The Nature Conservancy Experience with ESWM

The Nature Conservancy and the Army Corps of Engineers have launched the Sustainable Rivers Project to work collaboratively on ESWM at 14 Corps dams across the U.S. 

Framework:

1. Define environmental flow requirements
develop initial numerical estimates of key aspects of river flow necessary to sustain native species and natural ecosystem functions;

2. Determine the influence of human activities
accounting for human uses of water, both current and future, through development of a computerized hydrologic simulation model that facilitates examination of human-induced alterations to river flow regimes;

3. Identify areas of incompatibility
assessing incompatibilities between human and ecosystem needs with particular attention to their spatial and temporal character;

4. Search for collaborative solution
collaboratively searching for solutions to resolve incompatibilities;

5. Conduct water management experiments
design and implement water management experiments to resolve critical uncertainties that frustrate efforts to integrate human and ecosystem needs; and

6. Design and implement an adaptive management plan
using the knowledge gained in steps 1-5, create an adaptive management program to facilitate ecologically sustainable water management for the long term. 
 

Green River, Kentucky
We worked with academic scientists to define water flows and temperatures needed to protect the spectacular fish and mussel diversity of this river.
(Step 1)

Working with the Army Corps of Engineers, we identified ways to modify the operations of the Green River Dam to attain the ecological flow targets.
(Steps 2-4)

The Corps will begin implementing the new dam management plan in September 2002.
(Step 5)

Roanoke River, North Carolina
We worked with academic and state/federal agency scientists to define flows needed to support a diverse, extensive floodplain forest and key fish species.
(Step 1)

Working with Dominion Generation and many other partners, we identified ways to modify hydropower dam operations to attain ecological flow objectives while minimizing impacts to hydropower generation.
(Steps 2-4)

Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) River Basin
We worked with academic and state/federal agency scientists to define flows needed to support an extensive river-floodplain ecosystem along the Apalachicola River, as well as commercial and sport fisheries in Apalachicola Bay.
(Step 1)

During interstate water compact negotiations between Florida, Georgia, and Alabama, we helped identify ways to meet human water demands through 2030 while sustaining ecosystem health.
(Steps 2-4)

Delaware River Basin
We are working with many academic and state/federal agency scientists to define flows needed to support river ecosystem health in the mainstem Delaware River and major tributaries.
(Step 1)

We are also assessing incompatibilities between the river flows produced under current water management and ecological flow requirements throughout the basin.
(Steps 2-3)

We are working with the Delaware River Basin Commission to adopt ecosystem flow targets.
(Step 4)

Savannah River, South Carolina & Georgia
We are working with many academic and state/federal agency scientists to define ecological flow needs for the river and estuary.
(Step 1)

We are working with the Corps of Engineers to incorporate this information in their comprehensive river basin planning for the Savannah River.
(Steps 2-4)

Green River, Utah
We have worked with many academic and state/federal agency scientists to define ecological flow needs. We helped identify incompatibilities between these ecological needs and water management practices of the early 1990’s.
(Step 2-3)

We helped identify ways to attain ecological flow targets while minimizing impacts on hydropower generation at Flaming Gorge Dam.
(Step 4)

We helped design an experimental flow release program to evaluate the benefits of modified dam operations.
(Step 5)

San Pedro, Arizona and Sonora, Mexico
We have worked with academic and federal agency scientists to identify ecological flow needs and incompatibilities with ground water management.
(Step 1-3)

We are working with an 18-agency group called the “San Pedro Partnership” to identify ways to eliminate or reduce pumping impacts on ground water flows that support the river ecosystem.
(Step 4)

The Partnership is now experimenting with a number of water conservation strategies.
(Step 5)