A new instream flow assessment method based on fuzzy habitat suitability and large scale river modelling

This paper proposes an integrated tool for the assessment of fish habitat suitability based on synthetic hydraulic and water quality parameters. There are three innovative features in this study: (a) The proposed approach seeks to improve the capabilities of IFIM (Instream Flow Incremental Methodology) by extending the assessment to a larger spatial scale, which can be helpful for river managers in decision making. (b) The method is based on the suitability response of target species to hydraulic and water quality parameters through a fuzzy model, which is a novel application of a Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy logic. (c) The introduction of simulated river conditions enables the generation of a wide range of scenarios and the detection of potentially critical situations.