incorporating whitewater boating in: The Nimbus Fish Passage Project
Alex Koutzoukis 2012 Senior Project Accepted and approved by:
______Heath Schenker Professor & Senior Project Advisor, Program of Landscape Architecture, University of California Davis
______Claire Napawan Associate Professor, Program of Landscape Architecture, University of California Davis
______Andrew Fulks, Committee Member Manager, Putah Creek Riparian Reserve, Office of Resource Management and Planning, University of California Davis
______Josh Galt, Committee Member River Director, Primal Quest Adventure Racing Abstract This project focuses on a half mile stretch of the Lower American River directly below Nimbus Dam in Rancho Cordova, California. It explores the possibility of incorporating recreational whitewater features in a river restoration project. Currently, the United States Bureau of Reclamation is obligated to make improvements to the fish collecting system at the Nimbus Fish Hatchery. As part of Alternative 1 in the Nimbus Fish Passage Environmental Impact Report, it is possible to construct recreational whitewater features with the removal of an old, damaged weir that spans the river. This project aims to evaluate the structures that are used in whitewater park design and how they can be conducive to salmonid spawning habitat. The design of the site includes the surrounding landscape which will serve to provide interpretive and educational opportunities for learning about salmonid species and the importance of protecting the American River Watershed. This project demonstrates how fish passage, stream restoration, and recreational whitewater boating can coexist for multiple benefits. Fig. 1: Author river-surfing inMunich,Germany I [email protected]. Ecological Restoration,Architecture, Outdoor and Recreation. was aperfectplatformtocombinemyinterestsinLandscape nature. Beinganavidwhitewaterenthusiast,thisproject I amfascinatedwiththeinteractionbetweenhumansand the Author About
II INTRODUCTION constant supportoverthepast22years! This projectisdedicatedtomyfamily. Thank youforyour Dedication
III INTRODUCTION United StatesBureau of Reclamation Robinson,RobertHilldaleandstaff David Sacramento Paddle and Oar Michael Picker Geography GraduateGroup,UniversityofCalifornia Davis Alison McNally University ofCaliforniaDavis Associate Researcher, Program ofLandscape Architecture, Eric Larsen Kern RiverValley Council Eric Giddens Architecture Landscape Associates Lutsko John Gainey and Game,NimbusFishHatchery Fish andWildlife Interpreter, CaliforniaDepartmentofFish Laura Drath assistance andcontributiontomyproject. I wouldliketothankthefollowingindividualsfortheir Acknowledgements
IV INTRODUCTION Table ofContents conclusion Design Site Analysis Case Studies Background INTRODUCTION 42-44 32-41 19-25 26-31 1-18 I-VIII
V INTRODUCTION Figure 36:Final topographicmap. GISby Alex Koutzoukis Figure 35: TIN modelmergedwith SacramentoDEM.Data fromSacramentoCounty. GISby Alex Koutzoukis Figure 34: TIN elevationmodel.GISby Alex Koutzoukis Figure 33:GPStracks of boat.DataprovidedbyU.S.BureauR Figure 32:First Threat Rapid.Imageryfrom GoogleEarth Figure 31: Air contentmeasureinFirst Threat. GraphfromDr. GregPasternack website Figure 30:Freestylesurfing competitionatFirst Threat. Photo byDean Koutzoukis Figure 29:KayakeronFirst Threat. Photo fromwww.bikensurf.wordpress.com Figure 28:Reno WhitewaterPark. ImageryfromGoogleEarth Figure 27:KayakerloopingonafeatureinReno. Photo fromwww.sagedonnelly.com Figure 26:Reno WhitewaterPark MainChannel.Photo fromwww.therapidian.org Figure 25:Reno WhitewaterPark SlalomChannel.Photo sourceunknown Figure 24:BarkingDogRapid.Imageryfrom GoogleEarth. Figure 23:RiverboarderusingeddyatBarking Dog.Photo by Alex Koutzoukis Figure 22:RiverboarderonBarkingDog.Photo byDeanKoutzoukis Figure 21:KayakeronBarkingDog.Photo byDeanKoutzoukis Figure 20:GradeControlStructureatBrentaRiver, Italy. Photo by Alex Koutzoukis Figure 19: A riveraccesspointatBrentaRiver, Italy. Photo byDeanKoutzoukis Figure 18:RiverboarderusingboulderstoeddyhopontheSouthFork Figure 17:StanduppaddlerinadeeppoolontheSouthFork American river. Photo by Alex Koutzoukis Figure 16:RiversurfersinMunich,Germany. Photo byJordynSlominsky Figure 15:Wave shapermodelcreatingawave.Photo fromMcLaughlinWhitewaterDesignGroup Youtube account Figure 14:Wave shapermodelcreatingahole.Photo fromMcLaughlinWhitewaterDesignGroup Youtube account Figure 13:Kayakboofmaneuver. Photo fromwww.canoe-shops.co.uk Figure 12:LowHeadDam.Photo fromwww.drowningsupportnetwork.com Figure 11:Footentrapment.Illustrationby Alex Koutzoukis Figure 