Assessment of the Impacts of Compensation Flow Changes Upon Instream Habitat Using 2D Modelling
Abstract
Many millstone-grit rivers in northern England are impounded. In such cases the water company in the area has to release compensation flows from the reservoirs, traditionally to meet industrial needs: these flows are rarely set with ecology in mind; and have commonly involved constant flow. Dam overtopping may create spates, but spawning in many fish species is prompted by a spate flow in the early autumn when dams are rarely full enough to overtop. Such flows are important for fine sediment flushing and controlling the wetted useable area for spawning. Classical physical habitat modelling for instream habitat has been largely reliant upon 1D approaches, such as the Instream Flow Incremental Methodology (IFIM). Here we use a 2D finite element model (FESWMS), to simulate changes in instream habitat with variations in the compensation flow regimes. The spatial resolution of 2D models can be adapted to the scale of fish habitats so providing better representation of the reach-scale flow processes (such as slack water in the margins, wetting and drying) than the 1D case. The model is applied to the Rivers Rivelin and Loxley in Sheffield, Northern England. At the confluence of the two rivers, the compensation flow level is set at 30.6 Thousand Cubic Metres per Day (TCMD). Due to historical reasons, the compensation is not divided equally, as the Loxley receives 28 TCMD whilst the Rivelin receives only 2.6 TCMD. The model is used to simulate a transfer of 6 TCMD from the Loxley to the Rivelin. After validation, model predictions are combined with available habitat requirement data (e.g. velocity and depth needs) to develop an index of change in habitat suitability in terms of first order variables (e.g. velocity, depth and wetted useable area). This suggests that the change in compensation may significantly improve instream ecology in relation to macroinvertebrates, brown trout (Salmo trutta) and bullhead (Cottus gobio) in the Rivelin without causing detrimental impacts upon the Loxley. The model is currently being extended to second order impacts including fine sediment, dissolved oxygen and temperature.
- Publication:
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AGU Spring Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- May 2004
- Bibcode:
- 2004AGUSM.H41F..04M
- Keywords:
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- 1803 Anthropogenic effects;
- 1857 Reservoirs (surface);
- 1860 Runoff and streamflow