1. Stream Assessment Greg Jennings, PhD, PE Professor, Biological & Agricultural Engineering North Carolina State University jennings@ncsu.edu Jason Zink, PE Zan Price, PE Mike Shaffer, PE Dave Penrose Barbara Doll, PE Kris Bass, PE Karen Hall Mitch Woodward

3. critical habitat

5. Water Cycle Components: Precipitation Runoff Infiltration Evapotranspiration Groundwater flow

6. Average annual precipitation is highly variable and the timing of rainfall each year is unpredictable

7. Extreme Weather!

8. Watershed: “Area of land that drains water, sediment, and dissolved materials to a common outlet at some point along a stream channel” Dunne and Leopold, 1978 Watershed form is influenced by: Climate Geology & Soils Fluvial Geomorphology Vegetation Land Uses

9. Watersheds include many land uses affecting flow and water quality

10. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) : Watershed, n [Cf. G. wasserscheide; wasserwater + scheidea place where two things separate, fr. scheidento separate.] The whole region or extent of country which contributes to the supply of a river or lake. The line of division between two adjacent rivers or lakes with respect to the flow of water by natural channels into them; the natural boundary of a basin. Other Terms: Catchment, Drainage basin, River basin

11. North Carolina River Basins River basins include watersheds of varying sizes and shapes, each with a network of streams delivering water to an outlet

12. Watershed Stream Network Neuse River Basin, NC

13. Watershed Functions: Transport & Storage: Water Sediment Dissolved Materials Habitat: Animals Plants Humans

14. Water Transport to Streams Rainfall moves across the land as runoff or through the ground toward streams to provide baseflow Stream Corridor Restoration: Principles, Processes, and Practices. 1998. Federal Interagency Stream Restoration Working Group.

15. Groundwater Influences Streamflow Losing Stream Gaining Stream Groundwater Recharge Groundwater Discharge Stream Corridor Restoration: Principles, Processes, and Practices. 1998. Federal Interagency Stream Restoration Working Group.

16. Streamflow Duration and Frequency: Classification based on connection to groundwater Perennial (gaining stream) Ephemeral (losing stream) Intermittent (sometimes losing)

18. Strahler Stream Order: Classification system describing position within the drainage network First order streams may be ephemeral, intermittent, or perennial in relation to groundwater connection Stream Corridor Restoration: Principles, Processes, and Practices. 1998. Federal Interagency Stream Restoration Working Group.

19. Stream Functions Transport water Transport sediment Habitat (aquatic & terrestrial) Recreation Aesthetics Safe Water Supply

20. Water Transport & Storage Hydrology: The study of the flow of the earth’s waters through the hydrologic cycle Hydrograph: Displays change in flow (discharge, Q, over time) Peak Flow Rising Limb Falling Limb Mean Daily Flow www.Geology.com

21. Hydrologic Responses to Urbanization Increased discharge Increased peak discharge Increased velocities Shorter time to peak flow More frequent bankfull events Increased flooding Lower baseflow Less ground water recharge

22. Hydrograph Changes Due to Urbanization Increased impervious surface results in more runoff and higher peak flow Urban Rural

23. Stream Condition Related to Impervious Surface Water quality and stream health decline in relation to impervious surface percentage Good Fair Poor Protected Impaired Urban Drainage Network Degraded Source: Center for Watershed Protection

24. Channel incision and bank erosion increase due to channelization and increased stormwater runoff

25. Urban streams have special challenges due to urban infrastructure (storm sewer and sanitary sewer)

26. In addition to stormwater and sewer systems, urban streams are also challenged by confinement

27. Fluvial Geomorphology: study of landforms and the fluvial processes that shape them

28. Fluvial Processes: associated with flowing water, including sediment erosion, transport, and deposition

30. Floodplain

31. Water

32. Sediment

33. Plants & animalsPhoto Credit: Eve Brantley, Auburn University

35. Channel

36. Confluence

37. Cutoff channel

38. Delta

39. Floodplain

40. Gorge

41. Gully

42. Meander

43. Oxbow lake

44. Pool

45. Riffle

46. Stream

47. Valley

48. Waterfall

51. Stream Ecosystems Mostly downstream fluxes of energy and matter Lateral and vertical connections to the riparian and hyporheic zones Courtesy of Francois Birgand, NCSU

53. Biological communities upstream and downstreamStream Corridor Restoration: Principles, Processes, and Practices. 1998. Federal Interagency Stream Restoration Working Group.