10:Exampleofastrainerhazard.Photo fromSierraRescue Figure 9: Author atswiftwaterrescuecertificationcourse. Photo byStephanie Winkenweder Figure 8:GlenwoodWhitewaterPark, GlenwoodSprings,Colorado.Photo fromGlenwoodChamberofCommerce Figure 7:ConfluenceWhitewater Park, Denver, Colorado. Photo fromColoradoOfficeofFilm, Television,Media Figure 6:NimbusFishHatcheryweir. Photo by Alex Koutzoukis Figure 5:Chinooksalmon.IllustrationbyU.S.FishandWildlife Service Figure 4:Steelhead.IllustrationbyU.S.FishandWildlife Service Figure 3:ContextMap.Mapby Alex Koutzoukis usingdatafromSacramentoCounty Figure 2:FolsomDam.Photo fromwww.villagelife.com Figure 1: Author riversurfinginMunich,Germany. Photo byJordynSlominsky List ofIllustrations, Maps,Photos eclamation. GISby Alex Koutzoukis American river. Photo by Alex Koutzoukis
VI INTRODUCTION Figure 54: ADA Access Ramp.Graphicsby Alex Koutzoukis Figure 53:Parking lot.Graphicsby Alex Koutzoukis Figure 52:Viewing areaandlawn.Graphicsby Alex Koutzoukis Figure 51:Structure#3.Graphicsby Alex Koutzoukis Figure 50:Structure#2.Graphicsby Alex Koutzoukis Figure 49:Structure#1.Graphicsby Alex Koutzoukis Figure 48: Typical CrossSections.Graphicsby Alex Koutzoukis Figure 47: Typical GradeControlStructure.Graphicsby Alex Koutzoukis Figure 46:Proposed RiverProfile. Graphics by Alex Koutzoukis Figure 45:MasterPlan.Graphicsby Alex Koutzoukis Figure 44:Erodedbanks.Photo by Alex Koutzoukis Figure 43:Geomorphology. ImageryfromGoogleEarth.Graphicsby Alex Koutzoukis. Figure 42:Lower American RiverFlows.DatafromU.S.G.S.Graphby Alex Koutzoukis Figure 41: Temperature inRanchoCordova.Datafromwww.weather.com. Graph by Alex Koutzoukis Figure 40:Weather. ImageryfromGoogleEarth.Graphicsby Alex Koutzoukis. Figure 39:Circulation.ImageryfromGoogleEarth.Graphicsby Figure 38:Locationoffishladderapproach. Photo by Alex Koutzoukis Figure 37:SiteLayout.ImageryfromGoogleEarth.Graphicsby List ofIllustrations, Maps,Photos Alex Koutzoukis. Alex Koutzoukis.
VII INTRODUCTION a morestablegeologicform. with thecreationofsalmonidhabitatandreturning riversto great boosttolocaleconomies,theyalsocan besymbiotic Studies haveshownthatwhitewaterparksnot onlyarea with nearlyhalfbeinglocatedinColorado(McGrath 2003). States, over30whitewaterparkshavebeen constructed, by whitewaterenthusiasts”(McGrath2003).IntheUnited structures inastream,whichcreatehydraulicfeaturesused whitewater parkcanbedefinedas“oneormoremanmade parks” inanattempttorestoreandrevitalizethem. A resource andimplementedwhatisknownas“whitewater recognized thegreatrecreationalsignificanceofthisnatural the past20yearsinUnitedStates,somecitieshave lined withconcretetomovewaterfaster. However, during vegetation isclearedandchannelsarestraightenedoreven severely disturbedasaresultofhumanactivities.Often, In urbanareasacrosstheUnitedStates,rivershavebeen Introduction
VIII INTRODUCTION Fig. 2:FolsomDam example. Nimbus Fish Hatcheryisanexcellent locationtoserve asan restoration projectson theLower American River, andthe These issueshavethe opportunitytobeaddressedin high watertemperatures (NOAA 2009). Lower American River, salmonidsarestillfacingthethreat of Still, duetothedestructionofriparian forest ofthe temperature, allowingforsuitablespawning conditions. that thewaterreleasedfromFolsomDamis amuchlower fighting chancethatsalmonhaveforsurvival isthefact River wasfartoowarmforfrysurvival.However, the Historically, thetemperatureinLower American spawning. normally accumulateasgravelbedsusedbysalmonidsfor dams havecutofftheupstreamsedimentsupplythatwould sediment depositionintheLower American River. The two Folsom andNimbusDamshavedrasticallyalteredthe completely cutoffthishabitat. at sea.However, theconstructionofNimbusDamin1955 by anadromoussalmonids,fishthatspendmostoftheirlife miles ofhabitatinthe American RiverWatershed wasused Prior totheconstructionofFolsomandNimbusDams,125 fish andotherspecies. has resultedinahabitatwithlowercomplexityandcoverfor Encroaching developmentandthehardeningofchanneledges in inadequatespawningconditionsforsalmonidspecies. fine gravelsonthebedofLower AmericanRiver, resulting in upstreamriversdepositedlargeamountsofsand,silt,and converted themtoagriculturalfields.Hydraulicgoldmining the past150years.Settlersclear-cutriparianforestsand The Lower American Riverhasbeenextremelyalteredover The Lower American River
1 BACKGROUND steelhead trout( Hatchery wasconstructedin1955asamitigationforChinooksalmon( The NimbusFishHatcheryislocatedaquartermiledownstreamoftheDamonLower Nimbus FishHatchery Fig. 3:Context Map Oncorhynchus mykiss)lossofspawninghabitatduetotheconstructionNimbusDam.
