Controlled Reservoir Drawdown—Challenges for Sediment Management and Integrative Monitoring: An Austrian Case Study—Part B: Local Scale
Christoph Hauer,
Patrick Holzapfel,
Peter Flödl,
Beatrice Wagner,
Wolfram Graf,
Patrick Leitner,
Marlene Haimann,
Georg Holzer,
Stefan Haun,
Helmut Habersack,
Martin Schletterer
Affiliations
Christoph Hauer
Christian Doppler Laboratory for Sediment Research and Management, Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and River Research, Department of Water-Atmosphere-Environment, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Muthgasse 107, 1190 Vienna, Austria
Patrick Holzapfel
Christian Doppler Laboratory for Sediment Research and Management, Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and River Research, Department of Water-Atmosphere-Environment, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Muthgasse 107, 1190 Vienna, Austria
Peter Flödl
Christian Doppler Laboratory for Sediment Research and Management, Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and River Research, Department of Water-Atmosphere-Environment, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Muthgasse 107, 1190 Vienna, Austria
Beatrice Wagner
Christian Doppler Laboratory for Sediment Research and Management, Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and River Research, Department of Water-Atmosphere-Environment, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Muthgasse 107, 1190 Vienna, Austria
Wolfram Graf
Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1180 Vienna, Austria
Patrick Leitner
Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1180 Vienna, Austria
Marlene Haimann
Christian Doppler Laboratory for Sediment Research and Management, Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and River Research, Department of Water-Atmosphere-Environment, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Muthgasse 107, 1190 Vienna, Austria
Georg Holzer
Ingenieurbüro für Landschaftsplanung und Landschaftspflege DI Georg Holzer, Schönbrunner Allee 30/5, 1120 Vienna, Austria
Stefan Haun
Institute of Modelling Hydraulic and Environmental Systems, University of Stuttgart, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
Helmut Habersack
Christian Doppler Laboratory for Sediment Research and Management, Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and River Research, Department of Water-Atmosphere-Environment, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Muthgasse 107, 1190 Vienna, Austria
Martin Schletterer
Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1180 Vienna, Austria
The present case study deals with a controlled drawdown beyond the operational level of the Gepatsch reservoir (Austria). Based on the awareness of potential ecological consequences, an advanced set of measures was conducted and an integrative monitoring design was implemented. This pre- and post-event monitoring included measurements regarding the cross sectional variability and habitat-related turbidity, freeze-core sampling to obtain knowledge on fine sediment infiltration and an evaluation of the macroinvertebrate communities as well as fish egg development (salmonid incubation). The results of the sedimentological as well as biological investigations show a negligible impact on the downstream located aquatic system due to the controlled drawdown of the Gepatsch reservoir. In addition, recommendations based on the findings from this study regarding possible methods for local scale monitoring can be given.