1. Ecohydrological Restoration Structure and Function
Prof. Dr. Paul J. DuBowy
Ecohydrology Associates, LLC
Lovell, Wyoming USA

2. “Ecologists have learned much about ecosystem structure and function by dissecting communities and examining their parts and processes. The true test of our understanding of how ecosystems work, however, is our ability to recreate them.” J. J. Ewel, 1987

3. What is Restoration?
Put it back to the way it was in the Good Old Days
original “mint” condition
Restoration
Put it back as much as possible
substitute/compromise where necessary
Rehabilitation
“Custom” restoration
correct the problem
Remediation
Create something new
retrofit the original
Reclamation
SMALL
SCALE
LARGE

4. Restoration Factors
Science
Art
Black Magic
Luck

5. Original Ecosystem Ecosystem Function Degraded Ecosystem
Environmental Alteration
Ecosystem Function
Ecosystem Structure

6. Upper Mississippi River aquatic habitat relative abundance by river mile.
Historic Mississippi River Commission (ca. 1890, top) and recent (1989, bottom).
Sandbars now absent and islands reduced.
Courtesy C. Theiling, MVR.

7. Original Ecosystem Ecosystem Function Degraded Ecosystem
Ecosystem Restoration
Degraded Ecosystem
Environmental Alteration
Ecosystem Function
Ecosystem Structure

8. Original Ecosystem Ecosystem Function Degraded Ecosystem
Miss River Conference
Original Ecosystem
Replacement (Reclamation/
Remediation)
Rehabilitation
Degraded Ecosystem
Ecosystem Function
Neglect (Stochastic Events)
Neglect
Ecosystem Structure
Bradshaw, 1984

9. Original Ecosystem
Non-linear Response
Ecosystem Function
Existing Conditions
Ecosystem Structure

10. Function
Function/Structure
Structure
(Biological Lag)
Time

11. Dynamic Ecosystem
Ecosystem Function
Ecosystem Structure

12. Degradation
Function/Structure
Restoration
Time

15. Restoration vs. Rehabilitation
Original Ecosystem
Rehabilitation
Degraded Ecosystem
Ecosystem Function
Ecosystem Structure

19. “I’m not trying to recreate the ancient ecosystem. That is gone
“I’m not trying to recreate the ancient ecosystem. That is gone. I’m trying to create biodiversity.”
– D. Tallamy

23. Restoration vs. Replacement
Original Ecosystem
Replacement (Reclamation/
Remediation)
Degraded Ecosystem
Ecosystem Function
Ecosystem Structure

28. Rehabilitation vs. Replacement
Original Ecosystem
Replacement
Rehabilitation
Degraded Ecosystem
Ecosystem Function
Ecosystem Structure

29. Rehabilitation vs. Replacement
Original Ecosystem
Human Benefits
Ecosystem Benefits
Degraded Ecosystem
Ecosystem Function
Ecosystem Structure

30. Glen Canyon Dam

31. l/s
85000 l/s

32. l/s
l/s

33. Impacted River Systems
Bengwan Solo
Nillson et al. 2005

34. Simulation Models

35. Bighorn Canyon Natl Rec Area

37. Yellowtail Dam

43. Replacement
Rehabilitation
Restoration

44. Environmental Sustainability
If you build it, they will come…

45. Restoration Objectives
Enhance Ecosystem Function and Structure
environmental sustainability
Establish Achievable Goals
benchmark Desired Future Conditions (DFCs) to appropriate reference sites
recognize that engineering design and socioeconomic concerns must also be addressed

47. Ecosystem Factors Environmental Design Recognition Understanding
drivers, stressors, and attributes
Understanding
Integration
Environmental Design

49. Ecosystem Response Watershed Stream Segment Recovery time Reach
Long
Watershed
Stream
Enhancement, Resilience, Stability
Segment
Recovery time
Reach
Habitat
Microhabitat
Short
Low
Sensitivity to disturbance
High
after Naiman et al. 1992

50. Biology Follows Hydrology

51. Hydrological Restoration
Plugging ditches
Locating and removing subsurface tile lines
Channel reestablishment
Levee/dike removal/construction
Water control structures

57. Getting the Water Right
Quantity
Quality
Timing
Distribution

58. Restoration Analysis
Most complex aspect of restoration program and phase with longest duration
While hydrological restoration can be accomplished in a short time frame (few months or years), restoration of the biological components of an ecosystem is a relatively slow process
Trends can and should be analyzed in an ongoing effort that will also be critical to success of adaptive management phase of project

59. Long-term Process

60. Priorities for Assessment
Central theme of process to select attributes must be to find representative, yet easily measured, variables (Performance Measures) that accurately represent more complex and expensive to measure ecosystem components
Considerations:
you can’t measure everything
costs involved in collecting information
how information might be used to evaluate success of restoration or to improve adaptive management of restored areas
how agency or sponsor might use assessment results to communicate program success to general public

61. Assessment Objectives
Determine if restored wetland ecosystem (river channel and floodplain, estuarine system, etc.) meets hydrological criteria outlined in design report and plan evaluation.
Determine if carefully selected biological and ecological attributes have been restored (project evaluation).
Modify system management to improve the restoration process based on analysis completed under #1 and 2. This process is called Adaptive Management.

62. Monitoring Constraints
Biological responses to ecosystem rehabilitation are long-term, slow processes
Post-project monitoring typically restricted to 2-3 years after project completion (O&M)
Need clear guidelines on how to evaluate project performance/success
local sponsor?
partnering state/federal agency?

63. Why Long-term Monitoring?
Function
Function/Structure
Structure
Authorized Monitoring
Time

64. Conclusions
Restoring system hydrology (and accompanying abiotic factors) is the first step to a successful ecosystem restoration.
Project Objectives (restoration, rehabilitation, remediation), Goals (vision for future), Targets (structure and function), and Metrics (measurable values) must be clearly articulated (and agreed to) before project initiation.
Restoration is a slow process that cannot be rushed.

65. Paul J. DuBowy, Ph.D.
Ecohydrology Associates, LLC
P.O. Box 816
Lovell, Wyoming USA

67. What is Restoration?
Put it back to the way it was in the Good Old Days
original “mint” condition
Restoration
Put it back as much as possible
substitute/compromise where necessary
Rehabilitation
“Custom” restoration
correct the problem
Reclamation/Remediation
SMALL
SCALE
LARGE