Approach
The Midwest and Northeastern regions are projected to receive increased annual precipitation, though the increases may be concentrated within certain seasons or may occur as a result of extreme events. Some sites may experience higher peak flows, increased flooding, and increased duration and frequency of soil saturation and inundation (Melillo et al. 2014). Increased water saturation and inundation can alter soil structure, vegetative and aquatic species diversity and assemblages (Laizé et al. 2017; Horne et al. 2017), nutrient availability, biomass production (Poff and Zimmerman 2010; Capon et al. 2013; Perry et al. 2015; Garssen et al. 2017), and affect habitat suitability (Swanston et al. 2017). Using best management practices to account for increased saturation and inundation may enhance the capacity of the system to stabilize stormflows, maintain habitat, and avoid downstream water quality degradation due to erosion and nutrient runoff (Seavy et al. 2009; Perry et al. 2015). Retaining or introducing desirable species able to cope with saturated conditions may foster continued vegetated conditions and a competitive advantage over invasive species capitalizing on disturbance (Garssen et al. 2017; Perry et al. 2015).
Tactics
- Manage riparian areas to include a diversity of species and genotypes
- favoring future-adapted native species tolerant to saturated conditions or adapted to high water levels such as obligate wetland plants (Perry et al. 2015)
- Target invasive species control in newly flood-prone areas to retain or recruit desirable riparian species.
- Evaluate the failure risk of infrastructure (such as skid trails
- roads
- trails
- bridges
- culverts) and facilities (such as recreational areas
- parking lots
- buildings) associated to changes in floodprone area and stream bank full width particularly units
- Manage releases from dams and reservoirs to in advance of heavy precipitation events to moderate damages of high flow events downstream.
- Protect
- and expand setbacks in riparian areas
- floodplains
- around wetlands and off-channel basins to reduce floodwater velocity
- and to minimize downstream water losses.
- Design culverts to accommodate increases in water levels to improve facility safety and to benefit aquatic organism connectivity and passage (Gillespie et al. 2014; Wilhere et al. 2017)
Strategy Text
This strategy aims to help ecosystems adjust in response to fundamental changes in hydrologic processes altered by a changing climate. The timing, form, and spatial distribution of precipitation is changing with the climate, with cascading effects on forest hydrologic cycles that affect water yield and water quality. Forest species assemblage, structure, and habitat quality will shift with changes in the nature and timing of water availability. Anticipating potential impacts to water levels and quality in management planning may help managers reduce risks and take advantage of opportunities to sustain hydrologic function. Broadly considering climate related alterations to the hydrologic cycle along with site-level responses and potential land-use changes is likely to provide the most complete picture of risks and opportunities (Palmer et al. 2009; Furniss et al. 2010; Auerbach et al. 2012; Sun and Vose 2016)
Citation
Shannon, P.D.; Swanston, C.W.; Janowiak, M.K.; Handler, S.D.; Schmitt, K.M.; Brandt, L.A.; Butler-Leopold, P.R.; Ontl, T.A. (in review). Adaptation Strategies and Approaches for Forested Watersheds. Ecological Applications.,