RECENTLY DEVELOPED INNOVATIVE

METHODS FOR STREAM AND

RIPARIAN AREAS!!

Learning Objectives:Utilizing this lecture, material from the FTP site, and

other references, the student will be able to:

• Understand and articulate some newly developed methods and techniques for stream and riparian stabilization/habitat

• Have the student realize that all methods presented in this lecture are experimental in nature, monitoring is short term, therefore knowledge is limited, and none of these methods are proven.

SHOW THE 18 MILE CREEK

VIDEO!!!

18 MILE CREEK

THE UPDATE!

Soil-Choked RIPRAP

from John McCullah’s

www.E-SenSS.com

From: www.E-SenSS.com

John

Rooted stock plants waiting to be planted, 18 Mile Cr., {SUBURBAN, GRAVEL-COBBLE BED, POOL-RIFFLE-POOL REGIME STREAM IN A V-SHAPED VALLEY} Newfane, NY

Mini case study: 1 of 4

Mini case study: 2 of 4

Rooted stock plants in burlap “socks” waiting to be planted, 18 Mile Cr., Newfane, NY

Mini case study: 3 of 4

“Sock” rooted stock plants placed within voids in riprap, then riprap is soil “choked”

June 24, 2004-Growing well a year later

Mini case study: 4 of 4

4 Years later June 18, 2007Pix by Derrick

THE GREAT WALL OF NEWFANE

Pre-project conditions-High flows vectoring straight into eroding

bank

Pix by Mark Seider

In this case a 100% spun coir mat, 700 grams/meter

Mini case study: 3 of 5

Half a growing

season later, June 24,

2004

Mini case study: 4 of 5

Pix by Derrick

4 growing seasons later, June 13, 2008

Pix by Derrick

Looking US. 5 growing seasons later. Riparian

plantings are robust, June 7, 2009

Pix by Derrick

5 growing seasons later

riparian plantings

are robust. June 7, 2009

INNOVATION WILL NEVER FLOURISH

WITHOUT DISSEMINATION OF

KNOWLEDGE

Derrick's Definition of Restoration:

(After talking to Dr. Chester Watson, CSU, this definition is probably closer to rehabilitation!!!)

There have been many past and current definitions, but basically I

see it as a project that restores some natural functions (to some degree) back into a disturbed system. As disturbed systems are inherently complex, and our knowledge at this time of these systems is limited, success will require a design approach developed by a multi-disciplinary team of experienced personnel to analyze the existing situation and develop designs that will satisfy many carefully conceived short (usually construction related) and long-term performance goals for a project.

NOTE: Dr. Fischenich once attended a workshop where they discussed the concept of “restoration” for an entire day!

Natural flood plains are not this flat

Does this look

incised????

Point bars don’t look like this!

My question is, can the stream ever recover

from the restoration???

If the stream is incised, it will never function

naturally

They look more like this, McKinstry Creek, restoration is 3 weeks old

Number one goal of this project was to provide shade over the stream. My first question is when???

Restoration Strategies• Resist tendency to over-stabilize the project & smooth stream planform (lack of diversity). • Comprehensive monitoring of project performance, then comparison to the pre-project performance

parameters (goals) should be on-going over the first several years of the project. Sections not exhibiting adequate performance should be modified accordingly (Adaptive Management).

• Minimal or no disturbance of functioning "good" portions of the stream and riparian system, “DO NO HARM”.

• In areas near existing infrastructure or identified important resources, the critical bank should be hardened and the stream allowed to determine its cross-section size and opposite bank shape.

• Identify and utilize nearby available materials for stream restoration efforts. • Utilize the "Mother Plant" theory - Use of plant stock that is mature enough to provide seed in a short period

of time (self-seeding riparian areas).• Temporary construction roads can be built on future recreational path alignments to reduce overall impacts to

the riparian buffer zone.• "Exclusionary Vegetation" - Impenetrable or thorny vegetation can been used to prevent intrusion of visitors

and/or wildlife (Canadian Geese, etc.) into sensitive/unsafe project areas, and/or control viewing/sight of critical habitat areas.

