Flow regime area Ecological functions
Intermittency
Considered the master variable for intermittent rivers (Datry et al., 2014a) Longer cease to flow periods leads to deteriorating water quality in refuge habitat (Chapin et al., 2014, Schmarr et al., 2014) Length of flow period dictates habitat availability and expected lifecycle completion (Bonada et al., 2007)
Low flows over the low flow season (Dec – April)
Flushing of permanent pools Maintenance of habitat (Vander Vorste et al., 2020) Watering of in channel riparian vegetation over low flow season (Nicol, 2013) Opportunities for dispersal (Baumgartner et al., 2014)
Break of season
Cues for migration and breeding (Lucas and Baras, 2008, Mackay, 1992, Pires et al., 2014) Increased stress on refuge habitats (Vander Vorste et al., 2020) Likelihood of lifecycle completion (Mackay, 1992)
Spring flows
Promotes resilience leading into the low flow/cease to flow period (eWater, 2022) Promotes fish recruitment success (Green et al., 2014) Migration of obligate aquatic fauna (Lucas and Baras, 2008) Discourages exotic fish species (Seebacher and Kazerouni‐Ghanizadeh, 2021)
Medium flows
Promotes large-scale fish migration (Lucas and Baras, 2008) Discourages exotic fish species (Moore et al., 2008) Expand riffle habitat for macroinvertebrate species (Bonada et al., 2007) Inundate vegetation on benches and lower banks (Maxwell et al., 2015) Control terrestrial vegetation in channel (Maxwell et al., 2015)
High flows
Inundate vegetation higher on banks (Maxwell et al., 2015) Habitat maintenance including silt removal and algae scouring (Fuller et al., 2010, Loire et al., 2019) Entrain organic material from banks (Caraco and Cole, 2004) Plant propagule transport (Stromberg et al., 2007) Management of reed beds (Stromberg et al., 2007)