1. Tom Maris & Patrick Meire OMES partners
FCA - CRT Lippenbroek
Tom Maris & Patrick Meire OMES partners

2. Lippenbroek: pilot project
FCA: Flood Control Area
CRT: Controlled Reduced Tide
Financed by Agency of Nature and Forest
EU-Life project
Build by W&Z nv
Monitoring is part of OMES

3. Concept FCA - CRT safety, ecology and a new ecosystem
- Lowered dike stretch
Critical tides: whole storage capacity
Only few times/year!
Ecology:
- Introducing estuarine ecosystem
Tidal regime in area
Two times a day!
Ring Dike
Lowered FCA dike
FCA
estuary
Outlet
polder
Ring Dike
Lowered FCA dike
CRT
estuary
Outlet
Inlet
polder
‘New’ ecosystem: Lippenbroek since March 2006!
- Area below high water level
Separate in- and outlet sluices at different heights:
First CRT in the world with neap-spring tide cycle!

4. Start inflow Maximum inflow Stop inflow Start outflow
Tidal curves in estuary  CRT polder
6.0
Start inflow HW
Maximum inflow
Stop inflow
Start outflow
Estuary
5.0
sluice 4.7
stagnant
4.0
Water level (m TAW)
3.0
2.0
Polder
1.0
0.0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Time (hour)

5. Tidal curves in estuary  CRT polder
neap
mean
spring
6.0
Spring tide
longer period of inflow
high current speed
flooding the polder
Neap tide
short period of inflow
low current speed
almost no water in
5.0
sluice 4.7
4.0
Water level (m TAW)
3.0
2.0
Polder
1.0
0.0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Time (hour)
SPRING NEAP VARIATION: ONLY WITH HIGH INLET SLUICES

6. How will the ecosystem react on this?
Lippenbroek and mesocosm
Differences in todal characteristics are expected
How will the ecosystem react on this?
Three step approach:
Mesocosm experiment at campus
complexity
Mesocosm experiment in Schelde (Kruibeke)
Pilot project Lippenbroek
To provide scientific support for the design
of future controlled inundation areas

7. Campus mesocosm - Controlled reduced tide vs. “natural” tidal regime
Flooding frequency
Soil texture
Phragmites australis growth chracteristics shoot diameter, length, number of leafs, biomass, rhizome density,…

8. Schelde mesocosm
Metal pollution
Soil texture

9. Mesocosm: heavy metals
Reed growth (biomass) not significantly affected by metal pollution
(not shown)
Aboveground biomass excludes extra heavy metals

10. Allometric relations Field data of Phragmites australis allometrics
Develop a non-destructive biomass sampling method for the mesocosms
Total shoot dry weight
Shoot length

11. Allometric relations Field data of Phragmites australis allometrics
Develop a non-destructive biomass sampling method for the mesocosms
Total shoot dry weight
Node diameter

12. Mesocosm: publications in prep.
3 year dataset, now ready for publication
Reed allometric relations through life cycle, comparison field studies / mesocosms
Heavy metals in reed (accumulation, retention, metal delivery) in polluted and non-polluted environment
Reed growth under controlled reduced tide vs. natural tide
Beyond that:
Detailed experiments towards silicate availability under different external factors
Experiments along a range of tidal inundation periods

13. FCA – CRT in the Schelde estuary
Pilot project Lippenbroek (freshwater)

14. Pilot project Lippenbroek
Management scenario Lippenbroek
Lippenbroek
1: Ring Dike
2: FCA dike
3: Inlet sluice
4: Outlet sluice 4 3 2 1 1 1 1
10 ha of tidal nature developping since March 2006

15. Tidal curves in estuary  Lippenbroek
6: Schelde estuary
6: Schelde estuary
Reference site
m TAW 1 6
1: Lippenbroek
1: Lippenbroek

16. shorter inundation time
Tidal curves in estuary  Lippenbroek
Estuary
shorter inundation time
higher inundation height
no stagnant phase
Lippenbroek
longer inundation time
lower inundation height
stagnant phase

17. Gradient in inundation characteristics
Lippenbroek
Schelde estuary
Strong reduction of the high water level by 3 meter
No reduction of the amplitude of the spring – neap variation
Big spring – neap tide variation leading to a large gradient in inundation characteristics!

