River Engineering and

Stream Restoration

P. Julien S. Ikeda

River Engineering and

Stream Restoration
I - Stream Restoration

Pierre Y. Julien

Hong Kong - December 2004

Objectives
Brief overview of River Engineering and
Stream Restoration with focus on :

1. River Equilibrium;
2. River Dynamics;
3. River Engineering;
4. Stream Restoration.

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 Objectives
Part Ia – Equilibrium and Bank Protection

1. Concept of Equilibrium, environmental river

mechanics and bank protection
2. Provide Three basic laws for Stream
Restoration

Three Laws of Stream Restoration

#1 There is no cookbook approach to stream

restoration projects.

Concept of Equilibrium

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Three Laws of Stream Restoration

#1 There is no cookbook approach to stream

restoration projects.

#2 Solutions normally require equilibrium

conditions between sediment regime and stream
ecology.

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4
Figure 3.3 Typical Meandering River

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• The system is dynamic

• A stable river is one in which, over a

period of years, slope is delicately
adjusted to provide just the velocity
required to transport the available
water & sediment supplied from the
drainage basin.
(… after Mackin, 1948)

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2. Bank Protection

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 Figure 7.6 Launched Windrow Rock

Figure 7.10 Longitudinal Stone Fill Toe Protection Placed Adjacent to Bank With
Tiebacks

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 Figure 7.3 Schematic Diagram of Windrow Revetment

Fi gure 7 5 Placement of Windrow Rock in Excava ted Tre nch on Top Bank

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Figure 8.2 Typical Impermeable Dikes

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Three Laws of Stream Restoration

#1 There is no cookbook approach to stream

restoration projects.

#2 Solutions normally require equilibrium conditions

between sediment regime and stream ecology.

#3 Solutions need to be effective,

environmentally acceptable and economical.

Erosion and River Mechanics Textbooks

NEW!!
www.cup.org

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 Objectives
Part Ib – River Dynamics and Response

1. Deforestation impact on rivers

2. The concept of time scales
3. Headcutting and degradation

Peligre Dam in Haiti (deforestation)

Peligre Dam (sedimentation)

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 Peligre Dam (reduced life expectancy)

River Dynamics

#1 Deforestation may impact river equilibrium for a

very long time.

Time Scale

• Geological ~ 1,000,000 years

• Engineering ~ 100 years

• Aquatic life ~ 1 year

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 Hydraulic geometry of the Rio Grande

1935 1972 1992

Restoration vs Rehabilitation

Restoration
•returning a resource to some former condition.

Rehabilitation
•maximize the potential beneficial uses of a
resource to some reasonable and practical level.

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Jetty fields and vegetation of the Rio Grande
Jetty System (near Bernardo), USACE 1963

MEI

Bernardo Gage

Debris Deposition

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 Debris Deposition

River Dynamics

#1 Deforestation may impact river equilibrium for a

very long time.

#2 Stream restoration/rehabilitation may be effective

only after a long period of time

Bank Caving

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Bank Caving

Bank Caving

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 Headcutting

Headcutting

90
Yalobusha River Thalweg Elevation (m)

85

80

75

70

65
0 5000 10000 15000 20000 25000
Meters Upstream of Highway 8

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Vertical Degradation

Headcutting

Vertical Degradation

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 River Dynamics

#1 Deforestation may impact river equilibrium for a

very long time.

#2 Stream restoration/rehabilitation may be effective

only after a long period of time

#3 Looking downstream may prevent headcutting

and severe degradation problems

ASCE Journal of Hydraulic Engineering

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 Erosion and River Mechanics Textbooks

NEW!!
www.cup.org

Objectives
Part Ic – Guidelines and Case Study

1. Guidelines for Stream Restoration Projects

2. Case-study on the Rio Grande

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 Stream Restoration Guidelines

1. OBJECTIVES - Clearly define the

engineering and ecological objectives.
Restoration vs rehabilitation.

2. PAST, PRESENT and FUTURE

– Consider present conditions in the
perspective of past events and
examine future changes.

