Evaluating Water and Carbon Retention in a Low-Order, Designed River Corridor

Abstract

As urban residential areas expand into the areas around cities, especially in North America, these areas were previously forested or were converted to agricultural uses (e.g., cropping, grazing). Many of the pre-existing channels were modified prior to residential area expansion and required modification and/or restoration in order for development permits to be granted. These pre-existing channels are often low-order, semi-ephemeral streams with hydrological and geomorphological functions and provide aquatic-terrestrial habitat and ecological linkages. Once restored, these corridors provide important services to the entire river network related to flood-risk mitigation, sediment trapping, and are potential carbon (via particulate organic matter) sinks. This research evaluated water flow and carbon trapping within a low-order tributary of East Morrison Creek in Southern Ontario, Canada in the years immediately following construction. Water level records (5 September and 30 November 2019, and 1 April and 30 November 2020) show that even in its early development this new system was functioning efficiently. Sediment samples taken throughout the 2020 field season determined particulate organic matter was being stored, especially in features where flow was attenuated. Channel roughness imposed by large wood structures promote organic matter deposition within bed sediments and were expected to increase over time. These findings highlight the importance of spatial heterogeneity imposed by the design features used in this reach-scale restoration and serve as a valuable ‘proof of concept’ for future work along the urban-rural interface of expanding cities.