Mehl, D., Hoffmann, T.G., Iwanowski, J. et al. (2018): 25 years of restoration of the river Nebel (Mecklenburg): effects on the ecological status and on the regulative ecosystem services. HyWa 61, 6-24
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25 years of restoration of the river Nebel (Mecklenburg): effects on the ecological status and on the regulative ecosystem services
Within the past 25 years, extensive restoration measures were implemented along the river Nebel in Mecklenburg (> 7 million €). The entire project is based on conceptual principles and as it is about to be completed in constructional terms, it is time to assess the implementation success. On that account, this paper shows to what extent the ecological status could be improved and how the measures affect the ecosystem services of the aquatic environment. Using relevant quality components, the actual upgrades in terms of ecomorphological conditions are demonstrated for a generic stream segment. Moreover, simple estimates are used for the assessment of some selected regulatory ecosystem services, e. g. (1) retaining greenhouse gas/carbon sequestration, (2) flood regulation, (3) low water regulation, (4) sediment regulation, (5) soil formation in floodplains, and (6) cooling effects (waters and floodplains). These services were monetized if suitable. For this purpose, current data as well as data from the early 1990s were used for a historical comparison. It can be shown that the beneficial effects of water body restoration on humans and society have to be considered in a much broader sense than the consideration of single ecological aspects let assume.
The successes of renaturation in this respect are
- a reduction of greenhouse release from the peatlands of almost 20 % (approx. – 9,000 tonnes a-1 CO2 equivalent or damage reduction of approx. 720,000 € per year),
- an increase in the flood retention area by approx. 17 % (approx. + 119,000 m3 or monetary benefit of approx. 174 million €), and
- an increase in the cooling capacity of water bodies and soils by more than 12 % (+ 1,815 GWh a-1).
Journal “Hydrologie und Wasserbewirtschaftung”
This publication is only available in German.