Lower American River Sunrise Blvd. Sunrise
50 Hazel Ave. Hazel Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)andCentralValley Nimbus Dam Lake Natoma American River. The Scale: 1:30000 Folsom Dam Legend Project Location Location ofDams Waterways Bicycle Paths Major Roads Folsom Lake
2 BACKGROUND Fig. 4:Steelhead Illustration 1998). bottoms atpooltailouts,orrifflesshallowerthan24”deep.Inwinter spawning habitat.Duringthefirstsummerafterspawning,steelheadtendtouseshallow areaswithcobbleorboulder and .5”-6”deep.Structuressuchaslogboulderweirs,deflectors,clustersof rockswillalsoimprovesteelhead (Moyle, Israel,Purdy2008). The gravelsizethatispreferredbysteelheadforspawningtendstobe2”-3” indiameter optimal spawningtemperaturerangeisbetween4-11degreesCelsius,withembryodeath startingat13degreesCelsius Habitat Requirements: anything fromaquaticandterrestrialinsectstosmallfish,frogs,evenmice(Moyle, Israel,Purdy2008). Diet: spawning streamsandrepeatingtheprocess(USBR,CDFG2011). migrating totheocean.Juvenilesteelheadspendbetweenonefouryearsinocean beforemigratingbacktotheir (USBR, CDFG2011).Whenthefryhatch,theymovetootherareasofriverfor1 3yearsbeforebecomingsmoltsand Chinook salmon,steelheaddonotalwaysdieafterspawning. They oftenreturntotheoceanand spawninlateryears. Life History:TheSteelheadinthisprojectareaareconsidered“Winter-run” andbegintheirmigrationinFall. Unlike Status: Oncorhynchus mykiss Central Valley Steelhead Juvenile CentralValley steelheadareopportunisticandwillfeedonalmostanythingavailable.Juveniledietincludes Federally andCaliforniaStatelistedas“Threatened” Central Valley steelhead requirecold,clear, andwelloxygenatedwatertosuccessfullyspawn. The , steelheaduselargebouldersinshallowriffles(CDFG
3 BACKGROUND Fig. 5:Chinook salmonillustration (Moyle, Israel,Purdy2008). water deeperthan18”. As theymovedownstream,spendtimeinopenwatersatnightanddeeppoolsduringtheday cover invegetationagainstdarkbackgrounds. As theybecomelarger, theyareoftenpredatedbybirdssomoveinto the selectionofreddsitesdependsonpermeabilitygravel.Oncehatched,frytend tousestreamedgesandseek provides sufficientopportunityforsubsurfaceinfiltrationwhichisneededtoprovide oxygenforembryos. a watervelocityof1-3’ persecondwithagradientof.2%-1%(CDFG1998). A combinationoflarge gravelandsmallcobble anywhere from6”to20’ deep.Chinookusesubstratethatis.5”-10”deepwith1”-3”cobble.Otherrequirementsinclude Habitat Requirements:Generally, Chinook spawn in water with a depth between1-3’ however spawning can occur in water Purdy 2008). Diet: to fouryearsintheoceanbeforemigratingbacktheirspawningstreamsandrepeating theprocess(USBR,CDFG2011). They entertheSanFranciscoBayasbothfryandsmolts(Moyle,Israel,Purdy2008).Juvenile salmonspendbetweentwo CDFG 2011). After fryhatch,theyspendbetween1to7monthsintheirspawningstreamsbeforemovingdownstream. Redds aredugincoarsegravelbyfemalesalmonwholayeggsandguardtheirreddsfor4to25daysbeforedying(USBR, Life History:FallrunChinooksalmonaremainlyseenbetweenSeptemberandNovember(Moyle,Israel, Purdy2008). Status: Oncorhynchus tshawytscha Chinook Salmon Juvenile Chinooksalmonareopportunisticandwilltypicallyforageonaquaticterrestrial insects(Moyle,Israel, Candidate forFederal“Threatened”status,andaCalifornia“SpeciesofSpecialConcern.” Therefore,
4 BACKGROUND Fig. 6:NimbusFishHatchery Weir also posesasignificantthreattorecreationalusers. danger tostaffthatinstallthescreens. The damagedweir reducing theeffectivenessofthissystemandposinga problems associatedwithhatcheryraisedfish(NOAA 2011). replacement fornaturalreproductionastherearenumerous fertilized. Although thissystemcurrentlyworks,isno the hatcherywhereeggsareharvestedandartificially reach theweir, theyaredirectedupafishladderandinto blocks salmonfromcontinuingupstream.Whenthe Game employeesinstalltemporaryscreensinaweirthat (typically inNovember),CaliforniaDepartmentofFishand ocean. Whenthewatertemperatureisbelow60degrees at theLower American Riverafteralongjourneyfromthe The NimbusFishPassage Project However, theweirhasbeendamagedoveryears, Each Fall,Chinookandsteelheadbegintoappear whitewater boatinginthefinal design. and restoration willenablethepossibility ofincorporating benefits forhabitatand recreation. The weirremoval 1, duetohavingalower costandpotentiallymultiple operations incurrent condition (USBR,CDFG2011). spawning. feature andwouldhavelimitedorbenefit for salmon does notallowforthepossibilityofarecreational hydraulic with animprovedweirandnewfishladder. Thisalternative hydraulic feature. This alternativeallowsforthepossibilityofarecreational restored andprovideopportunityforsalmonspawning. Shoals adjacenttoNimbusDam. The channelwouldbe and thefishpassagewayrelocatedupstreamatNimbus (USBR, CDFG2011). Report (EIR)fortheNimbusHatcheryFishPassage Project and Game(CDFG)releasedtheFinalEnvironmentalImpact Reclamation (USBR)andtheCaliforniaDepartmentofFish the UnitedStatesDepartmentofInteriorBureau to restorethefunctionalityofthissystem.In August 2011, Reclamation hasbeenauthorizedtomakeimprovements Department ofFishandGame;theUnitedStatesBureau United StatesFishandWildlife ServiceandtheCalifornia salmon smoltsand430,000steelheadasobligatedbythe The preferredalternative appearstobe Alternative Alternative 3istotakenoactionandcontinue Under Alternative 2,theweirwould bereplaced Under Alternative 1,theweirwouldberemoved In ordertocontinueraisefourmillionChinook EIR Alternative 3 EIR Alternative 2 EIR Alternative 1 EIR Alternative
5 BACKGROUND following goalsthroughLandscape Architectural design: Using theEIRguidelines,thisseniorprojectwilladdress Project Goals humans have. American Riverwatershedandthepotential impactsthat opportunities willbeincludedtopromoteawareness ofthe Where possible,educationaldisplaysandviewing 4. EducationalandInterpretiveOpportunities entry totheriver. Access pointscanbestrategicallylocatedto allowusers to incorporatefeaturesforwhitewaterboating inthedesign. As partofthestreamchannelrestoration,itwillbepossible 3. WhitewaterBoatingOpportunities conditions. form. This willcreatethepotentialforbetterspawning the streambedandreturnrivertoamorestablegeologic When theweirisremoved,itwillbenecessarytorestore 2. In-StreamSpawningHabitatEnhancement effective fishladderwillberelocatedupstream. As partof Alternative 1,theweirwillberemovedandamore 1. FishCollectingSystemImprovements
