River Restoration

     The River Cole Restoration, England

The River Cole, has very brief history related to milling, which gradually changed the river course effecting the bankside vegetation.

River Cole restoration project started from July, 1995. 2.5 km section of river was restored and project completed in 1996.

Upstream of river section was restored to its original course, retaining the small flow in the mill leat and downstream of river was reduced in size, & remeandered across the old section..  

Main  techniques applied were:

1. Bringing river bed back in line with river flood plain by adding gravel riffles and small weirs.

2. By making a new meandering cut at the much higher level to restore flood regime, bed level and water level and it also provide shelter to fish, insects and birds. 

3. Restoring flood meadows from floodwater. It also helped to create water meadow.

The Kissimee River, Florida, USA

Frequent engineering has adversely affected the Kissimee River. 

Between 1962 to 1971; 165 km of the Kissimee River and flanking flood plain were channelized to 90 km long and 10 m deep drainage canal. Channel was made to provide protection from draining flood waters from Upper Kissimee Lakes Basin.

Effects of channelization:

a. Reduced number of waterfowl

b. Decline fish pollutants

c. Loss of 30,000 to 35,000 acres of wetlands

Restoration technique:

1. Dechannelization; backfilling the half of the channelized section and making water flow through its natural channel.

The Mur River Restoration, Austria

The Mur River, total length of 464 km, lying in the Central Europe, carries major ecological significance as it is the major breeding zone for the Danube Salmon.

Degradation of the Mur River began from the 19th century, as distributaries were cut off and huge area was drained for the irrigation purpose. 

It lead to:

a. Reduction of alluvial forest.

b. Effected river dynamics.

c.  Loss of habitats.

Construction of hydropower stations affected the river continuum and natural sediment transport.

Techniques applied for the Mur River restoration.

45 km stretch of the River Mur, forms national border to Slovenia, southeast of Austria.

Techniques applied for restoration are:

1. Construction of the pond at upstream for enhancing local biodiversity.

2. Widening of the river; construction of 250 m long distributaries in sauerbrunnpöls, 390 m opening of the bank protection & 840 m long in ThalheimSt. Peter, 700m opening of the bank operation.

3. Development  and management of wetlands.

4. Establishing the clearance cairns and fixed dead wood built 

5. To overcome the dispute between hydropower expansion and nature protection, management plan between energy providers and river experts has been updated.