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Protecting and Restoring Streams in an Urbanizing World: Back to Square One
Citation:
ROY, A. Protecting and Restoring Streams in an Urbanizing World: Back to Square One. Presented at Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY, April 25, 2008.
Impact/Purpose:
To inform the public.
Description:
Headwater streams represent a majority (up to 70%) of the stream length in the United States. Because of their position and prevalence in the landscape, these small streams are often piped or filled to accommodate development, resulting in impaired geomorphology, hydrology, water quality, and biotic assemblages in downstream ecosystems. While we have tools for headwater stream protection (e.g., the Clean Water Act) and restoration (e.g., low impact design), streams remain impaired due to ineffective implementation. In the first part of her talk, Dr. Roy will discuss her research predicting the extent and location of ephemeral, intermittent, and perennial streams, and how urbanization impacts hydrologic permanence. This research is particularly relevant in light of recent Supreme Court decisions that concluded that a significant “nexus” or connection between ephemeral and intermittent streams and downstream waters is necessary to garner protection under the Clean Water Act. Tools for restoring urban headwater streams face similar, fundamental management challenges. In the second part of her talk, Dr. Roy will discuss the limitations to widespread implementation of sustainable stormwater management. In collaboration with other researchers at the USEPA, she is testing a reverse auction mechanism to encourage implementation of rain gardens and rain barrels on private property, and determining whether sufficient numbers of best management practices can be implemented to observe stream ecosystem improvements. These two studies highlight some of the many questions that need to be addressed to ensure effective management of urbanizing streams.