6 BACKGROUND process includesatleast 7steps. of them. According toS2O,thewhitewaterparkdesign in theUnitedStates. S2O DesignandEngineeringisone engineering firmsthat specializeinwhitewaterparkdesign (Clarke 2011).Currentlythereappeartobe 3main Landscape Architects aswell forarchitectsandplanners” is asurprisinglylargeroleinwhitewaterpark designfor Landscape Architect atS2ODesign andEngineering,“There is donebyengineers,accordingtoChristine Clarka Figure 7:ConfluenceWhitewaterParkinDenver, Colorado natural-looking, andeverywhereinbetween. These parksvaryinappearancefromhighlyurbanto larger streamrestorationorurbanrevitalizationproject. Design ofWhitewaterParks First, itiscrucial thatthereissignificant interest Although themajorityofwhitewaterparkdesign Whitewater Parks aretypicallydesignedaspartofa Step 1:Interest have been completed, theinterested partieshaveenough 2005). conceptual designalternatives (Philip Williams & Associates geologic andhydraulic conditions,aswellthreedifferent Inside thefeasibilitystudyisinformationsuch asexisting feature aspartoftheNimbusFishhatchery project. study andconceptualdesignforarecreational hydraulic firm, Philip William & Associates, Ltdtoprepareafeasibility Oar andPaddle Foundation hiredaSacramentoengineering park willlook,function,andcost(S2O2012). The RiverCity information tounderstandhowtheconstructed whitewater be producedinordertoprovidestakeholders withenough conceptual design,costestimate,andfeasibilityreportwill in tostudythefeasibilityofimplementation.Iffeasible,a whitewater parkbuilt,anengineeringfirmwillbebrought agencies (Philip Williams & Associates 2005). as fishinggroups,localpaddlinggroupsandgovernment Association, RiverPark Neighborhood Association, as well the Water Forum,theSierraClub,Save American groups fromSAFCA (Sacramento Area FloodControl Agency), gain communityinputontheproject. Attendees included interest. InDecember, 2004,workshopswereheldto to attendcommunitymeetingsinordergain of arecreationalfeatureattheNimbusWeir, andbegan Paddle Foundationrecognizedthepossibilityofcreation Hatchery Project, agroupknownastheRiverCityOarand community interest(S2O2012). At theNimbusFish will workwithgovernmentandstakeholderstocreate Typically, alocalwhitewaterpaddlinggrouporindividual in gettingawhitewaterparkconstructedatgivensite.
After thefeasibility studyandconceptual design(s) Once thereissignificantinterestingettinga Step 2:Feasibility Report/ConceptualDesign Step 3:Fundraising
7 BACKGROUND construction ofthepark. and biddingdocuments willbeproducedforthe required fromthepermitting process.Finalconstruction update andmakechanges tothedesignbasedonwhatis 2012), possiblyduetoenvironmentalregulations. whereas thereare13inColorado(American Whitewater there isonlyonecompletedwhitewaterpark inCalifornia, this kindofworkwouldbeverybeneficial. Furthermore, is difficultandtheexpertiseofafirmthat specializesin process” (S2O2012).Itappearsthatthepermitting process S2o will“shepherdthedesignthroughpermitting create andapplypermits. According totheS2owebsite, the nextstageofwhitewaterparkdesignprocessisto Associates. on theconceptualdesignproducedbyPeter Williams and Project, thisseniorprojectwillstartatstageandbuild advancements have been made for the Nimbus Fish Hatchery reports areproduced(S2O2012).Sincenofurtherdesign the publicand/orstakeholders. A seriesofdrawingsand design iscompletedbasedoninputfrommeetingswith completed. At S2oDesignandEngineering,apreliminary of beingimplemented,additionaldesignworkneedstobe inform thecommunityaboutchangesproposed. proposed project. The next stageistoraisefundsand information toaccuratelyinformthepublicabout Design ofWhitewaterParks Once thepermittingprocess iscomplete,S2owill Although notwithinthescopeofthisseniorproject, Once itappearsthattheprojecthasahighchance Step 4:PreliminaryDesign Step 5:Permitting Process Step 7:Construction Step6:Revisions
$1.5 millioneachyear(REP 2011). Colorado wasconstructedatacostof$500,000andyields million and$4million. Another projectinBreckenridge, estimated thattheannualeconomicbenefitisbetween$2 at acostofapproximately$1.5millionandithasbeen communities. The Reno WhitewaterPark wasconstructed these projectscanhaveagreateconomicimpactonnearby standards” (S2O2012) contractor toensurethattheprojectisbuiltourexacting oversight bytheirstaff.S2ostatesthat“S2oworkswiththe appears thatmostengineeringfirmsencourageconstruction Colorado Fig. 8:GlenwoodWhitewater ParkinGlenwoodSprings, Numerous whitewaterparkshavedemonstratedthat The finalstageistheoverseeingofconstruction.It Economic Impact
8 BACKGROUND in drierclimates withlessaverage flow, a floodplain flow events.” Theterm“present climate”isusedbecause river inthepresentclimate andoverflowedduringmoderate as “alevelareaneara riverchannel,constructedbythe (floodplain) isformed. A floodplainisdefined byLeapold deposited attheconvex bankofariver, aflatsurface does therateoferosion anddeposition. As sediment is sandy, wide,andshallow(Leapold1994). deep, whileriversinthesemiaridSouthwest arerelatively in thesouthernUnitedStatesarerelatively muddyand and bankwillbenarrowerthanasimilar, sandyone.Rivers become narrower. Forexample,astreamwithsilty bed threshold oferosionthesematerialsincrease, channels of bedmaterialallhaveaneffectonchannelshape. As Materials suchasvegetation,bedrock,andtheproperties flow, sedimentinmotion,andcompositionofmaterials. of thebedorbank”(Leapold1994). stress resisting the by balanced is approximately channel the in whichtheshearstressateverypointonperimeterof to Leapold,“thestableformthechannelwillassumeisone migrate laterally, thecrosssectionstaysstable. According constant crosssectiononaverage. Although thestreamwill laterally, itisdepositedontheoppositebank,maintaininga stationary, itisinconstantchange. As onebankiseroded have onthefunctionofastream. understand theimplicationsthatdesigndecisionsmight concepts fromfluvialgeomorphologysothatthey yet itisimportantthatastreamdesignerunderstand and includesengineers,geomorphologistshydrologists, Geomorphology ofRivers As athetightnessofstreamcurveincreases, so The shapeofastreamchannelcanbeattributedto Although anaturalstreamchannelmayappeartobe The designofwhitewaterparksismultidisciplinary
