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Presented at the NABS Annual meeting, Athens, Georgia, 2003
in Restoration Ecology
Using the past to plan the future: a template for restoration of the Willamette River, Oregon
L.R. Ashkenas1, S.V. Gregory1, D.R. Oetter2, P.J. Minear1, R.C. Wildman1, D. Hulse3, and A. Branscomb3. 1Dept. of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331 USA, 2Dept of History and Geography, Georgia College and State University, Milledgeville, GA 31061 USA, 3Institute for a Sustainable Environment, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403 USA
Recognition of the importance of large rivers and their recent modification has led to increasing attempts to restore these ecosystems. For 290 km of the main-stem Willamette River in Oregon, we used a combination of historical and contemporary spatially-explicit datasets to determine location, rates and types of potential restoration activities. Using the extent of historical floods, we generated a spatial framework to quantify changes in channel configuration, floodplain land-use and land cover, revetments and socioeconomic factors such as property values, ownership and population density. We ranked each kilometer of the floodplain according to the intersection between biophysical and socioeconomic constraints and opportunities, and then used these rankings to determine high, medium and low potential sites for restoration activities. For restoration of complex channels, we projected a potential increase in side channels and alcoves of 200 km by the year 2050. In addition to providing much-needed habitat for endangered species such as Chinook salmon, the restored channels also were reoccupied during a recent flood, leading to an increase in floodwater storage and a decrease in flood damages.
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