ABSTRACT
The ecological dynamism of the river and its alluvial corridor is dependent upon the variation of river flows over time and the degree of morphological instability. Ecological management opportunities are arising as a result of the departure from the reductionist and isolationist philosophies of the 1960s and 1970s to focus on large rivers and physical, chemical, and biological interactions. This chapter summarizes the ecological impact of river regulation schemes and provides a conceptual framework for the evaluation of that impact. It reviews the tools available to maintain, restore, or even enhance the ecosystems of rivers and their alluvial corridors, and discusses the problems of implementing policies for the ecological management of regulated rivers. In order to achieve sustainable development of water resources in the context of river projects, the immediate emphasis must be on the development of secondary regulation measures. The other two options are considered only in light of evaluations of the effectiveness for ecological management of secondary regulation.
