Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Coordinated river infrastructure decisions improve net social-ecological benefits

October 1, 2020

We explore the social, ecological, economic, and technical dimensions of sustainable river infrastructure development and the potential benefits of coordinating decisions such as dam removal and stream crossing improvement. Dam removal is common practice for restoring river habitat connectivity and ecosystem health. However, stream crossings such as culverts are often 15 times more abundant than dams and may pose similar ecological impacts. Using multi-objective optimization for a model system of 6100 dams and culverts in Maine, USA, we demonstrate substantial benefit-cost improvements provided by coordinating habitat connectivity decisions. Benefit-cost efficiency improves by two orders of magnitude when coordinating more decisions across wider areas, but this approach may cause inequitable resource distribution. Culvert upgrades improve roadway safety and habitat connectivity, creating cost-effective opportunities for coordinating and cost-sharing projects between conservationists and safety managers. Benefit-cost trends indicate significant overlaps in habitat and safety goals, encouraging flexible stakeholder collaborations and cost-sharing strategies.

Publication Year 2020
Title Coordinated river infrastructure decisions improve net social-ecological benefits
DOI 10.1088/1748-9326/abad58
Authors Samuel G. Roy, Adam Daignault, Joseph D. Zydlewski, Allison Truhlar, Sean Smith, Shaleen Jain, David Hart
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title Environmental Research Letters
Index ID 70228614
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse
USGS Organization Coop Res Unit Leetown
Was this page helpful?