Channel and Floodplain Alterations for River Restoration by Melinda Daniels, Ph.D., Associate Research Scientist, Stroud Water Research Center

1. Channel and Floodplain Alterations
for River Restoration
Melinda D. Daniels, PhD
Fluvial Geomorphologist

2. River Restoration
Should aim to re-establish normal rates and magnitudes of
physical, chemical, and biological processes that create
and sustain river and floodplain ecosystems
Rivers are:
Dynamic
Self-sustaining
Responsive to their watershed inputs
Habitats are by nature dynamic in
both space time and are controlled
by physical stream processes

3. Fundamental River Proceses
Natural
River
Driving
Processes
Fluvial Geomorphology
Sediment Transport
Bank Erosion
Channel Meandering
Wood Loading
Flow Regime
Altered
River
Restored
River
Restoration
Solutions

8. Nielson et al., 1994
Saldi-Caromile et al., 2004

12. Important to evaluate from landscape to local scales
Beechie et al. 2010

17. Legacy Sediments

19. Lancaster area, PA

21. Marmot Dam
Removal
Major et al. Eos, Vol.
89, No. 27, 1 July 2008

25. Channelization
Pomperaug River Study
1936
Pomperaug
1944
1985

26. Cautionary Tales, or…
“The road to hell is paved with good intentions”
Plan for channel reconstruction, Uvas Creek,
prepared by Rosgen (Source: Uvas Creek
project files, City of Gilroy, California).
Kondolf, G. M. 2006. River restoration and meanders.
Ecology and Society 11(2): 42. [online] URL:
http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol11/iss2/art42/

27. Design for Cuneo Creek reconstruction project
(from Rosgen 1991). (photography courtesy of
the California Department of Parks and
Recreation).
Kondolf, G. M. 2006. River restoration and meanders.
Ecology and Society 11(2): 42. [online] URL:
http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol11/iss2/art42/

28. Plum Run, Brandywine

33. Restoration
Strategies
Restored
River
Target root causes of habitat and ecosystem change
Restore Riparian Forests
Focus on connecting existing high quality patches
Decrease storm water and sediment runoff from urban and
agricultural lands
Add large wood
Remove Dams and Stabilize Legacy Sediments

34. The Ten Commandments of River Restoration
1.Do No Harm
2.Direct channel manipulation should be a LAST resort
3.Hire someone who can properly assess the system
4.Look beyond the channel reach (upstream) to assess drivers of degradation
5.Manage inputs to the system (stormwater, sediment)
6.Allow the channel to self-adjust
7.Emulate natural systems
8.Use appropriate materials
9.DO NOT lock the channel in place
10.Expect and accept change