Spatial and Temporal Availability of Floodplain Habitat: Long-Term Changes at Pool 19, Mississippi River

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The 107-year record of daily water elevations for the upper Mississippi River (UMR) at Burlington, Iowa, was examined to assess changes in hydrologic patterns and floodplain avilability resulting from dam and levee construction. Following completion of Lock and Dam 19 in 1913, mean low, mean high and overall mean water levels significantly increased (P <0.05). Floodplain habitat was permanently inundated. Established of extensive levee and drainage districts adjacent to Pool 19 resulted in additional loss of floodplain. Generalized annual hydrographs indicated the spring rise in water elevation had been shortened in the postdam period and an autumn rise evident in the predam hydrograph was absent in the postdam hydrograph. Temporal reduction in floodplain availability along with spatial losses caused by inundation and leveeing aggravates the situation for floodplain-dependent species [including fish and waterfowl]. Detrimental consequences of floodplain loss can, however, be diminished through reduction of levee and drainage districts, thereby promoting interaction between floodplain habitat and the river system.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: