All news related to Ecohydrology
Special journal issue highlights statewide stream flow management framework A new scientific framework intended to bring standardization and technical rigor to the process of determining environmental flow needs for California streams is prominently featured in a special issue of ... More |
Technical foundation being developed for cannabis growers to request stream flow diversions SCCWRP and its partners have begun working to develop a scientific foundation for cannabis growers in California to demonstrate that the water they are requesting to divert from nearby streams ... More |
Classification system under development to distinguish among different types of modified channels SCCWRP and its partners have begun working to build a classification system for distinguishing among different types of modified channels in California – a foundational step toward helping stream managers ... More |
Study demonstrates how to use framework to restore more natural flows to streams SCCWRP and its partners have completed a three-year study demonstrating how watershed managers can build a rigorous scientific foundation for integrating environmental flow considerations into their stream restoration planning efforts. ... More |
Scientific process for evaluating environmental flows used to develop L.A. River diversion proposals Two agencies that discharge treated wastewater and stormwater into the Los Angeles River have used a scientific process co-developed by SCCWRP to develop two independent proposals for diverting some of ... More |
Study reshapes understanding of how to manage stream flows to protect ecological health SCCWRP and its partners have completed a two-year study that has helped reshape understanding of how to manage stream flow patterns in California to optimally protect overall ecological health. The ... More |
Tijuana River sediment fluxes estimated for effort to improve sediment management practices SCCWRP and San Diego State University have successfully estimated the sediment fluxes being discharged from the Tijuana River at the U.S.-Mexico border to its coastal estuarine terminus – a key ... More |
Study examining how to restore L.A. River as flows reduced SCCWRP and its partners have launched an investigation into how to optimally restore aquatic ecosystems along the Los Angeles River in the face of anticipated reductions in the river’s flows ... More |
Tool unveiled for evaluating effects of potential reductions on L.A. River flows SCCWRP and its partners have developed a user-friendly, web-based tool that enables L.A. River water-quality managers to use an agreed-upon scientific approach for evaluating whether the river’s flows can be ... More |
Tool released to help determine whether streams subject to Clean Water Act oversight A SCCWRP-developed tool that can help watershed managers determine which streams the federal government has jurisdiction to regulate under the Clean Water Act has been released in beta form for ... More |
Agreement reached on process for evaluating environmental flow needs of L.A. River A diverse coalition of water-quality managers has reached agreement on a scientific process for evaluating whether flows in the Los Angeles River can be reduced for water-recycling purposes while simultaneously ... More |
Draft environmental flow recommendations for L.A. River to be released in February A research team that has been working for the past two years to determine the minimum environmental flows needed to protect the Los Angeles River’s ecological health and recreational benefits ... More |
Beta version of stream flow classification tool released, to be rolled out across U.S. Southwest SCCWRP and its partners have completed development of the beta version of a tool that can rapidly distinguish among perennial, intermittent and ephemeral streams in the U.S. Southwest, paving the ... More |
Stream vulnerability study launched to aid in risk evaluation in San Diego region SCCWRP has initiated a three-year study examining how future expected changes in stream flow patterns across the San Diego region will impact sensitive aquatic species and habitats, with a goal ... More |
Statewide environmental flows framework released in draft form, to be finalized by end of year A proposed statewide framework for bringing consistency and standardization to how environmental flow targets are set for California streams has been released in draft form for review by the end-user ... More |
Stream flow classification tool receives preliminary endorsement, to be rolled out across U.S. Southwest A new tool that can rapidly distinguish among perennial, intermittent and ephemeral streams in the U.S. Southwest has received preliminary endorsement from a technical steering committee, paving the way for ... More |
SMC study suggests not all strategies to protect health of erosion-prone streams created equal The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC) has completed an analysis shedding light on whether next-generation management strategies for reducing erosion risk in streams could be more effective at protecting ... More |
Initial analysis completed in effort to restore more natural flows to south O.C. streams SCCWRP has completed a screening-level analysis of how streams in southern Orange County have been altered from their historical hydrologic flow patterns, the first phase in an ongoing effort to ... More |
L.A. River environmental flows study receives key stakeholder endorsement A two-year study working to determine the potential ecological and recreational effects of diverting treated wastewater effluent and runoff from the Los Angeles River for water recycling purposes has received ... More |
Flow duration tool providing foundation for change in federal oversight of streams A SCCWRP-developed approach for determining the flow duration patterns of streams in the U.S. Southwest is serving as the technical centerpiece in an ongoing effort to change how the federal ... More |
Statewide framework to be used to inform flow management for south Orange County streams Watershed managers working to restore more natural flow patterns to streams in southern Orange County have agreed to use a proposed statewide framework to pursue development of environmental flow targets ... More |
SCCWRP to contribute to report on balancing demands for water resources in California SCCWRP has been invited to contribute to a statewide report that will examine ways to balance competing demands on California’s limited water resources. The Public Policy Institute of California began ... More |
