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Managing Alpine Streams for Resistance and Resilience Corina Del Fabbro, Andrea Koopmans, John Garcia, Daniel Angst 25 th May 20091Managing Alpine Stream Ecosystems
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Outline Introduction Input: Video Interview with CT Robinson (Eawag) Impacts of Hydropower Restoration / Manage- ment of Alpine Stream Systems Conclusion 25 th May 20092Managing Alpine Stream Ecosystems Grande Dixence, Canton Valais
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Alpine Streams - Situation Heavily influenced by human activity ‘classical’: irrigation, drinking water, hydropower ‘new’ : Water for artificial snow making >90% of suitable waterways in Switzerland are used for Hydropower More sensitive to Climate Change than other European Regions faster degradation than other systems 25 th May 20093Managing Alpine Stream Ecosystems
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Large Dams (>15 m) in Switzerland - http://www.swissdams.ch/dams/damMap/default_d.asp 25 th May 20094Managing Alpine Stream Ecosystems
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Alpine Streams - Importance Ecosystem Services Provisioning Fresh Water Hydropower Regulating Flood Regulation Erosion Regulation Water Purification Cultural Recreational Value Supporting Millenium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005 25 th May 20095Managing Alpine Stream Ecosystems http://image55.webshots.com/155/5/97/57/476359757UImnrR_ph.jpg
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Video Interview Dr. CT Robinson, Eawag. Sorry for the bad Sound, please refer to the Transcript 25 th May 20096Managing Alpine Stream Ecosystems
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Ecological Impacts of Hydropower Physical effects: temperature Flow regime Biotic: Biotic assemblages Barrier Landscape: Change of structure 25 th May 20097Managing Alpine Stream Ecosystems Contra, Canton Ticino
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Socio-economic impacts of hydropower Hydropower Fishery Local communities Landscape Tourism 25 th May 20098Managing Alpine Stream Ecosystems Verzasca Dam, Canton Ticino Lake Reschen
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Management for Resistance and Resilience – Socio-Economic Factors Monitoring water supply and water quality for communities downstream. Monitoring hydrological dynamics. Prioritizing environmental objectives in policy and decision making processes. Participatory and transdisciplinary approaches involving communities in decision making 25 th May 20099Managing Alpine Stream Ecosystems
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Management for Resistance and Resilience - Ecology Flow regime Restoring natural flood regime Increases temporal and spatial variability of the System (‘patchiness’) ➡ possibly increases Biodiversity? -> Evidence of Hysteresis, but longer term data is missing. Connectivity ? Dams are a barrier for migration, and thus gene flow -> genetic erosion 25 th May 200910Managing Alpine Stream Ecosystems
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Conclusions Dams have mostly positive socio-economic effects Dams have negative effects on ecology and many ecosystem services Integration of economical, sociological and ecological issues in the management to minimize negative effects 25 th May 200911Managing Alpine Stream Ecosystems
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References U Bundi (Ed.) (forthcoming) ALPINE WATERS, Series : The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, Approx. 400 p., Springer, Berlin (Scheduled for Release January 2010) Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005. ECOSYSTEMS AND HUMAN WELL-BEING: WETLANDS AND WATER Synthesis. World Resources Institute, Washington, DC. CT Robinson and U Uehlinger, 2008. EXPERIMENTAL FLOODS CAUSE ECOSYSTEM REGIME SHIFT IN A REGULATED RIVER. Ecological Applications, 18 (2) pp. 511-526 CT Robinson, U Uehlinger and MT Monaghan, 2004. STREAM ECOSYSTEM RESPONSE TO MULIPLE EXPERIMENTAL FLOODS FROM A RESERVOIR. River Research and Applications, 20: 359-377 www.swissdams.ch Retrieved 22 nd May 2009 25 th May 200912Managing Alpine Stream Ecosystems
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