Dr. John Rex gave a presentation titled “Small Streams and Big Dreams: Watershed Management Challenges and Opportunities” last week introducing the issues that’s been found related to small streams and the current management challenges we’re facing these days. It is important to understand the that small streams play significant roles in basin or watershed hydrology due to its several characteristics, including its great quantities, smaller to no mandatory buffer zones, and high level of sensitivity, etc.. Small streams also contribute to the biodiversity providing high productive level both onsite and inside the stream system. Later he introduced the current studying method focusing on shade, air and inflow temperature and the current FREP data analysis along with the explanation of their current management philosophy, which is the planning, application, and evaluation cycle with evaluation standard and management applications constantly being adjusted and improved. It’s not hard to realize the necessity of lateral collaborating within government academia and industries as well as other important communities such as first nation groups and stakeholders to let people better understanding the value of water, basins, and the term of riparian zones, considering the challenges we’re facing including rising temperature, increasing droughts and devastating deforestation. The previously mentioned management “cycle” should also be more adaptive to give a better chance battling the current issues.

Dr. John made the presentation flowed nicely, with him constantly introducing and explaining the terms that were backed up with examples in both literature reviews and research results. The simply but classic what why how pattern was laid out smoothly with the definition-significance-issues-challenges-strategies-future improvement placed logically and flawlessly. His calm voice won’t let you neglect the fact that Dr. John Rex was very enthusiastic about this topic. The well balanced visual and text content makes following his presentation seems almost effortlessly. During the Q&A section, the way he appreciating and answering the question made it like he’s not only answering the questions, but rather encouraging people to think more about the topic.

The issues mentioned in this topic including warmer and increased runoff due to several reasons, such as deforestation, could offer me some hint on future study of my own topic since I was studying the combination effect of ice cover and pier setup on local bridge pier scour development. The increasing of water temperature could possibly change the icing behaviour and scheme of surface layer of river water while the increasing in runoff from small streams could definitely effect the flowrate in streams of higher ranks.