Pilot project « Walphy » : Walloon experimentation of river restoration

According to the Water Framework Directive (WFD 2000/60), our rivers and water bodies are required to achieve the “good ecological status” by 2015. This requirement is related to the physico-chemical, biological water quality as well as the hydromorphological quality. In this context, a LIFE Environment project, co-founded by the European Union and the Service Publique de Wallonie, was launched in 2009 for a period of five years. It aims to realize the experimental and demonstrative river restoration works on three “at risk” water bodies, based on two axes: longitudinal continuity and transversal continuity.
The first two selected water bodies (Bocq, eastern tributary of the Meuse) are suitable for the restoration works which concern the longitudinal continuity due to the presence of dams and other obstacles between 1 and 3 m high. These works consist in dam management (weir removal or fish ladders) taking into account hydromorphological (bedload transport) and biological (invertebrate or fish species free movement) impacts.
The third water body (Eau Blanche, western tributary of the Meuse) presents straightened rivers with artificial banks which consequently lead to poor connections between the stream and its floodplain. This water body is therefore appropriated for the works based on the transversal continuity recovery. These works consist in enhancing straightened river channel and restoring meanders or banks. Until now, these works have been realized on more than 5 km.
These works are being monitored on the basis of geomorphological and ecological analysis.
The geomorphological monitoring is based on surveys conducted before and after the works. It concerns the bedload transport, the clogging of the gravel layer and the morphological changes of the river following the works.
The ecological monitoring is based on two indicators: macroinvertebrates and fishes. Standardized and repeatable methods were developed to compare the situation before and after the works, especially through the analysis of microhabitats. In addition, we use another two complementary indexes of physical quality for this monitoring. Developed by the consulting office Teleos, these indexes have a fish orientation and have been implemented in many of our stations.