Diagnóstico fluvial, impactos en cauces y cambio global: aplicaciones del índice hidrogeomorfológico IHG
- Alfredo Ollero Ojeda 1
- Daniel Ballarín Ferrer 2
- Jesús Horacio García García 3
- Askoa Ibisate 4
- Daniel Mora Mur 5
- Miguel Sánchez Fabre 1
- 1 Dpto. de Geografía y Ordenación del Territorio, Universidad de Zaragoza. Zaragoza. España
- 2 Dpto. de Geografía y Ordenación del Territorio, Universidad de Zaragoza/ Medio Ambiente, Territorio y Geografía, Mastergeo S.L, Zaragoza. España
- 3 Dpto. de Geografía, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela. Santiago de Compostela, España
- 4 Dpto. de Geografía, Prehistoria y Arqueología, Universidad del País Vasco UPV/EHU, Vitoria. España
- 5 Medio Ambiente, Territorio y Geografía, Mastergeo S.L., Zaragoza. España
ISSN: 0210-8380, 2386-3021
Year of publication: 2021
Issue Title: Clima, sociedad y medio ambiente
Issue: 73
Pages: 295-316
Type: Article
More publications in: Geographicalia
Abstract
The hydromorphological diagnosis and assessment of rivers is a necessary procedure aimed to improve the ecological status of rivers affected by notable human impacts. The hydrogeomorphological index IHG was designed 15 years ago for that purpose. Its most updated version and its modality for ephemeral courses (IHG-E) are presented. All applications of the index carried out so far are located, a total of 60 both in Europe and in America. The versatility of the index has been demonstrated by the large variety of waterways in which it has been applied. There are reflections on the usefulness of the index, the adequacy of the indicators analysed, its criteria and the difficulties of application. It is concluded that, in addition to allowing a hydromorphological evaluation, it turns out to be particularly useful for the identification and assessment of impacts in the river area and, therefore, to define restoration proposals and to assess their effectiveness by a progressive implementation of the index throughout monitoring, identifying where the analysed river is improving.