the wavelength(Leapold 1994). widths. The radiusofthechannelbendistypically 1/5thof the channelwidth,and almostalwaysbetween10and14 (distance betweeneach poolandbar)istypically11times channel width,andradius ofcurvature.” The wavelength sizes aremarkablerelationshipamongthewavelength, width. According toLeapold, there is“inchannelsofall the channeltendstosinuouslywanderrelative tochannel apparently straightreach,the“thalweg”or deepestpartof riffle. grade controlstructurethatcreatesahydraulic jumpor whitewater parkdesign,ashallowcouldbeconsidered eggs donotgetwasheddownstream.(Leapold1994).In that salmonidslayeggsattheupstreamsideofabarisso water sinksandflowsthroughthebar. Oneofthereasons forced toriseoverabar, whileatalowflow, someofthe material largerthancoarsesand. At ahighflow, wateris this patterntobetrueinalmostallchannelswithbed present eveninthestraightchannel.”Leapoldhasfound mechanism whichcreatesthetendencyformeanderingis both straightandmeanderingchannelssuggeststhatthe to Leapold,“thesimilarityinspacingoftheriffles width. The sameistrueforstraightchannels. According (pools) andshallows(bars)every5to7timesthechannel (Leapold 1994). to astateofhealingbyvegetationinthemidcentury” instability duringthefirstquarteroftwentiethcentury the semiaridareaschangedfromastateoferosionand that “channelsinwesternstatesshowedstreams can beabandonedleavingaterrace.Leapoldobserved Rivers arealmostneverstraight.Eveninan In general,ariverchannelalternatesbetweendeeps
9 BACKGROUND Fig. 9: Author atswiftwaterrescuecertificationcourse safer. and howphysicalfeaturesofastreamcanbe designedtobe certification coursetobetterunderstandwhitewaterhazards In March,2012Ienrolledinaswiftwaterriverrescue designing astreamchannel. there arevariouswaystoreducesafetyhazardswhen Whitewater recreationisinherentlydangerous.However, Safety Considerations
10 BACKGROUND to prevent foot entrapment. they besetflushtothe bottom in ariver, itisimportantthat rocks andbouldersare installed entrapment (Blum2012). When rocks thatcancausefoot bottom featuresareundercut of themostdangerousstream just belowthesurface.One hazards suchasstrainershidden A streambottomcancontain Underwater Hazards Fig. 10:Exampleofstrainerhazard without strainerorsievehazards. that issubjecttorecreationaluseshouldbedesigned threatening andshouldbeavoided(Colburn2012). A stream through rocksorboulders.Bothstrainersandsievesarelife Sieves aresimilartostrainers,butoccurwhenwaterflows wood alongthebankthataswimmerorboatcannot. A straineroccurswhenwaterflowsthroughlivingordead Strainers andSieves Safety Considerations entrapment rock Fig. 11:Example offoot
DIRECTION OF FLOW (Colburn 2012). move toeithersideiftheybecomestuckinahydraulic asymmetrically sothatthereisvariabilityforboatersto severe hazardtoswimmers.Hydraulicsshouldbedesigned dam createsaverysteep,uniformhydraulicthatposes and theharderitistoescape.Forexample,alowhead the steeperahydraulic,more“hole-like”itbecomes threatening dependingonavarietyoffactors.Generally, control structures.Hydraulicscanbeconsideredfunorlife bathymetry androckformationsincludingman-madegrade Hydraulics arewavesorholesformedbyunderwater Hydraulics Fig. 12:Example ofalowheaddam hydraulic
11 BACKGROUND specific maneuvers. particular featuresthatprovideopportunitiestoperform more thanjusttravelingfrompoint A toB.Boatersseekout For mostwhitewaterboaters,adayontheriverconsistsof River Features
12 BACKGROUND Fig. 13:Kayak boofmaneuver Vertical Drops hydraulic (Colburn2012). over apotentiallydangerous “boof” forfunortolaunch and landingflat. Paddlers which isthrustingoffarock are usedfor“boofing” paddling downriver. They look forverticaldropswhile Experienced paddlersoften spawning (McGrath2003). of waterthatisvitaltosalmonid drops contributetotheoxygenation Hydraulic jumpssuchasvertical a holeatthebottomofdrop. naturally inriversandoftencreate Vertical dropstypicallyoccur
13 BACKGROUND feature Fig. 15:Wave shapermodelcreating awave feature Fig. 14:Wave shapermodel creatingahole Hydraulics; Waves andHoles surfing orientedmaneuvers. 2012) andallowformore like anoceanwave(Colburn Waves typicallyareshaped moves suchasfrontloops. provide opportunitiesfor Holes aremoreretentiveand Fig. 16:River-surfers inMunich, Germany spawning andcover(McGrath2003). oxygenation ofwaterforsalmonid These featuresalsocontributeto or artificialhydraulicjumps. and holesareformedbynatural Similar toverticaldrops,waves
14 BACKGROUND Fig. 17:Standup paddleboarder usingadeeppoolon the SouthFork Pools 2012). for thenextrapid(Colburn water providesaplacetorest boaters afterrapids.Quiet recovery andrescueroomfor Deep poolshelpwith American River Purdy 2008). of poolsforfeeding(Moyle,Israel, use deeppoolsforcoverandheads during Summer. Juvenilesalmonids temperatures coolforsteelhead Deep waterhelpskeep
15 BACKGROUND Fig. 18:Riverboarder usingboulders toeddyhoponthe SouthFork Random BouldersandEddies 2012). moving downstream(Blum and scouttherapidbefore to “eddy-hop”throughrapids Random boulderscanbeused American River (CDFG 1998). and depositionofspawninggravels Boulders canhelpwiththescouring of foodandcoverfrompredators. by salmonidsforrestinginsearch Eddies createdbybouldersareused
16 BACKGROUND Fig. 19:River accesspointatthe BrentaRiverinItaly Access Points designs. water accessrampsintheir parks haveincluded ADA the water. Somewhitewater help riverusersdescendto Access pointscanbeusedto be avoided. disturbance ofsensitivehabitatcan of vegetation,erosion,and negative impactssuchastrampling By havingdesignatedaccesspoints,
17 BACKGROUND Anatomy of a Hydraulic Jump This small artificial grade control structure creates a hydraulic jump at a whitewater park in Italy containing many of the features that are seen in typical whitewater parks.
