Talk:Instream flows
From Water Wiki
[[]]More to come soon!
This is an important page that needs to cover (provide an overview and links into) the evolution and status of different measures for instream flow, methods for generating flow recommendations, and regulatory processes that do or don't lead to instream flow requirements. It would be nice to have some links to hydrographs of familiar NC streams showing what different flow requirements would actually mean for them.
Not sure if my addition really added anything worthwhile. I found it interesting that Duke Energy declared there to be a drought and gives warning that they may need to adjust based on energy demands. This is done while omitting mention of permitting from DWQ. Are the permits designed for typical operating conditions? How are droughts and floods handled in the permits? ~Jim
Jim, the statement you reference is related to the Catawba Low-inflow protocol--i will probably pullit out and/or move it to that page....
~richard
Great! Perhaps it could be replaced with a link to Low-inflow_protocols. Part of the learning process for myself is understanding how everything is connected (the wiki format is great for this). How are stream flows and low-inflow protocols incorporated into the Main_Page? ~Jim
Andrew Warner, TNC, at the ABA's Eastern Water Law conference, Charlotte, May 2, 2008: shows a hypothetical hydrograph to illustrate "environmental flows." it has four components: a spike in feb/mar to reatin flood magnitude, to scour channel and vegetation, recharge river banks and floodplains; 2 maintain baselflow and thus acquatic habitat in dry season; 3 smaller peak in fall called 'retain spring flushing flow as cure to life cycles." and 4 - vary baseflow in wet season but with removal of some floods. TNC has a project with the Corps to quantify and define flows for particular river system and then monitor to see the actual effects. "river science in the last 2 decades in relation to flows has advanced immensely, and has yet to be incorporated into water management." Project is "sustainable rivers project" with sites on Roanoke, Savannah, White/Black/Little Red Rivers, Green River in Kentucky, Asheuelot River and West River in Maine; Willamette and Bill Williams River out west; Big Cypress Creek in Texas.
to get to reallocation of things like flood control storage, you have to get outside the reservoir operating rules and look at, e.g. better floodplain management, allowing more periodic flooding; that might open up some of the reservoir storage.
