Stream Hydrology An Introduction for Ecologists

by Gordon, Nancy D.; McMahon, Thomas A.; Finlayson, Brian L.; Gippel, Christopher J.; Nathan, Rory J.

• ISBN13: 9780470843574
• ISBN10: 0470843578
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2004-06-18
• Publisher: WILEY

Summary

Since the publication of the first edition (1994) there have been rapid developments in the application of hydrology, geomorphology and ecology to stream management. In particular, growth has occurred in the areas of stream rehabilitation and the evaluation of environmental flow needs. The concept of stream health has been adopted as a way of assessing stream resources and setting management goals.Stream Hydrology: An Introduction for Ecologists Second Edition documents recent research and practice in these areas. Chapters provide information on sampling, field techniques, stream analysis, the hydrodynamics of moving water, channel form, sediment transport and commonly used statistical methods such as flow duration and flood frequency analysis. Methods are presented from engineering hydrology, fluvial geomorphology and hydraulics with examples of their biological implications. This book demonstrates how these fields are linked and utilised in modern, scientific river management. Emphasis on applications, from collecting and analysing field measurements to using data and tools in stream management. Updated to include new sections on environmental flows, rehabilitation, measuring stream health and stream classification. Critical reviews of the successes and failures of implementation. Revised and updated windows-based AQUAPAK software. This book is essential reading for 2 nd /3 rd year undergraduates and postgraduates of hydrology, stream ecology and fisheries science in Departments of Physical Geography, Biology, Environmental Science, Landscape Ecology, Environmental Engineering and Limnology. It would be valuable reading for professionals working in stream ecology, fisheries science and habitat management, environmental consultants and engineers.

Author Biography

Nancy D. Gordon is the author of Stream Hydrology: An Introduction for Ecologists, 2nd Edition, published by Wiley.

Thomas A. McMahon is the author of Stream Hydrology: An Introduction for Ecologists, 2nd Edition, published by Wiley.

Brian L. Finlayson is the author of Stream Hydrology: An Introduction for Ecologists, 2nd Edition, published by Wiley.

Christopher J. Gippel is the author of Stream Hydrology: An Introduction for Ecologists, 2nd Edition, published by Wiley.

Rory J. Nathan is the author of Stream Hydrology: An Introduction for Ecologists, 2nd Edition, published by Wiley.