Random Boulders
Wing BACKGROUND Eddy
Hydraulic Feature
Eddy
Fig. 20: A grade control structure in the Brenta River, Italy 18 were observedatvariousflows. of structureswerenoted,andcurrentseddylocations boaters toanalyzehowthesiteswerebeingused.Locations by whitewater frequented are foothills that Nevada Sierra the Throughout 2011-2012,Ivisitedvarioushydraulicfeaturesin Case Studies
19 Case Studies are seenperformingfreestylemaneuversintheholesection,whileglassywaveis used moreforsurfing. Characteristics: The hydraulicatBarkingDogRapidhasbothaholeandwavesectionforvarietyofmaneuvers.Kayakers Suitable Flow:1,200-2,300cfs Fig. 21:Kayaker onBarkingDog Natural/Artificial: River: Barking DogRapid South Fork American, California Natural withmodificationsbyriverusers
Dog Fig. 23:Riverboarding usingeddyatBarking Fig. 22:RiverboarderonBarkingDog
20 Case Studies Fig. 24:Barking DogRapid deep poolformingthehydraulicfeature. causes therivertobecomenarrowerasitplungesintoa main rivermakesarighthandturn. A boulderstructure of boatinginthehydraulicjump.BarkingDogoccursas Description: Riverusersfrequentthisrapidforthepurpose Barking DogRapid part ofalongerfloatdownriver. downstream tousethefeature.Othersfeatureas (private campground)andpaddleapproximately500feet rapid bypublicland.UserstypicallylaunchatCampLotus Accessibility: ThereisnowaytodirectlyaccessBarkingDog location paddle toput-in back upstreamand Island usedtowalk spot excellent resting formation isan Large rock at higherflows into ashallowriffle Gravel barturns upstream provide easyaccess Large eddies
21 Case Studies Fig. 27:Kayaker loopingonafeature inReno Fig. 25:Renoslalomchannel rafting, kayaking,andinnertubing “hole-like”, whileathigherflows,theywillbecomemore“wave-like”. Characteristics: The whitewaterparkvariesdependingonflows. Atlowersummerflows,thehydraulicsaretypicallymore Suitable Flow:300-3,000(+)cfs Natural/Artificial: River: Reno WhitewaterPark Truckee River, NV Artificial Fig. 26:Renomainchannel A widerangeofusesareseenattheparkincluding
22 Case Studies Fig. 28:Reno WhitewaterPark spectating. features smoothflattopbouldersforeasyaccessand and isregardedasagreaturbandesignsuccess. The design channel. The parkrevitalizedaneglectedstretchofriver structures inthelargerchannel,andsixsmaller The parkconsistsoftwochannelswithfivegradecontrol at anexpenseof$1.5Millionforchannelimprovements. 2003 andwasdesignedbyRecreation Engineering &Planning Description: The Reno WhitewaterPark wascompletedin Reno WhitewaterPark layout withmultipleentrances. Reno andiswellintegratedintotheexistingstreetgrid Accessibility: TheparkiscentrallylocatedinDowntown races used forslalom Smaller channel Amphitheater Outdoor Feature Typical Hydraulic Pedestrian bridge Public plaza
23 Case Studies study ofmultiplehydraulicjumpsinthisriver(Pasternack 1999). Aerated watercanbebeneficialtosalmonidspawning. Greg Pasternack, ofUCDavisstudiedthishydraulicandfoundthatitcontained58%aircontent,thehighestrecordedinhis Characteristics: First Threat isaverypowerfulwavethatboatersspendtimeonaspartoflongertripdownriver. Dr. Suitable Flow:1,200-4,000cfs Fig. 30:Freestyle surfingcompetition atFirstThreat Fig. 29:KayakeronFirstThreat Natural/Artificial: River: Rapid Threat First South Fork American River, CA Natural
Fig. 31: Air content inFirstThreat
24 Case Studies Fig. 32:First ThreatRapid recreational releasesontheSouthFork American River. using thefeatureyear-aroundduetoguaranteedweekend that actasagradecontrolstructure.Boaterscanbeseen to becomenarrowerasitplungesoveraseriesofboulders hand turn. A boulderstructureatriverleftcausesthe Description: First Threat occursastherivermakesaright Rapid Threat First Henningson-Lotus Park wheretheytakeout. to usethefeature,paddling2moremilesdownstream Bar Reservoir andpaddleapproximately3milesdownstream directly bypublicland.UserstypicallylaunchbelowChili Accessibility: ThereisnowaytoaccessFirst Threat rapid feature Main hydraulic (used inhighflows) Alternate eddy area Resting/Spectating Recovery pool
25 Case Studies better understandthefeelandfunctionalityofsite. the courseofsixmonthsinavarietyweatherconditionsto The NimbusFishHatcherywasvisitedmultipletimesover Site Inventoryand Analysis
26 Site Analysis entire sitewhichcaneasilyproduceanalysessuchasslope,aspect,andtopographic contours. The TIN modelwasmergedwith2ft.contoursfromSacramentoCountytocreateaDigitalElevationModel(DEM) ofthe Step 2:MergeBathymetrywithSacramentoCountyElevation Data boat. Using ArcMap, thesurveywasprocessedandconvertedintoa TIN elevationmodel. consisted ofcoordinatesanddepthmeasurementsfroma Trimble 5800RTK-GPS and ADCP (AcousticDoppler)runningona A bathymetricsurveyperformedin2008wasobtainedfromtheUnitedStatesBureauofReclamation (USBR). The survey Step 1:Process BathymetricSurvey accomplished byusingGIS(GeographicInformationSystems). Since topographyisacriticalcomponentofthissite,itwasnecessarytocreatefairlyaccuratebasemap.This River Bathymetry Fig. 35:TIN modelmergedwith Sacramento DEM Fig. 33:GPStracksofsurveyboat Fig. 36:Final topographicmap Fig. 34:TINelevationmodel