54. Hyporheic Zone

55. Field Investigations What is living in the stream? What are the physical and chemical conditions of the stream?

57. Regulating – climate, waste, nutrients

58. Supporting – water quality, pest control

59. Cultural – recreation, inspiration

61. What makes a stream healthy? Bed stability & diversity Sediment transport balance In-stream habitat & flow diversity Bank stability (native plant roots) Riparian buffer (streamside forest) Active floodplain Healthy watershed

63. Riffle/Pool sequences in alluvial streams

64. Step/Pool sequences in high-gradient streamsPhoto Credit: Eve Brantley, Auburn University

66. Plane bed – filling of pools

68. Alluvial bars and benches

71. Stream Habitats Macrohabitats: riffles, runs, pools, glides, steps, side channels Microhabitats: roots, leaf packs, wood, rocks, plants, hyporheic zone

72. Food Web

73. Diversity of habitats

74. What habitats do you see? Pool Leaf Pack Wood Rocks Roots Riffle

76. Lack of wood, leaves, roots

81. Invasive plants

83. Riparian wetlands

86. Wastewater management

88. Point and nonpoint source pollution

90. Floodplain filling

91. Watershed manipulation

92. Sedimentation & stormwater

93. Pollution discharges

94. Utilities & culverts

95. Buffer removal

98. Habitat loss

99. Ecosystem degradation

100. Land loss

101. Safety concerns

102. Infrastructure damage

103. Flooding

105. Stream Functions Transport water Transport sediment Habitat (aquatic & terrestrial) Recreation & aesthetics Safe Water Supply

106. Velocity & Discharge Q = VA = Discharge (cfs) V = Velocity (ft/s) A = Cross-Section Area (ft2) V related to slope, channel shape, and channel roughness Stream Corridor Restoration: Principles, Processes, and Practices. 1998. Federal Interagency Stream Restoration Working Group.

107. Manning Formula

109. A = 40 sq ft W = 22 ft R = 1.7 ft S = 0.010 ft/ft n = 0.040 V = 5.0 ft/s Q = 200 cfs A = 220 sq ft W = 55 ft R = 3.5 ft S = 0.004 ft/ft n = 0.035 V = 6.1 ft/s Q = 1350 cfs

111. Stream Corridor Longitudinal Profile Stream Corridor Restoration: Principles, Processes, and Practices. 1998. Federal Interagency Stream Restoration Working Group.

113. Transportation

114. Deposition (of alluvium)http://www.uwsp.edu/gEo/faculty/ritter/geog101/textbook/fluvial_systems/geologic_work_of_streams.html

116. Hydraulic action dislodges materials

117. Abrasion of heavy materials rolling on bottomhttp://www.uwsp.edu/gEo/faculty/ritter/geog101/textbook/fluvial_systems/geologic_work_of_streams.html

118. Transportation: Movement of material by water Stream Load includes: dissolved + suspended + bed load Capacity: maximum load that can be transported for a given discharge (increases with velocity and turbulence) Competence: largest size material that can be transported for a given discharge http://www.uwsp.edu/gEo/faculty/ritter/geog101/textbook/fluvial_systems/geologic_work_of_streams.html

119. Bedload is related to Discharge for Each River

120. Deposition: Aggradation: Raising the bed elevation Bars: Depositional areas that may change flow directions http://www.uwsp.edu/gEo/faculty/ritter/geog101/textbook/fluvial_systems/geologic_work_of_streams.html

121. Bed Material (Substrate) Silt/Clay: < 0.062 mm Sand: 0.062 – 2 mm Gravel: 2 – 64 mm Cobble: 64 – 256 mm Boulder: 256 – 2048 mm

122. Substrate CharacterizationWolman Pebble Count

123. High Slope Moderate Slope Low Slope Stream Corridor Restoration: Principles, Processes, and Practices. 1998. Federal Interagency Stream Restoration Working Group.