Table of Contents

Preface to the Second Edition	xi
Preface to the First Edition	xiii
Introducing the Medium	1	(10)
Water as a Fluid	1	(1)
The Physics of Fluids	1	(2)
Physical Properties of Water	3	(8)
Density and Related Measures	3	(2)
Viscosity and the `No-slip Condition'	5	(1)
Surface Tension	5	(2)
Thermal Properties	7	(1)
Entrained Air and Dissolved Oxygen	8	(3)
How to Study a Stream	11	(20)
Focusing on Physical Habitat	11	(5)
The Planning Process	16	(3)
General	16	(1)
What Is the Question?	17	(1)
Choosing Your Method: The Study Design	17	(1)
Collecting Information: The Value of a Pilot Study	18	(1)
Analysing and Presenting the Results	18	(1)
Strategic Sampling	19	(8)
Population, Sample and Other Vocabulary of the Trade	19	(1)
The Errors of Our Ways	20	(1)
Considerations in Choosing a Sampling Design	21	(1)
Partitioning the Stream	22	(1)
Basic Sampling Designs	23	(4)
Sample Size	27	(1)
Know Your Limitations	27	(1)
Examples of How and How Not to Conduct a Study	28	(3)
M. Keough
Potential Sources of Data (How to Avoid Reinventing the Weir)	31	(18)
Data Types	31	(1)
Physical Data Sources, Format and Quality	31	(6)
Where to Look for Data and What You Are Likely to Find	31	(2)
Data Quality	33	(3)
How to Fill in a Streamflow Record	36	(1)
Maps: Finding Those Spatial Places	37	(6)
What Types of Maps Are Useful?	37	(4)
Map Interpretation	41	(2)
Revision, Accuracy and Standardization of Maps	43	(1)
Photographs and Other Remotely Sensed Data	43	(6)
What Is Remote Sensing?	43	(1)
Photographs	44	(1)
Other Remote Sensing Imagery	45	(1)
Sources of Imagery	46	(1)
Interpretation, Classification and `Ground Truthing' of Imagery	47	(2)
Getting to Know Your Stream	49	(26)
General Character	49	(7)
Preliminary Introductions	49	(1)
Putting the Stream Channel and Its Catchment into Context	49	(1)
Initial Assessments of the State of a Stream	50	(4)
An Example of a River Condition Survey: The Index of Stream Condition, Victoria, Australia	54	(2)
Catchment Characteristics	56	(9)
General	56	(1)
Delimiting and Measuring the Catchment Area	56	(2)
Stream Length	58	(1)
Stream Patterns	59	(2)
Stream Orders	61	(2)
Miscellaneous Morphometric Measures	63	(2)
Streamflow Hydrographs	65	(3)
Definitions	65	(1)
Hydrograph Separation	66	(1)
Factors Influencing the Hydrograph Shape	67	(1)
Recession Curve Analysis	68	(1)
How Does This Stream Measure Up?	68	(7)
General	68	(1)
Annual Statistics	69	(2)
Monthly Statistics	71	(1)
Daily Statistics	71	(1)
A Method for Describing Hydrological Predictability: Colwell's Indices	71	(4)
How to Have a Field Day and Still Collect Some Useful Information	75	(52)
Venturing into the Field	75	(1)
Surveying: A Brief Introduction	76	(8)
General	76	(1)
Horizontal Distance	76	(1)
Vertical Distance	77	(1)
Slope	78	(1)
The Full Contingent of Co-ordinates, Including Methods of Mapping	79	(5)
Methods of Measuring Areal Extent	84	(3)
General	84	(1)
Visual Estimation of Percentage Cover	84	(1)
Point Intercept Method	84	(1)
Line Intercept Method	85	(2)
Grids	87	(1)
Surveying Streams	87	(3)
General	87	(1)
Cross-sectional Profiles	87	(1)
Channel Slope and Thalweg Profile	88	(1)
Bed Surface Materials	89	(1)
Mapping the Stream Reach	89	(1)
Measurement of Water Level or Stage	90	(2)
General	90	(1)
The Staff Gauge	90	(1)
Maximum Stage Recorders or Crest Gauges	90	(1)
Automatic Recorders	90	(1)
Depth to the Water Table: Piezometry	91	(1)
Measurement of Discharge (Streamflow)	92	(12)
General	92	(1)
Volumetric Measurement	92	(1)
Velocity-area Method	93	(3)
Dilution Gauging Methods	96	(2)
Stream Gauging	98	(3)
Slope-area Method of Estimating Discharge	101	(3)
Substrates and Sediments: Sampling and Monitoring Methods	104	(10)
General	104	(1)
Bank Material Sampling (Soil Sampling)	105	(1)
Bed Material Sampling	105	(1)
Sampling Suspended Sediments	106	(4)
Sampling Bedload Sediments	110	(3)
Erosion and Scour	113	(1)
Substrates and Sediments: Analysis of Physical Properties	114	(11)
General	114	(1)
Soil Moisture Content, Gravimetric Method	114	(1)
Sediment Concentration	114	(1)
Particle Size	115	(4)
Presentation of Particle Size Data	119	(2)
Particle Shape: Roundness, Sphericity	121	(1)
Particle Arrangement and Other Miscellaneous Bulk Properties	122	(3)
Water Quality	125	(2)
Water at Rest and in Motion	127	(42)
General	127	(1)
Hydrostatics: the Restful Nature of Water	127	(3)
Pressure	127	(2)
Buoyancy	129	(1)
Studying the Flow of Fluids	130	(2)
Steady and Unsteady Flow	130	(1)
Streamlines	130	(1)
Conserving Mass: The Principle of Continuity	131	(1)
Energy Relationships and the Bernoulli Equation	131	(1)
Narrowing the Focus: Flow of a Viscous Fluid	132	(9)
Laminar and Turbulent Flow	132	(4)
Flow Past Solid Surfaces: The Boundary Layer	136	(5)
The Microenvironment: Flow Near Solid Surfaces	141	(14)
General	141	(1)
Describing the Velocity Profile and Boundary Layer Thickness near a Solid Surface	141	(2)
Shear Stress and Drag Forces	143	(3)
