Loading...
Estimating Floodplain Storage And Prioritizing Floodplain Reconnection In The Northern Lake Champlain Basin In Vermont
Drago, Stephanie
Drago, Stephanie
Citations
Altmetric:
License
License
DOI
Abstract
Floodplains play a major role in maintaining the health and sustainability of riverine systems, but human interventions have reduced the connectivity between stream channels and floodplains. Geomorphic assessments of streams and rivers in Vermont (USA) show they have been significantly altered within the past two centuries due to straightening, berming, and armoring channels to accommodate development, agriculture, roads, and rail lines. These alterations in river-floodplain connectivity have decreased floodplain functioning, specifically their capacity to store water during flood events. Currently, there is a lack of knowledge concerning the amount of floodwater, sediment, and nutrient retention provided by Vermont’s floodplains. This research seeks to address this gap using newly derived floodplain maps of the Vermont portion of the Lake Champlain Basin to estimate floodwater storage under varying recurrence interval floods and to assess constraints on this storage. Additionally, floodplain inundation maps were used along with geomorphic and geographic proximity analysis to develop a floodplain-reconnection prioritization system to leverage opportunities for restoration along inactive rail lines. I tested the methodology in portions of the Lamoille and Missisquoi River basins and provide estimates of enhanced floodwater storage associated with restoration opportunities.
Description
Date
2021-01-01
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Collections
Files
Loading...
Drago_uvm_0243N_11123.pdf
Adobe PDF, 2.24 MB