124. Velocity & Particle Size Determine Process V = 5 ft/s V = 1 ft/s http://www.uwsp.edu/gEo/faculty/ritter/geog101/textbook/fluvial_systems/geologic_work_of_streams.html

125. Shear Stress: fluid force per unit area acting on the streambed  = Rs = Shear Stress (lb/ft2)  = Unit Weight of Water = 62.4 lb/ft3 R = Hydraulic Radius (ft) = A / P S = Average Water Surface Slope (ft/ft) A = Riffle Cross-Section Area (ft2) P = Wetted Perimeter (ft) P = Wbkf +2*Dbkf (approx)

126. Stream Competence (www.epa.gov/WARSSS)

130. Lateral bar

131. Mid-channel bar

132. Transverse bar

134. Point Bars: Inside meander bends

135. Lateral Bars: Formed in straight channels

136. Lateral Bars: Formed in straight channels

137. Mid-channel Bars: Formed in over-wide channels

138. Transverse Bars: Formed in straight channels

139. Meandering Stream: Alluvial Forms Flow Downstream Floodplain Scarp Bankfull Stage Point Bar Pool Left Bank Right Bank Riffle Thalweg

140. Bankfull Stage “corresponds to the discharge at which channel maintenance is the most effective, that is, the discharge at which moving sediment, forming or removing bars, forming or changing bends and meanders, and generally doing work results in the average morphologic characteristics” (Dunne and Leopold,1978) Stream Corridor Restoration: Principles, Processes, and Practices. 1998. Federal Interagency Stream Restoration Working Group.

141. Bankfull

142. Channel Evolution (Succession) Response to incising forces Stream Corridor Restoration: Principles, Processes, and Practices. 1998. Federal Interagency Stream Restoration Working Group.

143. Terrace Bankfull

144. Incised System: Floodplain Creation Terrace Floodplain

145. Stream Morphology:size and shape of channel & floodplain (dimension, pattern, profile)

147. Valley type affects stream morphology Colluvium is loose sediment transported by gravity and deposited at the bottom of a slope. Alluvium is sediment deposited by a river in the channel or floodplain Alluvial valleys occur where sediment particles are dropped by slow-moving water.

148. Valley Types: (www.epa.gov/watertrain/stream_class) Valley Type II Moderately steep, gentle sloping side slopes often in colluvial valleys From EPA Watershed Academy: Fundamentals of the Rosgen Stream Classification System

149. Valley Types: (www.epa.gov/watertrain/stream_class) Valley Type VIII Wide, gentle valley slope with well-developed floodplain adjacent to river terraces From EPA Watershed Academy: Fundamentals of the Rosgen Stream Classification System

150. Stream Corridor Lateral Profile Stream Corridor Restoration: Principles, Processes, and Practices. 1998. Federal Interagency Stream Restoration Working Group.

151. Floodplains: Critical Stream Components

153. Reducing peak flows

154. Erosion prevention

155. Water quality

156. Groundwater recharge

157. Food & shade

159. Terrace Floodplain Left Bank Right Bank Thalweg Streambed Downstream

160. Terrace Floodplain Right Bank Left Bank Thalweg Streambed Downstream

161. Pool Cross-Section (Meandering Stream) Stream Corridor Restoration: Principles, Processes, and Practices. 1998. Federal Interagency Stream Restoration Working Group.

162. Natural Stream Channel Stability (from Leopold) River has a stable dimension, pattern and profile Maintains channel features (riffles, pools, steps) Does not aggrade (fills) or degrade (erodes)

164. Width

165. Depth

166. Width/Depth Ratio

167. Entrenchment Ratio

169. Terrace Bankfull

170. Dimension: Cross-Section

171. Riffle Dimensions Wbkf Bankfull Abkf dbkf Measure Bankfull Width (Wbkf) and Bankfull Area (Abkf) Mean Depth, dbkf = Abkf / Wbkf Width to Depth Ratio, W/d = Wbkf / dbkf

172. Bankfull Width, Wbkf = 9.3 ft; Bankfull Area, Abkf = 13.9 ft2 Mean Depth, dbkf= Abkf / Wbkf= 13.9 / 9.3 = 1.5 ft Width to Depth Ratio, W/d = Wbkf / dbkf = 9.3/ 1.5 = 6.2 Wbkf dbkf Abkf

173. Bankfull Width, Wbkf = 36 ft; Bankfull Area, Abkf = 112 ft2 Mean Depth, dbkf= Abkf / Wbkf= 112 / 36 = 3.1 ft Width to Depth Ratio, W/d = Wbkf / dbkf = 36/ 3.1 = 11.5 Wbkf Abkf dbkf

174. Entrenchment Ratio ER = Wfpa / Wbkf Wfpa= Width of Flood Prone Area measured at the elevation twice bankfull max depth above thalweg Wbkf= Width of Bankfull Channel Wfpa Bankfull 2 x dmbkf above thalweg dmbkf Wbkf

