Big Lake, Alaska Shapefiles: Stream Network, Lakes, and Culverts

Shapefiles used in the optimization model presented in \"High value of ecological information for river connectivity restoration\" (Sethi et al.) In Review. Abstract: Efficient restoration of longitudinal river connectivity necessitates the use of sophisticated planning tools to maximize ecological benefits given constrained resources. Typically, ecological benefits of river barrier mitigation are measured using proxies such as the amount of accessible riverine habitat. We develop an optimization-based approach for targeting barrier mitigation which incorporates life history information of managed taxa. Findings are presented from an urbanizing salmon-bearing watershed in Alaska. Solutions informed by life history information outperformed those using only river connectivity proxies, demonstrating high value of ecological information in watershed restoration. For our study area, information on salmon ecology was typically valued at 0.8-1.2M USD based on costs savings for achieving a given benefit level relative to solutions derived with river connectivity proxies. This equated to 16-28% of the restoration budget. Investing in ecological studies may achieve win-win outcomes of improved understanding of aquatic ecology and greater watershed restoration efficiency.