Footprint Impact of BC Hydro Dams On Aquatic and Wetland Primary Productivity in the Columbia Basin. AIM Ecological Consultants Ltd. in association with Eco-Logic Ltd. and PSlaney Aquatic Science Ltd
Author: A. Moody, P. Slaney, J. Stockner
This study is the continuation of a multi-phase project to determine the ecological footprint of BC Hydro dams in the Columbia Basin. The historical mapping was the only available quantification of pre-dam ecosystems and water features in the Columbia Basin. The GIS summary of the polygon areas and stream lengths was provided to us, to calculate the historic carbon contribution from wetland and aquatic ecosystem components.
Wetland/floodplain ubiquity in the basin pre-dam era resulted in a GPP carbon contribution of over 87% of total C compared with lakes (10%) and rivers/steams (4%). The present era river/lake autotrophic C template is slightly larger than the pre-dam total but the rivers/streams component has basically been replaced while reservoir pelagic habitats have risen to a dominant position (73%) and are now contributing more C than wetlands C production (27%). Rivers/streams presently contribute only negligible quantities of C. There has been a shift from a high-level of aquatic habitat diversity and accompanying biodiversity to a more simple and linear pelagic driven landscape; major losses of biodiversity have occurred within the present basin across all aquatic habitats. The loss of a productive, functional littoral and shoreline ecosystem where periphyton communities are abundant on soils and on macrophytes, and where wetlands are plentiful and prolific, in most all reservoirs has constrained total basin C production.
The total annual carbon production (GPP) from the hydroriparian environments (lakes, rivers, wetland/floodplains) of the historic Columbia Basin was calculated as 180,445 tC yr -1 . In contrast, the current carbon production from the reservoir environments has been assessed at 53,506 tC yr-1 , or 30% of historic.
Wetland/floodplain ubiquity in the basin pre-dam era resulted in a GPP carbon contribution of over 87% of total C compared with lakes (10%) and rivers/steams (4%). The present era river/lake autotrophic C template is slightly larger than the pre-dam total but the rivers/streams component has basically been replaced while reservoir pelagic habitats have risen to a dominant position (73%) and are now contributing more C than wetlands C production (27%). Rivers/streams presently contribute only negligible quantities of C. There has been a shift from a high-level of aquatic habitat diversity and accompanying biodiversity to a more simple and linear pelagic driven landscape; major losses of biodiversity have occurred within the present basin across all aquatic habitats. The loss of a productive, functional littoral and shoreline ecosystem where periphyton communities are abundant on soils and on macrophytes, and where wetlands are plentiful and prolific, in most all reservoirs has constrained total basin C production.
The total annual carbon production (GPP) from the hydroriparian environments (lakes, rivers, wetland/floodplains) of the historic Columbia Basin was calculated as 180,445 tC yr -1 . In contrast, the current carbon production from the reservoir environments has been assessed at 53,506 tC yr-1 , or 30% of historic.
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Additional Info
Study Years: 2007
Published: 2007
Topics
Tags: Aquatic, Arrow Lakes Reservoir, Compensation, Dam Impacts, Duncan Reservoir, Footprint, FWCP, GPP, Gross Primary Productivity, Historic, Kinbasket Reservoir, Koocanusa Reservoir, Kootenay Canal, Lake, Lower Columbia River, Net Primary Productivity, NPP, Pend DOreille, Primary Productivity, Restoration Recommendations, Revelstoke Reservoir, River, Spillimacheen, Wetland, Whatshan ReservoirFootprint Impact of BC Hydro Dams On Aquatic and Wetland Primary Productivity in the Columbia Basin. AIM Ecological Consultants Ltd. in association with Eco-Logic Ltd. and PSlaney Aquatic Science Ltd
Author: A. Moody, P. Slaney, J. Stockner
Tags: Aquatic, Arrow Lakes Reservoir, Compensation, Dam Impacts, Duncan Reservoir, Footprint, FWCP, GPP, Gross Primary Productivity, Historic, Kinbasket Reservoir, Koocanusa Reservoir, Kootenay Canal, Lake, Lower Columbia River, Net Primary Productivity, NPP, Pend DOreille, Primary Productivity, Restoration Recommendations, Revelstoke Reservoir, River, Spillimacheen, Wetland, Whatshan Reservoir
This study is the continuation of a multi-phase project to determine the ecological footprint of BC Hydro dams in the Columbia Basin. The historical mapping was the only available quantification of pre-dam ecosystems and water features in the Columbia Basin. The GIS summary of the polygon areas and stream lengths was provided to us, to calculate the historic carbon contribution from wetland and aquatic ecosystem components.
Summary
Wetland/floodplain ubiquity in the basin pre-dam era resulted in a GPP carbon contribution of over 87% of total C compared with lakes (10%) and rivers/steams (4%). The present era river/lake autotrophic C template is slightly larger than the pre-dam total but the rivers/streams component has basically been replaced while reservoir pelagic habitats have risen to a dominant position (73%) and are now contributing more C than wetlands C production (27%). Rivers/streams presently contribute only negligible quantities of C. There has been a shift from a high-level of aquatic habitat diversity and accompanying biodiversity to a more simple and linear pelagic driven landscape; major losses of biodiversity have occurred within the present basin across all aquatic habitats. The loss of a productive, functional littoral and shoreline ecosystem where periphyton communities are abundant on soils and on macrophytes, and where wetlands are plentiful and prolific, in most all reservoirs has constrained total basin C production.
The total annual carbon production (GPP) from the hydroriparian environments (lakes, rivers, wetland/floodplains) of the historic Columbia Basin was calculated as 180,445 tC yr -1 . In contrast, the current carbon production from the reservoir environments has been assessed at 53,506 tC yr-1 , or 30% of historic.