Annual-Report-2019

Prof. Karl Matthias Wantzen
CONSORTIUM COORDINATOR
SMART LOIRE VALLEY Programme
After studying on the Rhine (German Federal Institute of Aquatic Sciences), Karl M. Wantzen worked as fellow at the
Max Planck- Society to undertake his PhD on stream ecology, and to coordinate a BMBF-funded project on the Ecology
of the largest wetland of the World. 2007 habilitation on biodiversity, functioning and structural dynamics of river- flood
plaincorridors. > 100 publications. Since 2010 he has been professor (1st class) at the University of Tours, where he
lectures river ecology and management, sustainable development and tropical ecology across different faculties, and
researches in the DATE team (Landscape and urban ecology, and management) of CITERES. In 2014 he was awarded
the UNESCO Chair on River Culture (Fleuve et Patrimoine, renewed in 2018), and in 2015, “Talent de la Région Centre”
acknowledging his scientific and conceptual achievements. Prof. Karl Matthias Wantzen shares the coordination of the
project with Prof. Stéphane Rodrigues, sediment geologist at CITERES.
ECOHYDRAULICS AND DAM REMOVAL
The decline of the ecological integrity in rivers is a global problem, menacing water security for human beings and
biodiversity at the same time. While there are great achievements concerning technologies for water quality improvement,
the re-establishment of physical structures suitable for ecosystem functions remains a scientific problem.
Earth, Ecology & Environment Sciences 2019
Which kind of river management and engineering can re-establish these conditions? Specifically, the issue of dam
removal is currently in the focus of debate to improve the ecological continuity for sediment transport and migratory
organisms. In France alone, about 60,000 obsolete weirs and dams have been identified. However, the scientific baseline
for this activity is still weak. Under the auspices of the UNESCO Chair “River Culture - Fleuve et Patrimoine” directed by
the PI, the consortium gathers scientists from Europe (France, Spain, Italy), Latin and North America (Argentina, USA)
to review the state of the art and to develop new scientific approaches for evidence-based policies for the future (facing
a current massive trend of dam construction worldwide).
Researchers and engineers from the University of Tours have been studying the quantitative geophysical (sediment
transport and morphology) and biological (abundances of benthic invertebrates and fish) effects of dam removal at the
Maisons Rouges Dam (Vienne River) since 1998 on an annual basis.
The Spanish-Italian team has monitored a large number (>20) dam removals in the past ten years and that of the USA is
well-known for their work on geomorphology, endangered fish habitats and algae biomass in the Upper Colorado River.
The Argentinian team has recently provided excellent studies on invertebrate-flow relationships and microplastics.
Gathering this expertise from different disciplines and the comparison of a one-site-long-term study with a many-sitesshort
term study will create an excellent setting to improve our knowledge about physical habitat management in rivers.
So far, three thematic workshops have been completed, focusing on (i) general dam removal trends and sedimentology,
(ii) biotic and (iii) toxicological effects (including plastic pollution), a fourth workshop on societal aspects of dam removal
is planned for 2020. At the end of each workshop a public events helps to spread the findings and to give value to the
results.
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