APPLICATION OF TRADITIONAL AND NOVEL APPROACHES FOR ASSESSING FLOODING RISK RELATED TO DRIFT WOOD DELIVERY, TRANSPORT AND DEPOSIT: ADVANCES IN SCIENCE AND FLOOD HAZARD MANAGEMENT

Floods often generate large amounts of drift wood in rivers, especially in mountainous areas. Wood can block the flow of the river and create over-flooding on adjacent lands usually not submitted to flooding. Moreover, wood can block structures such as bridges or dams, risking damage to towns and infrastructure. When wood is cleared or captured (usually at great expense), the stream becomes wood depleted and the health of the river ecology can suffer. The reality is that wood is a natural occurrence in rivers and managers must be ready and prepared for the hazards associated with it. Knowing where and when high magnitude wood events are likely to occur is necessary for preparedness and accurate assessment of environmental, human, and socio-economical hazards from floods. We present a set of methods to monitor wood transport near stream gauges using field measures, timelapse photography and videography. Increased monitoring of wood movement will lead to better understanding of timing and magnitude of wood transport in relation to hydrology and recruitment processes, which will enable managers to better plan and mitigate wood hazards within sensitive reaches.