• Phases of project design and construction can be incorporated into workshops that teach skills and philosophy to shareholders and agency personnel (paradigm shifts).

“DO NO HARM”• Patrick O’Brien with Portland District (COE) says

restoration designers should take a Hippocratic type oath like doctors do, LEAVE NATURE ALONE when all is working well, hands off well-functioning sections of the stream and riparian corridor.

• However, some protection should be added to well-functioning sections if these areas are in peril

Nature is working well here, so

“DO NO HARM”

Study Nature

WHAT FLOWS IN A STREAM SYSTEM???

• Upstream to downstream

• Downstream to upstream

• Biologists state that there are very few closed populations in a flowing waterway

WHAT FLOWS IN A STREAM SYSTEM? Reasons for flow disturbance?

• Water: Diversions, ponds, reservoirs, unnatural detention, flow regulation

• Sediment: Same reasons as water• Carbon: Same reasons as water plus clearing of veg from banks and

overbank areas, arrested bank erosion, natural disturbances (fire), debris jams, debris loading of bridge piers

• Life: Same reasons as water plus any barrier to fish/animal passage• Air: Lack of continuous tall riparian corridor, and/or

canopy cover • Seeds: Same reasons as water• Ice: Same reasons as water• Garbage &

chemicals: Same reasons as water, chemicals in solution rarely interrupted

• Energy• Temperature, DO, etc.

What flows are disrupted/disturbed in your system?

WHAT FLOWS ARE DISRUPTED OR CHANGED DUE TO AN UPSTREAM RESERVOIR?

• Water: Upstream reservoir has no storage capacity, but water can be released over the dam on the left side of the channel, or through the hydropower powerhouse on the right, or both

• Sediment: Upstream reservoir traps almost all fine and medium suspended sediments and all bedload

• Carbon: Upstream reservoir traps almost all LWD, SWD, leaf litter, and detritus

• Life: Upstream reservoir posses a barrier for aquatic life in both the US and DS directions, keeps all spawning salmon trapped DS of dam

• Air: Long, wide, upstream reservoir disturbs conveyance of cool moist airflow through downstream valley

• Seeds: Most seed flows are disrupted by US dam and reservoir, some floating seeds might pass these barriers

• Ice: Effects unknown• Garbage & chemicals: Some heavy materials are probably trapped in reservoir,

but chemical pollution and everything that floats does not appear to be interrupted. Ongoing water quality analysis will provide some answers here!

Snowball Effect…..Snowball Effect…..

From Brad Humber, The Nature Conservancy

Let’s Stop and Think About the Food Chain for a Moment !!

Dead things are good things!

• Grazers• Shredders• Gatherers• Filter Feeders• Predators

Feeding Guilds of Benthic Feeding Guilds of Benthic MacroinvertebratesMacroinvertebrates

From Brad Humber of The Nature Conservancy

Groundwater Regime

Disease & Parasitism

Feeding

Competition & Predation

Reproduction

Sunlight

Organic Matter Inputs

1o & 2o Production

Gradient & Morphology: Patterns & Stability

Riparian CanopyWoody Debris

Bank/Substrate Composition, Erosion & Deposition

Temperature

pH, ORP

Dissolved Gases

Dissolved Minerals

Organic CompoundsTurbidity

Salinity, Alkalinity, HardnessMutualism

Natural Thermal Discharges

Up/Down-Gradient Continuity

Water-Wetland-Land Connectivity

Radioactivity

Chemical Regime

Energy Regime

Biotic Interactions

Physical Habitat

Hydrologic Regime

Target Structure & Composition

Soil Moisture Regime

Surface Flow Regime

Surface Inundation Regime

Integrity of Freshwater Ecosystem

A General Framework ofA General Framework of““Key Ecological Factors”Key Ecological Factors”

Here are several reasons

why Dave Derrick is not a

biologist

THE IMPORTANCE OF SMALL WOODY DEBRIS, LEAF LITTER & LEAF PACKS

• Dead things are good things, and these are typically present in nature and reference reaches, but sometimes completely forgotten during “restoration” projects

• Can be extremely important in starting the food web, for cover (horizontal and vertical structure) for juvenile fishes, and substrate for benthic macro invertebrates

