A GIS workflow for the identification of corridors of geomorphic river recovery across landscapes

PLoS One. 2022 Dec 13;17(12):e0278831. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0278831. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

The provision of a simplified GIS workflow to analyse the Open Access NSW River Styles database provides non-technical GIS users in river management with the ability to quickly and efficiently obtain information to assist them in catchment-scale rehabilitation prioritisation. Publicly available proprietary GIS software, standard GIS tools, and a packaged digital elevation model are used to demonstrate the ease of analysis for those with some GIS skills, to establish where corridors of geomorphic river recovery occur or could be built at-scale. Rather than a 'single use' report, this novel application of GIS methods is designed to be used by those responsible for river management, replicated across landscapes and adjusted according to preferences. Decision making becomes more cost effective, and adaptive to local circumstances and changing river management priorities. The method could also be adjusted and applied to other river monitoring and condition datasets where polyline data layers are available.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Databases, Factual
  • Geographic Information Systems*
  • Rivers*
  • Workflow

Grants and funding

This work is funded by an Australian Research Council Linkage project No. LP190100314 led by Kirstie Fryirs with industry partners Landcare Australia and Hunter Local Land Services. Danelle Agnew and Bradley Graves are supported by Macquarie University Research Excellence Scholarships (MQRES) Nos. 20191475 and 20201713, respectively. The funders had and will not have a role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.