THOUGHTS & PHILOSOPHY ACCORDING TO DERRICK

And rivers meander too, these

are natural river functionsIf you can, let your river be a river!! Let it breathe and

have some freedom!

If you can, let your river be a

river!! Let it breathe and

have some freedom!

A Laboratory Study of the Meandering of Alluvial Rivers. By J. F. Friedkin, Captain, Corps of Engineers - 1 May 1945.

USE GOOD SCIENCE, FUNCTION-BASED DESIGN, & RIVER EXPERIENCE IN

DECISION MAKING

Goal and Function-Based

Design (WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE

YOU TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH?)

SIMPLE

GOALS:

WATER IN = WATER OUT SEDIMENT IN = SEDIMENT OUT CARBON IN = CARBON OUT

Photo by Nate Muenks, MoDOT

GOAL: a broad statement that reflects a desired outcome. “The project needs shade”

OBJECTIVES: are specific statements that state GOALS in

measurable terms. “In 5 years between 45-75% of the project should be shaded”

ASK YOURSELF, IF WE “DO

NOTHING” DOES THIS PROBLEM

GET BETTER OR WORSE ???

STEPS IN A PROJECT• Initiate

• Plan & develop goals

• Gather data & analyze

• Conceptually develop how water should flow through the project

• Develop conceptual designs

• Analyze and develop the final design (P&S)

• Construction & Inspection: Original design team members should be involved in construction oversight

• Monitoring

i am a minimalist, ask not how high the hard protection has to go, but how

low can we take it (long, low and hydraulically smooth is the idea)… Nudge the river, never fight it!!!!

• Minimal hard protection has to go hand-in-hand with laying back the banks to a stable angle & planting all of the appropriate vegetation (aquatic, emergent, pioneer, veg within the protection and mid- and upper bank areas)

• RE-USE EVERYTHING THAT HAS TO BE MOVED OR REMOVED

First Law of River Engineering:

Complex Problems

Often Have Simple, Easy-to-

Understand WRONG

ANSWERS

COOKBOOKS

COOKBOOK

Second Law of River Engineering:

Tweak existing

techniques for the job

at hand

“Streambank Stabilization Aint Rocket Science, It Is Way More Complex Than

That”, (Dr. Biedenharn) “With Many More Variables and Unknowns!!” (Dave Derrick)

Third Law of River Engineering:

Do U see a shadow from the

astronaut? Picture

taken by me at the

Huntsville NASA display

"Natural Systems Are Complex, And Disturbed

Systems Are Even More Complex!!!"

Charlie ElliottCOE-LMVD, Retired

Bernice, LA

Fourth Law of River Engineering:

Last Law of River Engineering:

When in over your head, go get help!

IF ANYONE SAYS THEY HAVE ALL OF THE

ANSWERS, THEY DON’T!!!

•NO SURPRISES !!

•NO DRAMA !!

•NO BACKING UP !!

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

• First thought from regulatory ….. Avoidance & minimalization….

• List all alternatives – not just your best plan. Show how U have minimized already.

• Regulatory folks are 99% biologists, emphasize the effects of the project on the planet. Hint: roughness = habitat…

• Regulatory wants it done correctly, once!!

PERMITS - get regulatory involved early

Luxuries We Like To Have• The “Luxury of Space”• The “Luxury of Time” (nature strengthens

the project over time)• The “Luxury of Monitoring”• The “Luxury of Adaptive Management”

Think conceptually regarding functions, use Derrick’s “LAW OF EXTREMES” to understand how things work. Example-ditch narrow & deep, or 5 ft wide & 1 inch deep

Aftercare

You will never get everything correct the first time around

• If you do it was a miracle

• Or you are the luckiest person on the planet

• Or it has not rained yet

• Or the project is overbuilt

• All projects should take two years to construct. Build it, monitor over the first year, then repair & apply adaptive management as required (based on project goals), then monitor some more.

For many stabilization and habitat structures there are no hard and fast design criteria. Judgment based on

riverine experience & expertise and the ability to access field conditions and

modify plans and construction accordingly are a significant component

of a successful project.Stream has changed since design!!

Stream has changed since permitting!!

“Blackwater's flooding spurs scrutiny”Washington Times - Washington, DC.Six of the 10 worst floods on record for the river have occurred in the past eight years, according to the US Army Corps

of Engineers……..

THE WEATHER AINT NORMAL

ANYMORE!!!

Protection starts late & ends early, resulting in erosion at both ends of the project!!!

FEMME CREEK, ST. LOUIS AREA, MO.

STUDY NATURE - UNDERSTAND

WHAT IS WORKING AND

WHY!!

Attack Angles, Thalweg Profile, &

cross-sections.

Note: There are

sine waves for

both stream

planform, & the

vertical profile!

Longitudinal Longitudinal ProfileProfile

Purloined from Brad Humber, The Nature Conservancy

HOW STREAMS NATURALLY DISSIPATE ENERGY !!

