Declining geomorphic diversity and potential adaptive management opportunities on a highly regulated reach of the Bighorn River, Montana

Abstract

Rivers downstream from dams often experience decreased flow variability and disrupted sediment transport. We investigated a highly regulated 35.5-kilometre reach of the Bighorn River, downstream from Yellowtail Dam, emplaced in 1965. This dam created a thriving trout fishery, but more recently, side channel networks and habitat diminished. We document how the Bighorn River's anabranching morphology responded to flow regulation and a near cessation of sediment supply. Geomorphic diversity drastically decreased since 1939 and the Bighorn River abandoned numerous side channels. By 1980, geomorphic loss slowed, and the river became laterally static. The 1980 river and side channel network could represent the maximum areal extent of a downscaled morphology, maintained through restoration and adaptive management. However, side channel restoration alone will not return natural alluvial processes to this river reach. The Bighorn River needs sediment to reinstate dynamic lateral movement, even within a downscaled morphology. Sediment augmentation is an option, but more complex to implement on rivers where potential downstream impacts and landowners must be considered. The decline of geomorphic diversity and potential adaptive management solutions on the Bighorn River has wide applicability to numerous dammed rivers, where similar changes to the flow and sediment transport regime are common.