Flow around Bluff Bodies	146	(6)
Lift	152	(1)
Methods of Microvelocity Measurement	153	(2)
Open-channel Hydraulics: The Macro-environment	155	(14)
But First, A Few Definitions	155	(1)
Introduction to Hydraulics	155	(1)
The Variations of Velocity in Natural Channels	156	(3)
Energy Relationships in Streams	159	(4)
Shear Stress and the Uniform Flow Equations of Chezy and Manning	163	(2)
Water-surface Profiles in Gradually Varied Flow	165	(2)
Hydraulic Jumps and Drops, Alias Rapidly Varied Flow	167	(2)
It's Sedimentary, Watson!	169	(32)
Introduction to Stream Channels, Streambeds and Transported Materials	169	(5)
General	169	(1)
Making Up a Channel Bed	169	(1)
What Sort of Debris Is Transported?	170	(2)
Sediment Distribution and Discharge	172	(1)
Ecological Implications	173	(1)
Stream-shaping Processes	174	(8)
A Note about Stream Power	174	(2)
Adjustments and Equilibrium	176	(1)
Balancing Slope, Streamflow, and Sediment Size and Load	177	(1)
Floods and Floodplain Formation	178	(1)
Channel-forming Discharges	179	(1)
Fluvial Geometry	180	(2)
The Ins and Outs of Channel Topography	182	(7)
Channel Patterns	182	(3)
Pools, Riffles and Steps	185	(1)
Bars	186	(1)
Dunes, Ripples and Flat Beds of Sand	187	(2)
Sediment Motion	189	(6)
Erosion, Transport and Deposition	189	(1)
Deviations from `Ideal'	190	(1)
Predicting a Particle's `Get Up and Go'	191	(4)
Sediment Yield from a Catchment	195	(6)
Sediment Sources and Sinks	195	(2)
Sediment Yield Variations	197	(1)
Computing Sediment Discharge and Yield from Measured Concentrations	198	(1)
The Estimation of Sediment Discharge from Streamflow	199	(2)
Dissecting Data with a Statistical Scope	201	(32)
Introduction	201	(3)
General	201	(1)
Floods and Droughts	201	(2)
Data Considerations	203	(1)
Putting Statistics into a Proper Perspective	203	(1)
Streamflow Frequency Analysis	204	(11)
General Concepts	204	(1)
Probability and Average Recurrence Intervals	204	(1)
The Data Series	205	(2)
Graphical Methods: The Probability Plot	207	(1)
Fitting Probability Distributions	208	(2)
A Few Good Probability Distributions	210	(2)
Zeros and How to Treat Them	212	(2)
Goodness, The Distribution Fits!	214	(1)
Interpreting Frequency Curves	214	(1)
Flow-duration Curves	215	(3)
General	215	(1)
Constructing Flow-duration Curves	216	(1)
Interpretation and Indices	217	(1)
Flow Spell Analysis	218	(1)
Extrapolating from the Known to the Unknown	219	(5)
General	219	(1)
Transposing Data from Gauging Stations to Less-endowed Sites	220	(1)
Regionalization	221	(3)
Numerical Taxonomy: Multivariate Analysis Techniques	224	(9)
General	224	(1)
Similarity/Dissimilarity Indices	225	(1)
Ordination	225	(3)
Classification	228	(3)
Other Sources of Information on Numerical Taxonomy	231	(2)
``Putting It All Together'': Assessing Stream Health, Stream Classification, Environmental Flows and Rehabilitation	233	(126)
Putting Theories into Practice	233	(4)
Understanding Stream Values	237	(2)
What Are Stream Values?	237	(1)
Ecological Potential	237	(1)
The Role of Science in the Stream Health Policy Debate	238	(1)
Assessing Stream Health	239	(23)
Introduction	239	(1)
Describing Reach Condition	240	(1)
Physico-chemical Assessment	241	(1)
Habitat Assessment	242	(5)
Hydrological Assessment	247	(2)
Bioassessment	249	(12)
Types of Stream Health Monitoring Program	261	(1)
Selecting a Method for Measuring Stream Health	261	(1)
The Use of Stream Classification in Management	262	(24)
Introduction	262	(1)
Ecological Classification Models Based on Energetics, Structure, Function and Dynamics of Rivers	263	(4)
Geomorphological Classification Models Based on River Process and Structure	267	(6)
Hydrologically Based Classification	273	(2)
Water Quality-based Classification	275	(1)
Combined Physical-chemical-ecological Classification Models	276	(1)
Ecoregions and Multi-scale Classification	277	(1)
Wetland Classification	278	(3)
Estuary Classification	281	(1)
Classification of Conservation Value of Rivers	282	(1)
Designated Use Classification	283	(3)
Summary	286	(1)
Assessing Instream Environmental Flows	286	(33)
Introduction	286	(1)
Instream and Environmental Flows Defined	287	(1)
Three Basic Assumptions of Environmental Flows Assessment	288	(2)
Forms of Environmental Flow Assessment	290	(1)
Hydrological Methods	291	(2)
Hydraulic Rating Methods	293	(2)
Habitat Rating Methods	295	(4)
Holistic Methods	299	(3)
Other Approaches	302	(10)
Implementation and Evaluation of Environmental Flows	312	(6)
Summary	318	(1)
Stream Rehabilitation	319	(40)
The Basis of Stream Rehabilitation	319	(7)
Addressing Biotic Factors	326	(4)
Correction of Physical Limiting Factors	330	(3)
Rehabilitation of Channel Form	333	(12)
Instream Habitat Improvement Structures	345	(4)
Evaluation of a Range of Stream Rehabilitation Projects	349	(8)
Some Reflections on Stream Rehabilitation	357	(2)
Appendix Basic Statistics	359	(12)
References	371	(52)
Index	423