Restoration of the Upper Main and Rodach rivers – The success and its measurement

Large-scale restoration of streams and rivers is a mandatory prerequisite for the implementation of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) to reach good ecological status of water bodies. This contribution analyzes the success of the largest river restoration in Germany at the Upper Main. Sections with a length of more than 18 km were restored between 1990 and 2008, including re-connection of former oxbow-lakes, multiple-channelling, and establishment of wide riparian buffer zones.Measuring the success of restoration by means of a multimetric assessment system, we found a clear success of restoration indicated by the status of hydromorphology and by the biological parameters, including macroinvertebrates, fishes, and macrophytes. Unlike non-restored reaches, the restored reaches attained a good ecological status. As such, the restoration of the Upper Main is shown to be a pilot project for the implementation of the WFD on a large scale.