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Cited by 12Fish Ecology and Management StudiesHydrology and Sediment Transport ProcessesFlood Risk Assessment and Management

Using hydraulics to evaluate ecological benefits, risks, and trade‐offs from engineered flooding

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Gibbs, Matthew, Bice, Chris, Furst, Deborah, Gao, Lei, Joehnk, Klaus, McCullough, Daniel, Montazeri, Mahdi, Nicol, Jason +4 more·2023·Hydrological Processes
DOI 10.1002/hyp.15024
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Abstract

Regulation and water extraction have reduced river flow worldwide. In some rivers, this has led to reductions in the frequency and duration of floodplain inundation and, in turn, declining condition of flood‐dependent vegetation. One management response has been the construction and modification of infrastructure, or ‘regulators’, to engineer floodplain inundation at discharges that do not otherwise cause overbank flooding. Such actions have the potential to benefit floodplain vegetation, yet the atypical hydrodynamics of engineered floods may threaten riverine ecological processes and biota and increase the risk of adverse water quality. We investigated the influence of engineered flooding, and associated reductions to in‐channel hydraulics, on key ecological processes. Specifically, the transport and retention of larvae of an iconic fish species (Murray Cod, Maccullochella peelii), and a common microinvertebrate Trichocerca. Analysis of different flow management scenarios for floodplain inundation indicates that maintaining in‐channel velocities greater than 0.2 m s−1 produces higher Trichocerca densities, while velocities greater than 0.3 m s−1 creates suitable habitat for Murray cod larvae, thereby providing targets for avoiding detrimental effects of engineered floods on in‐channel biota. To evaluate responses to regulator operation, velocity was represented by a hydrological model using pre‐computed results from detailed hydrodynamic models. These results were used to relate upstream discharge and downstream water level to the proportion of each reach in the hydrological model meeting each velocity criterion. The model also represents changes in discharge, inundated area and a water quality parameter, dissolved oxygen. Model scenarios for engineered floodplain inundation were used to demonstrate the potential benefits, impacts and trade‐offs between the different metrics identified. The model framework enables a more holistic evaluation of infrastructure operation, extending analysis beyond discharge and inundated area to risks and benefits to key indicators of the ecosystem. This refined integrated approach to the management of regulated river systems may become critical in the future where water resources are projected to further decline under a changing climate.

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  • The optimized geometry resulted in a narrow, deep channel (bottom width = 0.51 m) and subcritical flow (Froude = 0.11).

    “The optimized geometry resulted in a narrow, deep channel (bottom width = 0.51 m) and subcritical flow (Froude = 0.11), validating the framework for conveyance estimation under moderate roughness (Manning's n = 0.042) 40 .”

    From AI-driven digital twinning quantifies the trade-off between flood conveyance and riparian stability under climate extremes (2026) · cites this paper as [40]

    Section 3.2.1 (Hydrodynamic modelling; page unavailable) discusses river velocities and ecological responses, but does not describe an optimized channel geometry. Searches for the 0.51 m bottom width, Froude number of 0.11, and Manning’s n of 0.042 found no passage addressing those values or the claimed conveyance validation. (LLM, conf=0.76)

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Gibbs, M., Bice, C., Furst, D., Gao, L., Joehnk, K., McCullough, D., Montazeri, M., Nicol, J., Smart, J., Wallace, T., Zampatti, B., & Brookes, J.
Affiliations
  • Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (AU)
  • South Australian Research and Development Institute, Department of Primary Industries and Regions West Beach South Australia Australia
  • The University of Adelaide (AU)
  • Environment, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization Black Mountain Australian Capital Territory Australia
  • Department for Environment and Water (AU)
  • South Australian Research and Development Institute (AU)
  • Flinders University (AU)
Corresponding author
Gibbs, Matthew
ORCID
Venue
Hydrological Processes
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2023-11
Volume
37
Issue
11
ISSN
  • 0885-6087 (ISSN-L)
  • 1099-1085
DOI
10.1002/hyp.15024
OpenAlex
W4388574326
Cited by
12
References
0
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 3
FWCI
1.98
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
Hydrological Processes (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Nature and Landscape Conservation › Fish Ecology and Management Studies
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Hydrology and Sediment Transport Processes
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Flood Risk Assessment and Management
Keywords
floodplain inundation, Maccullochella peelii, Trichocerca, floodplain vegetation, regulated rivers, dissolved oxygen, water quality, hydrodynamic modeling, flow management

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