Environmental flow releases to support natural flow regimes and habitat conditions
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Project Description

Characterize and prioritize Great Plains reservoirs for environmental flow releases (physically, financially, ecologically) to support more natural flow regimes and habitat conditions in prairie rivers; implement experimental releases to support science needs of prairie streams/validate hypotheses; modify reservoir operating rules where appropriate

Conservation Area

Brazos

NFCA Objectives

Project Hierarchy: 1
Estimated Cost Range: ~$1000 - $50,000
Project Submitted By: Kevin Mayes
Suggested Contact: Wilde (TX Tech); Perkin (TN Tech)

A screening and characterization (pros/cons) of Great Plains reservoirs for making e-flow releases (see Grantham et al. 2014); improved flow regimes through changes in reservoir operating rules where feasible; long-term implementation strategy; pre- and post-release data to inform/validate/refine hypotheses; restore biotic integrity, geomorphic processes, water quality conditions, connectivity.

Texas Tech, Tennessee Tech, United States Geological Survey, USBR, USCOE, other federal and non-federal reservoir owners, COE-The Nature Conservancy Sustainable Rivers Program

USFWS, LCCs, SARP, GPFHP, Sustainable Rivers?

Project Status

  • Suggested
  • Ongoing
  • Completed

Project Location

Great Plains rivers