Watercourses influence the shape and biodiversity of the landscape. The river system and its associated habitats are now heavily influenced by humans. However, some negative impacts of human activity can be remedied and the natural water regime of the landscape can be restored.
Watercourses have a major influence on the shape and biodiversity of landscapes. Today, the river system and its associated habitats are heavily influenced by humans, often negatively. The landscape is drying up, becoming more vulnerable and exposed to weather extremes, which are becoming more frequent due to the ongoing climate change. By returning watercourses to their natural state, we are helping to restore the landscape's ability to retain water and increase its biodiversity and resilience.
Water significantly influenced the shape of today's landscape. The specific way in which watercourses shape the landscape depends on the geological bedrock and the speed and quantity of water that flows through it.
The river is not only an important shaping force, but is part of a complex and interconnected system that we call the river landscape. Many experts see this type of landscape as the most important feature for the ecological stability of the wider surrounding area. Water flows throughout the entire profile of a river valley, so called the floodplain.Therefore it can not be seen as a line of flowing water. The biotopes associated with watercourses are characterised by high groundwater levels, rich biodiversity and an irreplaceable role in the water regime of the landscape. They have the ability to retain water and distribute it further into the landscape.
Throughout history humans have been modifying watercourses to fit their needs. They adjusted water trajectories, dammed them, fortified them and created entirely new water channels in order to bring the life-giving liquid to the places where they needed it. In the last two decades, the degree of human influence on the river system has grown exponentially. Waterways have been straightened, dredged, fortified, and shortened in many places. The contact between watercourses and the river floodplain has been interrupted and the natural water retention capacity of the landscape has been disrupted. The landscape has lost water-associated habitats and thus biodiversity has declined significantly. The small water cycle and the water regime of the landscape have been significantly impaired.
Nowdays, due to this long period of human modification of watercourses and the ongoing climate change, we are witnessing that our landscape is no longer able to compensate for these changes and fulfil the functions we need.
The time has come to restore watercourses. Where possible, watercourses and their associated ecosystems can be restored in a nature-friendly way. The goal is to recover the landscape, so it can withstand climate change and, at the same time, better serve us and other living organisms. Restoration can include both thoughtful small-scale interventions and larger-scale modifications.
Pupils will:
Over the last two centuries, human intervention in the water regime of the landscape has increased in scale and intensity. The landscape is no longer able to compensate for these changes. The small-scale water cycle is disrupted, the landscape is drying up, biodiversity is declining, and waters are contaminated. Problems are increasing with ongoing climate change. Understanding the dynamics of watercourses and their role in retaining water in the landscape will shed light on the relevance of their revitalisation as an important means of climate change mitigation and adaptation.
What exactly inspired Bedřich Smetana to write his famous symphonic poem Vltava? Listen to a short musical excerpt to start a discussion about water and watercourses.
The velocity of water and the width of the river channel changes over the course of a watercourse, and so does the way and intensity with which water shapes the landform on its way. The cards with the different parts of the flow will help to explain all this.
The area of the river floodplain in which the river meanders is essential to the water regime of the landscape. Use the worksheet to check that you understand how meanders are formed and what all makes up a river floodplain.
Where does the water flow faster - in a naturally meandering river or in a straight channel? With the help of movement exercises and stopwatches we will empirically reach the correct answer.
A natural watercourse is subject to dynamic changes over time. Use the picture cards to check that we have a good understanding of the sequence of these changes.
Using the picture cards and the accompanying presentation, we try to identify natural atercourses from man-made or artificial ones. We also find out for what purpose the watercourses were modified or built.
In the beginning there was a river that meandered freely through the landscape. Let's go back in time together and create our own natural watercourse.
The first human arrived at the river and began to adapt it to his needs. Using our own river, we test how waterways have been changed by human activity throughout history.
Human interference with watercourses has exceeded the sustainable limit. The balance in the landscape is disturbed, the landscape is drying up and life is disappearing from it. What to do about it? Where possible, we are revitalising the river.