• Should be added to the stream during restoration in appropriate amounts & spacing based on analysis of similar reference reaches

• After appropriate analysis, downed trees and/or racked" brush piles might also be placed in riparian areas

BEWARE: Large debris piles at bridges or other constrictions can lead to maintenance nightmares & carbon-starved downstream reaches

The "Locked Limb/Locked Log" Concept

• Consists of small trees and/or Small Woody Debris (SWD consisting of limbs, limbs with leaves, sections of small tree trunks, tree tops, etc.), anchored within or placed under structures, with limbs/logs protruding into deeper scoured areas to provide in-stream cover, vertical and horizontal structure, and areas of refugia.

• Can be either hand- or machine-placed• Locked Limbs are typically less than 2” inches in

diameter, Locked Logs are greater than 2 inches in diameter

Bioengineering TechniquesBioengineering Techniques Conceptually, Locked

Limbs and Locked Logs

provide “furniture”

for the living room

(graphic courtesy of Ecology and

Environment, Inc.)

Here is our reference

A nearby reference area FOR LOCKED LIMBS/LOCKED LOGS. If you were a fish, where would you hang out? Is nature grand, or

what?

Locked Logs ready for stone riprap

Everything is now “locked” in place with stone

Locked Logs

Locked Limbs & Locked Logs - June 24, 2004

INSTANT SHADE

(Lean those plantings)

In smaller streams trees can be angled from both banks and tied together to form a shade tunnel

cAn YOu sEE ThE pRoJeCT? sEe tHe vIsIOn?

Jumping two weeks ahead in time, looking

US at completed project

PLANTING PLANTS ON A

GRID PATTERN

The LFSTP and keys (red lines) are constructed as a grid relative to flow

5/18/2005

The vegetation (green lines) is also planted as a grid. (Living Dikes, Live Siltation, & Slit Trench)

5/18/2005

Looking US at the floodplain bench on 8/29/2005, green lines show the planted grid

on the floodplain bench (Live siltation, Living Dikes, Slit Trench Plantings

Large single stones placed in a flowing channel. Three versions: 1.) Top of the stone set at an elevation slightly lower than the typical base-

flow water surface elevation. When sited correctly, the accelerated flow over the top of the stone will change from subcritical to supercritical flow, & further downstream back to subcritical (usually with a weak hydraulic jump). The hydraulic jump will entrain air & aerate the stream.

2.) Stone crest set just below the base flow water surface elevation results in an acceleration of the water moving over the top of the stone, with “standing waves” forming downstream of the stone.

3.) Stone crest set slightly above the base flow water surface, resulting in a V-shaped wake and flow split with a double return eddy flow pattern DS of the stone. However, these stones might be used as perches for predators.

The constant movement & rippling of the water from the three types of Hydraulic Cover Stones results in a type of cover, “hydraulic cover”, masking fish location from the view of predators. The stones also provide resting areas & in-channel refugee for fish during high energy, high-flow events.

Hydraulic Cover Stones are especially useful in sections of the stream with little in-channel structure, or vegetative cover, or undercut banks.

Hydraulic Cover Stones (HCS)

Sand bars & braided flows form in Little Sugar Creek ONE year after placing boulder clusters

(1998).

This is OK as long as it

was what you

designed for and

expected…

Some concerns with Boulder Clusters (too wide and too high here in a high bed load stream)

(Purloined from Andrew Burg)

Possible Boulder Cluster Problems:

1. Excessive scour buries boulder

2. Cluster blocks large percentage of stream flow

3. Cluster redirects stream energy in unwanted direction

4. Excessive deposition DS of cluster

5. Cluster too high, provides perches for predators/fishermen

(www.E-senss.com)

Functions of Hydraulic Cover Stones

• Provides micro-topography (scour & deposition)• Provides diversity of velocities• Provides “hydraulic cover”, turbulence, return

currents, eddy fences, internal distortion, pressure zones

• Provides feeding lanes for fish• Provides shape cover & solid substrate for benthics• Provides refugia• Dissipates energy • Can aerate water, or de-gas super-saturated water

Hydraulic Cover Stones provide improved aquatic habitatHydraulic Cover Stones provide improved aquatic habitat

Hydraulic Cover Stones shown functioning 3 different ways !!!! Graphics courtesy of Ecology & Environment, Inc.

