Building on existing data, this task reviewed and analysed the available knowledge on biological responses to hydromorphological degradation and restoration. The effects of hydromorphological changes on aquatic plants, macroinvertebrates and fish have been analysed on the one hand with regard to specific requirements of species as potential sensitive indicators and on the other, with regard to limitations of species due to hydromorphological forces aiming to derive thresholds and boundaries of impacts as well as guidelines for rehabilitation.
This is a bibliographic review concerning the effects of HYMO pressures on hydromorphological processes and variables resulting from both degradation and restoration. It further provides a tool to identify gaps in present HYMO knowledge, which is needed to improve our understanding of the mechanisms that control degradation-restoration processes. The following groups of HYMO pressures are addressed: hydrological regime alteration, river fragmentation and morphological alteration.
In the course of preparing the REFORM Stakeholder Workshop, the workshop steering group together with the Project Board of REFORM produced a 1st policy discussion paper (http://www.reformrivers.eu/events/stakeholder-workshop/documents), which purpose was to stimulate dialogue at the stakeholder workshop (Brussels, 26–27 February 2013).
On 26 and 27 February 2013, around 110 participants attended the Stakeholder Workshop on River Restoration to Support Effective Catchment Management of the REFORM project (www.reformrivers.eu) in Brussels. Twenty-three European countries, including national administrations and other stakeholder groups, were represented. In the workshop summary report (http://www.reformrivers.eu/events/stakeholder-workshop/documents), specific considerations are reported on what REFORM can do explicitly about the issues raised by stakeholders, giving an indication of the relevant deliverables and the expected time of their publication on the REFORM website (http://www.reformrivers.eu).
Several ecological and hydromorphological assessment methods have been developed in different countries during the last years, with notable differences in terms of aims, scales, and approaches. In many cases, strengths and limitations of the different types of methods are not yet sufficiently known, although they are widely used in some European countries.
Within REFORM, external communication and dissemination will play an important role in achieving its overall goal. This report defines the overarching communication and dissemination objectives of the project. REFORM’s communication objective is to increase awareness and appreciation for the need, potential and benefits of river restoration through active involvement of and dissemination of project outputs to policy-makers, practitioners and stakeholders.
This report describes the structure and functionality of the REFORM website (www.reformrivers.eu). The public area of the website serves as a knowledge platform for the target audiences and as a place to provide open access to documents and information, such as reports, publications, case studies and project related news. Documents will be uploaded gradually throughout the course of REFORM.
WP4 evaluates effects of river restoration by analysing existing data as well as performing field studies on paired catchments. The field studies will use examples of restored sites in which either one large scale measure (flagship restoration site) or smaller restoration measures (small restoration site) have been implemented. These restoration sites will be compared to “control sites” that are situated upstream and are still degraded (nested design). Deliverable 4.1. documents the abiotic and biotic parameters to be recorded at the case study sites and provides a description of the methods for field investigations in 2012 and 2013 including manuals, field forms and protocols.
