Longitudinal connectivity in hydromorphological quality assessments of rivers. The ICF index: A r... more Longitudinal connectivity in hydromorphological quality assessments of rivers. The ICF index: A river connectivity index and its application to Catalan rivers The Water Framework Directive urges assessment of river continuity as an input for the evaluation of hydromorphological quality. The existence of transverse obstacles in river beds has serious ecological consequences because it blocks the natural flow of water, sediments and biota, and this is considered one of the major causes of declines in many continental fish species. The index of river connectivity (ICF, from the Catalan name Index de Connectivitat Fluvial) evaluates obstacle effects on fish movement alone and does not take into account other elements affected by the obstacles. However, it can be used as a complementary element in hydromorphological condition assessments. The index is based on comparison of obstacle and fish pass (if any) characteristics with the capabilities of the fishes potentially present in the cons...
Available at: https://vertigo.revues.org/17462
River conflicts have been a matter of abundant int... more Available at: https://vertigo.revues.org/17462 River conflicts have been a matter of abundant intellectual production. However, analysis on their relation to the appropriation of instream flows–related ecosystem services (ES) is missing. Such analysis, undertaken with a proper account for stakeholders’ views and interests, is the aim of this paper. As happens in other Mediterranean contexts, multiple water withdrawals from the Ter River (NE Catalonia, Spain), e.g., for hydropower and inter-basin water supply, disrupt instream flows throughout the entire course of the river. Traditionally, this situation has triggered local and regional disputes, becoming a main issue for water management in the basin district. Our methodology entails a five-step assessment for the study of the ES production related to both diverted and instream flows in the Ter River basin. The steps are: identification, characterization, localization, quantification and valuation. A key aspect of the methodology is the engagement of stakeholders; both key informants and water activist organizations. A three-year field research (2011-2014) included a large number of interviews, the organization of several workshops and two surveys. The results help to study multiple types of benefits that are connected to the management of water flows. Divergences in stakeholders’ views appear regarding the usage of water rights, wilderness versus recreational perspectives, and due to information asymmetries. In the same way, tensions occur when ES provision overlap in time and space and when tradeoffs among different ES arise. In conclusion, three ways of informing conflictive water-flows management from an ecosystem services approach are: 1) recognition of the diverse benefits from river flows, 2) analysis of hydrological alterations affecting ES production through the space, and 3) identification of tradeoffs among ES.
Compliance with the Water Framework Directive (WFD) of the European Union requires water managers... more Compliance with the Water Framework Directive (WFD) of the European Union requires water managers to establish environmental flow regimes (EFR) in rivers across the continent. Few water agencies have examined the economic and social welfare impacts of implementing environmental flow requirements. We present the approach used by the Catalan Water Agency to calculate an EFR and estimate the economic implications of its implementation in the Ter River (Catalonia, NE Spain), altered by weirs for hydro-electric production. We analyze various implementation strategies and their associated economic costs and benefits, concluding that the restoration of environmental flows in the Ter River has reasonable costs and is likely to be a socially desirable policy with economic benefits exceeding costs. This paper provides an example of how a water agency can generate policy relevant information on the social welfare impacts of implementing environmental flow policies as mandated by the WFD.
Fifteen water flow-dependent ecosystem services (ES) are modelled for the case of the Ter (Catalo... more Fifteen water flow-dependent ecosystem services (ES) are modelled for the case of the Ter (Catalonia, Spain), a river with persisting intra-and inter-basin conflicts on water flows. The aim is to analyse ES response (and ensuing social reaction) to changes in water flow management, in a context of several tradeoffs and synergies driven by access to water use. We argue for a new modelling approach to integrate diverse values and perspectives through engaging with stakeholders' concerns and claims. This is done under different conditions, including droughts, wet years, and different options for managing flows. Our approach involves two stages, namely water allocation modelling, including scenario development, and ES provision modelling, including participatory design of service suitability curves. The method presented allows analysing spatial/temporal patterns and ES performance. The paper explains methodological innovation and its application to highlight the role of recurrent socio-environmental conflicts in water management decisions.
Longitudinal connectivity in hydromorphological quality assessments of rivers. The ICF index: A r... more Longitudinal connectivity in hydromorphological quality assessments of rivers. The ICF index: A river connectivity index and its application to Catalan rivers The Water Framework Directive urges assessment of river continuity as an input for the evaluation of hydromorphological quality. The existence of transverse obstacles in river beds has serious ecological consequences because it blocks the natural flow of water, sediments and biota, and this is considered one of the major causes of declines in many continental fish species. The index of river connectivity (ICF, from the Catalan name Index de Connectivitat Fluvial) evaluates obstacle effects on fish movement alone and does not take into account other elements affected by the obstacles. However, it can be used as a complementary element in hydromorphological condition assessments. The index is based on comparison of obstacle and fish pass (if any) characteristics with the capabilities of the fishes potentially present in the cons...
