Freshwater Biodiversity Toolbox
River Regulation – River Basin Management
River basin management focuses on conserving, protecting, and restoring all of the related aspects of a river that may threatened by human alteration. This intervention can include monitoring programs, strategies related to invasive species, riparian zone management, habitat rehabilitation, and flooding protection. The management of river basins can sometimes be complicated due to cultural, legal and historical differences for different portions of the same river basin. Management must balance ecological goals and socio-economic services provided to societies by rivers. Current management schemes must be evaluated for effective protection of freshwater ecosystems that draws solutions from environmental, political, and economic spheres.
Rating:
Most syntheses in this intervention scored poorly in CEESAT demonstrating limitations in the rigour and the transparency in which these reviews were conducted (i.e., no a-priori protocol, critical appraisal, or search strategy provided). Two syntheses scored Green in at least one element; Eros et al. (2019) provided a clearly defined search strategy and Feld et al. (2018) outlined detailed methodology for data extraction and justified their synthesis method.
Most syntheses in this intervention scored well across RASCAT apart from two elements; two syntheses reviewed countries with climates not relevant to Canada and most syntheses scored Red for failing to provide consideration of implications, practical advice, or recommendations for decision-makers.
