Terrestrial Productivity in the Flooded Terrestrial Ecosystems of the Columbia Basin: Impacts, Mitigation and Monitoring
Author: G.F. Utzig, R.F. Holt
This report has three main objectives: • identifying the terrestrial ecosystem productivity impacts associated with inundation, • identifying potential mitigation options, relating to terrestrial productivity losses, and • identifying a monitoring framework to assess effectiveness of these options.
There have been significant terrestrial productivity losses associated with the construction of the BC Hydro dams on the Columbia/ Kootenay River system. This study has estimated the total at approximately 300,000 tC/yr of NPP. This represents approximately 3 times the NPP calculated as lost from the hydroriparian environments of the reservoirs (lakes, rivers, wetland/floodplains – Moody et al. 2007). Over half the total is located in the Mica Reservoir, with the High Revelstoke and the Keenlyside dams accounting the most of the additional losses. Terrestrial NPP losses due to inundation are generally proportional to area flooded. However, there is a clear trend of increased losses where the more productive wet and very wet forests are concentrated (mainly under the Mica and Revelstoke Reservoirs).
There have been significant terrestrial productivity losses associated with the construction of the BC Hydro dams on the Columbia/ Kootenay River system. This study has estimated the total at approximately 300,000 tC/yr of NPP. This represents approximately 3 times the NPP calculated as lost from the hydroriparian environments of the reservoirs (lakes, rivers, wetland/floodplains – Moody et al. 2007). Over half the total is located in the Mica Reservoir, with the High Revelstoke and the Keenlyside dams accounting the most of the additional losses. Terrestrial NPP losses due to inundation are generally proportional to area flooded. However, there is a clear trend of increased losses where the more productive wet and very wet forests are concentrated (mainly under the Mica and Revelstoke Reservoirs).
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Additional Info
Study Years: 2008
Published: 2008
Topics
Tags: Arrow Lakes Reservoir, Compensation, Dam Impacts, Duncan Reservoir, Footprint, FWCP, GPP, Gross Primary Productivity, Historic, Kinbasket Reservoir, Koocanusa Reservoir, Kootenay Canal, Lower Columbia River, Net Primary Productivity, NPP, Pend DOreille, Primary Productivity, Restoration Recommendations, Revelstoke Reservoir, Spillimacheen, Terrestrial, Upland, Wetland, Whatshan ReservoirTerrestrial Productivity in the Flooded Terrestrial Ecosystems of the Columbia Basin: Impacts, Mitigation and Monitoring
Author: G.F. Utzig, R.F. Holt
Tags: Arrow Lakes Reservoir, Compensation, Dam Impacts, Duncan Reservoir, Footprint, FWCP, GPP, Gross Primary Productivity, Historic, Kinbasket Reservoir, Koocanusa Reservoir, Kootenay Canal, Lower Columbia River, Net Primary Productivity, NPP, Pend DOreille, Primary Productivity, Restoration Recommendations, Revelstoke Reservoir, Spillimacheen, Terrestrial, Upland, Wetland, Whatshan Reservoir
This report has three main objectives:
• identifying the terrestrial ecosystem productivity impacts associated with inundation,
• identifying potential mitigation options, relating to terrestrial productivity losses, and
• identifying a monitoring framework to assess effectiveness of these options.
Summary
There have been significant terrestrial productivity losses associated with the construction of the BC Hydro dams on the Columbia/ Kootenay River system. This study has estimated the total at approximately 300,000 tC/yr of NPP. This represents approximately 3 times the NPP calculated as lost from the hydroriparian environments of the reservoirs (lakes, rivers, wetland/floodplains – Moody et al. 2007). Over half the total is located in the Mica Reservoir, with the High Revelstoke and the Keenlyside dams accounting the most of the additional losses. Terrestrial NPP losses due to inundation are generally proportional to area flooded. However, there is a clear trend of increased losses where the more productive wet and very wet forests are concentrated (mainly under the Mica and Revelstoke Reservoirs).