HOW TO TELL WHEN A POOL IS

WORKING PROPERLY

Looking US at a properly functioning pool, note

roostertail dies out at DS end of pool during bankfull event, 9/1/2005, McKinstry

Creek, Delevan, NY

Gravel-cobble bed, 1% slope, rural, pool-riffle-

pool

Looking US at a properly functioning pool, note

roostertail dies out at DS end of pool during bankfull event, 9/1/2005, McKinstry

Creek, Delevan, NY

Gravel-cobble bed, 1% slope, rural, pool-riffle-

pool

Looking DS at a pool that is not functioning as well, fast water

through length of pool. Needs to have more volume in pool, or roughness, McKinstry Creek,

Delevan, NY

STABILIZE HEADCUTS FIRST,

THEN WORRY ABOUT BANK INSTABILITY

SECOND

HEADCUTS GONE BAD!!

Las Vegas Wash, NV. has degraded from a 3 ft deep by 100 ft wide channel in 1975, to a 40 ft deep by up to 1,000 ft wide channel in 1995

I am standing on the roots of dead wetland plants, over 2,200

acres of wetlands lost

Huge problems with perchlorate

interception from the groundwater

table

Then

2,400 Acres of Wetlands

Now

2000 acres of wetlands lost !

Photo by Gerry Hester

SEVERAL LOW GRADE CONTROL STRUCTURES ARE

BETTER THAN ONE BIG MONSTER GRADE CONTROL

STRUCTURE

SELF-ADJUSTING, GRADE CONTROL

STRUCTURES WORK WELL !!

Arresting an active headcut at the

downstream end of the Articulating Concrete Mattress

July 2004

Looking US 10 months after project completion, veg looking good, note mat has arrested a small headcut

LOOKING US, JULY 2004

April 2006

Submar ACM system has arrested a larger headcut

LOOKING US, JULY 2004

March 2007

1-year later, larger headcut arrested by Submar mat

April 2007

Note uneven DS edge of adjusting mat. Pipeline still well protected.

March 18, 2009

A more uniform adjustment of the mat to the headcut, but still approximately 14 ft until the

headcut gets back to the pipeline.

Pix by Derrick

Nine Mile Run* 7 million dollars to build,* 63% of structures had functionally failed in 20 months:• 100K & 10 days to re-rehabilitate

• 800 tons of stone• 3,000 plants• gobs of stone reused (use used stone)

9 Mile Run-Looking US at a Cross-Vane. Fish passage???

April 2007

Looking US-Structure 18: Engineered Rock Riffle (Structures 17 &16 in background)

November 12, 2007

THE SECRET TO BANK STABILIZATION:

MAKE THE BANK THAT IS PROTECTING SOMETHING

TOUGHER & HYDRAULICALLY ROUGHER

THAN THE OPPOSITE BANK

(OPPOSITE BANK SHOULD BE SMOOTHER & WEAKER)

A bank protection project should start

& end in stable (usually depositional)

areas.

KEY ALL STRUCTURES

INTO THE BANK

A key has one main function:

to connect bank protection (or a river training structure) to the rest of the world, & not let the river “flank” (get behind) the improvement or protection

works.

9 Mile Run - April 2007

Flanked perpendicular grade control structure. Water should be flowing over this structure.

VEGETATE THE KEYS TO MAKE

THEM HYDRAULICALLY

ROUGHER

Constructed Engineered Rocked Riffle with extended vegetated keys

Sept 27, 2007

VEGETATION CAN

HOLD YOUR WORLD

TOGETHER !!!

ONONDAGA COUNTY BUILT A PROJECT WITHOUT A PERMIT

BUFFALO DISTRICT

REGULATORY ASKED ME TO BRING THEM INTO COMPLIANCE

RESULT: 1-DAY HANDS-ON WORKSHOP FOR 44 PEOPLE

2700 PLANTS PLANTED IN 6 HRS

PLANT PLANTS ON A GRID

(PERPENDICULAR &

PARALLEL TO THE DIRECTION OF HIGH

FLOW)

Rubber tired backhoe digs

4-5 ft deep trench with a

narrow bucket. Pix

by Bill Frederick

Many hands get things done quickly, 2,740 plants planted in about 6 hours. That’s why they call it a workshop. Pix

by Derrick

TWO-STAGE SLIT TRENCH TECHNIQUE

Plant other species that require less water than the

willow. In this case Sycamore & Red Osier Dogwood

LET’S SEE HOW IT GROWS

BEFORE 5-15-2007 8:00am. Pix by

Derrick

AFTER 5-15-2007 noon. Pix by Derrick

Black Willow, Streamco Willow, Red Osier Dogwood & Sycamore were planted using the Slit Trench bioengineering method. 40 RPM container plants (7 species of trees & shrubs) were planted in the green oval areas.

Plantings form a grid to flow. No matter how water flows through the project, it

encounters rows of

vegetation (Living Dikes)

Aug 3, 2007 {less than 3 months after installation}. Looking US at right bank floodplain. Pix by Mark Schaub

2 YEARS & 1 MONTH AFTER

PROJECT COMPLETION

Photos by Derrick JUNE 18, 2009

2 YEARS & 1 MONTH LATER-Looking US @ the planted floodplain (Mark hidden in plants). Very lush

growth, dense as desired from a hydraulic point of view.