Trio of Hydraulic Cover Stones working beautifully, note those wakes

This is a cobble-bed stream, this technique might not work as well in a sand-bed stream (stones could subside)

Locals say this is the best fishing area in

the creek (US of Cover Stones)

Hydraulic Cover Stone in pre-dug scour hole, stones measured to fit

A close look at a hard working Hydraulic Cover Stone during a high water event, Cattaraugus Cr. at Savage Rd. 11/4/2004

Mini-Case Study: 1 of 3

But relative calm right at the

Hydraulic Cover Stone

Downstream of HCS fierce currents (water piling up on

hip boots & bent pole)

Mini-Case Study: 2 of 3

Same Hydraulic Cover Stone during base flow conditions

Mini-Case Study: 3 of 3

SMILES, FROWNS, KICKERS, SINGLE HYDRAULIC COVER STONES, CLUSTERS

OF HYDRAULIC COVER STONES • All in-channel, as much as we could fit in and still

provide functions listed below, all in the name of good fishing.

FUNCTIONS:• Provide cover for fishes, dissipate stream energy,

speed current through narrow deep mini channels, divert flow, redirect, cause eddy fences, calm water, holding areas, feeding lanes, diversity & complexity of flow both vertical & horizontal, & surface disturbances

Looking US @ TCS wall & HCS, Smiles & Frowns

Post-Project-18 Mile Creek, Phase II-Oct 16, 2007, Pix-Fuhrmann

Looking across & US. HCS, Smiles, Frown, Kicker

Post-Project-18 Mile Creek, Phase II-Oct 16, 2007, Pix-Fuhrmann

Fisherman’s path being used

It’s all about the fishing!!!!

Construction-18 Mile Creek, Phase II-Fall 2007

Let’s dig a pool, McKinstry Creek, Delevan, NY

This was a complete stream realignment. Stream had

been straightened pre-1939.• Pool accessories include Locked Logs, Bed

diversity stones, and vegetation

The “Shadow Wall” Pool with Locked Logs

and a large transplanted multi-trunk

Alder tree for shade

Construction, looking DS, digging the pool, looks rough at this point

Add some stone and one Big Bob!!

Pre-dug pool with shadow wall & locked limbs

Photo: Deb Freeman

Transplanting a giant multi-trunk alder

Looking DS at pool & Alder

during Katrina’s rains, Sept 1, 2005

And whenyou getdone, spreadthe goodword to thepublic!!

• Studies show that when we were kids our habitat footprint was a 10 mile dia. circle, now it is 2 blocks. Many young people are disconnected from their environment, therefore destruction of same is not a concern

• It is our job to get folks interested in the only planet we have!!!!

• Of course there are always exceptions, one eight year old boy that was interviewed was really upset about the creek in his neighborhood because "My mom won't let me swim in the creek near my house because it's polluted.  We have to drive 20 minutes to the lake.  I can't fish there because there aren’t any fish and my mom says you couldn't eat them anyway, and there are no quality frogs to catch"  Paul Fuhrmann of Ecology and Environment, Inc sums it up, “Great Stuff.  Not sure what he meant by quality frogs but I like it.  Can't swim, can't fish and no quality frogs!  Leave it to an eight year old to sum it all up.”

Nathaniel Perschke, age 3,

bass is 21.5 inches, 16 pounds

Gettin

g You

th In

volved

Learning Objectives:Utilizing this lecture, material from the FTP site, and

other references, the student will be able to:

• Understand and articulate some newly developed methods and techniques for stream and riparian stabilization/habitat

• Have the student realize that all methods presented in this lecture are experimental in nature, monitoring is short term, therefore knowledge is limited, and none of these methods are proven.

Ya’ll wore out?? Me too! Let’s take a break!

Cute here

Monster dog here

Bioengineering TechniquesBioengineering Techniques

(graphic courtesy of Ecology and

Environment, Inc.)