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Restoring Ecosystem Habitat in the Arid Southwestern...
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Mark WILLIAMS, Ira ARTZ, Krey PRICE
Restoring Ecosystem Habitat in the Arid Southwestern United States:
Lessons Learned
Tetra Tech, Inc. United States
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Ecosystem Restoration in the
United States
Since 1986, the agency most responsible for providing large-scale, ecosystem restoration projects in the US has been the US Army Corps of Engineers
Civil works projects for restoration often $100’s of millions of dollars, with the Everglades costing into the $billions.
Tetra Tech has been fortunate to provide support for many restoration projects, especially in the arid Southwestern U.S.
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Problems in the Arid Southwest
NRCS
Dryland Rivers
Hyper-arid environment
Southwestern U.S.
annual precipitation
< 20 - 50 cm
Evapotranspiration
> 100 cm
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Even though riparian areas represent <1% of the region’s area, they support > 50% of the nesting bird species and
>75% of vertebrate wildlife species(Johnson et al., 1977,
and Gillis, 1991).
Problems in the Arid Southwest
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Ecosystems like this used to be much more common
Prior to dam construction and groundwater overdraft, many streams were perennial
The meandering channels included sandbars and backwaters.
Problems in the Arid Southwest
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Cottonwoods, willows, mesquite forests, and cienegas used to fill the floodplain.
Problems in the Arid Southwest
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Degradation caused by upstream dams, drought, climate change, and urban impacts such as groundwater overdraft, floodplain encroachment, habitat loss, modified hydrology, landfills, mining, invasive species, bank stabilization and channelisation
Problems in the Arid Southwest
USGS
Arizona stream: 1904 and recent
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Lack of vegetation leads to unstable banks, as shown here in 1978 flood event on the Rillito River
Problems in the Arid Southwest
USGS
70 m of lateral channel migration
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Problems in the Arid Southwest
USGS1850
2000
1940
The southwest has become increasingly urbanised
Restoration of riparian ecosystems in the Sonoran Desert considered critical by the Nature Conservancy
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The Corps of Engineers and local municipalities have cost-shared several ecosystem restoration studies in the Phoenix and Tucson areas, in Arizona
Opportunities for Restoration
USGS
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ARIZONA
Utah
Phoenix
Tucson
Flagstaff
Salt River Watershed
Verde River
Watershed
Gila River
Watershed
Opportunities for Restoration
Tetra Tech’s role has been to provide planning, economic and environmental analysis, and design support to 3 major projects in the 34,000 square kilometer Salt River watershed, in the Phoenix metropolitan area, ArizonaTres Rios
Rio Salado Va Shly’ay Akimel
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Opportunities for Restoration
Project benefits include the following categories:
Habitat creation and restoration
Removal of invasives
Restoration of gravel pits
Restabilisation of the geomorphic regime
Water supply through infiltration
Flood risk management
Recreation
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Restoration Objectives
Restoration of a more natural riverine environment:
Return ecosystem functions
Return species diversity
Replace lost riparian habitat
Scrub-ShrubMesquite Mesquite
Bosque Wetland Ponded
Flow
WetlandCottonwood
Willow
Cottonwood
Willow
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Lesson Learned
The challenge in developing a restoration plan is finding the most cost efficient–yet effective–solution Federal water resource guidelines are strict
on economic benefit/cost analyses Relies on comparing a multitude of
possible measures Combined into alternatives
Reach Structure & Content Cleanup Temp. Housing Total
2L 42$ 10$ 0.4$ 52$
3L 2$ 1$ 0.1$ 3$
4L 2$ -$ 0.1$ 2$
5L 27$ 4$ 0.9$ 32$
6L 11$ 3$ 0.1$ 14$
Total - S. of River 84$ 18$ 1.6$ 104$
5R 123$ 5$ -$ 128$
6R 4$ 0.5$ -$ 5$
Total - N. of River 127$ 6$ -$ 133$
Total 211$ 24$ 2$ 236$
Notes: Damages for Reaches Not Shown are Minimal
Rio Salado Oeste
Without Project Equivalent Annual Damages
(in $1,000s)
Rio Salado Oeste Incremental Analysis
Alt 5A
Alt 5B
Alt 5
Alt 4
Alt 2
$0
$2,000
$4,000
$6,000
$8,000
$10,000
$12,000
$14,000
$16,000
51 165 240 253 267
AAFCU's
Avg
An
nu
al C
osts
($1,0
00)
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Cost Effectiveness Analysis
Use of IWR-Plan Incremental analysis program Analyzes thousands of possible combinations
of potential features Cost inputs compared to habitat units outputs Results in “best-buy” and “optimised” plans Used nationwide
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0 100 3000
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
16,000
18,000
20,000
Mon
eta
ry C
osts
33 51 87 165 184 187 240 253 267
4
Refine
2
55B
2
3
1
5A
NOT Cost Effective
“ Best Buy “
Cost Effectiveness Analysis
Benefits:
Habitat Units
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Tres Rios Project
Located where three rivers meet (“Tres Rios”): the Salt, the Gila, and the Agua Fria
The project began as a means of treating treatment plant effluent using constructed wetlands
The Plan Formulation analysis justified a 10-km, $110 million restoration project
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Tres Rios
• $110 M
• 11 river kilometers
• Restoration (600 ha)
• Levee (100-year)
• Recreation/education
• Cultural mitigation
IN CONSTRUCTION.
