Title: Rapid Assessment of Physical Habitat Sensitivity to Abstraction (RAPHSA)
Author: M.C. Acreman
Author: D.J. Booker
Author: T.H. Goodwin
Author: M.J. Dunbar
Author: I. Maddock
Author: T. Hardy
Author: M. Rivas-Casado
Author: A. Young
Author: I.M.. Gowing
Author: Environment Agency
Document Type: Monograph
Annotation: Environment Agency Project ID:EAPRJOUT_1270, Representation ID: 428, Object ID: 2478
Abstract:
Physical habitat is one measure of river ecosystem health that is sensitive to changes in flow or channel geometry. It can be used to assess the impacts on the river ecosystem of changes to the flow regime caused by abstractions, or impoundment or alterations to channel geometry that result from river engineering, such as flood management works. An appropriate flow regime is recognised as an essential supporting element to achieving Good Ecological Status in water bodies, as required under the European Water Framework Directive. In England and Wales, the Environment Agency achieves appropriate flow regimes through the management of abstractions and ensuring sufficient water is released from dams. In addition, the Environment Agency is required to undertake environmental impact assessments of flood defence schemes and other river engineering works. This paper reports on a study to define a risk-based toolkit for physical habitat assessment. The risk-based approach is a trade-off between avoiding unnecessary work, and the costs of achieving an acceptable level of certainty such that decisions can be made with reasonable confidence. This approach involves starting with simple tools and adopting more complex techniques if necessary; that is, use the simplest approach that gives an acceptable level of confidence, moving to a higher level if the degree of uncertainty is too high. The toolkit was developed through analysis of 66 physical habitat modelling studies across the UK. Each tool requires different input data, thus entailing various levels of investment in field data collection. It is recognised that the results from all tools are uncertain. However, in broad terms, the more data available and the more complex a tool used, the better the understanding, although employing a complex tool does not guarantee less uncertainty.
Publisher: Environment Agency
Subject Keywords: Water abstraction; Channels (geography); Habitats; Risk assessment; Rivers; Standards; Flow rate
Extent: 34
Permalink: http://www.environmentdata.org/archive/ealit:4730
Total file downloads: 321
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