175. ER = Wfpa / Wbkf = 75/ 15 = 5.0 Wfpa Wbkf

176. Rocky Branch Phase II Reach 2: Priority 2 (floodplain excavation, C channel) Entrenchment Ratio = Wfpa / Wbkf = 90/20 = 4.5 Wfpa Wbkf Flood water flows onto floodplain several times each year

177. Rocky Branch Phase II Reach 1: Priority 3 (floodplain excavation, Bc channel) Entrenchment Ratio = Wfpa / Wbkf = 40/20 = 2 Wfpa Wbkf

178. Bank Height Ratio BHR = LBH / dmbkf LBH= Low Bank Height (Max Depth to thalweg) dmbkf= Max Depth from bankfull stage to thalweg Bankfull LBH dmbkf

179. BHR = 5.3 / 2.5 = 2.1 Top of Bank Bankfull dmax tob dmax

182. Pattern (plan form) Alluvial (low-gradient) streams naturally meander across a valley with a somewhat predictable pattern

183. Meandering Stream: Alluvial Forms Riffle Point Bar (deposition) Run Glide Pool

184. Stream Corridor Restoration: Principles, Processes, and Practices. 1998. Federal Interagency Stream Restoration Working Group.

185. Oxbow Formation in Meandering Streams Stream Corridor Restoration: Principles, Processes, and Practices. 1998. Federal Interagency Stream Restoration Working Group.

186. Chute cutoff across tight meander bend

187. Oxbows

188. Oxbows

189. Sinuosity = stream length / valley length K = 1850 / 980 = 1.9 Valley Length

190. Plan Form Relationships

191. Meander Length Ratio = meander length / width = 78/15 = 5.2 Meander Width Ratio = belt width / width = 57/15 = 3.8 Radius of Curvature Ratio = radius / width = 23/15 = 1.5 Belt Width Meander Length

192. Profile (bedform) Water Surface Riffle Slope Run Slope Glide Slope Pool Slope Thalweg Pool Spacing, Lp-p Riffle Slope Ratio, Srif / Sav Pool Slope Ratio, Spool/ Sav Pool-to-Pool Spacing Ratio, Lp-p/ Wbkf

193. Stream Bedform Variability:Slope Substrate size Velocity OxygenationShear stress Habitats

195. High velocity

196. High shear stress

197. Large substrate

200. Low velocity

201. Low shear stress

202. Small substrate

204. River Dimensions

205. Velocities:Low flow and Flood flow Little Garvin Creek, Clemson, SC

206. Channel dimensions in a meandering stream www.uwsp.edu/gEo/faculty/lemke/geomorphology/lecture_outlines/04_fluvial_landforms.html

207. Profile is related to Pattern

208. Stream Corridor Restoration: Principles, Processes, and Practices. 1998. Federal Interagency Stream Restoration Working Group.

209. Step Pool Streams (high gradient) Stream Corridor Restoration: Principles, Processes, and Practices. 1998. Federal Interagency Stream Restoration Working Group.

210. Grade Controls Nickpoints

212. Steps

215. Depth

216. Slope

217. Velocity

218. Discharge

219. Flow resistance

220. Sediment size

221. Sediment loadLeopold et al (1964)

222. Channel Forming Discharges and Regional Curves

224. Bankfull discharge

226. Bankfull Discharge Flow fills active channel and spreads onto floodplain Represents break between channel & floodplain processes For channel in equilibrium, assumed to equal the effective discharge Return Period typically 1 to 2 years

227. Bankfull Stage “corresponds to the discharge at which channel maintenance is the most effective, that is, the discharge at which moving sediment, forming or removing bars, forming or changing bends and meanders, and generally doing work results in the average morphologic characteristics” (Dunne and Leopold,1978) Stream Corridor Restoration: Principles, Processes, and Practices. 1998. Federal Interagency Stream Restoration Working Group.

228. Bankfull

230. Break in slope on streambank

231. Top of point barBankfull Bankfull

232. Bankfull

233. Bankfull

234. Bankfull

235. Bankfull

236. Channel Evolution (Succession) Response to incising forces Stream Corridor Restoration: Principles, Processes, and Practices. 1998. Federal Interagency Stream Restoration Working Group.

237. Terrace Bankfull

238. Bankfull

240. Bankfull

241. Bankfull