18. At all sites we measure continuously the water level
Intensive monitoring: 10 sites
No walking or sampling
No walking, permanent and vulnerable sampling designs can be installed
Wooden bench to enter red or orange zone
Zone for soil disturbing sampling, but intact vegetation
Zone for all soil and vegetation disturbing measurements
S10 S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8 S9
Benthos sampling
Sedimentation
Erosion
Vegetation
Soil
Benthos
Nutrients
Bacterials
Soil respiration
Water quality
....
At all sites we measure continuously the water level
providing us:
Inundation heigt
Inundation frequency
Inudation period

19. Benthos: sampling plan
Spatial considerations:
10 sites
6 cores per site
3 strata per core
Fauna
Environment
Temporal considerations:
4 seasons
2 years
Olivier Beauchard, ECOBE

20. Reference sites
« Reference »: lotic physical dynamics (riverine system)
in the surroundings of the Lippenbroek
FLOOD
EBB

21. Reference sites
Willows
Reeds
Mudflat

22. Environmental variables by ECOBE
Per stratum:
grain size
proportions clays / silts / sands
water content (at low tide)
TOC
total N / total P
extractable N & P
compaction pH
plant debris
Per site:
flood frequency
flood duration
tidal amplitude
sedimentation
plant species
- heavy metals
in soil
in pore water
At the bridge or sluices
current speed
general water quality
(SpCond, Oxygen, pH,
spm, chl a, NO3, NO2,
NH4, Kjehld N, SO4, Cl,
PO4, BOD5, DSi, BSi)
Temperature and oxygen
Per core:
stagnant water height (neap tide)
stagnant water height (spring tide)
mean height

23. Bioturbation Activities of the benthic fauna in the sediment :
Bioturbation (M. Tackx)
Bioturbation
Activities of the benthic fauna in the sediment :
- Sediment reworking
- Construction of burrows and tubes and related bio-irrigation

24. DOWNWARD NON LOCAL TRANSPORT
CONVEYOR-BELT FEEDING
DOWNWARD NON LOCAL TRANSPORT
BIODIFFUSION
BIOIRRIGATION
Ingestion
Fecal pellets
Water + Solutes
Particles
t = 0
Matter at the interface
Non local
upward
transport
t = x
Matter in the sediment
Bioadvection
M. Tackx

25. Role of bioturbation in sediment evolution in a newly created march ?
M. Tackx

26. measurements on the Lippenbroek
Bioturbation:
measurements on the Lippenbroek
3 sampling sites distributed on the Lippenbroek
along a gradient of immersion
3 replicates per site + 1 control (without fauna)
 12 replicates / campaign
4 campaigns / year (one each season)
during two years
- First campaign : middle of january 2007
M. Tackx

27. Bioturbation: Experimental protocol
Frozen mud cake + fluorescent microspheres
(ø = 1.0 µm)
0.5 cm
1 cm
15 cm
Inserting the core in the sediment
Sieving each slice through a 250 µm mesh
Identification and counting of the benthic fauna
Microspheres counting
Extracting the core and slicing into 9 slices
0 / 0.5 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 7 / 10 / 15 cm
15 days exposure
Depositing the fluorescent microspheres on the sediment surface
M. Tackx

28. Bioturbation: who does what
Inserting and extracting the cores
Cores slicing
Benthos identification and counting
Olivier Beauchard
ECOBE
France
ECOLAB/LMGEM
Sieving of each sediment slice
Microspheres counting

29. Phytoplankton and phytobenthos
4 13 h-campaigns
water samples taken at one central site (bridge)
3 extra sites in summer
filtration for pigments in the field
90 analyses with HPLC for 2006
Phytobenthos:
5 sampling campaigns:
(April, May, July, September, October)
contact cores with liquid nitrogen
88 analyses with HPLC for 2006
microscopical and field observations

30. Fast colonisation with Vaucheria, filamentous cyanobacteria
Oscillatoria
© Natuurpunt
Vaucheria
Euglena
Fast colonisation with Vaucheria, filamentous cyanobacteria
and both planktonic and benthic diatoms

31. Wouter Vandenbruwaene
Sedimentation
Stijn Temmerman
Wouter Vandenbruwaene
Universiteit Antwerpen, Dep. Biologie, PLP
m.m.v.:
Tom Maris, Sander Jacobs
Universiteit Antwerpen, Dep. Biologie, ECOBE
Jan De Schutter, Patrik Peeters
Waterbouwkundig Laboratorium Borgerhout

32. monitoring of sedimentation and erosion in a FCA-CRT Objective
Stijn Temmerman
monitoring of sedimentation and erosion in a FCA-CRT
Objective

33. monitoring of sedimentation and erosion in a FCA-CRT Objective
Stijn Temmerman
monitoring of sedimentation and erosion in a FCA-CRT
Objective
Water storage capacity
CRUCIAL for
Ecology
Schelde estuary
Ring dike
FCA dike

34. Sedimentation-erosion measurements at:
Stijn Temmerman
Methods
Sedimentation-erosion measurements at:
Different places
Different time intervals

35. Sedimentation-erosion measurements
Stijn Temmerman
Methods
Sedimentation-erosion measurements
50 locations within the FCA-CRT
8 locations on adjacent marsh (ref.sites)

36. 13 Sediment Elevation Table (SET)
Sedimentation
Stijn Temmerman
Methods
Sedimentation-erosion measurements
3 methods: +
13 Sediment Elevation Table (SET)
+ +
33 Marker Horizons (MH)
+ + +
58 Sediment Traps (ST)

