Guidance for Stream Restoration
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United States Department of Agriculture Guidance for Stream Restoration Steven E. Yochum Forest National Stream & Technical Note Service Aquatic Ecology Center TN-102.4 May 2018 Yochum, Steven E. 2018. Guidance for Stream Restoration. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Stream & Aquatic Ecology Center, Technical Note TN-102.4. Fort Collins, CO. Cover Photos: Top-right: Illinois River, North Park, Colorado. Photo by Steven Yochum Bottom-left: Whychus Creek, Oregon. Photo by Paul Powers ABSTRACT A great deal of effort has been devoted to developing guidance for stream restoration. The available resources are diverse, reflecting the wide ranging approaches used and expertise required to develop effective stream restoration projects. To help practitioners sort through the extensive information, this technical note has been developed to provide a guide to the available guidance. The document structure is primarily a series of short literature reviews followed by a hyperlinked reference list for readers to find more information on each topic. The primary topics incorporated into this guidance include general methods, an overview of stream processes and restoration, case studies, data compilation, preliminary assessments, and field data collection. Analysis methods and tools, and planning and design guidance for specific restoration features are also provided. This technical note is a bibliographic repository of information available to assist professionals with the process of planning, analyzing, and designing stream restoration projects. U.S. Forest Service NSAEC TN-102.4 Fort Collins, Colorado Guidance for Stream Restoration & Rehabilitation i of vi May 2018 ADVISORY NOTE Techniques and approaches contained in this technical note are not all-inclusive, nor universally applicable. Designing stream In accordance with Federal civil rights law and restorations and rehabilitations requires U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil appropriate training and experience, especially to rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its identify conditions where various approaches, Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions tools, and techniques are most applicable, as well participating in or administering USDA programs as their limitations for design. Note also that are prohibited from discriminating based on race, product names are included only to show type and color, national origin, religion, sex, gender availability and do not constitute endorsement for identity (including gender expression), sexual their specific use. orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877- 8339. 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U.S. Forest Service NSAEC TN-102.4 Fort Collins, Colorado Guidance for Stream Restoration & Rehabilitation ii of vi May 2018 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 3.2 Planning Process ....................................... 3 This technical note was written by Steven 3.3 Watershed Approach ................................. 4 Yochum, PhD, PE, Hydrologist, U.S. Forest 4. RIPARIAN MANAGEMENT ........................ 5 Service, National Stream and Aquatic Ecology 5. ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT ....................... 6 Center. It is updated annually. The original 6. OVERVIEW of STREAM PROCESSES and document was published by the USDA Natural RESTORATION ................................................. 7 Resources Conservation Service, Colorado State Office, with the initial version (Colorado 7. CASE STUDIES ............................................. 9 Engineering Tech Note 27.1) released in June 8. DATA COMPILATION ............................... 11 2012. 8.1 Data Sources ............................................ 11 Peer review of version TN-102.1 of this USFS 8.1.1 Water Quantity ................................. 11 guidance was performed by Johan Hogervorst, 8.1.2 Water Quality and Sediment ............ 11 USFS Hydrologist; Robert Tanner, USFS 8.1.3 GIS Data and Mapping ..................... 12 Hydrologist; Paul Powers, USFS Aquatic 8.1.4 Climate Data ..................................... 12 Biologist; Brady Dodd, USFS Hydrologist; and 8.1.5 Vegetative Information .................... 12 Robert Gubernick, USFS Geologist. Additional review of this latest version was completed by 8.1.6 Literature .......................................... 13 David Levinson. 8.2 Geographic Information System ............. 13 Peer review of the original NRCS document was 8.3 Historical Information ............................. 13 performed by Rob Sampson, NRCS State 9. PRELIMINARY FIELD ASSESSMENT ..... 14 Conservation Engineer; Barry Southerland, NRCS 9.1 Fundamental Principles ........................... 16 Fluvial Geomorphologist; Brian Bledsoe, CSU Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental 9.1.1 Total and Unit Stream Power ........... 16 Engineering; Terri Sage, NRCS Biologist; and 9.1.2 Shear Stress ...................................... 16 Christine Taliga, NRCS Plant Materials Specialist. 9.1.3 Momentum ....................................... 17 Other individuals have provided comments and 9.1.4 Roughness and Flow Resistance ...... 17 clarifications to the document; all of their 9.1.5 Lane’s Balance ................................. 17 contributions are highly appreciated. Please email 9.2 Stream Channel States and Evolution Steven Yochum with any additional comments or Models ........................................................... 18 suggestions, for inclusion in the next annual 9.3 Stream Classification ............................... 22 update. 9.4 Stream Ecological Valuation (SEV) ........ 23 9.5 Basic Assessment Tools .......................... 23 CONTENTS 10. FIELD DATA COLLECTION ................... 24 10.1 Aquatic Organisms ................................ 24 ABSTRACT ......................................................... i 10.2 Riparian Vegetation ............................... 25 ADVISORY NOTE ............................................ ii 10.3 Topographic Survey Data ...................... 26 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................... iii 10.4 Bankfull Stage Identification................. 28 CONTENTS ....................................................... iii 10.5 Discharge Measurements ...................... 29 FIGURES ........................................................... iv TABLES ............................................................ vi 10.6 Water Quality ........................................ 30 1. INTRODUCTION .......................................... 1 10.7 Bed Material Sampling .......................... 31 2. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ......................... 2 10.8 Sediment Transport Measurements ....... 32 3. GENERAL METHODS .................................. 3 10.9 Groundwater .......................................... 32 3.1 Interdisciplinary Team .............................. 3 U.S. Forest Service NSAEC TN-102.4 Fort Collins, Colorado Guidance for Stream Restoration & Rehabilitation iii of vi May 2018 11. DESIGN APPROACHES and ANALYSES 12.8.3 Bendway Weirs .............................. 72 for STREAM RESTORATION ........................ 33 12.8.4 Spur Dikes ...................................... 72 11.1 Extent of Analysis, Design, and Review35 12.8.5 Bioengineering ............................... 73 11.2 Hydrology for Stream Restoration and 12.8.6 Toe Wood ....................................... 74 Stability at Stream Crossings ........................ 36 12.8.7 Log Jams ........................................ 75 11.2.1 Phase 1 ........................................... 36 12.8.8 Rock Walls ..................................... 76 11.2.2 Phase 2 ........................................... 36 12.8.9 Riprap ............................................. 76 11.3 Flow Frequency Estimates .................... 37 12.9 Bed Stabilization and Stream Diversions ....................................................................... 77 11.4 Natural Channel Design ........................ 39 12.10 Planform Design .................................. 80 11.5 River Styles ........................................... 41 12.11 Dam Removal ...................................... 81 11.6 Soar and Thorne Restoration Design .... 42 13. MONITORING and REPORTING ............. 83 11.7 Hydraulic Modeling Overview ............