The Pacific Region Hydro & Flows Unit has organized a virtual Instream Flows Workshop with two internationally renowned experts –Thom Hardy and Tom Annear. The workshop will focus on relevant information targeting study plan development and review of proposed studies.  This will include “front-end” considerations for study designs and “back-end” considerations when undertaking project reviews and evaluation of study components for establishing or recommending ecological flow regimes.  The format of the lectures is to introduce the conceptual foundation of the topic followed by case-history example(s) to illustrate the application of the concept in practice.

The workshop is scheduled to run in 4-hour blocks during the week of June 3rd. Monday’s workshop will begin at 10am PST; Tuesday – Friday will begin at 9am PST.  A MS Teams link will be provided following registration.

Registration will be available until April 26, 2024

Topics will include:

Day 1:

Overview of the Riverine Components

Objectives: Provide participants with a basic foundation of the IFC riverine components and conceptual integration strategies necessary to evaluate instream flow assessments.  This will focus on identification of the key elements necessary to effectively outline proposed study elements and review of projects that integrate all the riverine elements.

Legal, Institutional and Public Involvement

Objectives: Provide participants with a broad understanding of the interplay between the legal, institutional and public involvement aspects of instream flow assessments.  This will focus on the pragmatic aspects related to project reviews.

Day 2:

Project Scale – Zone of Influence; Spatial and Temporal Domains

Objectives: Cover the foundational components necessary to assess the spatial and temporal scales of proposed projects and the inherent or implied linkages to affected target ecological resources. Emphasis will focus on linking the spatial domain to the ecological domains of the relevant riverine elements.  This will include consideration of linked reservoir-riverine systems.

Hydrology

Objectives: Understanding the key elements of hydrology as the driver and input for other assessment elements associated with natural intra- and inter-annual flow and water level patterns and variability over time and space.  Topics will address the Magnitude, Duration, Timing, Rate of Change, Subsistence, Base, Channel Maintenance, Riparian, and Lateral Connectivity factors. This will include consideration of project operations (reservoir, hydropower, diversions) and issues related to climate change.

Day 3:

Geomorphology

Objectives: Understanding the fundamentals of Sediment Transport related to its influence on the form and functional process of rivers in terms of Channel and Riparian Maintenance flows as well as flushing flows.  This will include sediment transport related to Initiation of Motion, shear stress, and relative substrate stability linked to spawning gravels, macroinvertebrates, freshwater mussel habitats, etc.  Linkages between geomorphic flow elements and connectivity as well as other riverine elements.

Hydraulics

Objectives: Understand the context and applicability of use of 1-d, 2-d, or 3-d hydraulic models.  The advantages and disadvantages related to integration of resource functions for estimation of habitat, bioenergetics, fish passage, ramping rate impacts, etc.  In particular, the linkage between field data (habitat mapping, study site selection, study site length, data collection strategies) and implications of field data on grid generation for 2-d and 3-d hydraulic modeling.  Calibration and validation requirements for hydraulic models.

Day 4:

Biology

Objectives:  Provide a foundation for the assessment of which resource elements need to be considered, which may include Fish, Macroinvertebrates, Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds, Mammals, Riparian Systems, and humans (recreation).  The implications of sensitive species, the presence of introduced species, altered riverine physical and riparian structures, and the techniques and implications of analytical approaches to developing and application of resource functions for estimating habitat.  Introduction to the fundamentals of effective habitat (e.g., varial zones), species competition, water quality, temperature, habitat and bioenergetic time series-based assessments.

Water Quality and Temperature

Objectives: Provide concepts on impacts related to flow alterations including reservoir operations on Dissolved Oxygen, Nutrients, Maximum and Minimum daily temperatures for both ‘flat water’ and riverine systems.

Ice Processes

Objectives: This will focus on ice formation and break-up processes and key factors related to physical habitat; fish movement, bioenergetics, and survival; and the importance of assessing and managing flow regimes during ice-prone periods.

Day 5:

Connectivity

Objectives:  Provide foundational concepts related to Lateral, Longitudinal, Vertical, and temporal connectivity as they apply to hyporheic exchanges, fine sediment impacts, fish passage, and floodplain connectivity as it applies to macroinvertebrates, fish, and amphibians in particular.

Integration of Modeling Components

Objectives:  Provide a clear understanding of the inter-related aspects of all riverine elements and how analytical approaches such use of time series to evaluate physical habitat, water quality, temperature, sediment transport, channel morphological, riparian system dynamics and ice forming processes need to be considered in combination.  Not all of these elements need to always be specifically quantified but they should generally all be recognized and reasons given for selecting or not selecting study components.