Restoration of fish passage: development and results of a master plan established for the Ruhr River Basin.
According to the central aim of the European Water Framework Directive, the protection and sustained management of the aquatic ecological system, the ecological condition of a specific type of water, will be the primary parameter in future. Aiming at good ecological status in surface water bodies, population diversity and abundance of fish and macroinvertebrates is decisive. Free passage in river systems, to allow the natural migration of fish and all other aquatic organisms, is a prerequisite. To achieve this for the Ruhr River Basin a study has been commissioned in order to develop a master plan for river continuum restoration. Sustainable development aimed at promoting biodiversity in the surface water body system is a key objective. This project is complemented by investigations of the sediment--which is the nursery of the fish--in the rivers to identify river sections or tributaries which obviously provide a suitable habitat for the successful reproduction of big Salmonidae. The master plan illustrates the inherent problems of projects aimed at the restoration of fish passage in water bodies which are strongly affected by anthropogenic modifications. The results obtained may as well be transferred to other catchments with similar use patterns.
Weyand
M
M
Ruhrverband, Kronprinzenstrasse 37, D-45127 Essen, Germany. mwy@ruhrverband.de
Redeker
M
M
Nusch
E A
EA
D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D005160:Facility Design and Construction; D005399:Fishes; D009068:Movement; D012098:Reproduction; D045483:Rivers; D014881:Water Supply