Rio Grande Restoration– Santa Ana

Project Goals
• Protect Levee
• Create a Functioning Floodplain
• Improve Wildlife Habitat

Hydraulic geometry of the Rio Grande

100
0.4
1918
(mm)

1935 0.2
Change in Mean Bed Elevation (m)

1949 0.0
50

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
1962
Median bed material size, d

-0.2
10 1972
1985 -0.4

Gravel 1992 -0.6

-0.8
Sand
1 -1.0

-1.2

Reach 1 Reach 2 Reach 3 Reach 4

-1.4

-1.6
0.1 CO-line Number
Reach 1 Reach 2 Reach 3 Reach 4

Bed material size Change in Mean Bed Elevation

1.25
350
Reach Averaged Active Channel Width (m)

1918
1918
1935
300 1935 1.20 1949
1949
250 1962
1962
1972
1972
Sinuosity

1.15
200 1985
1985
1992 1992
150 1.10

100
1.05
50

0 1.00
Reach 1 Reach 2 Reach 3 Reach 4 Reach 1 Reach 2 Reach 3 Reach 4

Active channel width Sinuosity

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Stream Restoration Guidelines
3. UPPER WATERSHED – Look at the
geology, deforestation, land use changes,
urbanization, climate and extreme events.
Examine water and sediment supply, flood
frequency curves, sediment mass curves
sediment concentrations, water quality, etc.

4. DOWNSTREAM REACH – Look at possible

changes in the downstream reach that may
affect current conditions – like reservoirs,
base level changes, headcutting, etc.

Hydraulic geometry of the Rio Grande

Stream Restoration Guidelines

5. CHANNEL GEOMETRY – Determine
equilibrium downstream hydraulic geometry
in terms of width, depth, velocity, slope,
discharge and morphology.

6. AQUATIC HABITAT– determine

appropriate aquatic habitat conditions
including low and high flow periods, pools,
riffles, spawning grounds, shade, aeration,
migration, etc.

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Rio Grande Restoration– Floodplain restoration
Santa Ana Reach - Mid 80’s

Santa Ana Reach – Mid 90’s

Rio Grande Restoration– Endangered Species

• Bimodal sand/gravel bed

• Deep water h ~ 1.20 m
• Water velocities 1.4 m/s

Restoration
• Create wider channels

• Sandy/silty substrate
• Shallow water h < 0.4 m
• Water velocities
0.1 m/s < V < 0.5 m/s

Stream Restoration Guidelines

7. EXAMINE ALTERNATIVES – Identify
several different stream rehabilitation
schemes that would suit the engineering
and environmental needs.

8. DESIGN SELECTION – examine the

various alternatives and select the best
possible alternative and proceed with the
design. Solution must be effective,
environmentally sound and economical.

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 Gradient Restoration Facility
• Raise Riverbed with GRF

River Realignment
• Construct Bio-engineering Bankline

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 Floodplain Maintenance
• Lower Terraces with Heavy Equipment

Floodplain Restoration
• Excavated Sediment Placed near Pilot Channel

Habitat Improvement

• Sediment Storage Upstream from GRF

• Low Velocity Overbank Flows
• Planting and Natural Reseeding of Native Vegetation

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Pilot Channel – Pre-Watering

Stream Restoration Guidelines

9. CONSTRUCTION – Carefully plan the
construction and consider the possible
impact of possible extreme events during
the construction period.

10. MONITORING – Things may not work as

planned. A post-construction analysis and
monitoring should be carried out until the
objectives have been met.

Opening Pilot Channel

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 River Realignment
• Divert River into Pilot Channel

Pilot Channel Widening

Spring Runoff - 2001

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 Post-Runoff Assessment

• More Gravel than Anticipated

• Mean Bed Elevation 2 ft Higher than Anticipated
• Pilot Channel 50-100 ft Narrower than Desired

Effects on Bio-engineering

• Most Willows in Fabric Encapsulated Soil (FES)

Completely Submerged
• Sections of Bio-engineering Covered in Sediment

Rio Grande Conclusions

• Thoroughly study river mechanics and
apply finding to the design process.
• Understand the evolution of the project
and consider intermediate conditions.
• Be Flexible…Apply adaptive
management techniques.

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 Stream Restoration Guidelines
1. Clearly define the OBJECTIVES
2. PAST, Present and FUTURE
3. Look at the UPPER WATERSHED
4. Look DOWNSTREAM for degradation
5. EQUILIBRIUM Hydraulic Geometry
6. Appropriate AQUATIC HABITAT
7. Examine various design ALTERNATIVES
8. DESIGN must be Effective, Environmentally sound
and Economical
9. Plan CONSTRUCTION for the unexpected
10. Post-construction MONITORING

pierre@engr.colostate.edu

THANK YOU
for your
Attention!

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