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Analysis of UK river restoration using broad‐scale data sets
Author(s) -
Smith Benjamin,
Clifford Nicholas J.,
Mant Jenny
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
water and environment journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.437
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1747-6593
pISSN - 1747-6585
DOI - 10.1111/wej.12063
Subject(s) - context (archaeology) , drainage basin , restoration ecology , environmental resource management , scale (ratio) , environmental science , hydrology (agriculture) , channel (broadcasting) , geography , computer science , cartography , ecology , engineering , computer network , geotechnical engineering , archaeology , biology
This paper uses data from the UK R iver R estoration C entre's N ational R iver R estoration I nventory ( NRRI ) and the UK E nvironment A gency's R iver H abitat S urvey ( RHS ) to analyse the relationship between restoration technique and the physical catchment context in which they have been implemented. Specifically we tested the relationship between categories of restoration technique and energy conditions, the relationship between restoration project and degree of channel modification, and whether the associations between restoration and physical catchment attributes have changed over time. Significant associations between categories of restoration technique and catchment variables were found, with direct morphological interventions needed in lower energy conditions; however, the analysis shows no change over time. This work shows that analysis of existing data sets can provide useful information to support the science and practice of river restoration and suggests that further analysis of existing ecological and geomorphological data sets provides an important learning opportunity to strengthen river restoration.