Statewide environmental flows framework featured in California water resilience report An ongoing effort by SCCWRP and its partners to develop a standardized approach for setting environmental flow targets for streams statewide is being featured in a new State report intended ... More |
Stream flow duration tool being adapted for use in U.S. Great Plains region SCCWRP and its partners have begun adapting a tool that can rapidly distinguish among intermittent, ephemeral and perennial streams for use in the U.S. Great Plains region, building on SCCWRP’s ... More |
Recreational beneficial uses analysis completed for L.A. River environmental flows study SCCWRP and its partners have completed an assessment of the recreational beneficial uses provided by the Los Angeles River as part of an ongoing study evaluating the implications of diverting ... More |
L.A. River environmental flows study holds first stakeholder meeting A two-year study that seeks to determine the potential ecological and recreational effects of diverting treated wastewater effluent and runoff from the Los Angeles River for water recycling purposes held ... More |
Beta version of stream geomorphology tool developed to aid in setting environmental flow targets SCCWRP and its partners have developed a beta version of a tool that can provide information on geomorphic structure for stream sites across coastal California, part of an ongoing effort ... More |
Study examining how to use flow-capture BMPs to improve San Juan Creek flow patterns SCCWRP and its partners have launched a study examining how to implement flow-capture BMPs (best management practices) in San Juan Creek in Orange County to restore more natural flow patterns ... More |
Climate change’s impacts on sensitive aquatic species modeled for L.A. region SCCWRP and its partners have completed a study examining how changing rainfall patterns and temperatures in the Los Angeles region stemming from climate change will impact sensitive aquatic species and ... More |
Environmental flows study to determine impacts of diverting discharges from L.A. River Water-quality managers that work in the Los Angeles River watershed have initiated a two-year study to determine the potential ecological and recreational effects of diverting treated wastewater effluent and runoff ... More |
Study shows flow classification tool can be adapted to distinguish intermittent and ephemeral streams in Southwest SCCWRP and its partners have shown in a proof-of-concept study that a flow classification tool that can rapidly distinguish intermittent streams from ephemeral streams in the Pacific Northwest is feasible ... More |
Environmental flow targets developed to protect Santa Clara River Estuary A scientific review panel that includes participation by SCCWRP has completed an analysis of the environmental flow needs of the Santa Clara River Estuary. The flow target analysis, completed in ... More |
Stream geomorphology data being collected to aid watershed managers in setting flow targets SCCWRP and its partners have begun field sampling at coastal stream sites across California to collect data on geomorphic structure, part of an ongoing effort to develop a standardized framework ... More |
EPA Pacific Northwest stream tool being tested in Southwest SCCWRP and its partners have launched a study to investigate whether a stream management tool that can rapidly distinguish intermittent streams from ephemeral streams in the Pacific Northwest is feasible ... More |
Environmental flows workgroup organizes under California Water Quality Monitoring Council A group of technical experts working to coordinate environmental flow management programs statewide was officially recognized in November as a workgroup of the California Water Quality Monitoring Council. The recognition ... More |
Field testing underway to explore monitoring applications for recently acquired UAS SCCWRP and its partners have initiated a series of field experiments examining how a pair of recently acquired unmanned aerial systems (UAS) could be used to improve the speed and ... More |
Project laying groundwork to develop flow-ecology assessment tools SCCWRP and its partners have begun laying the groundwork to develop a suite of assessment tools that illuminate how the ecological health of Southern California streams is impacted by alterations ... More |
New stream flow targets aid in watershed planning decisions SCCWRP and its partners have published a comprehensive study outlining how to use a suite of newly developed flow-ecology modeling tools to optimally protect the in-stream biological communities of more ... More |
Pilot study shows potential of UAS for remote environmental monitoring applications SCCWRP and its partners have demonstrated in a pilot study that traditional and multispectral cameras mounted to an unmanned aerial system (UAS) can be used to produce high-resolution, 3D mapping ... More |
Study shows watershed managers how to apply new flow-ecology modeling tools SCCWRP and its partners in the San Diego River Watershed have completed a demonstration study showing how to use a newly developed suite of flow-ecology modeling tools to optimally manage ... More |
Framework developed for establishing Southern California stream flow thresholds SCCWRP and its partners have completed development of a framework that can be used to establish ecologically relevant flow targets for stream sites across Southern California. The framework, which relates ... More |
SCCWRP models flow patterns at 850 stream sites for ELOHA study SCCWRP in October finished modeling hydrological flow patterns for about 850 ungaged bioassessment stream sites across Southern California, a milestone in a three-year project that aims to use a scientific ... More |
Case study for flow-ecology framework kicks off in San Diego SCCWRP and its partners kicked off a case study in May that aims to demonstrate the utility of using a scientific framework known as the Ecological Limits of Hydrologic Alteration ... More |
SCCWRP testing utility of remote sensing to assess hydromodification risk SCCWRP has partnered with Orange County Public Works and the manufacturer of a professional-grade unmanned aerial system equipped with sensors to begin conducting high-resolution mapping of waterways susceptible to hydromodification. ... More |