Title: Large Woody Debris In British Headwater Rivers: Main Report
Author: C Linstead
Author: Environment Agency
Document Type: Monograph
Annotation: Environment Agency Project ID:EAPRJOUT_297, Representation ID: 61, Object ID: 1643
Abstract:
‘CWD’ (coarse. woody debris), ‘LOD’ (large organic debris) and, more recently ‘LWD’ (large woody debris) or simply 'large wood'have been the terms applied to pieces of dead wood of a variety ,of sizes, but now. generally accepted to be pieces large than 0.lm diameter and 1.Om length. Since ‘LWD’ or .‘large wood’ are the terms used in the most recent literature, these terms are used throughout this report to refer to the entire trees, root boles, trunks, logs, branches and other large pieces of wood that can accumulate within river systems. This report focuses on headwater streams, where debris-dams are the characteristic form of LWD: accumulation. The routine removal of LWD from many British rivers for flood defence purposes means that little is found in rivers wider than ca. 10m. For the purposes of this report, a 10m channel width is taken to define the upper width limit for British headwater rivers. The research results summarised above suggest that LWD accumulations have enormous importance for the structure and diversity of physical habitat, water quality and temperature, and substrate conditions within British headwater rivers. Eight recommendations for reach scale LWD management build from simple recommendations about LWD removal, through guidelines on emplacement of debris and the development of a self-sustaining system of natural debris supply.
Publisher: Environment Agency
Subject Keywords: Rivers; Hydraulic engineering; Habitat improvement; Water quality; Water temperature; Freshwater ecology
Extent: 67
Permalink: http://www.environmentdata.org/archive/ealit:4381
Total file downloads: 259
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