Available at: https://vertigo.revues.org/17462
River conflicts have been a matter of abundant int... more Available at: https://vertigo.revues.org/17462 River conflicts have been a matter of abundant intellectual production. However, analysis on their relation to the appropriation of instream flows–related ecosystem services (ES) is missing. Such analysis, undertaken with a proper account for stakeholders’ views and interests, is the aim of this paper. As happens in other Mediterranean contexts, multiple water withdrawals from the Ter River (NE Catalonia, Spain), e.g., for hydropower and inter-basin water supply, disrupt instream flows throughout the entire course of the river. Traditionally, this situation has triggered local and regional disputes, becoming a main issue for water management in the basin district. Our methodology entails a five-step assessment for the study of the ES production related to both diverted and instream flows in the Ter River basin. The steps are: identification, characterization, localization, quantification and valuation. A key aspect of the methodology is the engagement of stakeholders; both key informants and water activist organizations. A three-year field research (2011-2014) included a large number of interviews, the organization of several workshops and two surveys. The results help to study multiple types of benefits that are connected to the management of water flows. Divergences in stakeholders’ views appear regarding the usage of water rights, wilderness versus recreational perspectives, and due to information asymmetries. In the same way, tensions occur when ES provision overlap in time and space and when tradeoffs among different ES arise. In conclusion, three ways of informing conflictive water-flows management from an ecosystem services approach are: 1) recognition of the diverse benefits from river flows, 2) analysis of hydrological alterations affecting ES production through the space, and 3) identification of tradeoffs among ES.
Compliance with the Water Framework Directive (WFD) of the European Union requires water managers... more Compliance with the Water Framework Directive (WFD) of the European Union requires water managers to establish environmental flow regimes (EFR) in rivers across the continent. Few water agencies have examined the economic and social welfare impacts of implementing environmental flow requirements. We present the approach used by the Catalan Water Agency to calculate an EFR and estimate the economic implications of its implementation in the Ter River (Catalonia, NE Spain), altered by weirs for hydro-electric production. We analyze various implementation strategies and their associated economic costs and benefits, concluding that the restoration of environmental flows in the Ter River has reasonable costs and is likely to be a socially desirable policy with economic benefits exceeding costs. This paper provides an example of how a water agency can generate policy relevant information on the social welfare impacts of implementing environmental flow policies as mandated by the WFD.
Fifteen water flow-dependent ecosystem services (ES) are modelled for the case of the Ter (Catalo... more Fifteen water flow-dependent ecosystem services (ES) are modelled for the case of the Ter (Catalonia, Spain), a river with persisting intra-and inter-basin conflicts on water flows. The aim is to analyse ES response (and ensuing social reaction) to changes in water flow management, in a context of several tradeoffs and synergies driven by access to water use. We argue for a new modelling approach to integrate diverse values and perspectives through engaging with stakeholders' concerns and claims. This is done under different conditions, including droughts, wet years, and different options for managing flows. Our approach involves two stages, namely water allocation modelling, including scenario development, and ES provision modelling, including participatory design of service suitability curves. The method presented allows analysing spatial/temporal patterns and ES performance. The paper explains methodological innovation and its application to highlight the role of recurrent socio-environmental conflicts in water management decisions.
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Papers by Mònica Bardina
River conflicts have been a matter of abundant intellectual production. However, analysis on their relation to the appropriation of instream flows–related ecosystem services (ES) is missing. Such analysis, undertaken with a proper account for stakeholders’ views and interests, is the aim of this paper. As happens in other Mediterranean contexts, multiple water withdrawals from the Ter River (NE Catalonia, Spain), e.g., for hydropower and inter-basin water supply, disrupt instream flows throughout the entire course of the river. Traditionally, this situation has triggered local and regional disputes, becoming a main issue for water management in the basin district. Our methodology entails a five-step assessment for the study of the ES production related to both diverted and instream flows in the Ter River basin. The steps are: identification, characterization, localization, quantification and valuation. A key aspect of the methodology is the engagement of stakeholders; both key informants and water activist organizations. A three-year field research (2011-2014) included a large number of interviews, the organization of several workshops and two surveys. The results help to study multiple types of benefits that are connected to the management of water flows. Divergences in stakeholders’ views appear regarding the usage of water rights, wilderness versus recreational perspectives, and due to information asymmetries. In the same way, tensions occur when ES provision overlap in time and space and when tradeoffs among different ES arise. In conclusion, three ways of informing conflictive water-flows management from an ecosystem services approach are: 1) recognition of the diverse benefits from river flows, 2) analysis of hydrological alterations affecting ES production through the space, and 3) identification of tradeoffs among ES.
the WFD.
River conflicts have been a matter of abundant intellectual production. However, analysis on their relation to the appropriation of instream flows–related ecosystem services (ES) is missing. Such analysis, undertaken with a proper account for stakeholders’ views and interests, is the aim of this paper. As happens in other Mediterranean contexts, multiple water withdrawals from the Ter River (NE Catalonia, Spain), e.g., for hydropower and inter-basin water supply, disrupt instream flows throughout the entire course of the river. Traditionally, this situation has triggered local and regional disputes, becoming a main issue for water management in the basin district. Our methodology entails a five-step assessment for the study of the ES production related to both diverted and instream flows in the Ter River basin. The steps are: identification, characterization, localization, quantification and valuation. A key aspect of the methodology is the engagement of stakeholders; both key informants and water activist organizations. A three-year field research (2011-2014) included a large number of interviews, the organization of several workshops and two surveys. The results help to study multiple types of benefits that are connected to the management of water flows. Divergences in stakeholders’ views appear regarding the usage of water rights, wilderness versus recreational perspectives, and due to information asymmetries. In the same way, tensions occur when ES provision overlap in time and space and when tradeoffs among different ES arise. In conclusion, three ways of informing conflictive water-flows management from an ecosystem services approach are: 1) recognition of the diverse benefits from river flows, 2) analysis of hydrological alterations affecting ES production through the space, and 3) identification of tradeoffs among ES.
the WFD.