27 Site Analysis Fig. 38:Location offishladder approach Fig. 37:SiteLayout to thehatchery. hatchery facility, whiletheproposedfishladderwillbeextendedtoNimbusShoalscreatingamoregentlyslopedapproach could potentiallyusethewhitewaterparkintheirprograms. The existingfishladderextendsfromtheweirto The siteisadjacenttothe American RiverFishHatcheryandtheSacramento State Aquatic Center. The Aquatic Center Site Layout
28 Site Analysis Fig. 39:Circulation potential forpavementremovalandstormwaterinfiltration. more convenientaccessbetweenthehatcheryandNimbusShoals. providing alternativetransportationoptions.Pedestrian accessisextensivethroughthesitehoweverthereneedstobe The siteislocatedahalfmilefromHighway50offHazel Avenue. The American RiverBiketrailpassesthroughthesite, Circulation The FishHatcheryParking lotisextremelylargewith
29 Site Analysis Fig. 40:Weather Fig. 41:Temperature inRancho Cordova approximately 2,000cfsand5,000cfs. lowest. park wouldbeclosed,flowsthe aretypically whitewater for parkshouldbedesigned flows Therefore,the between river flowsvaryfrom2,000cfsduringFallto5,000peakrunofftimes.Duringspawningseasonwhenthe Weather atthesiteistypicallysuitableforwhitewaterrecreationyeararoundwithappropriateequipment. Average Weather Fig. 42:Lower American RiverFlows
30 Site Analysis Fig. 43:Geomorphology whitewater recreation. 4.5 feet.Whentheweirisremoved,thatjumpcouldbedistributedinmultipledrops that aremorefriendlytowards weir hasbeenseverelydamagedandmaybeahazardtoswimmersboaters. The weircreatesahydraulicjumpof of rip-rapwithsomevegetation.ItappearsthatreleasesfromNimbusDamhaveseverelyerodedtheNorthbank.The The riverhasbeenextremelyalteredduetodams,mining,andencroachingdevelopment. The Southbankconsistsmostly Geomorphology Fig. 44:Eroded banks
31 Site Analysis DESIGN
Design This design is based on the site analysis and incorporates multiple interests including fish passage and restoration, whitewater boating, and education into a cohesive master plan. 32 Master Plan Fish Hatchery Visitor Center Proposed Fish Ladder Proposed Grade Control Structures 1-4 Fish Viewing Plaza ADA Access Ramp
Stormwater Parking Lot DESIGN Turf Area ADA Accessible Restroom
Fig. 45: Master Plan 33 Fig. 46:ProposedRiverProfile engineered toproduceasafeandhighqualityhydraulicforboatingsurfing. for intermediateandadvancedlevelboaterswithelevationchangesof1.5feet.Each gradecontrolstructurewillbe intermediate levelboaterswithanelevationchangeof1and.5feet,respectively Four gradecontrolstructuresareusedtothe4.5footelevationchange.Structures#1and#2designedfor At approximately1,200cfstheupstreamwaterelevationoffishweiris81.3whiledownstream76.8. Proposed RiverProfile Nimbus Dam Structure #1 1’-0” Jump Excavated Pools Pool Tail Structure #2 0’-6” Jump Structure #3 1’-6” Jump Existing Weir 1’-6” Jump Structure #4
. Structures#3and#4aredesigned Not toScale,10XVertical Exaggeration Legend Existing Structure Proposed Structure Proposed Water Elevation Existing Water Elevation Proposed Thalweg Existing Thalweg
34 DESIGN Fig. 47:Typical Grade ControlStructure be submergedatthisflow. will becomemorehole-shapedandbefavoredbykayakers,riverboarders,bodyboarders. Onlythelowestterracewill surfers. The 2ndterracewillbecomesubmergedatthisflow. Attheendofsummerwhenflowdrops,hydraulic opens, thestructureswillproduceahydraulicthatismorewave-shapedandfavoredbyadvancedkayakersriver- Terracing isusedtohelpaccommodatearangeofflows. Athigher flows duringlatespringwhenthewhitewaterpark Typical Grade ControlStructure
35 DESIGN Fig. 48:Typical CrossSections interesting riverrun.Pools areexcavatedbeloweachdropstructureattheproposedthalwegofriver. flows. Theseaddtothediversityofparkforhabitatbenefits,aswellpossibilityamorechallengingand Since theriverissowideatexistingweir, structures#3and#4includesidespillwaysthatwillbefullofwaterathigher Typical RiverCrossSections
36 DESIGN Structure #1 This is the first feature of the whitewater park. With a 1’-0” jump, it is suitable for beginners. Random boulders provide plenty of opportunities for finding an eddy. The two deflector wings at the North side of the channel are used to discourage erosion of the bank. They also create eddies and encourage the accumulation of spawning gravels. DESIGN
