Ecohydrology of the Beni River-floodplain: Integrating Fishers’ Knowledge and Remote Sensing for River Planning and Habitat Conservation
L.G. Terrazas Villarroel (TU Delft - Civil Engineering & Geosciences)
M.E. McClain – Promotor (TU Delft - Civil Engineering & Geosciences)
N.C. van de Giesen – Promotor (TU Delft - Civil Engineering & Geosciences)
J.W. Wenninger – Copromotor (TU Delft - Civil Engineering & Geosciences)
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Abstract
Rivers and their floodplains are among the most productive ecosystems on Earth, sustaining rich aquatic life and supporting the livelihoods of riverine communities. Andean-Amazon river systems, such as the Beni River in Bolivia, face growing pressure from hydropower development and other environmental changes. Yet, the ecohydrologic processes that sustain them remain poorly understood, and limited data hinder impact assessments. This book presents an innovative approach to address these challenges by combining two sources of knowledge: the expert knowledge of local fishers and decades of satellite observations of floodplain lakes. Fishers described how seasonal floods, river connectivity, and hydrologic variability influence fish migration, habitats, and fisheries. Satellite imagery revealed how forty oxbow lakes change in area and water turbidity over time, providing new insights into their connectivity with the main channel and their role as fish habitat.
By integrating these perspectives within a common spatiotemporal framework, this study developed ecohydrologic relationships that represent the functioning of meandering river systems. The simulation of a planned hydropower project showed that hydrologic alteration could reduce habitat connectivity and affect fish populations. The presented methodology is transferable to other data-scarce river systems and provides practical insights for sustainable river planning in the Amazon and beyond.