flow patterns, but the cumulative effects of different stabilization approaches on reach‐scale biodiversity are not well understood. We investigated physical habitat characteristics and macroinvertebrate community composition and diversity for four shore‐zone habitat types across nested spatial scales over two sampling occasions. Distinct physical conditions were evident for riprap, beach and willow (mixed trees dominated by Salix spp.) habitats, reflecting variations in the combinations of shade, water velocity and substrate size/type, but there was wide variation in habitat conditions for mixed willow‐riprap sites. Additive biodiversity partitioning decomposed reach (γ) diversity into within (α) and among (β₁) sample, among habitat (β₂), and among site (β₃) components, and highlighted significant effects of all spatial scales on macroinvertebrate diversity. Low autumn water levels led to truncated species accumulation curves at beach sites where macrophyte beds that supported macroinvertebrates became stranded, or elevated species accumulation curves for exposed willow‐riprap sites where the river benthos was sampled during hydrological disconnection of bank habitats. Spring and autumn differences in macroinvertebrate community composition were stronger than differences between habitat types. Our findings (a) highlight the interacting effect of river level with shore‐zone habitat function, and (b) underscore the importance of maintaining a diversity of bank habitat types at multiple sites along river shore‐zones to maximize macroinvertebrate diversity.     

Entrainment of riparian gravel and cobbles in an alluvial reach of a regulated canyon river

Many canyon rivers have channels and riparian zones composed of alluvial materials and these reaches, dominated by fluvial processes, are sensitive to alterations in streamflow regime. Prior to reservoir construction in the mid‐1960s, banks and bars in alluvial reaches of the Gunnison River in the Black Canyon National Monument, Colorado, USA, periodically were reworked and cleared of riparian vegetation by mainstem floods. Recent interest in maintaining near‐natural conditions in the Black Canyon using reservoir releases has created a need to estimate sediment‐entraining discharges for a variety of geomorphic surfaces composed of sediment ranging in size from gravel to small boulders. Sediment entrainment potential was studied at eight cross‐sections in an alluvial reach of the Gunnison River in the Black Canyon in 1994 and 1995. A one‐dimensional water‐surface profile model was used to estimate water‐surface elevations, flow depths, and hydraulic conditions on selected alluvial surfaces for discharges ranging from 57 to 570 m³/s. Onsite observations before and after a flood of 270 m³/s confirmed sediment entrainment on several surfaces inundated by the flood. Selective entrainment of all but the largest particle sizes on the surface occurred at some locations. Physical evidence of sediment entrainment, or absence of sediment entrainment, on inundated surfaces generally was consistent with critical shear stresses estimated with a dimensionless critical shear stress of 0.030. Sediment‐entrainment potential over a range of discharges was summarized by the ratio of the local boundary shear stress to the critical shear stress for d₅₀, given hydraulic geometry and sediment‐size characteristics. Differing entrainment potential for similar geomorphic surfaces indicates that estimation of minimum streamflow requirements based on sediment mobility is site‐specific and that there is no unique streamflow that will initiate movement of d₅₀ at every geomorphically similar location in the Black Canyon. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Thermal characteristics of two regulated rivers in mid-wales,U.K.

Data for three rivers in the upper Severn catchment are examined to assess the influence of regulation strategies on the thermal characteristics. Seasonal and diel temperature variations are markedly influence by the release discharge and the depth of withdrawal from the reservoir. The downstream influence of river regulation is confined to a relatively short reach (ca. 30 km) below the dams. Nevertheless, the control of water temperature during hot, dry summers could benefit salmon populations.     

River water temperatures are higher during lower flows after accounting for meteorological variability

River water temperature is known to be important for water quality and ecosystem processes. We quantified the degree to which lower river flows are associated with warmer river water, after accounting for seasonality and meteorological variability. We applied a systematic methodology to analyse observed mean daily river water temperature and mean daily river flow from 47 sites draining mountain, hill, and lowland catchments across the Canterbury region of Aotearoa New Zealand. We fitted regression models to remove seasonal patterns from all variables, then removed correlations between water temperature and each of three meteorological variables (solar radiation, air temperature, and earth temperature) before quantifying water temperature-river flow relationships. Strong seasonal patterns were present in water temperature and each meteorological variable across all sites. Many sites also showed strong seasonal patterns in river flows. We demonstrated that seasonal patterns must be accounted for before day-to-day associations between water temperature and meteorological variables or river flow can be characterised. Higher water temperatures were associated with lower flows for 46 of 47 sites, even after having accounted for seasonality and associations with each meteorological variable. Increases in water temperature associated with a hypothetical reduction in river flow from the median to the fifth percentile varied with the site but were 0.5°C on average. This finding has important implications for river flow management because it indicates that increased river water temperatures would accompany reduced river flows regardless of site or catchment characteristics.