Integrating Ecohydraulics in River Restoration

<p>Rivers have been intensively degraded due to increasing anthropogenic impacts from a growing population in a continuously developing world. Accordingly most rivers suffer from pressures as a result of increasing dam and weir construction habitat degradation flow regulation water pollution/abstraction and the spread of invasive species. Science-based knowledge regarding solutions to counteract the effects of river degradation and melding principles of aquatic ecology and engineering hydraulics is thus urgently needed to guide present and future river restoration actions. This Special Issue gathers a coherent set of studies from different geographic contexts on fundamental and applied research regarding the integration of ecohydraulics in river restoration ranging from field studies to laboratory experiments that can be applied to real-world challenges. It contains 13 original papers covering ecohydraulic issues such as river restoration technologies sustainable hydropower fish passage designs and operational criteria and habitat modeling. All papers were reviewed by international experts in ecology hydraulics aquatic biology engineering geomorphology and hydrology. The papers herein well represent the wide applicability of ecohydraulics in river restoration and serve as a basis to improve current knowledge and management and to reduce arguments between different interests and opinions.</p>