Deflector Wings
Spawning Area
Fig. 49: Structure #1 37 Structure #2 This is the second feature of the whitewater park. With a jump of only 0’-6”, it will become submerged at high flows. Beginners can paddle to the large eddy and walk back to go down structure #1 and #2 again. Once they feel comfortable with these hydraulics, they may move on down the course to structure #3 and #4. DESIGN
Spawning Area
Fig. 50: Structure #2 38 Structures #3 and #4 These two structures are the main features of the whitewater park and are located adjacent to the fish hatchery viewing area. Intermediate to advanced boaters will tend to use these features. The side overflow channel will become submerged at higher flows and can be used as a bypass by boaters wanting to avoid the large features in the main channel. DESIGN
Overflow Channel
Spawning Area
Main Channel
ADA Ramp
Fig. 51: Structure #3 and #4 39 Fig. 52:Viewing areaand lawn the site. Laura Drath,CDFGsuggested.Nexttothecleaningstationisanewrestroomthatwill accommodateincreasedtrafficto located betweentheparkinglotandturfareatobeusedasaprecautionagainstspreading theNewZealandmudsnailas corner ofthesiteisusedbyboaterstoprepareequipmentforentryintowater. A washrackandcleaningstationis observe salmonunderwaterthroughviewingwindowsandcrosstheflumeonwoodbridges. to thefacility. Materialsusedtoconstructtheflumewillbenaturalbutnotallowforspawninginbed.Guestscan As theladderapproacheshatchery, itbecomesameanderingflumewherethepubliccanviewsalmontravelingup Fish HatcheryViewing Area andLawn Fish Viewing Area A turfareaattheNortheast Turf
40 DESIGN Fig. 53:Parking lot the river. can educatethepubliconhowstormwaterinfiltrationhelpsprotect swales. The overheadcanopy oftreesshadestheparkinglotandhelpsreducesummertemperatures.Interpretivesignage The proposedparkinglotincorporatesstormwaterinfiltrationbyreducingthesizeoftravellanesandaddingvegetated Additional Features: Stormwater Parking Lotand ADA Ramp Fig. 54: ADA accessramp can easilyexitthewater. from theoverlooktopaststructure#4whereusers At theendofcourse,this ADA rampextends gently slopingNimbusShoalstostartthecourse. Disabled usersareabletoenterthewaterat American Riverwatershedandthesalmonthatuse
41 DESIGN Thanks forreadingmyseniorproject! to successfullymanagebothhumanandwildlife needs. be implementedinareaswherethereisheavy useasaway destroyed oristhreatened.Projects likethiscanpotentially Salmon habitatonmanyCaliforniastreamshasbeen environmental, andeconomicbenefitscanbeachieved. and revitalizationprojectswhenappropriate,multiplesocial, benefits. Byintegratingwhitewaterboatinginrestoration design streammodificationprojectsthathavemultiple With moreawarenessofwhitewaterparks,citiescanbetter Conclusion
42 CONCLUSION Moyle, Peter B.,Joshua A. Israel, andSabraE.Purdy. Salmon, Steelhead,and Trout in McGrath, ClaireC.Potential Effectsof WhitewaterParks onIn-Stream Trout Habitat. Marsh, William M.LandscapePlanning:Environmental Applications. Reading, MA: Leopold, LunaB. A View oftheRiver. Cambridge,MA: HarvardUP, 1994.Print. Kern Valley RiverCouncil. “RiversidePark Restoration.” kernfestival.org. Kern Valley Google Inc.Earth.Computersoftware.Vers. 6.Web. Colburn, Kevin. Integrating Recreational BoatingConsiderationsIntoStreamChannel Clark, Christine.“S2oDesignandLandscape Architecture.” Messagetotheauthor. 8Dec. California DepartmentofFishandGameInlandFisheriesDivision. Salmonid Print. Brunte, Kristin.GravelMitigationand Augmentation BelowHydroelectricDams.Rep. 2004. Blum, Jonathon.“WhitewaterSafety.” RiverRescue CertificationRQ3/ACA Swiftwater American Whitewater. “RiverInfo.” americanwhitewater.org. American Whitewater. Bibliography Watershed Sciences,2008. Print. California: Statusofan EmblematicFauna.Rep. Davis:UCDavisCenter for 2003. Print. Addison-Wesley, 1983.Print. Council, 2011.Web. 15Mar. 2012.
Rep. River Print. Web.
43 CONCLUSION Sigle, Shane A., andGaryM.Lacy. Kern RiverImprovementsProject. Construction S2o DesignandEngineering.“Services.” s2odesign.com.Engineering, 2012. Recreational EngineeringandPlanning.SummaryFeasibilityReport andConceptual Philip Williams & Associates, Ltd.,comp.ConceptDevelopmentforaRecreational Pasternack, GregoryB.,andBrettL.Valle. “AirContentMeasurementsinNatural NOAA. “CentralValley Watershed Profiles.” NOAA’s NationalMarineFisheriesService NOAA NorthwestOffice.“Hatcheries.” nwr.noaa.gov. NationalOceanicand Atmospheric Bibliography U.S. DepartmentoftheInteriorBureauReclamation, andCaliforniaDepartmentofFish Drawings. Boulder:Recreation EngineeringandPlanning,2011.Print Web. 15Mar. 2012.
Assessment oftheStructureandFunctionNaturalHydraulic
eport for 44 CONCLUSION