Restoration options for potential persistence of submersed aquatic vegetation: combining ecological, hydrodynamic and sediment transport modelling

Abstract

Summary1. Restoration of shallow turbid lakes to promote growth of submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV) requires knowledge of the environmental factors affecting SAV growth and persistence, and a means to predict the success of SAV reestablishment under different management scenarios to improve these environmental conditions. We used a dynamic ecological modelling approach relating SAV responses to changes in physical and chemical conditions, with information on water level, flow and transparency being provided by hydrodynamic and sediment transport models.2. The potential persistence of Vallisneria americana was similar under simulated environmental conditions in 1946 and in 1954, as was the potential persistence of Potamogeton pectinatus, indicating that the disappearance of V. americana from Peoria Lake (U.S.A.) previously attributed to an extended spring flood in 1954, may have been related to the combined effects of changes in water level, flow and water transparency as well as possibly other factors.3. Recent environmental conditions (for 2000) proved not to be conducive for the colonization and persistence potential of V. americana, but would allow colonization by P. pectinatus. The construction of a hypothetical levee along the eastern descending line of the navigation channel in Upper Peoria Lake, which was expected to reduce fetch‐ and navigation‐related turbidity, did not improve the situation for V. americana and overall deteriorated the situation for P. pectinatus. Thus, such a hydraulic alteration, generally considered as beneficial for SAV restoration, may not always be successful.4. The results of the simulations indicated that the environmental conditions for potential persistence in Peoria Lake were generally less favourable for V. americana than for P. pectinatus. Measures suggested to restore SAV communities in such a lake should aim at reducing concentrations of total suspended solids at the point of inflow by a factor of three to four and limiting fetch‐ and navigation‐related resuspension.