Development of River Restoration Planning and Analysis Tool

Develop a river restoration planning and analysis tool for consistent and thorough planning of, and evaluation of the potential effects of proposed projects on river habitat and function, particularly for Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar).

The goals of this project are to enable scientists, and mangers and local watershed stakeholders to:

• Understand the connections between physical processes and aquatic habitat at varying scales;
• Understand the connection between restoration efforts, effects, and associated risks to fish species and their habitat;
• Allow for the development and understand of potential alternatives that can minimize project-related risks to protected species and habitat;
• Deliver required knowledge that promotes the design of sustainable restoration projects, resilient to changing environmental conditions in the long term;
• Provide the utility to document and streamline project planning, implementation and review, and foster consistency in evaluation and monitoring procedures;
• Promote effective post-project appraisals, leading to more effective future river restoration efforts.

Contact: Dr. Michael van Zyll de Jong, 709-639-2702, michaelv@grenfell.mun.ca