SPONSORS:
City of Phoenix/Gila River Indian Community
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91
stA
ven
ue
Open Water
MarshesRiparian
Corridors
Flow Regulating
Wetlands
(see next slide)
N
Tres Rios ProjectPlan Overview Overbank Wetlands
Flood Control
Levee
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Flow Regulating / Constructed
Wetlands
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Flow Regulating / Constructed
Wetlands Wetlands even out diurnal treatment plant peaks for more uniform treatment in constructed wetlands
Outflow then piped along top of bank with flow outlets into the overbank wetlands
Overbank Wetlands (OBW)
Salt River
USACE
Stormwater
Channel
Effluent Channel
FRW Inlet
Structure
Force
Mai
ns
FRW 1
FRW 2
FRW 3
DW A
DW B
Discharge
Structure
FRW 1
Emergent Zone/Hummocks
Open (Deep) Water
Road/Maintenance Access
Island
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Riparian Corridors
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Open Water Marsh
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Overbank Wetlands
SALT RIVER
AUXILLARY
DISCHARGE
USACE
PIPE INLET
OVB - NORTH OBW
CULVERTS
SALT
RIVER
OVB - SOUTH
DISCHARGE
SPILLWAY
OVB-SOUTH
DISCHARGE
SPILLWAY
OVB-NORTH
USACE - L
EVEE
EFFLUENT
CHANNEL
Dimensions
Total Length = 2743 m
Total Area = 52 ha
Aquatic = 4.5 ha Wetland = 32.6 ha
Riparian = 6.8 ha Mesquite = 2.3 ha
Floodplain Terrace = 5.8 ha
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New Levee Alignment
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Va Shly’ay Akimel
Historic Condition: Perennial water
High water table
Braided & meandering
Cottonwood/willow,mesquite communities
Braided and meandering
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Va Shly’ay Akimel
Current condition: Incised, isolated low-flow channels
Erosion during higher flows
Gravel pits have drained groundwater and degraded habitat
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Authorized Project
Habitat enhancement Terracing / channel re-shaping Grade control structures Bank stabilization Open water / wetlands Cultural and ecological education centers Recreation
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Authorized Project
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Authorized Project Restores:
360 hectares cottonwood/willow
150 hectares mesquite
80 hectares wetlands
10 hectares Sonoran desert scrub shrub
approximately 8 km of maintained trails
$140 M 22 river km
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Rio Salado Project
First ecosystem restoration project for which the Army Corps of Engineers received authorization
Challenges included scrutiny by higher authority on high cost of habitat units relative to projects in more hydric communities in the eastern United States
Use of potentially-contaminated groundwater for initial irrigation also resulted in scrutiny
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Rio Salado ProjectAdditional constraints:
Regulated Hydrology – upstream dams dampen the natural peak flow conditions
Poor groundwater quality Need to maintain flood conveyance capacity Source and cost of water Birdstrikes to aircraft a threat Ongoing gravel mining operations
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Lessons Learned (continued)
The challenge in restoration projects is to find creative and defensible solutions
Authorization granted by higher Corps’ authorityGroundwater treatment allowed – determined to be
least cost source of supply
Wetland locations for bird refuges moved
Agreements reached with mining operators
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Restoration Success
Cost = $100M Length = 10 kilometers 275 hectares restored
Demonstration project shown
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Rio Salado Project
2003 2005 2007
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Gila River Indian CommunitySalt River Pima-
Maricopa Indian Community
Flood Control District of Maricopa County
US ArmyCorps of Engineers
Primary Lesson Learned
Partnerships are Critical for Success
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Questions?
Tetra Tech would like to acknowledge
and thank the US Army Corps of
Engineers, Phoenix office, for making
past graphics available