37. 13 Sediment Elevation Table (SET)
Sedimentation
Stijn Temmerman
Methods
Sedimentation-erosion measurements
3 methods: +
13 Sediment Elevation Table (SET)
+ +
33 Marker Horizons (MH)
+ + +
58 Sediment Traps (ST)

38. 13 Sediment Elevation Table (SET)
Sedimentation
Stijn Temmerman
Methods
Sedimentation-erosion measurements
3 methods: +
Method developed by USGS
13 Sediment Elevation Table (SET)
World widely used in marshes
+ +
33 Marker Horizons (MH)
+ + +
58 Sediment Traps (ST)

39. 13 Sediment Elevation Table (SET)
Sedimentation
Stijn Temmerman
Methods
Sedimentation-erosion measurements
3 methods:
Measurements every 2 months +
13 Sediment Elevation Table (SET)
+ +
33 Marker Horizons (MH)
+ + +
58 Sediment Traps (ST)

40. 13 Sediment Elevation Table (SET)
Sedimentation
Stijn Temmerman
Methods
Sedimentation-erosion measurements
3 methods:
Perforated plate
Kaoline clay +
13 Sediment Elevation Table (SET)
+ +
33 Marker Horizons (MH)
+ + +
58 Sediment Traps (ST)
Measurements every 2 months

41. Sedimentation-erosion measurements
Stijn Temmerman
Methods
Sedimentation-erosion measurements
3 methods:
13 places: sediments sampled over periods of 2 months +
13 Sediment Elevation Table (SET)
+ +
33 Marker Horizons (MH)
+ + +
58 Sediment Traps (ST)
58 places: sediments sampled for individual tides (13h measurements)

42. Sedimentation Preliminary results 3 methods:
Stijn Temmerman
Preliminary results
Sediment balance measured at sluices by WL Borgerhout
3 methods:
Sedimen-tatie +
13 Sediment Elevation Table (SET)
(g/m²/tij)
150
+ +
33 Marker Horizons (MH)
+ + +
58 Sediment Traps (ST)
UA - KUL
13h measurement 11/09/06

43. Periodic topographic surveying using Total Station
Sedimentation
Stijn Temmerman
Methods
Morphological development of creek system
Periodic topographic surveying using Total Station
Every 6 months

44. Morphological development of creek system
Sedimentation
Stijn Temmerman
Methods
Morphological development of creek system
Planimetric position of creeks
Length profile of creeks
Cross section profiles of creeks

45. Morphological development of creek system
Sedimentation
Stijn Temmerman
Methods
Morphological development of creek system
Planimetric position of creeks
Length profile of creeks
Cross section profiles of creeks

46. Morphological development of creek system
Sedimentation
Stijn Temmerman
Methods
Morphological development of creek system
Planimetric position of creeks
Length profile of creeks
Cross section profiles of creeks

47. Fishing
Fishing

48. Fishing

49. Monitoring at the bridge
Water quality monitoring
Monitoring at the bridge
General water quality
by ECOBE
Suspended matter:
transport and characteristics
by VUB (Hydrology)
Water balance and sediments
(at in- and outlet sluices)
by Waterbouwkundig Laboratorium

50. Water quality monitoring

51. Water quality monitoring

52. Water quality monitoring
Bad mixing of the water mass in the Lippenbroek?
INFLOW
OUTFLOW

53. Suspended matter: transport (at the bridge)

54. Transport of suspended matter through the main gully

55. Transport of suspended matter through the main gully

56. Grain-size properties of suspended particles

57. In-situ particle (Floc) near surface and bottom
Jul., 2006

58. In-situ particle (Floc) near surface and bottom
Oct., 2006

59. Water quality: tidal lake

60. ULB contribution to the Lippenbroeck study
Light climate in the main creeks and in the tidal pounds, in the water column and at the surface of the sediments.
SPM – light attenuation relationship
Photosynthetic parameters of phytoplankton in the inflow, tidal pounds and outflow.

64. Environmental variables
FINAL DATA
Environmental variables
Season
spring
summer
autumn
winter S1
S10
Site
Quadrat Q1 Q6
Stratum
st1
st2
st3
Taxa
Sampling units
Ref3 (mudflat)
Ref2 (reed)
Ref1 (willow)

65. Impact estuary Estuarine functions Impact of FCA – CRT on the estuary
Ring Dike
Low FCA dike
CRT
Outlet
Inlet
polder area
Impact on
estuary
Estuarine functions

66. Impact of FCA – CRT on the estuary
Model results: Oxygen Saturation
averaged oxygen saturation (data 2000)

67. Impact of FCA – CRT on the estuary
Model results: denitrification
Decreasing denitrification with
Increasing CRT surface
loss of pelagic denitrification
gain of benthic denitrification
loss of pelagic denitrification
gain of benthic denitrification

68. Thanks...