Concept for cost effective improvement of river morphology in the context of the European Water Framework Directive

Abstract

The EU Water Framework Directive calls for cost effective measures to achieve a “good status” in all European ground, surface and coastal waters. Besides eutrophication, the degradation of hydromorphology is the main reason for failing this objective. In this paper, we conceptualise the interactive decision support process BASINFORM-M for finding proper locations for river restoration. The concept combines the recently proposed “stepping stone approach” from aquatic ecology with elements from cost effectiveness analysis, multi-criteria analysis and participatory approaches. BASINFORM-M exemplifies a shift away from the isolated restoration of single river reaches towards a consideration of functional relationships within river networks.

Keywords:

• cost effectiveness analysis
• decision support
• EU Water Framework Directive
• river morphology
• ecological networks
• stepping stone concept
• BASINFORM
• spatial allocation of restoration actions
• participatory decision-making

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the Environmental Agency of Brandenburg for their cooperation, and Dietrich Borchardt, Karin Johst, Stephan von Keitz, Ralf Köhler, Peter Reichert, Sandra Richter, Nele Schuwirth, Heiko Strobel, Jeanette Völker and two anonymous referees for their constructive comments on earlier versions of the paper.