2 YEARS LATER-Onondaga Cr.@ Nichol Rd Bridge-DERRICK 6-18-2009

2 YEARS & 1 MONTH LATER-Mark with 10-14 ft tall willows.

2 YEARS & 1 MONTH LATER-Onondaga Cr.@ Nichol Rd Bridge-DERRICK 6-18-09

VINES – THE OVERLOOKED RESTORATION TECHNIQUE

Use to shade stone & improve aesthetics

1 YEAR LATER-Looking DS @ planted Virginia Creeper vines on stacked stone wall. Great vine growth for first year

1 YEAR LATER-BUSHKILL CR-SITE 2-A - DERRICK 9-12-2010

“NO-MOW STONES” DESIGNED TO EFFECTIVELY KEEP RIPARIAN AREAS FROM GETTING ACCIDENTALLY MOWED. Swan Cr. @ Highland Park, Toledo, OH

“NO-MOW STONES” are dug into the ground several inches to reduce movement from vandals or equipment strikes.

2.75 YEARS LATER-”No-Mow” stones ringing an important riparian area. Stones are dug in to resist movement from any force

2.75 YEARS LATER-SWAN CREEK @ HIGHLAND-DERRICK 5-12-2011

Cleophus Speed Elvis Derrick!!Here he is in action!

RIGID OBJECTS IN DYNAMIC SYSTEMS

TEND TO FAIL CATASTROPHICALLY

DURING THE CATASTROPHIC

EVENT!!

When the concrete-lined channel breaks up it is not pretty, Vensel Creek, Tulsa, OK

SELF-ADJUSTING, SELF-HEALING

BANK STABILIZATION METHODS ARE

BEST!!

Longitudinal Peaked Stone Toe Protection (LPSTP)

As-built

After a couple of high flow events stream has

scoured at the toe & stone has self-adjusted

Sediment has deposited landward of the LPSTP

Johnson Creek, MS. Pre-project rapidly eroding near-vertical bank {rural, sand bed, slope < 1%, pool-

riffle-pool, meandering, incised}

Mini case study: 1 of 3

Mini case study: 2 of 3

Johnson Creek, MS. As-built protection consists of Longitudinal

Peaked Stone Toe protection (LPSTP) applied at 1 ton/ lineal foot

Johnson Creek-LPSTP one year later (note volunteer willow growth)

Mini case study: 3 of 3

Longitudinal Peaked Stone Toe Protection

{installed 1977, picture taken Sept 2003} at

Batapan Bogue, Grenada, MS.

LPSTP has launched as intended (note steep

angle of repose), armored the scour hole as expected, & mature vegetation is assisting

with overall bank stability

CASE STUDY- Hickahala Creek Pipeline Protection Project at milepost 347.64

Tate County, Senatobia, MS Constructed Sept. 2003

Longitudinal Peaked Stone Toe Protection {LFSTP} with

upper bank paving

Looking US at the entire stream trying to flow underneath the exposed pipeline, the first bend downstream of a long straight stretch is hard to

repair, the water does not want to turn!!! This stream put sediment 1,000 ft in a straight line out into the farmer’s field.

Self-adjusting stone bank protection

Looking US at impinging flow impact zone. Note steep angle where LPSTP was undercut & launched

(self-adjusted)

April 2006

Original angle of repose

Launched angle of repose Note steep angle where LPSTP was

undercut and launched (self-adjusted)

LOOKING US, JULY 2004

March 2007

4 years after construction,

very stable, veg growing well

April 19, 2011

7 years later, bank steep near water but very

stable, veg growing well,

no rock appears to have

launched since high flows hit shortly after construction

KICK THE THALWEG OUT INTO THE CHANNEL AT

LEAST A LITTLE BIT WHEN USING RESISTIVE

BANK STABILIZATION METHODS

(Bendway Weirs, Locked Logs, Rock Vanes, etc.)

AERIAL VIEW OF LPSTP

WITH LIVE SILTATION,

SOIL CHOKE, LOCKED

LOGS, BENDWAY

WEIRS, & A PLANTED

BANK

TH

AL

WE

G

Thalweg moved out by Locked Logs &Bendway Weirs

CONSTRUCTION-DUCK CR. E. OF EASTERN AVE. PIX BY DERRICK 7-1-2008

Old thalweg alignment

new thalweg alignment

From DS looking US @ thalweg trace.

CONSTRUCTION-DUCK CR. E. OF EASTERN AVE. PIX BY DERRICK 7-1-2008

FINAL THOUGHTS• Take as many classes and learn from as many folks as

you can• The stream is a system, analyze it that way• Design for minimum structure and maximum

function• Imitate nature• Max veg, think little, big, and transplants• Design from the edges of the riparian corridor toward

the stream, not the other way around• Think thalweg and energy management• Use flow visualization to achieve project goals

Man’s best friend, Cleophus Speed Elvis Derrick