Little Duck Creek Stream Restoration

Spring 2009

Civil Engineering Senior Design ProjectCivil Engineering Senior Design Project

Erik Briedis

Keith Leiter

Johnathan Moor

Jordan Vogt

Channelization Theory (1976)

•Change nature for the advancement of mankind

•Straight, Wide, and Hard•Straight, Wide, and Hard

•Stream is used as tool

•Little oversight or central planning

Restoration Theory (2009)

•Natural stream is seen as asset to community•Meandering dissipates energy, decreasing bed scour and slowing the scour and slowing the stream•Varying depth allows for more diverse aquatic life•Natural bed materials prevents contamination•Diverse vegetation shades and cools the stream

Creek Options:

• Concrete Culverts

• Do-Nothing

Academics:

• NOAA and USGS review of 345 sites mostly positive, but inconclusive

• Rip Rap

• Cross-Vane

• Soil Bioengineering

- Riparian Buffer

- Bio Remediation

• Long-term monitoring not available

• “We suggest an interim approach to sequencing rehabilitation projects”

– North American Journal of Fisheries Management, June 2008

Rip Rap• Heavy stones used to

protect soil from the action of fast moving water

• During the 1970’s and 80’s, the U.S. Army 80’s, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers conducted research to improve velocity-based rip rap design

• Rip rap commonly used in conjunction with soil bioengineering practices

Source: Photograph by Keith Leiter of Riverside Park, Findlay, Ohio

Cross-Vane

• Developed in the early 1990’s

• Cross-Vane is a grade control structure

• Decreases near-bank shear stress, velocity and • Decreases near-bank shear stress, velocity and stream power

• Creates a stable width/depth ratio

Image from Rosgen

Soil Bioengineering

• The use of natural methods to control bank erosion, and to restore natural stream habitat

• Not considered hard design engineering

• Practices of Soil Bioengineering have been around for centuries

• Two Important project of 1970’s and 80’s– Trials of Soil Bioengineering Techniques in the Lake Tahoe

Basin

– Re-vegetation work in Redwood National Park

1976 Stream Restoration Plan

• Plans originally called for improvements along the Little Duck Creek from Madison Road south to Murray Ave

•Included creating culverts and altering the creek path in selected areas

• Many recreational facilities included from bike paths to informational signs

• Much of the adjacent property was a mix of residential zoning along with pubic and municipal use as well

• Plan was rejected by many land owners whose property was to be affected

Current Parcel and Stream Conditions

Land Use not available500 Res. Vacant Lot500 Res. Vacant Lot501 Res. Unplot 0-9 ac510 Single Fam. Dwelling520 Two Fam. Dwelling400 Comm. Vacant Lot640 Municipality Owned

• Zoning has barely changed as most properties are still residential and other mixed uses

• Many vacant properties along creek as a result of erosion and economic conditions

• Madisonville Community Council has purchased lots with goals of developing recreational amenities

• Communication with owners will be necessary to implement new development and restoration plans

Stream Conditions and Alignment: 2009 vs 1976

2009 Creek Alignment1976 Creek Alignment

• The creek alignment has changed very little since 1976 with erosion affecting only a few points

• Water flow varies from very little flow to scattered pools of water• Many road bridges display scouring of the foundation

• A few pools feature aquatic life such as small fish and algae

• The change in alignment will require communication with land owners to be affected by restoration developments

But What do the People

Want ???They want the creek to be worth something (economic benefit)!

$8.81/household/month in economic value for scenic and aquatic value in Deckers Creek

That means:

�Accessibility

�Cleanliness

�Safety & Security

�Natural

value in Deckers Creek WVU Study

If swimming and fishing: $16/household/month

Community = Mr. Bob Mendlein(Head of Madisonville Community Council) and Mr. Steven

Schuckman(Superintendent of Planning & Design, Cincinnati Parks)

Questionsssss?

Jordan Vogt, taken in Little Duck Creek